Exactly Les you went for the lifestyle. In the 50s and 60s there were still many of the old handsfrom the war years at sea who were grown ups compared to the likes of us, they needed a rise to support families as well. The NMB book quoted among other things that the shipowner was only required by law to allows 50 percent of your basic wage as an allotment. Some of the tramp companys enforced this as well. 50 per cent of 32 pounds a month is 16 pounds, not much even in 1960 to bring up a family. Overtime in most cases was a sop to appease people on long passages. It was also a very expensive sop to the shipowner. The shipowners crewing bill today is the cheapest it’s ever been even allowing for inflation. Now his next target is crewless ships. Which no doubt will earn the title of clueless ships. What would have been spent on ships crews on board willbe spent on so called crews ashore which will be much more expensive to start with, but they hope will be much cheaper sometime in the. Future. Flash Gordon is coming to live in your street. Cheers JS