The Other Side of Alaskan Crab Fishing

The side no one talks about . . . Any one can be a crabber. All you have to do is agree to work eighteen hour days, when there’s fish or not work when there’s not . . . They don’t tell you in such terms that you’ll stay on the boat and not get paid during those periods. That you’ll most likely be working in the Alaskan winter, no you won’t see the sun.

You’ll sleep in a room with four others and shower in the communal shower/head. They’ll issue you work boots and clothes. Sure you don’t pay rent or for food, but then you don’t get off the boat either. There’s a store on board where you can by toiletries and snacks and things. But phone service is at most none existent and when you are able to get through, it’s about $1 to $1.50 per minute.

And maybe you might end up missing, as one worker has not been seen for over two months. All for $7.15 an hour and loads of overtime . . . That’s if they decide to pay the overtime, that was only, but they don’t want you to know that.

And Maybe there were other problems or not;
+ sueing Exxon, The Exxon Valdez
+ Maybe they were fined for taking too much crab
+ Maybe they were fined by the EPA for dumping fish remains
+ Maybe employees sued for not paying overtime
+ sued for injuries to a worker . . .

But if you like adventure, Alaska may just be the place . . .

Dan Hanosh
Warrior and Wars

Links: Dreams Are Yours To Share
Warriors and Wars
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Dan Hanosh poemhunter.com
Dan’s Room 2 Write

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