Since
years we see an unsolved problem of wages and pensions at LUFTHANSA and
EUROWINGS.
by
Earl of Cruise
What
the hell has this to do with cruising? You can see it as a symbol for -
bargaining is hitting those who serve us.
Airline
stike in Germany - LUFTHANSA pilots and EUROWING crews on stike - courtesy ARD Tagesschau
The
pilots who fly the planes we board and the crews who serve us do not have any
longer the status they once had - god like men flying a plane across continents
and seas, and - beautiful stewardesses and stewards caring for us, serving us.
Nowadays? Pressed like machines ... or was the name slaves?
The
pilots have to be trained, even when flying with the latest of technology a
plane see wages at the "low costers" which are good for a laughter.
And the service is underpayed and overworked and degraded to "high flying
sales agents" for all the extras which once had been included.
Becoming
a pilot, you have to pay the education by yourself. When the wages had been higher,
they easily could do their pay back. Today the pay back it is like a lifelong
burden as the wages declined. And with the continental low cost airlines these
wages are 40% less than those of LUFTHANSA f.e.
These
guys still have a big pesronsability - for their passengers and those on the
ground, we with the planes over our heads. And Stewardesses and stewards have
to be phsycologists with crazing passengers, or those with too much booze.
In
the cruise industry, which is no longer a business in human shape, we see
bargains that make me think, where does the food come from - from the Dow Chem-Ical
Farm? Or is it Soilent Green? And filled with the vitamines B A S F, or
optimized by Mon Santo ...
The
wages are now, after the oil price peak the biggest cost factor for a cruise
line. When we had high oil prices the salaries became lower as there was the
pressure to save from the oil price. And for the simplicity of the businesses
the lines hired agency to look for crew members and "buy" from these,
sometimes, outsourced departments, or complet external companies. With that
they offer their service and knowledge for the food and beverage catering, as
well the hotel department of a cruise ship.
Sometimes
you find not the lines XYZ renowned special service any longer, then only the
brand name, but that of the service agancy ZXY.
And
these agancies cash the cruise companies for their crewing. If a service member
is earning US$ 600, 800 or 1,200 the agency is cashing the line up to double
of. And wages of US$ 600 to 800 are not that less to be found.
The
British readers may remember the scandal with P&O PRICESS CRUISES, where
service crew members earned not even GB£ 3 per hour (£3 x 10h x 30d = GB£ 900).
This was for UK citizens ... And those from Asia? GB£ 600 per month. All these
wages are and have been under the minimum wage, which is guaranteed by the EU
law and repective country law.
The
crewing agancies don´t pay health insurances, health care on board - but at
home?, or do anything for the pensions of their employees they hire out to
lines. All personal extras as tooth cleaners, soap, etc. has to be paid by the
crew men/women.
For
an Asian crew member, e.g. the Phillipines, GB£ 600 is a lot money. Some build
houses at home, or save the money to support the family, or send the children
to good schools or to universities.
And
seeing these wages, I am not wondering why there is not enough crew for the
vessels we, the customers, guests, vacationeers, use to sail off "into our
cruise of the lifetime".
These
agencies avoid too to fall under a strike, as these companies avoid union
members and act strict against the creation of a union on board, or amoung their
"employees".
But
what if the crews start to strike for better working conditions and better
wages?
The
crews have the same responsibilities as those in the airliners. And within the
modern cruise vessels are more than "only" a max of 800 passengers -
the eco only version of AIRBUS A 380.
Airline
stike in Germany - LUFTHANSA pilots and EUROWING crews on stike - courtesy ARD Tagesschau
One may think: what the hell is going on in Germany?
Only shareholder value and low wages are the wrong way.
Wir feiern, und die Crew?
mixed nationalities in front of EUROPA 2 - courtesy HAPAG LLOYD CRUISES (original seize)
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