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4
On & 4 Off How I Think it Got Started
By
Parker Johnston
In
the mid to late 1950’s we were still working 9-hour days. The only time we got
a break on the job was when we worked a reefer ship. It was in our contract when
it was below zero in the hold we worked 40 minutes on and 20 minutes of. We
spent a lot of time at the Navy Dock working on the “Contest” a Navy supply
ship. A few years later Alaska Steamship Co started cribbing the cargo boards
and that meant the truckers did all the hand stow on the dock putting the cargo
into cribs. That also meant a bull in the hold. This also meant the Stevedores
had a brainstorm. They could get the job done and keep the hook moving with half
the gang. So we set up a program, ½ hour on and ½ hour off. On the ½ hour off
we sat in the galley, drank coffee and played cards. (life was good) The best
jobs were at Pier 42 North and South Alaska Steamship Co. Soon that ½ hour
turned into 1 hour on and 1 hour off but you stayed aboard in case something
went wrong a few years later Vietnam. (Funny how it takes a war to get the
economy good). We could work almost 7 days or nights a week. Everything was cost
plus and mostly bull stow and the PMA left us alone so we naturally went to 4
hours on and 4 hours off. A few years later the PMA looked at the gang size.
Almost every contract after that, manning was the biggest issue. Little by
little manning was cut from the original 12-man gang, 2 deck 2 sling 8
stevedores and extra men as needed. What’s all this mean? Well it gives all us
Old Timers a lot to talk about during our bull sessions Mondays, Wednesdays and
Fridays 9:00am to 12:00pm. Come on down and get educated. I could be a little
off on this but not far.
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