The working hours of all officers and ratings are as stated in each individual employment contract. All officers receive a fixed lumpsum bonus per month, which covers all overtime, and weekend work and there is no further pay due for any extra work performed. When the ratings perform additional hours over the minimum laid out in their contract of employment then overtime will be paid except in the case of the cook who will receive a lumpsum amount each month to cover all extra hours and duties performed.
It has become a practice to take a short coffee break at 10.00 in the morning and at 15.00 in the afternoon. These coffee breaks should not exceed 15 minutes each.
It should be pointed out that everybody must appear promptly for meals, as this will facilitate the work of the cook and steward. However, depending on a variety of circumstances, such as dockings, cargo work, etc., the crew cannot always have their meals at the given times. In such cases the cook and steward will be notified by the Head of Department in advance, in order that the food may be kept hot and served at convenient times.
You will be required not to wear dirty boilersuits or working clothes in the messrooms. A couple of minutes of changing into clean clothes and washing before meals, not only shows consideration towards others, but helps to keep the messroom clean as well. Although urgent work sometimes does not allow sufficient time for changing clothes for meals, cleanliness must be observed by using proper protection for the furniture.
Please remember, that whatever your working hours are, there is usually somebody off duty who requires undisturbed rest. Therefore all unnecessary noise such as playing music too loud, whistling in the alleyways, slamming doors, etc., must be avoided at all times. When music is played in the messroom, the doors leading to the accommodation should be closed.