Voice of action. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1933-1936, 1935-01-11
Working Conditions
Observation-Disclosures


from seamen themselves:
Monthly Wages: Able sesmen receive from
$35 to S625O month, the wage in case depend
ing upon the individual line. On the same basis
ordinary seamen are usually paid from about
$23 to SAL. Firemen range from $50 to $65.
Wipers, $50 on the Ward line, but usually
about the same as ordinary seamen. First As
sistant engineer receives from $50 to $3.50: sec
ond assistant engineer, $50 to $l65; third assist
ant engineer, $40 to $780,
Electricians receive from $50 to $3.50; re-
Gently the Munson Line increased the pay
from $40 to $50. Stewards: chief steward aver
ages $l10 $50 on freighters if he doesn't cook,
and Sis If he does cook.
Assistant to the chief steward, walters and
bedroom stewards passenger lines receive
$50 to $40; messmen on freighters from $40 to
$40 and work from IL to 16 hours daily.
First Mates wages range from $50 to $3.50;
second mate $40 to $165; third mate, S65 to $3.50.
Chief engineer receives from $3.50 to$295; oilers,
$40 to $3.50; cook, $50 to $780, bellboys on pass
enger liners, 500. A captains wages on cargo
vessels range from $500 to $3.50.
Working Conditions: Seamen say that the
Munson, Grace and Bull lines are very bad but
the Luckenbach Line is considered the worst
Working conditions on these ships can be
painted with one brush; they're all bad.
"On the Columbia Line the food is terrible"
you see, it is this way Some of the ships that
pay halfway decent, the grub is so rotten and
quarters are so terrible that you are forced to
leave the ships. The ships that feed half way
decent the wages are so low and the hours so
long that these ships too are terrible.
On the Dollar Line the mess rooms are
next to the engine room with the heat in the
tropics around l2O degrees, and so hot you can't
eat. The toilets, mess room and sleeping quar-
tiers are all close together When you go to the
Orient the water is used by the passengers so
you have to wash in bucket. On intercoastal
hon iey N tha hole
can use the one and only shower"
Sleeping quarters were described thus:
TERRIBLE! Best place to catch consumption"
Vessels such as the Manhattan have slightly
better conditions but sleeping quarters are
very crowded.
The President Taft is full of bed bugs and
terribly hot in the tropics with IL men in the
fo-castle. According to law each fo-castle is
supposed to have two exits in case of fire, but
the President Taft and hardly any ship has
more than one exit" Again: in the station
mems quarters for six men there is only one
ten-inch portfolio for ventilation There is bare
ly enough room to turn around"
great many companies do not hire men
after they pass IS years of age. This applies par
ticularly to officers; the engine ROOM and the
deck department. After they reach 40, men are
not wanted at all After a man has been to sea
a long time they don't want him because they
can't put it over on him. They want men who
those who want experience"
The Dollar Line hires Chinese because they
are cheaper. By law 65 per cent of the crew
must be American citizens on mail ships and
they cut down the overhead by hiring Chinese"
But even the law requiring IS per cent Am
ercan crew is not strictly enforced.
Speed Up: Seamen estimate that personnel
has been cut down by one-third withNa subse-
Quent speed-up. TheAmerican Hawaiian Line
puts out a quarterly report showing competi-
ton between chief officers in their attempts to
economic on the upkeep of the deck depart
ment H. e., ropes and gear. 'TThe Bull Line and
other cheap lines try to economic on gear and
this adds to accidents" Small companies are
said to have the worst gear. On leaving port,
ships are in many eases not ready for Sea and
not secure matches open, bOoms swinging.
This is another part of the speed-up. Freight
is loaded until the last minute, and they al
ways attempt to sail before midnight in order
to save wharfage fees"
Another reports: The American Hawaiian
gives bonus to stewards and chief cooks in
ducing them to economic on the seamen.
They are strong on belly rObbing tactics"
On the American Merchant Line men are COM
PEELED to work on Sundays and holidays.
Although it is claimed that this is for the
ships safety, the job consistes of working on
e-boats-which should have been repaired
in pOrt-but polishing brass on the bridge
which the workers are made to do on Sundays
and holidays can scarcely be considered neces-
sary for the ships safety"
Company Unions, Blacklist: The Dollar Line
and the Standard Oil Co. lines are reported to
be forming company unions. Experience has
shown that the shipowners do not recognize nor
carry out their agreemnts with seamens unions
unless they are forced to-
The shipowners hire foreign workers with
out papers because they are not citizens, and
if they agitate they can be deported." This APP
plies to ships touching West Indies and Vene-
zuela, and particularly to oil tankers.
The blacklist is the shipowners' main wea-
pom in depressing the seamen. One seaman
said: Il am blacklisted on 10 different ships and
all because went on strike on the SIS Texan.
THE shipowners exchange their blacklists
with each other" 1t is also customary with
some shipping lines to keep seamen waiting
from day to two weeks for the pay which is due
them. When they strike in some cases the line
refuses to give them the wages they have al
ready earned