Question about salary

[j.sabourn]

#10 And that’s where the union or mouthpiece comes in for those who cannot do. JS

[George Mathew]

I see you live in Mumbai Why not ask the Indian equivalent of Nautilus the officers Union,or get in touch with your local International Transport Federation official. I am sure they will have a better Idea than most.

Will do. THat's a good idea.

[j.sabourn]

Salarys and conditions offshore in Australia for 1993 as read from a list of conditions from the Australian Maritime Officers Union for site survey vessels were Master $ per annum 70, 281
Cheng 68,875
Mate/2E 62,550
I.R. 51,539
the leave ratio was 5 weeks on and 5 weeks off.
these salarys were discussed every year and rose considerably . They were called Awards or Agreements annually.

JS

[j.sabourn]

#13 I flew up to Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea a couple of years after this to take over the Dickerson Tide with an Australian crew , she was under the Stars and Stripes and an American presence had to be maintained on the vessel by US coastguard Rules so the master was resigned on as 2 mate and the chief engineer as 3 engineer. The salary’s by this time had grown and an IR was on just over 60,000 . The American ex master told me that was bigger than he was getting sailing as master under the US Ensign . I never saw any wages higher than the Australian during the period 1991 to 2002 , and never saw any better conditions . The lowest wages I ever saw was on British registered ships . Maybe I was unlucky . JS.

[happy daze john in oz]

Ships entering Oz ports and in need of additional crew will not take on Australians.
If they do they must pay them under Australian rates of pay with all the add on's such as super, leave pay, leave loading etc.
Makes the cost close to three times what the other crew will be paid.
Not a cost effective way for shipping companies to operate.

[j.sabourn]

During the period I mention John any foreign seaman was only allowed think it was 6 weeks and then had to be replaced with an Australian. The American Oil rigs brought on the coast out here have Australian maritime or other Australian union members after 6 weeks . Think the OIMs were allowed 12 weeks and then had to be replaced either with a maritime member or another visa bearing American. When I was employed out here outside of these conditions I was lead to believe it was under special exemption due to my being a member of Numast and the first meeting it was brought up by all the members there. The master I relieved was Danish and had been master on the regular cattle boat running out of Fremantle to the Middle East , and he had to wait 2 years to get membership of the guild, the first question he asked me on relieving him just before Xmas 1991, was how I got in so quick. He seemed to have had his feelings upset. It took me over 2 years to get citizenship as had to have 2 years continuous in the country to qualify , and I was back and forwards to Singapore bringing ships back and forwards , which was another qualification for membership of the Guild. However the unions went out of their way and could so easily have turned the other cheek and made my life more difficult , as had to be a taxpayer for 10 years to receive any benefits as an OAP. However as mentioned before managed to squeeze in. Cheers JS..

Regarding wage scales on foreign vessels, shortly after the 1966 fiasco I decided not for me at this time , and was on 101 pounds 12/6 per month as mate. I flew out to Canada to work for Saguenay Shipping of Montreal and was on
$ 700: US. Per month this was 1966 and the flag was Liberian but the vessel was owned by the Alumina Company of America , better known as ALCOA . JS

Another additive to 1991 to 2002 re Australian maritime wage rules ... you were either permanent or temporary employed by a shipowner. If temporary you received 28% increase in the wage. But received no additives to the retirement fund. There are numerous little clauses in the offshore agreements , one of the big plus”s was if on construction work think you received either a a 50% or a 100% bonus on top of your basic wage. So if an IR would be on 120, 000 a year if on 100% bonus. Not forgetting this was for 6 months work only. If you took no leave in theory you would be on 240,000 dollars . IR for those unaware is intergrated rating , better known in UK as GP. This was in the mid 1990s . I don’t think these conditions are there today , JS

[happy daze john in oz]

Thanks for that bit John.

The info I posted about crew taken on here in Oz came from the manager of the Mission here in Melbourne.
Busy place at times, they run a bus service back and forth to ships in port.
All crew he brings in are from overseas, a lot of Philipinos and Koreans he told me.

[j.sabourn]

During my period that’s ok any foreign ship can come and go as it pleases, as long as it does not trade on the coast permanently . I would imagine the same applied in NZ . In think it was 1972 I was mate on one of JIJ tankers think it was the Laurelwood if not the Hollywood as as the only two they had at that time. We were 1 of 3 products carriers running from whangerai as far as Bluff with petrol to all the ports in between . The other two vessels one was Greek and the other NZ flag , the Greek and us were only allowed 12 weeks on the coast at one stretch and then had to leave , we then went up to Newcastle for tank cleaning , as none was done during those 12 weeks as was just motor car petrol on top of motor car petrol. I flew home from NZ. So don’t know how many 12 week trips she was allowed to do. But it was all about preserving New Zealand jobs for New Zealanders ,which I personally have nothing against , my last memories of American Shipping they were the last and may still do demand an American presence on American ships and good on them if still do . JS

[John Pruden]

what was the salary of a captain in 1969 i ask because i went from 26 pound a month to 180 pounds a week within 2 days of coming ashore 69? jp

[j.sabourn]

John in 1969 I was on a Gibraltar registered ship and can only tell you what the master of the ship I was on was getting. You can’t really state a definite wage structure unless it is BOT and there are very few get that . Then depends on the trade of the ship and the owners. In 1969 the master on that particular ship I was on was on 34 pounds a day , the chief engineer was on 33 pounds a day , and myself was on 32 pounds a day as mate , the crew were chinese and were on 28 pounds a month , and these were paid off in Hong Kong and Philippinos employed at 27 pounds a month. There was no such things as unions and one negotiated your own wage take it or leave it. By the same token as master on a stand by vessel in the North Sea 20 years later I was on the same rate 32 pounds a day no Leave as such. Take it or leave it . The seamen were on about 24 pounds a day , and that was one of the better payers , some of the Lowestoft ex trawlers I heard were on 17 pounds a day and after 4/5 weeks offshore got 3 days off and then had to sign on the dole or go back to sea. Apart from Australia and foreign flag vessels anywhere near film star wages have always eluded me . JS