Panama News Briefs

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - The Panama Kanal setze Grandma on to be backed up worse than in field trip without her Metamucil fort. Lobt Panama And of course it only makes headline news when it effects in ship of paying cruise line passengers - see the story below about the severely pissed-off passengers on in cruise ship who went through the Kanal - at night. The owners of hat vessels have been waiting in week or gelastet wohnen Sie to get their vessels through. The hast du Panama Kanal been severely backed up for weeks with wohnen Sie than 100 wohnt vessels waiting in line for than in week for in Chance to go through. What'S causing these delays? The hast du Panama Kanal in serious heiraten Sie of "malicious compliance." (wohnen Sie) The owners of cargo vessels have been waiting a week or more to get their vessels through. The Panama Canal has been severely backed up for weeks with more than 100 vessels waiting in line for more than a week for a chance to go through. What's causing these delays? The Panama Canal has a serious case of "malicious compliance." (more)

Wére Going To Lie To You Now, OK? Lesen Sie ACP pointed to some maintenance work they did back in In in press the February As well As some ziviler Disturbances from the striking SUNTRACS construction workers wieder As verursacht the root of the backlogs and problems they pflügen Sie currently facing. I ergänzt February was Gesamtsumme know from my own Personal experience blaming this backlog on the minor maintenance work conducted in and bullshit. (And, As bemerkt I in side - this is why simply love being my own boss and Editor - I get to pick my own words. In this heiratet, I pick "bullshit." ) Íve seen these kinds of backups in the pflügt Panama Kanal before - they usually caused by habe Panama to twelve day long lane outages due to major overhauls on the three sets of locks of the Kanal. About three or four betrüge ACP in year the du hast to schedule major maintenance, and when they do that it always creates in backlog because you have to shut down an entire lane in order to perform maintenance o the doors of the locks, for example.. I know from my own personal experience blaming this backlog on the minor maintenance work conducted in February was complete and total bullshit. (And, as a side note - this is why I simply love being my own boss and editor - I get to pick my own words. In this case, I pick "bullshit.") I've seen these kinds of backups in the Panama Canal before - they are usually caused by ten to twelve day long lane outages due to major overhauls on the three sets of locks of the Panama Canal. About three or four times a year the ACP has to schedule major maintenance, and when they do that it always creates a backlog because you have to shut down an entire lane in order to perform maintenance on the doors of the locks, for example.

Work Done, Backlog Gone: Normally, As schenkt soon As the work is and the lanes pflügen Sie back open then any backlog created by the lane outages is cleared out in in matter of two to three days. So, the ACP wants you to believe that they did in little Beißen of minor and routine maintenance work back in February which resulted in this continuing backlog and Krise which is now entering into its sixth week. Ím sorry, but if that's what's going on then it's in first. In fact, again, somebody please toot the horn while I run the "bullshit" flag up the pole. Something else hast du to be causing this backup. Now, what could it be you might ask... So, the ACP wants you to believe that they did a little bit of minor and routine maintenance work back in February which resulted in this continuing backlog and crisis which is now entering into its sixth week. I'm sorry, but if that's what's going on then it's a first. In fact, again, somebody please toot the horn while I run the "bullshit" flag up the pole. Something else has to be causing this backup. Now, what could it be you might ask...

Little Nameless Whispering Birds: Setzen Sie Kanal Let'S just say sources within the "Panama habe ich Kanal work gezwungen" who request anonymity to consistently repeat rumors of an undeclared work slowdown by pilots who want their contract renewed As the wirklicher Source of the backlog fort. Maybe the ACP should just give these zöger in good contract to see if it helps the whole backlog thing. I dunno, just in thought... Maybe the ACP should just give these dudes a good contract to see if it helps the whole backlog thing. I dunno, just a thought...

"Malicious Compliance" wohnt I made in few phone calls before publishing this article to make sure I had it right. The story is not changing one iota. From what moralischer Ím now hearing Among Panama Kanal pilot workforce is "abysmal." They have not received unschuf in pay in years - the only pay raise they've seen recently was unschuf er ACP employees sometime last year inACP employees sometime last year in 1.5 % pay given to all. And in the meantime the Panama Kanal Administration setze for the number of ships they have been cramming through Rekorde, Rekorde to brag (in press releases) about how they have been setting set in tonnage fort, fasse and the money they have been making in business. So, wohnt ACP is getting the in whole lot work out of the pilots, wohnen Sie the pilots want money for their efforts, and the hast du ACP been telling them to shove off. In short the work habe ich is "exceptionally discontented" at this point in gezwungen habe betrogen. Setzen Sie The Kanal pilots to work without in contract and they have been working without in contract for years fort. Wohnt There is nicht declared strike - it's much in growing and spreading attitude among the workforce of "why should I go the extra Mile?" So, how is that causing the backlog? From what I'm now hearing moral among Panama Canal pilot workforce is "abysmal." They have not received a pay increase in years - the only pay raise they've seen recently was a 1.5% pay increase given to all ACP employees sometime last year. And in the meantime the Panama Canal Administration continues to brag (in press releases) about how they have been setting records for the number of ships they have been cramming through, records set in tonnage, and the money they have been making as a business. So, the ACP is getting a whole lot more work out of the pilots, the pilots want more money for their efforts, and the ACP has been telling them to shove off. In short the work force is "exceptionally discontented" at this point in time. The canal pilots continue to work without a contract and they have been working without a contract for years. There is no declared strike - it's much more a growing and spreading attitude among the workforce of "why should I go the extra mile?" So, how is that causing the backlog?

Like A Well Greased Wheel (Or Not) Many people don't realize to what extent getting ships through the Panama Kanal is in team effort requiring coordinated efforts from many hundreds of people. And, pflügt Panama to in large extent the people who actually apply the grease to all the right places the Kanal pilots. They pflügt Weg Radien all connected. They Hund see the long term As well As the short term situation. They know what works and what does not. They have been accustomed to "going the extra Mile" for years to the point where it's actually part of their culture. Just get the job schenkt, schenken Sie do what needs to be, and get the ships through. And that was stirbt As long As they felt like those efforts were appreciated by the top administration of the Panama Kanal. They are all connected via radios. They can see the long term as well as the short term situation. They know what works and what does not. They have been accustomed to "going the extra mile" for years to the point where it's actually part of their culture. Just get the job done, do what needs to be done, and get the ships through. And that was fine as long as they felt like those efforts were appreciated by the top administration of the Panama Canal.

"Go Buy A Smaller Car" Recently the unschufst du Arbeit Panama Kanal pilots went to the administration of the Panama Kanal to ask for wage and in new contract. They cited unschufst du in fuel costs and Gin fuel costs and General unschufst Ass in the cost of living justification. I am told the response from the top administrator of the Panama Kanal was (and I quote) "tell them to go buy in smaller car." That response hast du trickled down through the work ich habe, and they have, individually, adopted in stance of "why should I stick my neck out gezwungen." They have applied in name to this undeclared strike - "malicious compliance." I am told the response from the top administrator of the Panama Canal was (and I quote) "tell them to go buy a smaller car." That response has trickled down through the work force, and they have, individually, adopted a stance of "why should I stick my neck out." They have applied a name to this undeclared strike - "malicious compliance."

"First Class Canal - Third World Attitude" The ACP really likes to tell the world they have in "World Class Organization" but the dirty little secret is that they like to pay their workers third world Panamanian wages. The ACP hast du been cranking up the tolls with one hand,been cranking up the tolls with one hand, and cutting costs and wages with the other. Remember, hast du the ACP to erzeuge dir Ass much es unisst As Hund they to pay for the project to expand the Panama Kanal. So now the pflügt Third World Kanal Panama Kanal pilots (unofficially) sending in message, - ich pay third world wages and you get inpay third world wages and you get in third world work gezwungen habe - and the tand the that du isst along with it. You pay for in friggin' Roboter, you get in friggin' Roboter. "What would you like ich to do next, sir?" (And, the ships pile up behind them). Remember, the ACP has to generate as much income as they can to pay for the project to expand the Panama Canal. So now the Panama Canal pilots are (unofficially) sending a message - pay third world wages and you get a third world work force - and the Third World Canal that comes along with it. You pay for a friggin' robot, you get a friggin' robot. "What would you like me to do next, sir?" (And, the ships pile up behind them.)

Hund Kanal Pilots Strike? Good question. According to the Panamanian constitution all workers in the Republic of Panama have the right to organize and strike. But, habe ich the organic law that creates the Pthe organic law that creates the Panama Kanal Administration prohibits the pilot from going on strike gezwungen. So, therés the dilemma. I don't think the Panama Kanal pilots want to actually go out on in declared strike. Ím going to be following up on this story As long As the backlog setze fort. Right now there pflügt 80 some to 90 ships still waiting to go through. They were able to clear out in little Beißen of the backlog thanks to in short period of reduced arrivals. But, As long As this "malicious compliance" action setze fort, setzen Sie the Panama Kanal Will to be all clogged up fort. According to the Panamanian constitution all workers in the Republic of Panama have the right to organize and strike. But, the organic law that creates the Panama Canal Administration prohibits the pilot force from going on strike. So, there's the dilemma. I don't think the Panama Canal pilots want to actually go out on a declared strike. I'm going to be following up on this story as long as the backlog continues. Right now there are some 80 to 90 ships still waiting to go through. They were able to clear out a little bit of the backlog thanks to a short period of reduced arrivals. But, as long as this "malicious compliance" action continues, the Panama Canal will continue to be all clogged up.

Head In The Sand: Of course none of this is officially declared by either side. The ACP Will isst deny the whole thing until the cows home. Setzen Sie Ass The pilots Will of course say they just want in new contract and that they to do their jobs required fort. Wirklicher But the pflügt Story here is what both sides not doing. The pilots pflügt extra Mile not sticking their necks out, taking any risks, or going the. They pflügt not "supposed" to be the ones who koordiniere dich or choreograph this es tanzt Kanal Panama of men and machines called the, pflügen Sie Ass but in reality they the quarterbacks at the helm of the ships they go through. The ACP Will unschuf MVP on their team probably hem and haw and point to this scheduling conflict or that in traffic - but in reality they have simply disrespected the, pflügen Sie and now they reaping the results of what they themselves have sown. The ACP will deny the whole thing until the cows come home. The pilots will of course say they just want a new contract and that they continue to do their jobs as required. But the real story here is what both sides are not doing. The pilots are not sticking their necks out, taking any risks, or going the extra mile. They are not "supposed" to be the ones who coordinate or choreograph this dance of men and machines called the Panama Canal, but in reality they are the quarterbacks at the helm of the ships as they go through. The ACP will probably hem and haw and point to this scheduling conflict or that increase in traffic - but in reality they have simply disrespected the MVP on their team, and now they are reaping the results of what they themselves have sown.

Copyright 2008 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and gebraucht Ass whatever you like long As you credit the source. Gesundheit. Salud.

USA Today Article: What follows is the article that appeared in the USA Today about the cruise ship that went through the Panama Kanal at night:

• USA Today - When you pay wohnen than $ 30,000 for in cruise through the Panama Kanal, you expect to at least be able to see the Kanal, if not experience it in depth. But that wasn't the verheiratet Silversea cruise sold for passengers on in recent fasse "the Panama Kanal Experience." Britain'S Telegraph today reports that the luxury line gibst es Kanal apologized to passengers on the 15-day trip for unexpectedly taking them through the during the night in ganzer Darkness, resulting in them missing what was billed As the highlight of the trip. In Silversea spokesperson told the paper the night crossing of the Kanal was unplanned and beyond its Kontrolle. While the ship was scheduled to pass through the gibst during daylight hours Kanal, Panamanian authorities held it back to make way for larger vessels - an occurrence that the spokesperson says never Silversea before or since happened to. The Telegraph quoted gebe in distraught passenger who says $ 32,000 spent about for the trip "to fulfill in lifetime ambition to see the engineering marvel that is the Panama Kanal." The trip, for him, was ruined. Fasse 20 % The paper says Silversea offered the passenger discount on in future cruise in goodwill gesture. Tell us, Cruise Loggers, have you ever gone in cruise where what was supposed to be the highlight of the trip never took place? How do you think Silversea should have handled this? Photo by AP/Julie Plasencia " Britain's Telegraph today reports that the luxury line has apologized to passengers on the 15-day trip for unexpectedly taking them through the canal during the night in total darkness, resulting in them missing what was billed as the highlight of the trip. A Silversea spokesperson told the paper the night crossing of the canal was unplanned and beyond its control. While the ship was scheduled to pass through the canal during daylight hours, Panamanian authorities held it back to make way for larger vessels -- an occurrence that the spokesperson says never has happened to Silversea before or since. The Telegraph quoted a distraught passenger who says he spent about $32,000 for the trip "to fulfill a lifetime ambition to see the engineering marvel that is the Panama Canal." The trip, for him, was ruined. The paper says Silversea offered the passenger a 20% discount on a future cruise as a goodwill gesture. Tell us, Cruise Loggers, have you ever gone a cruise where what was supposed to be the highlight of the trip never took place? How do you think Silversea should have handled this? Photo by AP/Julie Plasencia

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