Oil Tanker Mates Fight for First Contract Against Familiar Employer Stalling Tactics (opens in new tab)

Imagine sleeping each night above more than a million barrels of oil while navigating the open ocean, maneuvering through narrow channels, and passing beneath bridges in some of the country’s most congested waterways. The hours are long, the work is physically demanding, and the risks are ever present. That’s what licensed deck officers—chief mates, second mates, and third mates—do aboard oil tankers. These highly trained, federally licensed maritime professionals live and work on board ships...