Pay

[Graham Shaw]

JS Re Yr.#19. Yes John,as 3/O I did the Admiralty Light List corrections,usually done on the 8-12 in the morning, not at night of course ! on those long ocean crossings,after my forenoon sights were worked out.I found it all quite therapeutic, correcting,annotating ,cutting and pasting,as in a much-loved child's scrapbook activity.
Similarly,as a 2/0 ,on long crossings I would correct my charts in the afternoon watch,on the bridge- front fold out tables. Quite often I didn't get much done as Sparky,or the Old Man would visit me on the Bridge and much chin-wagging would ensue....

I agree,the navigation was the easiest part of the job,cargo work the hardest and most tiring,

Graham

[j.sabourn]

#20 That’s the word I was trying to remember Enterprise Agreement where Numast was trying to promote that when I left the UK. That would be from Company to Company. Unless you have people who know what they are doing that could easy go off track and that’s where the legal mind should be. If P &O are using that as a recognised method of paying their bills , to my mind the seafarers would be better off with union representation. JS.

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Can't say I got much overtime, maybe when overhauling the gears on a long trip down the Indian ocean. Got more on tankers cleaning tanks, but then not that much as there was plenty of time until you reached a loading port, preferred to take everyone's wheel time.
The only time it was worth working overtime was on the NZ coast, where we were payed real money.
Des

[j.sabourn]

Des what was the eastern bonus I used to hear about but never saw. A bonus somewhere in the past paid east of Suez. ? JS

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi John.
Spent a lot of time there but no sweeties. I have heard about it many times but don't know how you could get it. I was on a tanker alongside in Abadan when they Yanks put the Shah back on the Peacock but we got no eggs.
Des

[j.sabourn]

I was on the offshore agreements Des and it was all in black and white. Most didn’t bother with them , but it was good anti union propoganda by the media. Unlike the UK where there was always a cook on a ship out here there wasn’t, unless there were over 12 on board , they had to give up the cook to get a rise one year. There was usually 8 on a straight supply vessel and the seamen had either to take turns or one may volunteer to do the cooking for the 6 week swing. Even though there were only 8 men , they were represented by 3 unions The seaman’s union, the Guild, and the Engineers, before they gave up the cook there would have been 4 with the Stewards Union. That was the big outstanding failure to me. There should have been 1 representing all. When a ship was accepted on the coast here a member from each unions head office had to inspect the ship for its suitability , that in itself was a sham as sometimes they didn’t agree , the seamen themselves could have done that, but if the inspection was in Singapore it was a joy ride all expenses paid .They left themselves open to bad publicity, but on the other hand they got excellent conditions for us , and after being the poor kids on the block for years , whose going to look a gift horse in the mouth. JS

Another one which I don’t think exists anymore , If I took a ship back to Singapore which was an ocean passage and ship had to be manned to deep sea numbers usually for a 4 day passage . On arriving Singapore everyone was entitled to 3 days RNR in a top hotel with all meals etc. was given $100 a day spending money . If had been there 6 weeks your official leave of 6 weeks didn’t start until you stepped into your own house. If there was any chocolate left on the ship when you left you could take that with you as well. Although the Australian immigration may take off you arriving back in Australia even though it was purchased here in the first place. As Ester Ranson used to say That’s Life , but a good one I thought to go out on at last.. Cheers JS

[happy daze john in oz]

The rule in UK about having a ships cook but maybe not a skipper was good back then.

But the world has changed.
Many ships now have no cook, but do have a bloody big micro wave.

Have been told by some when down in the mission that there is plenty of food available in the freezer, a lot of ready made meals and some ingedienst to make your own should you wish.
Cutting costs is nothing new to any shipping company

[j.sabourn]

In most cases not for the better. JS
How can the pundits at one time plead loss of sleep is dangerous and should be paid for .
In the same breath reduce manning where it is impossible to avoid loss of sleep , just one incident to raise the profit side of the ledger. Especially where no payment is necessary. Everyone is after the cheapest labour possible , what happens when there is no cheap labour left.? Is it the hope that all labour will be robotic costing trillions to produce. Man is a gregarious animal and lives off others labour’s to make the profit for him. That’s why there are only about 2% of the worlds population have all the money as a trophy to their skill on using others to make it for them. JS

[Leighton Denver]

As an apprentice it was £6 5 s a month. Talk about slave labour.Stand watch,s at sea and in port 6 on 6 off it was a tanker( Avon Venturer ). No days off at all.I moaned to 1st Mate and was told I not sign on for 8/10/12 hrs a day but 4 years, get on with it. Packed itin after almost 2 years and went on deck, finished up bosun. Much happier and richer. Leighton Denver.

[Anthony Cusack]

In 1958 I was promoted to uncertificated 3 rd mate from apprentice. Wages jumped from £14 to £45 per month.