Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1943-06-07
Mariner Pay
Reviewed
By PeeIer
Statement by Curran
Under Discussion Z
By WESTBROoK PEGLER


ment of Joseph Curran, the
boss of the party line union OF
merchant sailors. with jurisdic-
ton from our East Coast TO the
war zones of Europe and Africa.
let us take up his statement
that all unlicensed sailors of the
merchant marine, meaning those
who have not achieved officers
ratings, reap an average pay OF
only $40 a week.
The base pay OF an A. B. IL
$3.50 a month and he gets
emergency pay of $3.50, which
brings him up TO 500.
On top of that he gets mimi
mum bonus of 500 a month and
S5 day for time spent in any
OF the big marine war zones.
Formerly he also got SIPS for
entering any port subject TO
bombing attack, which meant
that in going into the Mediter-
ranean with troops or supplies
for the S50-a-month army punks
in Africa he got $3.50 for passing
Gibraltar twice and SIPS for
entering the port of his destina-
ton, or $3.50 in port bonuses in
addition TO his pay and over
time for a voyage which might
take a month or FIVE weeks.
THE port bonus arrangement
Il has been changed so that
now he gets the bonus only II
the port actually is attacked.
The union. however, is UNI 4
happy about that and, as COM
penSating concession, wants a
bonus of Sl25 If the ship is at
tackled by submarine or plane or
otherwise Al sea.
The sailor also gets IS cents
an hour overtime pay for ships
work done outside his regular
watch and Sl05 an hour for
working cargo.
Then the West Coast man
may he requested 10 stand a
security watch in port which
may mean that he merely con-
deScendS 10 sleep on board and
for this he gets Sc a night for
week nights and So cents an
hour Saturday noon 10 Monday
morning.
There are also bonuses for
sailing on ships carrying ex-
ploSives. which also may carry
troops and enlisted naval sailors,
receiving no such pay.
I HAVE before me the over
Il time account OF a licensed Of
fiCcr which shows how careful
sailors Of the merchant service
are 10 record their overtime at
sea as well as in port.
HIS base pay and bonus were
$3.50 month and he spent some
time IN the South Pacific var
zone for which he received his
per dem bonus
He logged 81 separate over
time items on cruise Of seven
months Of which, however. l62
DAYS. or more than five months,
were spent IN port and the over
time bill for the whole crew
was so raw that The owners
baked and threatened 10 de-
mand an investigation
Thereupon the bill was cut in
half.
This. Of course. is an officers
bill and ! regret that ! am rot
Just now in position n offer
sample bills for the overtime Of
unlicensed sailors
II may be added that the un-
licensed sailor. OF whom Curran
speaks. has no required stand
ards of efficiency Of conduct.
He Is supposed 10 be an eff
cient sailor in his line but II he
IS drunk, lazy, Sullen and
Shirker nothing Is done IN HIM
unless he fatty refuses duty and
even then the skipper may lot IL
pass lest ono Of the union papers
which circulate among the mer-
. chant marine give him a black
guarding IN print.
ONE captain, al the end Of
~ memorandum reporting the
wild lndScIplInc Of a drunken
sailor aboard his ship, plain
lively requested that this man
be not assigned 10 his vessel
again
The memorandum said that
sailor got bowling drunk. was
drinking out Of a bottle AZ the
wheel and threatened 10 get"
the capita n Yet because the
skipper relieved him.
In another case s cps were
taken 10 protect the anonymity
Of a naval officer. in command
Of an armed guard crew Of en-
listed sailors. who had reported
indisclpline among the merchant
crew, because he would have 10
60 back 10 sea with some Of the
same men or others like them.
AS a naval officer. an Annap-
oils man Of wide experience with
three stripes on his shoulder
boards. remarked, man at sea
might have an accident
He might have the misfortune
10 fall overheard IN the dark,
with little assistance from
some surly dlpSomanlac in the
civilian Grow.