by Joe Wilhelm Jr.
Staff Writer
The Jacksonville Port Authority has been talking about it for years. Gov. Rick Scott has included it as a key part of “Getting Florida back to work.” The mayoral candidates promised to focus on making it grow.
“It” is the range of quality jobs at the ports of Jacksonville, and crane operator William Reyes has been part of “it” for more than 16 years.
Before working in Jacksonville, Reyes served in the U.S. Navy and learned how to operate cranes in the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth, Va. His last duty station was Naval Station Mayport aboard the USS John F. Kennedy.
Born in New York City and raised in Puerto Rico, he liked living in Jacksonville and wanted to stay. A friend helped him land a job at the Talleyrand Marine Terminal.
“It’s a great job. You go into the same job every day, but you do something different every day,” said Reyes.
He described loading and unloading cargo as “figuring out a puzzle,” having to properly stack and move different-sized cargo. He also understood that he wasn’t alone in moving the goods from ship to shore.
“It takes teamwork, because if you move something into the wrong spot at the wrong time, it could affect a lot of people,” said Reyes.
An efficient team can perform 30-35 “moves” an hour, according to Reyes, and moves are either unloading or loading a ship.
The gantry crane that he was operating recently can move containerized cargo as well as units of lumber, steel, grain or frozen poultry, to name some of the shipments into local ports.
The platform that moves up and down to grab the cargo works on a cable system and its movement can be affected by conditions such as wind.
“Windy days make it difficult, but you just have to be careful,” said Reyes. “The noncontainerized cargo is usually the most difficult, your lumber, steel, flat racks.”
The U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that as of May 2010, the average hourly salary for tank car, truck, and ship loaders was $21.40, and the average salary is $44,510.
“They are pretty good jobs,” said Randy Anderson, operations manager for the port authority, who has worked at the port for about 31 years. “Once you get a job here, you usually don’t leave. Most people make a career out of it.”
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