Stewards and cooks see to the daily needs of passengers and crew aboard ship. They are concerned with the preparation and serving of meals and with the up keep of the ship's living quarters. All freighters, tankers, and passenger ships have a steward's department.
Chief stewards supervise the preparation of food. They are also responsible for the maintenance of the ship's living quarters and mess hall. Chief stewards keep careful records of the use of food, linens, and furniture. On passenger ships the chief steward is in charge of the comfort of the passengers.
Chief cooks supervise the other kitchen employees. They plan menus in cooperation with the chief steward, issue supplies, and butcher and cut meat. Chief cooks are also in charge of cooking meats and sauces. In addition, the chief cook makes sure that the ship's kitchen is kept clean and orderly.
Second cook/bakers prepare desserts and bake. Second cooks also cook vegetables and are responsible for preparing breakfast. Like the chief cook, the second cook concentrates on the safety and cleanliness of the ship's kitchen. Third cooks generally assist their superiors. Utility hands carry supplies, prepare vegetables, and wash and scour utensils. Mess attendants set tables, serve food, clean tables, and wash dishes. They also maintain the living quarters aboard ship.
Education and Training
There are no formal educational requirements for the job. However, one must obtain the seaman's papers issued by the U.S. Coast Guard in order to work. To receive these papers, one must either participate in training or have the promise of a job from a company or union. However, both companies and unions now promise jobs only in exceptional cases.
There are several different kinds of schools that provide training. Both the Sea farers International Union and the National Maritime Union sponsor schools for inexperienced candidates. The New York City school system offers maritime training at the Food and Maritime Trade High School. There are also academies such as the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. Some states have their own maritime academies.
Besides classroom training, any experience in the U.S. Coast Guard or U.S. Navy is useful. For those who want to work in the steward's department, experience as a cook is useful.
Getting the Job
Once you have seaman's papers and a health certificate from the U.S. Public Health Service, you can apply for a job. Because very few companies or unions promise jobs, most new workers get their first job by registering at a union or government hiring hall. The government hiring halls are run by the U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command. These halls are located in major ports throughout the country.
Once you have registered, you are put on the list of seniority. Job openings go first to those who have the most seniority and who have been out of work the longest. To get a job, a worker must be present at the hiring hall when the opening occurs.
Because seaman's papers do not guarantee a continuing series of jobs, all employees go to the hiring hall between jobs. The waiting period may last only 1 week for those with seniority. New workers will find they have a much longer wait.
Employment Outlook
Workers in the steward's department advance only on the recommendation of the chief steward to the ship's captain. New workers generally start as mess attendants or utility hands. With recommendations a mess attendant or utility hand can go on to jobs as third cook, cook/baker, chief cook, and finally chief steward. The U.S. Coast Guard issues merchant mariner's documents for each rank. The only requirement is that of age: Third cooks must be at least 19 years old; chief cooks and chief stewards must be at least 21 years old.
Job prospects are unfavorable. New ships are now built only to replace older ships, and the new vessels need fewer workers to run them. Some replacement jobs will open as workers leave the field. However, there will be stiff competition for these jobs. Most openings will be filled by experienced workers who are unemployed.
Working Conditions
Living quarters on ships are clean and adequate. Like all merchant marine workers, cooks and stewards are away from home for long periods of time. Work aboard ship can be hazardous. There is a constant risk of fire, falls, collision, and sinking. Workers are also exposed to harsh weather while at sea.
The monthly pay of stewards and cooks is based on a 40 hour workweek. However, overtime work and other variations in hours occur regularly. Workers receive extra pay for this work.
Earnings and Benefits
Because of federal laws and the efforts of a strong union, employees of the American merchant marine are among the highest paid seamen in the world. At present chief stewards earn a base pay of $19,500 a year; chief bakers, about $18,000; mess attendants and utility hands, about $16,000. Overtime work increases most salaries by 50 percent. How ever, because employees of the merchant marine must often wait between jobs, their yearly income is lower than the monthly figures would indicate.
Benefits include room and board, 5 to 15 hours of paid vacation for each 30 days of employment, medical care, and hospitalization insurance. Employees of the steward's department receive generous pensions when they retire.
