Is there a black list?

[godinabox]

I worked as a deckhand for the Woods Hole Oceanographic inst. for eight years. A year ago
a friend of mine, a young girl just out of maritime school, was being harassed openly and
consistently by the chief engineer. I asked a member of the department (an oiler) what was
going on and he told me, straight out, that he and the chief were trying to get the girl to quit.
Turns out the chief had promised the job to the oiler in question, his only friend on the ship.
This is a young, inexperienced third and she was afraid to take it to the captain, so I went
to the bridge as her advocate. Nothing between us; I just thought she was getting a raw deal.
The captain didn't want to hear it, told me to bury it and refused the investigate the issue.
So i cornered the chief and told him I knew what he was up to. I told him he had to stop or
he'd deal with me on the dock. Bad move, i know. Long story short, the captain wrote me
up for disrespect and I was fired for creating 'a threatening work environment.' Okay, I blame
myself. I screwed up, handled it badly and got what i probably deserved. Up to that point I
had a stellar record: great evaluations and a recent promotion. But the hundred or so resumes
I've sent out have elicited a deafening silence. I've heard rumors of a black list from time to time.
Is it possible my sailing career is just flat out over?

[cappy208]

As Marty used to say... Verrrrrryy Interrrresting! God, am I dating myself! anyway.

YES there is a black list. Although it is not as black as you may think!

There are several tactics HR uses to communicate references. I am sure you used WHOI as a reference correct? Prospective employers do call and ask. It is definately illegal for one company to 'badmouth' you to another, They get around this with 'code words' during a conversation. Such as when asked was the employee discharged for cause, they say yes. Then the next question would be is the person allowed to be eligible for rehire. So the answer would be, the guy was fired, and we don't want/accept him back. Yes that could be a death knell to your chances.

My suggestion would be to go get a job elsewhere that doesn't hinge on prior recommendations, to use THAT as a reference to move on.

You do realize that the maritime community is REALLY small, and most reputations are (if not actually known) easily discovered by a phone call? The higher you go up in the rank the more your reputation effects your employ ability.

SOME Employers use several insurance referral services that they use to weed out frequent litigators, and repetitive injury claimants. It is common to be blackballed if you have sued, or had medical claims.

Maybe you learned that threatening another worker is not only counterproductive, but actually backfires on you.

Erase WHOI from your resume.

[Emerald Shellback]

One thing to add to cappy208's post.

If the HR guys are talking on the phone and they know each other, the one that you are applying with hears the whole deal. Of course, it is all 'off record', try and prove it...

Best thing to do is find another job that does not require priors, as cappy208 said above, and move along.

[Jemplayer]

Just find a new job any job.

Has something similar to me happen, was fired from one company. Got hired on with at new one because they needed someone right this second. Been there for a year, kept my head low and been a model employee.
I've started looking for a new job for some more money and I only get asked about my current job and why I'm looking.
At least in the Oil Field your only as good as your last job.

[cape cod night]

It's amazing that you never added the part about trying to cut my throat open..... I guess that part of the story doesn't add any influence to your problem....

[cappy208]

It's amazing that you never added the part about trying to cut my throat open..... I guess that part of the story doesn't add any influence to your problem....

Actually it IS in his post, you just have to read between the lines! Physical threats, the deckhand acting as the sea lawyer, temper, and the 'cornering'. The post was about how to move on. The advice is to erase Whoey from any further reference.

Maybe the individual has/will learn from his mistakes! It has been known to happen!

[godinabox]

What's actually AMAZING here is that this punk's only objection to my re-telling of the story is the omission of the EXACT nature of a threat delivered off the ship, off the clock, in the middle of a heated exchange in a local bar. What's AMAZING is that he does not, nor will he ever, dispute the charges. What's AMAZING is that a captain, presented with irrefutable evidence of harassment, sat on his hands and let the situation reach a boiling point. But what I still find most amazing of all is that two cowards would openly conspire to bully a female co-worker and, in the end, enabled by a gutless chain of command, cling desperately to some imaginary moral high ground. I appreciate Cappy's post, but this s---heel knows the score.

[water]

One mariner had a hitch with a very difficult captain with a reputation of running crew off. When his turn came, he put on his resume that he went back to school to get the necessary classes for his 500 T Masters, which he did.

It worked out well, as he is now working again, and has his USCG letter of approval to test for 500 T.