Strike Action
Against MS Palm Beach Princess
By Mike Groves
On Wednesday of last week, December 2, 2009, the entire ship’s company of the Miami Casino Cruise Ship the MS Palm Beach Princess, took unprecedented strike action seemingly in dispute over the dismissal of their Captain Avdic Hamid
When speaking to reporters the company’s spokesperson, Marketing Director Mark Simkins "This morning we relieved our captain of his duties and brought in a new captain. He was paid in full for the term of his contract. He is trying to organize a strike and right now the company is in talks with the crew, trying to get the situation rectified so that we can resume sailing,"
It appears this is where there is some confusion because the crew stated they were striking due to an ‘enforced’ 25% pay cut and with no additional pay for ‘new extended hours’.
Although I do not agree with strike action nor, as it is alleged, senior officers organizing such – 200 hundred years ago it would have been called a Mutiny and we all know what happened to Fletcher Christian from HMS Bounty in the end - but clearly something fired them up to declare ‘Right - All Out!!’
I emailed Mr. Simkins reiterating my views on strike action and that I thought he came across very well and gave a candid interview, sadly as of now I have still received no response. I do hope we do receive one? Cruise Bruise is an objective site and not one that is out to crucify anything and everything to do with the cruise industry.
So in essence I am against the action taken by the crew, I feel it is not the best way forward and holds hard working fee paying passengers and the company to ransom, and I would imagine also cost the crew a days salary as well?
However, and with me there is always a however, what has transpired from this incident is the issue regarding the vessels overall safety which may or may not be unnecessarily jeopardizing the safety of passengers and crew…
Although not common knowledge, this MS Palm Beach Princess has been operating without an auxiliary engine since September of this year and it would appear nothing much has been done about it? Cruise Bruise was made aware of this more recently due to an unrelated fatality onboard, but possibly not unrelated to the very fact that the vessel was without her auxiliary engine? This matter is still being investigated and therefore I am unable to comment further at this time.
The MS Palm Beach Princess is certainly no spring chicken and even by shipping standards, this ole girl has been passed around more than most. Originally constructed in 1964 for the Finland Steamship Company as the MS Ilmatar, from 1970 until 1974 and again from 1978 to 1980 she formed part of Silja Line Fleet fleet. 1973 saw her lengthened by 20.04 m (65 ft 9 in) and from 1975 too 1976 she was chartered to Finnlines and in 1979 she was then converted into a cruise ship. In 1980 she was sold yet again and in 1984 was renamed MS Viking Princess when cruising with Crown Cruise. Following bankruptcy of her owners, the Viking Princess was laid up in October 1995 until in 1997 where she received her current name – MS Palm Beach Princess.
So naturally after almost 45 years at sea one can only imagine that this vessel is not exactly leading the way in modern design and technology, and as beautifully classic as she is – is she still safe? Are these alleged pay cuts more to do with the MS Palm Beach Princess demanding maintenance schedule or the current global economy? It would appear that the ship is sailing most nights and there were certainly more than enough disappointed guests last Wednesday to indicate she is often full, so what profits is the company making and what costs is the MS Palm Beach Princess incurring?
As I understand, the company made no comment regarding the allegations of any pay cuts or that they were suffering financial difficulties or otherwise! So why therefore is this vessel being permitted to run with an inoperable engine? She is already sailing in waters that are not impervious to freak weather patterns so I find it a little disconcerting to discover that the MS Palm Beach Princess ‘appears’ not to be 100%. Clearly this story is not concluded and I would welcome any update from either the company or any crewmembers involved in this strike action. As I said we remain objective and to this end I poised these two questions to Mr. Simkins at the end of my email –
What of the allegations of a 25% pay cut from crewmembers? Was this correct and if so why such a huge cut in salary or did this purely form part of the negative publicity being orchestrated by disgruntled crewmembers?
Will those passengers affected by Wednesday’s strike action be fully reimbursed for the cancellation, including any additional costs?
I still hope for a response and an indication of the vessels status.
NB. Just as I was about to file this story to my ‘illustrious Editor’ I did what I always do and looked for a follow up report and discovered that the MS Palm Beach Princess will not be sailing tonight either, or anytime soon for that matter…
The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) has now revoked the vessels passenger-carrying certificate that allows it in and out of U.S. ports. The Coast Guard said it has revoked the ship's certificate of compliance today, stating the vessel had failed to make the required repairs to one of its main propulsion engines. The MS Palm Beach Princess was given three months to make all necessary repairs but had missed the deadline set by the USCG. Consequently, the ship is no longer permitted to carry passengers in any U.S. port until the USCG issued certificate has been is reinstated.
Just when you think you have hit rock bottom – someone passes you a shovel!
MS Palm Beach Princess is operated by Palm Beach Casino Line, One East 11th Street, Suite 500,Riviera Beach, FL 33404
I’m All Right Jack* was a 1959 film comedy starring Peter Sellers as a trade union shop steward who calls a company wide strike!
Reference:
http://www.wptv.com/content/news/topstories/story/us-coast-guard-palm-beach-princess-certificate-of/zly-uU_-n0CxyQUmydsPHQ.cspx
Strike Action Aboard The MS Palm Beach Princess
I’m All Right Jack!
By Mike Groves QGM
Cruise Bruise Security And Safety Advisor
December 8, 2009
