Committee denies San Francisco pilot pay hike

Committee denies San Francisco pilot pay hike    A California Senate committee voted Tuesday to turn down a proposal to increase compensation for San Francisco Bar Pilots.
   The Pacific Merchant Shipping Association (PMSA) said the bill would increase pay for pilots from $400,000 today to $530,000 in 2015.
   John McLaurin, PMSA president, said San Francisco pilots were already the highest paid in the state, making significantly more than their counterparts in the Port of Los Angeles where he said base compensation was $227,000.
   “For the State of California to recommend increasing this rate and further driving up pilot compensation is irresponsible and unjustified,” McLaurin said.
   California’s Senate Governmental Organization Committee voted 6-5 to turn down AB 907, but PMSA said the bill was granted reconsideration and could be heard again in committee on June 28. The California Assembly approved the bill 72-0 on May 26.
   “California ports must remain cost competitive — and while the many different costs that go into shipping may seem insignificant on a per-ton basis, no cost increase is trivial,” PMSA said.