LABOR relations in the shipping industry have long been characterized by an unenlightened attitude on the part of both employer and employee. The employer, for his part, has in the past imposed long hours, low wages, and cramped quarters. The employee, meanwhile, has abused his employment in a manner that would not be tolerated in any other industry. The result of these things has been that shipping, despite the marvelous technical progress of the past century, has remained in a backward state so far as labor relations are concerned.”
The above paragraph, taken from the Economic Survey of the American Merchant Marine, published last November, is only one of many very uncomplimentary opinions expressed by the United States Maritime Commission. It indicates that a lot of “house cleaning” may be expected if our merchant fleet is to be rebuilt and remanned successfully.
It is perfectly true that a new spirit of fair play, acceptance of discipline and efficient performance must be displayed by maritime labor groups. It is also true that a certain amount of reform is needed in the shipowner group of America.
Fortune Magazine, for September, 1937, in a memorable and much discussed issue which was devoted entirely to the shipping industry, had this to say about the American Merchant Marine:
... It operates a slow and aged fleet; it has attracted little capital and not much first-class gray matter ....
It should be quite apparent that our ship operators have done little during the past 20 years to attract the best of American youth. There has been no realization that the supply of good man power comes from what may be described as a highly competitive market. Many industries ashore, and most government services in our country, have established certain standards and offered certain inducements toward obtaining better personnel. Shipping interests have not entered this “competitive market,’’ but rather have they sat back and taken what drifted their way.
There are exceptions to this indifferent and careless policy, of course. Most shipping companies under the American flag do select their licensed ship personnel with great care. A few of them have cadet systems in operation. Others have given employment preference to graduates of nautical training schools. These practices, however, are exceptions and if found at all, are usually the policy of a few lines operating passenger vessels or tanker fleets. The unlicensed man power of our freighter fleet has been given little attention.
Here is what the Maritime Commission has to say about employers and ship personnel in another part of its recent report:
It should be admitted in any discussion of the labor problem that the shipowners themselves are in no small measure responsible for the present unfortunate situation. During the War thousands of fine young Americans were brought from ever/ section of the country to man the vessels acquired by the Shipping Board. They learned quickly, demonstrating that American seamen, given decent working conditions and proper encouragement, are the equal of any. Then came the era of liquidation when the Government began to withdraw from shipping. Lines were, one by one, discontinued or turned over to private enterprises. Wages fell and working conditions grew steadily worse .until, at the depth of the depression, some American seamen were receiving as little as $25 a month, living under wretched conditions, eating unpalatable food, and working 12 hours or more a day.
The result of such conditions was bound to be disastrous. Many of our young men left the sea, never to return. Questionable elements filtered into the ranks of our seafarers. The men grew bitter and desperate. An explosion was bound to occur.
The shipping industry is now paying for its shortsightedness in repressing labor for so many Years. Some of the operators who paid low wages during the depression were at the same time receiving substantial subsidies from the Government for the preservation of American standards of living ....
While discussing the indifference of shipowners concerning the welfare of their employees, it must also be admitted that in the past the government has not closely observed conditions. The Commission, in making its survey, could find
... practically no statistics relating to the employment of seamen on ocean-going vessels. The earnings of seamen, their conditions of labor, the average length of service and similar matters affecting seafaring men seem to have been overlooked.
As a result of its survey, the Maritime Commission has determined on a policy of establishing manning scales and minimum wages, and defining reasonable working conditions for vessels subsidized by the government. From these plans it is expected that standards will be set for unsubsidized merchant ships.
In the problem of attracting good men and then holding them to any line of work, some interesting and startling comparisons can be drawn between our Navy and the Merchant Marine.
Navy men, both commissioned officers and enlisted personnel, have well-defined periods of leisure aboard ship, periodical and liberal liberty ashore, and reasonable leaves of absence from their duties. Until the recent rise in strength of maritime unions, many men in our merchant fleet worked exhaustingly long hours, had few opportunities for shore liberty, and seldom enjoyed vacation leave. The Navy, in its recruiting propaganda, has in the past stressed the opportunities for shore leave. The Merchant Marine might very properly borrow and adapt to its own use the old sentence “Join the Navy and see the world.”
Such matters as abundant and palatable food, readily obtainable medical aid, clean and well-ventilated quarters, and recreational facilities have been veritable bywords with the naval service. With some American merchant shipowners these matters have been ignored.
The writer of this article once shipped on an American coastwise freight steamer manned by 25 officers and men. Typical of many of its class, this vessel served wretched food, even to its officers, provided ill-smelling quarters for its unlicensed personnel, and absolutely no facilities for bathing. It goes without saying that this steamer experienced some turnover in its crew at virtually every port of call.
Such American industries as mining companies and lumber companies often carry on their operations in distant and isolated areas. They usually provide for the welfare of their men with reading rooms or recreational halls. The Maritime Commission, in its new rules for American merchant vessels, proposes to provide some kind of recreational facilities aboard government-subsidized vessels. Certainly our merchant ships are quite as isolated most of the time as our mining and lumber industry operations.
Most industries ashore which hire large numbers of men provide medical service. In the shipping industry many companies have depended entirely upon the United States Public Health Service for medical care for their men. Large vessels, carrying passengers, have of course made their ships’ doctors available to crew members. Seamen on freighters usually must call at Public Health Service stations or offices for medical attention. In some ports this has come to be a difficult procedure, with the result that seamen often neglect to get proper care, and ships sometimes put to sea with men actually in need of medical attention. The Navy has stressed the medical care of its personnel. The Merchant Marine has largely neglected this important feature of obtaining and retaining good man power.
The Maritime Commission made its recent report public after months of study of essential trade routes and conditions aboard our present merchant fleet. In the latter more than 40 vessels in many trade routes out of Atlantic, Gulf, and Pacific coast ports were personally inspected by one or more members of the Commission.
That the problem of labor is one of the most difficult faced by our shipping industry can be readily seen by anyone who reads the Economic Survey report. This problem. Is also apparent to anyone who has observed our merchant ships in operation during recent years.
When ship operators adopt measures similar to those of the Navy to attract and hold better men, the present glaring faults of our cargo-carrying fleets may be eliminated. With more of the better class of American youth manning our ships, and working under conditions fostering contentment, we may expect fewer “quickie” and sit-down strikes; more efficient and willing performance of duties at sea and in port; more courteous service to passengers; and more continuous employment for seamen and therefore smaller crew turnover at the end of voyages. Shore industries strive for continuous employment of men, and shipping must do likewise if good morale and efficient performance are to be had.
When shipowners come to the realization that they are competing for the best of American man power, then perhaps the American Merchant Marine may be restored to its rightful place on the seas.
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As a corollary to leadership there must also exist discipline. The principal leader, as well as the subordinate leaders, must have control or authority over each of their juniors, to which all subscribe. Adequate authority for the leaders is therefore necessary as a basis for command . .. . A further essential to efficient collective effort is organization .... It is obvious that the collection of men must be equipped with the physical means necessary to the accomplishment of their purpose . .. . The final requisite is good morale, which may be defined as sustained confidence, combined with an ardent and enduring determination to do the utmost. Much can be accomplished with such a spirit pervading an organization that is otherwise wholly impossible . ... Except where contentment is based on slackness or indiscipline, "happy" ships and fleets are efficient-not that happiness in itself will surely create efficiency directly, but that a carefully nurtured morale unavoidably engenders both contentment and efficiency.-Knox, Morale.