Ocean to ocean - Panama Canal Pilots Strike Affecting Yachters

Authored by: Chantal on Tuesday, April 29 2008 @ 05:26 PM EDT

Ms. Arosemena explanations to the yachting world for the "momentary" slow-down are complete BS...
The pilots in their overzealous compliance "non-strike strike" are the ones who decide whether or not to refuse or accept to take yachts thru the locks along larger vessels and right now the pilots "non-union union" recommends to flatly refuse "FOR SAFETY REASONS" to take more than one small craft a day thru the canal, thus opening a whole new and lucrative market for the new DRY CANAL operator... If this is not a conspiracy to force the hands of the "poor" yachties, I donīt know what is ! Would it not be ineteresting to find out who is profiting from that new business opportunity? Personnally I think that the pilots are ill advised to be accomplices of such a scheme and I would strongly suggest that they lift that particular aspect of their overzealous compliance "non-strike" strike. Surely they have other ways and means to solve their current labor dispute with ACP than victimizing the poor and powerless yachties.

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Authored by: PilotUserMan on Wednesday, April 30 2008 @ 10:13 PM EDT

Dear Chantal and yachtingmonthly.com!
I am a panama canal pilot. I DO NOT have the luxury or option of deciding the daily schedule of what ships will pass thru the Panama Canal. That is a "managment function". We are the footsoldiers....so to speak...that do the 'HEAVY LIFTING' for management. We work under a very stringent and time-tested set of work rules and navigation and lockage rules/procedures..some of which go back DECADES. While it is true that overall canal ops were running at peak performance and efficiency for the last 8 years...this was largely due to the PILOTS ...really hustling and OFTEN...bending or outright breaking many standard operating procedures...so as to expedite traffic thru the waterway. We became disillusioned over the last 3 or 4 years when it became evident that the ACP managment had no intention to bargain "in good faith" over our expired contract..the one that expired the END OF 2004! So since that time we have been working with no COLA...no raise(s)...no other benefits offered other unions in the canal such as end of year Leave bonuses...etc. Finally, we had it up to our neck...and kind of collectively came to the realization that perhaps "Finito la musica" was the only way to get managements attention....that the DANCE was over and we were not going to be willing partners to a one sided , dictatorial negotiating and bargaining method ....whereby we sat on one side of the table and begged...and Management sat on the other and simply said" Non-negotiable"....TO EVERYTHING we wanted to discuss or lay out on the table( as would be customary in most labor-management dealings in the Free, First world) The Canal deems itself a "world class" operation. Well you dont get world class...with a 'third world" small mindedness from management. We are NOT 'hijos de cocineros" or " jardineros"... We are professional ship masters and ship handlers...with accolades and testimonials to being some of the finest shiphandlers in the world.Not from us, ourselves, but from many many other outside sources over the years. In short, we dont like being "jerked around" for years at a time with a bunch of false promises and fake leadership from the top of the ACP. They, ACP, are going to have to "ante up" or get out of the game. They, the ACP management, are ADDICTED to cheap labor. We are NOT going to do all the heavy lifting for them any more....on the CHEAP, end of story.
So, if your 'yachts" are having a long, hard time of it getting thru the waterway, I feel for you all, I really do. Having recognized that however, we are powerless to do much for you all at this time. Take your grievances up with the ACP. all the best luck!
PilotUserMan

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Authored by: Chantal on Thursday, May 01 2008 @ 11:38 AM EDT

Isnīt it a shame that a reader has to go thru the burden of reading the posted comments fo find out the truth? Thank you PilotUserMan for implicitly admitting that in fact there is a "non-strike" strike going on presently and for telling us clearly that ACP (not the Pilots) is responsible for the small crafts backlog and for feeling for the yachties hopeless situation.
However, the unanswered question remains: why victimizing the small craft owners? Letīs hope that a whistle blower from inside the ACP - under cover of anonymity - will tell us the truth?
As far as the "non-strike" strike concept is concerned, I have the feeling that the labor dispute will not be resolved ány time soon with this method, Why on earth should ACPīs management sit down with the pilots if officially they are NOT ON STRIKE? Believe me the Panameņos who run ACP do not feel the least bit threatnened by the pilots much too subtle "non-strike" strike approach. The Japanese would understand, but the Panameņos donīt. Since you lived here for some time, I am sure you noticed that the only thing that works in Panama is ROAD BLOCKING. As a result my suggestion to the pilots is to organize a huge CANAL TRAFFIC JAM that will affect the Maersk of this world and then I guarantee some immediate results.

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Authored by: PilotUserMan on Thursday, May 01 2008 @ 04:29 PM EDT

Chantal... read my latest response to Don's article her wrote ..I try to clarify more what and why the position of the Pilots is in the waterway. Let me know if I can be of more assistance!
PilotUserMan

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