Why Join Nautilus?

[Guest]

I am currently a cadet in first phase.

Heard a bit about Nautilus, but what good reasons are there to join?

[GuinnessMan]

Re: Why Join Nautilus?

Lots of good reasons!

Main one though is the protection that they offer. Legal services. Say you or a crew member "accidentally" pump oil overboard and the local administration of some backwater arrest you for it. They will help you with legal issues.
There are loads more reasons, but that was the main reason I joined.
Check out their website.
http://www.nautilusint.org/Membership/p ... efits.aspx

[Guest]

Re: Why Join Nautilus?

Would the company not supply that?

[CharlieDelta]

Re: Why Join Nautilus?

Not necessarily - an unsupportive company might even sack you.

[Malim Sahib]

Re: Why Join Nautilus?

Joining NUMAST (I refuse to refer to them by their ridiculous new name) as a cadet will only really offer limited benefits, but once you're qualified I'd certainly recommend it.
Whilst they're about as much use as a chocolate fireguard when it comes to pay negotiations and standing up to shipping companies, they do have a comprehensive Certificate Insurance scheme and Legal Protection scheme, whereby should yourself in trouble they'll provide a lawyer experienced in maritime matters. They and can also make payments should you be unable to work should your certificate of competency be suspended or suchlike (there's more to it than that, but it's worth having).
You'll find that the majority of people you meet who are NUMAST members will be in the union purely for the legal protection/ticket insurance side of things, that and you get a general shipping news propaganda piece called the 'Telegraph' falling through the door once a month.
I've stopped reading the news section of said paper as it's just so depressing, however it does have a rather good 'situations vacant' section at the back - normally the part of the paper everyone looks at first.

[Malim Sahib]

Re: Why Join Nautilus?

Not necessarily - an unsupportive company might even sack you.

Faced with the prospect of being able to offload liability onto one of its employees, all shipping companies will happily sack you in an effort to make themselves look proactive and safety conscious - we're all expendable, regardless of who you work for, be it a Govt agency, a cruise company or some down at heel tramp outfit.
Shipowners are crooks and will s**t on you as soon as look at you, regardless of how touchy feely they pretend to be - you'll never, ever, find a poor shipowner.
Legal protection is therefore a necessity.

[GuinnessMan]

Re: Why Join Nautilus?

Well look what happened to those two indian fellas in South Korea. The Captain and the Chief Officer. Neither guilty of any crime, bargemaster completely at fault for the pollution, yet they went to jail for it. Money talks very well in that part of the world and the seafaring industry is being criminalised.

In answer to your question about your company paying for NUMAST. Why would your company want to pay for you to be part of a union? There is no benefit in it for them, but thanks to lovely UK labour law they can't sack you for it when your qualified although they can choose not to re-hire you.

They were members of NUMAST and they were lucky as they footed part of the legal bill I heard....

[alistairuk]

Re: Why Join Nautilus?

As a cadet the advantages of belonging to Nautilus are; You get some free stuff when you first join and they deliver the 'Telegraph' to your house each month.

Once you qualify you get all the legal protection and insurance as well so its worth it just for that. Also if you work for a company that they get involved with, then they negotiate pay and stuff on behalf of their members - since I haven't worked for a company they get involved with I have no idea if this is useful.

[Malim Sahib]

Re: Why Join Nautilus?

Alastair,
I work for a company where there is a Company/NUMAST/RMT partnership agreement where all sides meet twice a year together with Officers and Ratings reps.
As much as it pains me to say it, indirectly the RMT does far more for the Officers than NUMAST does.

[alistairuk]

Re: Why Join Nautilus?

As much as it pains me to say it, indirectly the RMT does far more for the Officers than NUMAST does.

I suspected as much :-)

[dawg]

Re: Why Join Nautilus?

Re: Why Join Nautilus?
[nutshell]

they do have a comprehensive Certificate Insurance scheme and Legal Protection scheme, whereby should yourself in trouble they'll provide a lawyer experienced in maritime matters. They and can also make payments should you be unable to work should your certificate of competency be suspended or suchlike (there's more to it than that, but it's worth having).

[/nutshell]

I hate socialism, but I joined anyway for the insurance... just being a ruthless two-faced capitalist