Contact Info For American Petroleum Tankers

[highseasmechanic]

I've been searching around and trying to get a hold of someone at Crowley, but no one seems to know anything about the new build vessels coming out of NASSCO. I was wondering if anyone might have some info as to who to contact at Crowley concerning the American Petroleum Tanker fleet and possible employment. Feel free to PM me the info. Thanks.

[abergeron]

Nick I heard that the deck and engine officer's are going to be dispatched via AMO

[mike173]

That is correct.

[highseasmechanic]

I am an AMO applicant already so that is no big deal. I've been trying to get a hold of Kyle Hickey since he's on the Golden State, but he's out at sea. The crew on both of the new builds went with the ships to Crowley from US Shipping. Last I talked with him, they were looking to hire people for the current ones and others coming out of the yard.

[Crowley]

highseasmechanic - to apply for a position with Crowley you need to go to http://www.crowley.com/careers/tugboats/tug-jobs.aspx and complete the application. Our marine personnel department will take it from there.

[highseasmechanic]

I've applied online before, but I wouldn't mind talking to someone. Thank you for the information.

[abergeron]

Crowley why won't you hire me for the assistant port captain job in valdez. I mean you have been advertising since june.

[highseasmechanic]

Keep bugging them Adam, maybe they'll give you a job. I've applied online with them a couple times. I wouldn't mind sailing on the ATB's or anything in their fleet. I've heard they are a really good company to work for from my friends that work in their fleet.

[seadawg]

worked as chief mate out of jacksonville for them a few years back..my reason for leaving (1) relationship of being a licensed officer and member of siu (2) the most redundant paperwork load I had ever experienced (3) pay was substandard to other companies.

[Pensionless]

These ships will be AMO, no pension if you are new. If you have 19-3/4 years vested as of 2010 AMO will not pay your pension until you are 65 years old.
Stay well away from AMO, no pension, lousy wages. They will change the rules on you with no notice, But the officials are extremely well paid by the membership. Oh, the HMO they use is terrible.

[highseasmechanic]

I can attest to what you both are saying. I'm only a year and a half sailing with AMO. As for US Shipping, they have treated me well and when I had a medical issue overseas, they were very well in getting me the care I needed. I've sailed on the Baltimore for a few trips and now am waiting for another ship to relieve someone on since the ITB's are laid up. I know their equipment is old, but it has been a great learning experience. As with anyone I'm looking for other opportunities to use my academy education.

[Pensionless]

Well, at least you have only wasted 18 months. As far as medical care overseas they have to take care of you by law. Remember medical care overseas is in a lot of ways better than in the states. You are new enough to get out and work for a reputable company who will honor retirement plans, answer questions with honesty and integrity. You wont get that at AMO. Dont waste your life!! Ask around, I speak the truth.

[highseasmechanic]

So far, everything that I have asked of AMO has been met with a straight answer. If they didn't know right off the bat, then whoever I spoke to would find out the answer for me and get back to me.

[Pensionless]

Oh, to be brand new again. Okay, ask them why officials get double digit MPB and you may get 2 percent. Ask why most all contracts have gone to 12 hour days, 7 days a week and you cant contact anyone at Dania before 8 AM or after 4 PM M-F. Ask why the President makes 320,000 a year, travels only first class among many other perks that make no sense for somebody making 320,000+ and loses the pension plan on his watch yet takes no responsibility. Even the dumbest 3rd mate knows what happens on his watch is his responsibility.
Imagine Captains and C/E flying halfway around the world in cattle car and the Pres must fly 1st Class from Florida to Philly.
Oh, dont forget to ask why officials also get a matching 401K and the sea going men dont.

I have plenty more for you if you need them but this should get you started. Good Luck!!

[mike173]

Pensionless,
I have no problem with you bashing AMO. I'll be the first to admit it is not perfect. This is a great place to air your laundry. But at least get your facts straight, so you don't sound like you have no idea what you're talking about, which apparently you don't.

1. AMO does not have an HMO, it is a PPO managed by Cigna. It's not perfect, but not too bad. And it is most certainly not an HMO.

1. There are NO 12 hour contracts with AMO. Read the contract. If you are required to work 12 hours a day on a salaried contract, it is all the Captain, Chief Mate, and Chief Engineer. In fact, I was present when the Union stated they want those individuals reported. I currently work on one of those salaried contracts. Sure, sometimes we work 12. Sometimes 8. Sometimes less. Sometimes we get days off.

3. On our contract, Captains, Chief Mates, Chief Engineers, and First Engineers fly business class.

4. Yes, the pension is going through some major revisions. But, those changes will not take effect until January 2011. So someone with 19 years right now will still have the options of taking their pension before next year.

5. After that, the defined-benefit plan will convert to a defined-contribution plan for the remaining members. Basically, it will be an individually managed fund similar to a 401k. But it will be separate from the 401k so no one will hindered by the annual contribution limit. The existing money in the pension plan will be divided by the membership according to rating and time in service. Everyone will have 3 plans (MPB, 401k, and new plan). When you have enough money to fund your retirement, you can quit. Or you can whine about it, and quit now.

[Pensionless]

Okay, I see some of what I said you wouldnt touch. Let me respond to you with what you would.

1. You are right it is a PPO, I went under my wifes last year as most providers in my area dont take CIGNA. I also wanted a doctor who went to school some where besides Mexico, Grenada or India.

2. If you are at work and get days off you must be swinging on the hook, in an unmanned engine room or tied up next to a parking lot. In my 16 years in AMO I have worked every day, underway, unloading/loading or in the shipyard. I have never had or seen a day off while signed aboard a vessel . Unless of course you are talking about the SIU.

The work is never done on a ship, there is always work to do. So, if you are under a max 12 hour day contract for a daily wage you may get 4 hours off once a week. But you should be working 12 hours a day at least 5 days a week. If not you cant see work that needs doing.

3. If you think your "buyout" from the old plan to the new will be more than 30 cents on the dollar you need to do some basic math. It will not compute. You will lose hundreds of thousands of dollars. Plus the new plan will be funded by wage cuts. Do the Math!

4. As far as the flying I can only speak from years of experience. I have seen Ins and Outs cut, non watching standing cut, MPB per cent cut ect.. Yet all I hear from the administration is how big and strong AMO is.

[highseasmechanic]

I appreciate hearing experiences with AMO from different people. As for me, yes I am always looking for better opportunities right now within and outside of the union. With the economy the way it is, that is tough. I appreciate the contributors to the thread and would like to keep it going. That being said this topic was brought up in the main forum so anymore AMO topics I think should be referred there. Thank you.

[mike173]

Pensionless,
Now we are having a logical discussion. It's not that I wouldn't touch some stuff you said, it's that I don't know the answers. I have no idea what Tommy Bethel's wage is, but I will find out. I will find out what everyone makes. And I didn't need to mention anything about the Dispatch hours.

Yes, the PPo is Cigna, and no, it's not the best. The old PHCS plan was better. Doctors hate Cigna, that says quite a lot.

As far as days off, yes, it's with an unmanned engine room. But it's also possible for mates if they are willing to work together. I've had days off on quite a few ships. The Chief Mate must set the tone for that.

You say the work is never done on a ship. True of course. You could work a crew of 200 for 24 hours a day, and never have it done. So at some point, you must say "enough for today". It really matters not how many hours you work (except for watchstanding). It's the quality of that work. There are no 12-hour daily wage contracts. If you are required to work it everyday, then the Captain, Chief Mate, or Chief Engineer are violating the contract. That's a fact. Does it happen? All the time, because we as crew permit it to happen. We don't often enough demand that the contracts be adhered to.

I don' think there's any "basic" math in figuring out the buyout. It's going to be complicated, ugly, and confusing. Will we lose out. Yes, I absolutely believe that. But I can't say what we will get until I see it. Hopefully we will get something decent. What I do know is that AMO must fix some problems, and work to fix them soon. Because the real question that needs to be asked is: "What can you offer to make me want to stick around?"

[NewEngr]

As an active, sailing AMO member, I would like to add my comments to the discussion. When I joined AMO a few years ago, I knew I was not going into the best union in terms of wages, retirement status, etc. What I did know is that AMO allowed me the opportunity to retire after 20 years - something the other unions did not allow, or at least in the same sense. I earn less working through AMO, yes. Prior to the pension shake-up, I accepted this as the price to pay for retiring young. Now I am upset. I am upset because I will now likely have to work until age 65. The only thing AMO had over MM&P and MEBA was their retirement and ease of shipping through the hall (all phone/internet). Now, with no pension, and observing how the shipping dispatchers work, it is all a sham. How can they admit they shipped 100+ engineers in one month, but the open job board on the internet listed maybe 20 engineer jobs for the month? And nobody questions this?!? Wait, you can't. At least if you want a job. I am upset they got their wish and have a new headquarters. This is the membership's fault. "Hi guys. We lost your pension, but let us build this new building." WTF?!? Don't start about the Trustees and the Union being separate...they are, but the entity as a whole f*d up. I am upset their school instructors are paid more than most of the active sailing membership, while working 8-4, holidays off, generous vacation package, and benefits that put TOTE to shame. I am upset they even offer guys on the ships a contract with 0% increase. I am upset the "new" pension plan will have an employer contribution percentage negotiated with each company. TOTE - Matching; USS - Nothing. Is this fair? I am upset to the point where the only positive thing about buying a book is the tax deduction. On a side note, I work under a 12 hour day salaried contract. This is AMO's long-term goal with all companies. All this said, nothing would make me happier having someone answer my resume offering anything better than I get now - and that doesn't take much.

[ITCHY]

I am a 22 year AMO member with no buy out and facing giving up my job in order to get a pension for all these years out here. Meanwhile fellow members with buy outs continue to sail in permanent positions and with the new plan accrue an additional pension at a rate that will put most members to shame. No consideration in the new plan that these members have already cashed out. It is as if the buy out never happened. Great for those guys, a load of crap for everyone else. Anyone hopeing for a roll over that even remotely resembles the cuurent value of thier pension is smoking their lunch. The pension crisis is a pension opportunity for the members who gave up claims to future benefits when they took the buy out. Not to mention the new plan favors late comers too. A 55 year old with 3 or 4 years in the union will get a higher percentage than a 45 year old with 20 years.I could go on but the bottom line is unless this roll over somehow mirrors the value of our pension pre crisis ( it wont) then crediting lump sum members with years of service they have already been compensated for is irresponible at best. My only hope is the IRS allows me to freeze my pension and keep working but that doesn't seem likely and sure as hell doesn't help anyone with less than 20. I hope there is some backlash once the roll over numbers come out.

[Pensionless]

Itchy, I am envious as I am a member that is missing the twenty years by a small amount. Everything you said is true! The defined benefit buyout for me I am sure will be pennies on the dollar. We are supposed to find out what it is in April.
Remember elections are this year, so they may throw a number at you to make you smile and to get re- elected then yank it away with some excuse. Wouldn't be the first time that was done, rember MPB and Dental benefits.
We now have a 40,000,000 dollar surplus in the medical but no pension. It looks like contracts were not negotiated properly.
After reading all the latest currents about donating to the VPAF it looks like members are saying no to this slush fund finally. After all how many awards dinners and cocktail parties can you go to?
Remember the adminstration blames the Pension Protection Act of 2006 for a big part of our pension problems. Why do we want to donate money to the people that ruined our futures?
How to fix this? VOTE OUT EVERYBODY WITH A BUYOUT OR SHELVED PENSION
their interest is not the same as members who got a goose egg.
The President of A M O makes 320,000 dollars a year, matching 401k, huge MPB and now a defined contribution pension big enough to make us all look like we have been collecting cans our whole life. And guess what, we pay for it from our dues, members with no pension are paying for a huge second pension for these guys.

[ITCHY]

Pensionless, I have had alot of contact with plans and originally with Bethel who wrote me off as " the most ignorant member he has dealt with in 25 years as an AMO official". He inferred I was an idiot because according to him I didn't understand how anything worked with plans, which is odd since Nickerson couldn't answer alot of my questions. Many memebers probably think us 20 year guys have it made but unless the IRS comes through we will have to quit our jobs to get anything. The only people who are benefitting are the lump sum members,everyone else is getting screwed to some degree. When Bethel made his announcement for the new plan he said we would get a "40% contribution at no cost to the members". What he should have said is at no cost to lump sum members, the rest of us have had are pensions frozen, reduced by who knows how much and now based on an actuarial table that assumes we all want to spend 40 years on a ship. How many people would have joined if they knew this way back when. What adds insult to injury is that at a time when the rest of us are being told there is a pension crisis this administration finds a way to bring pension millionaires back into the mix. I'm no math wiz but I do know that the pension pie is only so big and when you bring all these guys that cashed out back into the mix and then favor them with a formula that guarentees them a bigger slice it can only mean then rest of us go hungry. I don't think it is too late to make some changes but it's going to take numbers. Personally I can't believe members aren't coming out in droves to challenge this. Read the pension SPD. We are getting hosed.

[Pensionless]

vote out all amo officials that have a buyout or shelved pension in 2010!!!!!!!