AMO scores 15 percent increase in Ohio-class and CAT tankers

American Maritime Officers has secured a 15 percent total labor cost increase in its collective bargaining agreements covering the engine and deck officers aboard four Ohio-class tankers and three Crowley-owned CAT tankers.

These wage increases are retroactive to October 1, 2022.

"This tanker contract increase is significant," said AMO Executive Vice President Willie Barrere. "Wages in these two fleets increase to match those in the Kinder Morgan-owned APT tanker fleet in the first year and rise again in years two and three, but first-year wages for 3rd Assistant Engineers and 3rd Mates will exceed these new rates."

In addition, vacation days for all officers in the two tanker fleets will increase along with wages in contract years two and three, and each officer in each fleet will earn 30 days of vacation for every 30 days of shipboard employment by year three.

These developments followed an agreement between AMO and Seabulk Tankers, the parent company of which had acquired the U.S. Shipping fleet. The result was a merged collective bargaining agreement providing wage scales comparable to those in the Crowley APT fleet for officers working aboard Seabulk Tankers and Eco-Tankers Crew Management vessels, as well as former U.S. Shipping vessels.

"The goal here is to get all of the commercial tankers at the same pay level," Barrere said.

Management and operation of the four Ohio-class tankers will shift from Crowley to Seabulk in 2023. These vessels will be accreted to the Seabulk fleet under the terms of the new collective bargaining agreement negotiated between AMO and Crowley.

"My thanks and appreciation go to the AMO member committees who participated fully in the negotiations in Jacksonville and in Metairie, Louisiana," Barrere concluded. "James Cunningham, Kevin Proctor, Harrison Graham, Alice Stenquist and Leo Munafo were at the table in Jax. In Metairie, Cunningham and Proctor were joined by Dan Savoie, Skip Mendenhall, and Kyle Demonterey. Their professional and personal perspectives were essential, and we welcome their continued input."

AMO Inland Waters Vice President Danny Robichaux and AMO Contract Analyst Chris Holmes joined Barrere in all of the negotiations referred to here.