Seafarers International Union

Seafarers seek new blood as they mark special day

ST. CATHARINES — A recruitment drive for new marine workers launched last month has drawn almost 180 job seekers so far.

And Jim Given, executive vice-president of the Seafarers International Union of Canada, said while that's a higher number than usual, they still need more.

"Yesterday we had 50 jobs out of here, which took everyone we had," he said Saturday at the union hall in Thorold.

Dozens of members, a few with family, gathered at the hall on St. David's Rd. for a barbecue to mark the Day of the Seafarer.

Celebrated internationally, the day recognizes the contributions and sacrifices of 1.5 million seafarers who carry 90% of the world's trade, sometimes in dangerous conditions.

With the average age of Canadian members at 57, the union launched a campaign in May to find 400 new members to work on ships on the Great Lakes and ports on the east and west coasts.

The number is based on members retiring and jobs coming in.

"We're trying to find young new blood," Given said.

But it's not for everyone.

Given said members have to leave at the drop of a hat. Getting five or six days' notice to sail is a rare luxury.

"You have to have your bags packed and ready to go."

If a crew member of a ship is sick at Lock 3, for instance, another seafarer could be required to get on board at Lock 4 at an hour's notice.

Recent recruit David Hayes of St. Catharines received one of the 50 jobs Friday and is shipping out Thursday, which is longer lead time than usual.

He signed up in December after spending almost 10 years in the Canadian military.

"It's good money. It's good people you work with. You get on a good boat and it's like a family almost," he said.

The 30-year-old father has already served on four ships, ranging from one-day to 45-day excursions.

"You really have to be prepared to ship out. Travel to different places."

After serving in Afghanistan, he's used to being away and said his family is understanding. But there's some flexibility with time, too, because seafarers decide when they want to take a break.

"You choose when to sail so you still have that family life," Hayes said.

Given estimated about 2,000 seafarers are from the Niagara area and currently working. Because so many ships travel through the Welland Canal, Niagara is an ideal place for crew changes.

Jobs have to be filled for all areas, including mechanics, deck hands, wheelsmen to steer the ship and electricians.

Cinematic Corporate Videos: Lessons From Stanley Kubrick's “The ...

(1953), As the film has come to be known, showcased the benefits of joining the union and was used primarily for recruiting purposes.

As someone who majored in film studies and is currently the in-house videographer at Stern + Associates, I found “The Seafarers” interesting in the way Kubrick employs cinematic techniques, including camera movement, composition and visual storytelling – elements  not commonly found in corporate videos. Here are a few examples:

In this clip , Kubrick makes a continuous tracking shot across the room to show the SIU cafeteria in action. In a tracking shot, sometimes called a dolly shot, the entire camera set-up (camera plus dolly) is in movement. When the camera moves through space, the viewer experiences the most distinctly cinematic of the motion picture shots. A dolly shot is both difficult and expensive; thankfully there are substitutes for professional dollies (e.g., wheelchairs , shopping carts, tripod wheels ). In what is arguably the most recognizable shot from “The Seafarers,” a man working on a job chart is photographed in near silhouette. A silhouette in cinema terms is a scene in which the background is much brighter than the main subject, resulting in dark subjects, often in profile with no detail. Silhouettes have been used for dramatic effect in many movies, particularly in film noirs, such as in this shot from “Killer’s Kiss” (Kubrick’s feature film follow-up to “The Seafarers”). Kubrick’s talent for visual storytelling – the expression of ideas, plot and emotions through performance and aesthetics as opposed to dialogue – is apparent in the sequence that takes place in SIU’s Welfare Headquarters of Beefs & Dues. The first shot is a close-up of the welfare sign, revealing the setting. In the next shot, two men are sitting at a desk and one of the men hands an envelope of money to the other. Finally, we see a close-up on the receiving man’s face and we can tell from his expression (not his dialogue) he is more than satisfied with the amount. In this sequence, it’s clear to the audience that the SIU takes care of its members when they are in need.

At Stern, I am always encouraged to draw on the skills I gained from film school and to inject creativity into all of our video endeavors. The next time you shoot a video for your company, I encourage you to incorporate one of the cinematic techniques discussed above into your production.

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