27% Pay Increase
August 1st, 2008. Filed under: Finance & Fitness Fridays.Asking for a pay increase of 27% seems a bit wild to me, but that’s what happening in my neck of the woods. This is what the pilots in our area want. The pilots I’m talking about the pilots who guide the large ships into Tampa Bay. It seems that $262,392 isn’t cutting it for them. They made $336, 292 in 2006 and they don’t like the pay decrease. It doesn’t matter that the economy sucks and every one is hurting. They are crying about a decrease of $73,900. Okay, everyone who wishes they had $73,900 yearly income, raise your hand.
A pilot’s job isn’t an easy one. They have to be very skilled in guiding the ships into port. These guys work 14 days on and then 14 days off. They do not get paid a salary. After expenses such as office expenses, staff salaries and upkeep on the boats that take them to and from the ships they all split the proceeds evenly. I didn’t even know there was a job like that where every one got an even split of the profits.
The pilots do have an exacting job requiring skill and knowledge. The Tampa Bay pilots are paid 90 to 150 percent higher than any other port in the state. They also have to navigate 42 miles from the Sunshine Skyway bridge to the port. This can take as long as seven hours. I know. I’ve been up on deck to watch us go under the Skyway as we came into port during the night so I could see the lights. There was always time to go to bed and get five or six hours sleep before arriving in port the next morning. I usually took the pilots for granted, but at times remembered why we have that bridge now. The only time going into port was a bigger headache for our captains was when we were headed into New Orleans. The New Orleans pilots should really get a bundle!
The reason Tampa Bay pilots are having to tighten their belts another notch is because the the cargo shippers and cruise lines are struggling with high fuel prices and the fallout from the weak economy. Hey, guys! Think about this a minute. If the ships are already struggling and the economy is already weak, what will happen when you jack up port fees? Hello! If the rate hike passes, it looks as if it might be sayonara to Carnival Cruise Lines. And what about the talks Tampa has been having with another cruise line to bring in a new build in 2009? Not going to happen. Have you ever heard the saying about shooting yourself in the foot? Maybe you might want to put down the gun and learn to manage your money a little better.