(apologies capt. tormon, but i cannot cut the message short, the momentum will be lost)
-----Original Message-----
From: Stolt Invention - Crew User [mailto:
Sent: Friday, 2009 January, 30 13:16 PM
To: Stolt Vestland - Crew User crew.SPRID@stolt.com,
crew.SEMER@stolt.com, crew.SAQUA@stolt.com, crew.STOPA@stolt.com,
crew.SEAGL@stolt.com, crew.SLOYA@stolt.com, crew.SAYAM@stolt.com,
crew.SAZAL@stolt.com, crew.SKIKY@stolt.com, crew.SJADE@stolt.com,
crew.SSAPP@stolt.com, crew.SVEST@stolt.com, crew.SVINL@stolt.com,
crew.SMARK@stolt.com, crew.SSAGA@stolt.com, crew.SNANA@stolt.com,
crew.SAMI@stolt.com, crew.SBASU@stolt.com, crew.SSKUA@stolt.com,
crew.STEAL@stolt.com, crew.SAVOC@stolt.com; crew.SHIKA@stolt.com,
crew.STAUR@stolt.com, crew.STITA@stolt.com; crew.SALLI@stolt.com,
crew.SACAC@stolt.com, crew.SCORM@stolt.com; crew.SDIPP@stolt.com,
crew.SCORM@stolt.com, crew.SINVE@stolt.com,
The Ratings here in Stolt Invention fully agree with what is written below, and were hoping also that this would give us (the
Ratings) the opportunity to express how we really fell with how our management is treating us as a member of their so called
Family. Yes we are being ignored for a long time and with this present situation with our economy, We "the Ratings" need to be
in one voice to make the management hear and acknowledge our needs to coup up with the impact of the crisis. Our Income is now
getting lower and lower because of the Dollar depreciation and the continous increases of the basic commodities. With this
aspect we hope that the management should take a good look up also to the ratings as this Ratings are also making all the hard
and physical work in every (Tanker) Ship of Stolt possible, specially during cargo operations, tank cleaning and ships
maintenance. We might just be a Ratings but the management should accept the fact that every ship needs a Rating. lets just
hope that every word we add up to this awakening letter might make the management realized that we are really FORGOTTEN.
Lets Hope and Pray that the management would look back to us and include us AGAIN in their Family Cirle.
Please have your comments send also to the management so they would also know how we really fell with our status as ratings and
we agree with every single words in the letter below.
-----Original Message-----
From: Stolt Vestland - Crew User [mailto:crew.SVEST@sntg.com]
Sent: Friday, 2009 January, 30 06:10 AM
To: crew.SPRID@sntg.com; crew.SEMER@sntg.com; crew.SAQUA@sntg.com;
crew.STOPA@sntg.com; crew.SEAGL@sntg.com; crew.SLOYA@sntg.com;
crew.SAYAM@sntg.com; crew.SAZAL@sntg.com; crew.SKIKY@sntg.com;
crew.SJADE@sntg.com; crew.SSAPP@sntg.com; crew.SVEST@sntg.com;
crew.SVINL@sntg.com; crew.SMARK@sntg.com; crew.SSAGA@sntg.com;
crew.SNANA@sntg.com; crew.SAMI@sntg.com; crew.SBASU@sntg.com;
crew.SSKUA@sntg.com; crew.STEAL@sntg.com; crew.SAVOC@sntg.com;
crew.SHIKA@sntg.com; crew.STAUR@sntg.com; crew.STITA@sntg.com;
crew.SALLI@sntg.com; crew.SACAC@sntg.com; crew.SCORM@sntg.com;
crew.SDIPP@sntg.com; crew.SINVE@sntg.com
Subject:
Calling all filipino ratings make a comment...Let's show them what is the true meaning of ONE FAMILY...So were asking all
Ratings to do your part, voice out, so it will be loud enough for the
management to hear our call. Please make a comment.
We the crew ratings of STOLT SAPPHIRE strongly agreed to your views regarding the present stand of us ratings in our company,
we do appreciate and thank the great effort of yours in staring this chain of letters. We are supporting your intention about
this matter and we are hoping nad praying hard that by this small medium youve made may our soft voices be heared and may it
brings a positive impact and a better realization to our companies system of management and a much tighter bond to our
relationship as one big family. We do hope that in the incoming revision of the CBA in conjunction to salary increase and
benefits may everbody enjoy regardless of their position onboard wheter an officer or a rating...
THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND GODBLESS...!!!
(from Stolt Saphire)
SAME TO ALL RATING HERE IN STOLT MARKLAND, WE SUPPORT AND AGREE, YES!!!FAIRNESS AND EQUALITY FOR
ALL. TO THE MANAGEMENT, DONT FORGET US (RATINGS). WE ARE ALSO PART OF SO CALLED "FAMILY" HERE.I agree to those word, A word
that might awakening the respective company, Yes! we're working here for a long time but we have
been "FORGOTTEN". Forgotten to those sweet words that might increase our salary, A words that we never achive for a long time.
I salute to those people who have a 'BRAVE HEART TO VOICE OUT WHAT WE NEED AS A RATINGS'. We are the ratings who always obey
thier command, we work hard everyday inspite of unfairness treat to us. So we should hold our hand to voice out what we need as
so called "Ratings"... GOD BLESS TO ALL OF US.
(from Stolt Markland)
In behalf of my fellow comrades here YES!!! We do agree We need to voice out for the sake of our fellow comrades who continue
to ignore this in order to secure the future of their family. This is a wake up call for all the ratings, we need to do
something about this.... We should not ignore this
We admire the brave soul who started this...
(from Stolt Eagle)
we, the crew of stolt topaz agreed and supporting to your intention.
hoping for the stolt management will reconsider and hear us.
(from Stolt Topaz)
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WE ARE ALL AGREE HERE RATINGS ON STOLT VINLAND FOR THE VOICE OUT ON RATINGS ,,,WHAT IS THE
WORD FAMILY? IF YOU NEGLECT THIS MESSEGE.....MANAGEMENT SHOULD DO SOMETHING!
(from Stolt Vinland)
We are the RATINGS serving on all Stolt Ships, or shall we call it the lowest level of the Crew in a ship, but for us this
doesn’t count how low we are, as we all have been serving the company for a very long time, which we can already consider the
company as our family (base on what our owners representative and other top officials in office always said “HERE IN STOLT WE
ARE ALL FAMILY AND WELL TAKE CARE OF YOU AND YOUR OWN FAMILY”). Speaking of a Family, the words itself describe that it is a
group of individuals that is taking care of each other and not only a specific or a certain individuals. But what is happening
now? Ratings are being taken for granted and almost forgotten. In this past years there have been so many changes in the
company specifically in wages, in which the Ratings basically is not much beneficial of such changes when it comes to salary.
Back in late year 2006 the management started the changes by removing the Ship Mechanic (SM) and Integrated Rating (IR)
position which resulted for the deduction of the Amir Bonuses for both positions which amounting to $ 100.00 for SM and $ 75.00
in IR in each salary respectively.
In the year after. January of 2007 the management imposes a wage changes which give the Ratings NOTHING or 0%, so basically
there is no increase at all on our side. But in other hand the higher level of crew which we call the OFFICERS (Filipino)
received a huge increase of 22% in their salary at that time. We didn’t reacted too much with this matter as the management
promises that, on the next changes it will be the Ratings turn to benefit more for the next round of increase. So the time pass
on, with a grief on the ratings heart and hoping that such grief would be relief by the time the promise given by the
management will be impose.
In January of 2008 another round of wage increase was given as “Again” promise by the management, but then it turns out that
the Ratings is once again not in the priority list or among the important list by the management, as the increase once again
turns out in the benefits of Officers “once more“, as they received this time a 15% increase on the wages while the Ratings got
only 7%, in which the total amount covered by such increase is not that much when you cover-up the Amir Bonus deducted in the
year 2006, so basically AGAIN, there is almost nothing in the Ratings, except for those who doesn’t affected by the Amir Bonus
liquidation off course. We are trying to accept our luck with this Company who used to be the best in its field and try to
accept what ever they can give us in return on all the hard work we are rendering while on board and hoping, that soon they
will try to look back also on us Ratings. But this is during the time while we are still trying to play blind on what is going
on. This late quarter of the year 2008 another big blow, the Ratings “ONCE AGAIN” when the management increases the Longevity
bonus of the Officers to 100% and nothing to the Ratings. As we all know longevity refers to the length of service rendered by
the crew on the company and not by the position and rank. With this changes a rating crew who have serves the company for 10 to
15 years are being compensated only with $60.00 per month, compares to a newly Officer who render a 3 years of service who is
already enjoying a $75.00 monthly compensation. This adjustment has been done only with in a year together with their 22%
increase.
This time before the year ends 2008, we received again another whistle blowing message from the management when they send us a
Christmas surprise e-mail which contain a 2009 wage scale. The scale doesn’t change that much on Ratings corner (off course)
except for the one (1) day additional for vacation pay which is equivalent to 11% (more or less) of the vacation pay . But when
we cross along the Officers corner another big hitting blow surprise us when there is a Chemical Tanker Allowance given to all
Officers Deck and Engine, which is equivalent to 10% of their base wage plus a one (1) day additional on their vacation pay.
“TANKER ALLOWANCE” just by understanding the word itself, it refers to the allowance allotted to all the crew who are working
on a Chemical Tanker ship regardless of Position, Rank and Department. But why is it that such allowance are only given to
officers on Deck and Engine? Should these benefits be shared to the entire crew of a Chemical Tanker Ship? For all we know, we,
the ratings are the most expose to chemicals (especially Deck department) compare to the officers. Ratings are the one taking
samples during cargo operations, regardless it is loading or discharging. Officers are only there to check for the sample
taken. Most of the time during cargo operation Officers stays only inside the Cargo Control Room to monitor the operation. How
about Tank Cleaning? We the Ratings are the one who are directly expose to chemical we are handling while doing Tank Cleaning
and gas freeing. From loading to discharging, tank cleaning to gas freeing, ejecting and drying, securing and preparation for
loading. We, the “RATINGS”, are the one directly involve in this situation.
Should this Health threatening nature of our job as a Rating be good enough to look up to, to consider our being eligible of
such allowance? Where are all those promises the management have given us? Are WE not a part of this FAMILY? Are we taken care
off?
What are we trying to imply here is, why is the management can give the officers a ‘tanker allowance” and give nothing to the
Ratings? Why give Engineers a “tanker allowance” while Ratings don’t have any? We are all in a Tanker ship; we are all working
in the same type of ship. Why the management can increase the longevity bonus of the Officers and nothing to the Ratings? We
are all employed by Stolt Nielsen, we are all working in the same Company.
“AREN`T WE ALL FAMILY”? Should the Rating be taken care off also? Where is the fairness and equality? When we try to question
the people who represent the management about this unfairness, they use to tell us that “you have to accept what ever the
company is giving you and if you’re not satisfied with it, you can resign anytime as we can always find a 100 replacement for a
single rating”. This is how they professionally deal with us when we ask too much questions and may be, we always fall in their
bait, for us to just keep quite at the end.
To all Ratings, we have been ignored for a long time. We don’t have a voice inside the management; with this letter maybe our
grief and emotions will be heard. So were asking all Ratings to do your part, voice out, so it will be loud enough for the
management to hear our call. Please make a comment.
To all officers, this letter is not against you. This is the only way we know how to be heard and listened by the management
and with your support; this letter might be taken seriously by the management. We are not asking for too much, were only asking
for fairness and equality for all the crew of Stolt, Ratings and Officers. Please make your comment.
Concerned Ratings of Stolt Nielsen Transportation Group
4 comments:
Forgive me Ms. Gay in voicing my opinion, treat this as an unsolicited advice from an elder, that I think this is entirely an internal Family matters of Stolt which should not put on blog here coz its like a family affair you've been discussing in the public, this might not give you a good impression. Rather, I surmise, prior to embarkation, all crew whether ratings or officers have to sign for a an employment contract if they aren't satisfied with the wage scale they should have not sign it and tell the management that they opt for higher pay scale if not, they could in the first place scout for company that might give them what they clamour for.
On the other hand, I do empathize one hundred percent with our Ratings and undoubtedly believe on the enormous contributions they deliver to the ship’s team in completing any job orders but they have to honor the employment contract that they have signed. With regards to pay hike, by all means, they can make a manifesto and course through the proper communication channel of your organization.
Prior to embarkation, all those comments from the ratings should be discuss by the Crewing Manager/ Fleet Manger or Operations Manager and make clear those items were covered. Usually a form attesting that all those topics were discussed and sign by the seafarer concern so that no excuses when such problem arises. It will be both protection of the seafarer and the employer for any unjust practices.
I believe the blogs being posted here are used only for educational use. If there are other purposes beyond my knowledge for our posts, then as you have said, as a more experienced person in this field, I wholeheartedly respect your opinion.
Remember, a seafarer's employment is CONTRACTUAL. The rights and obligations of the seafarer to the company and vice-versa START AND END with every contract.
Therefore, the salaries, benefits, etc. are something that should have been threshed out before the contract starts. No matter what drama is involved here, these things are economy driven. Remember the LAW OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND. Too many ratings (excessive supply), price goes down; too few officers (very low supply), price goes up.
Tell them to stop crying. As in the Millares case, we can see that the company has NO OBLIGATION to rehire anyone, not even CHIEF ENGINEERS.
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