No one is expecting WSF to turn a profit (Well, no one sane). Public infrastructure has different requirements. There are a lot of things WSF could do differently to operate more efficiently, but that’s a subject for another thread like you said.
Sticking to the topic of hiring practices, given as how they are using their VW settlement money to switch certain boats to hybrid-electric, having the ability to be flexible and hire engineering talent when it’s needed to get the team where it needs to be with new systems would be beneficial for them. I expect they will do this anyway, but in the guise of ‘advisors’ instead of just hiring the right C/E for the job. That doesn’t necessarily mean going completely away from their system, which works for them. Being flexible is key.
If I take it correctly, your position is that all officers should be hired directly from the union hall. However, according to Cataclysmic, two-thirds of 3AE are brought up through the hawsepipe, using the same system of on-call hiring, at first that the OS go through. It seems to me there must be at least some validity to the system, otherwise all 3AEs, and by extension all 3Mates, would be hired from the hall.
But you disagree, and I ride the ferries with no qualms as to their timeliness and safety.
Nope. Just saying the option to do so could be open (as it is for the engineers apparently) and is not. As previously stated, I feel the deck hiring system is just how the WSF wants it to be as it allows them to identify candidates who value something in their life more than salary and this can keep salaries lower than the greater market. This will continue as long as enough people continue to participate.
My suspicion is the reason for the different systems for deck and engine hires is due to a lesser number of engineers willing to dine at the shit sandwich buffet.
That’s funny…I didn’t parse it correctly apparently… When you said “every third AE”, I took that as every 3AE as in 100% of the third assistant engineers… Thanks for the follow up post
As I understand it, there is a difficulty in advancing from oiler to QMED to 3AE, because of the tonnage or HP of the ferries. Perhaps Cataclysmic has some info.
I wonder what the percentage of those Assistant Engineers were former oilers trying to get the job quicker through the hall rather than wait for the seniority based internal process for promotion?
Also wonder what percentage of that group have group 1 status from sailing Oiler at the ferry system?
I also wonder if they new this rule of 1/3 and had inside info that a promotion was going to happen and gambled by quiting and waiting at the hall for it to go up on the board?
My understanding is it is very very very few that get that job that were not already group 1 former oilers with WSF in the first place. Especially now that they are able to get group 1 status but typically not able to get OICEW, rendering them absolutely useless for any job as a group 1 out of the hall now days.
No doubt it’s is a very very tricky system to navigate
Probably could stand for some overhauling if for no other reason than to make it simpler hahaha
I think the practice actually dates back to a former union structure. In the old days, the Oilers at WSF came in via the IBU and the licensed engineers from the MEBA. At some point (in the 80s, maybe?) the Oilers moved over to the MEBA. So the old hiring practices from the IBU and the MEBA both carried over to this day.
It tends to vary depending on how the industry is doing. Many AE hires from the hall are former WSF Oilers, but many are not. I don’t know how the group status works post-Janus, but group 1 status isn’t everything. Couple of years ago a group 3 (!) AE was hired from the hall.
You can probably research that in another topic.
But in short
Long classes not conducive with work schedule of ferries, expensive around $30000, assessments which cannot physically be done on ferries that lack the majority of deep sea equipment. Evaporators, HFO etc
Other reason as well.
Brain storming here… As a WSF oiler, you’re A MEBA member right? Could you take a day work job on one of the Matson ships that come to Seattle and (assuming someone on board was willing) get those assessments signed off onboard there?
@jdcavo, would this meet the requirements for STCW assessments? Does a person have to be signed into a ship and have a discharge for the time period the assessment took place or would a temporary assignment to a vessel (a daywork assignment) be sufficient?
I would say no, you’ll be working and so will the crew.
You can get it other ways and is certainly not impossible.
But I’m just some schmuck on the internet that thinks he knows everything.
You’ll have to get well squared with the CFRs and make your own way.
Good luck