More Crew Members Come Forward
Carnival Crew Member Alleges Extortion
March 10, 2008
Their job on the cruise ship is the next best thing to sliced bread, because without it, their children may be the next ones you see standing bare foot with bulging bellies on an infomercial pleading with you to sponsor a child, so that they might eat, get medical treatment and an education. There really is no choice, and that is why crew members stay for 10, 12, 14 years or more employed in some of the worst working conditions in the world.
Though they stay, it should not be taken to mean they enjoy their job or that working conditions are anything but deplorable. They are slaves, plain and simple. The industry takes advantage of their plight. There is no difference between these crew members and the women here at home, four kids at their feet, a husband who beats her (and usually her children) within an inch of her life on a weekly basis, but can't leave because he makes sure she has no money, and she fears he will kill her if she does.
Time and time again I read in emails that those of color are victimized by those who are light skinned aboard the ships, bringing home the fact that slavery exists, right here in American waters.
Check your history books. What percentage of abused slaves in the Southern U.S. actually tried to run away, and of those who did try, what percentage never made it to the north, but instead suffered the consequences their owners doled out?
Knowing all this, we hear that crew members jump overboard, with no help what so ever. Maybe they do and it would be no wonder as a "hard time" can be very hard to endure long term within a single contract. But, maybe just like the victims of domestic violence, they get some help going over the railing into the sea when they refuse to keep their mouth shut and pay the piper.
This is not an outrageous idea, it happens in cities across America every day. It has been the long term foundation of organized crime, as well as within conservative households that have gone so far right, they have crossed the line into the fear and retribution, narcissistic, psychotic area of 'family values' conservatism.
Imagine if you will, being a housekeeping manager. You have your own salary plus the $800 a month being paid by a dozen or more crew members. The housekeeping manager or restaurant manager could be making more than the captain. So, what if, a crew member gets smart? He decides that enough is enough and begins secretly taping with audio or video some of the corruption. He could threaten to tell the captain, the cruise line, the media or Cruise Bruise. It is so hard to imagine this crew member being tossed overboard?
With proof, this manager would loose his job. Corporate will not stand for this public scandal. They will ship the manager back off to his native land, where the U.S. media nor lawyers will ever find him. Are we so naive to believe that this manager is not going to make sure this crew member never utters a word?
Crew member #10 alleges:
"Management abuse their powers and example when a lady refuse [sexual] favors she get worse treatment, I spent many years seeing people cry and never did anything about it, now I want to help put stop to this, if I can"
This is not just sexual harassment in the work place, such as was alleged in the case of a Chief Justice of the U.S. The Supreme Court. These are women who are harassed into sexual servitude.
When we see cases of crew members overboard, most often their names and genders are not released. We assume they are male, but perhaps they are women too ashamed of a sexual assault by their manager, and simply decided to end something they could not endure. The way the industry protects those of power on their ships, we will never know unless somebody takes action.
The crew members are beginning to unite. We are getting emails daily. Some I do not add to the site. One crew member challenges others to come forward.
Crew member #11 says:
"other crew members see our crew member who suing carnival for slavery and follow her strong ability to fight for whats wrong. "
Crew member #12 says:
"Me is happy for yoe have place for we to write problems. Very thanks.
True make money to help my familie eat and live ok. My heart sore wait long time to see home, sometimes tired, and times be sick of this ways.
I see people just joining company and being promotion.
Ladys frightened to loose work so they do it with the boss even when she is married or husband on ship. this also sometimes make extra problems in relationship with partners too.
Ships are corrupted and need change so crew speak freely and treat all same, lady and man.
why they do bad things for promotion, why force women and frightened them?"
The one thing that jumps out to me from the letters are many indications of crew members so sad about how they are treated, or others are treated that they cry and cry. Would you have guessed this, by what you saw as a passenger? No, it is a well-hidden secret.
I wonder today. How many of these stories I will have to post, before someone with some power, makes a decision this insanity must stop?
To be clear, I am not saying every crew member is a victim or an angel. I have more than enough proof of crew members partaking in crimes against passengers, some who were convicted of those crimes.
This fact certainly does not excuse us, a nation that is suppose to embrace those from other nations, from working to make conditions aboard ships better for all crew members.
One final note. I have well over a dozen contacts from crew members at this point in time alleging abuse, everyone of the them from Carnival Cruise Line crew. Is it really so much different working for Carnival than it is for others? Could it be other cruise line's officers have a better handle on what their managers do, and these things do not take place? Tell me your thoughts.
