Shipping news

AFTER a successful lobby and threats to take strike action, RMT scored a significant political victory in the campaign against the privatisation of Caledonian MacBrayne ferry services. Working alongside the Scottish TUC, the union has been fighting to retain a fully integrated and publicly owned ferry service. The Scottish Executive has now bowed to pressure and agreed to make direct representations to the European Commission against the tendering process, making use of the evidence that unions have placed before them. As Crew Managers for Foreland Shipping Limited, an all British Consortium of Shipping interests contracted to provide six roll-on roll-off vessels for the UK Strategic Sealift Service (25 years), we are presently recruit- ing for one Trainee Deck Rating and one Trainee Engine room Rating. Full training will be given to the successful applicants, which will be divided between time at college and at sea, after which tours of duty will be three months at sea and two months on leave. All six vessels are permanently manned by British Officers and Ratings and therefore, these opportunities represent an excellent long term employment opportunity for British seafarers. If you are interested in seeking employment with Foreland Shipping (Guernsey) Limited, further details and an application form are available from:- Foreland Shipping (Guernsey) Limited c/o Bibby International Services (I.O.M.) Limited Shearwater House, Nunnery Mills, Old Castletown Road, Douglas, Isle of Man IM2 1QA Attn: Recruitment Department Email: recruitment@bisiom.com WWW.bisiom.com BIBBY Bibby International Services (I.O.M.) Limited Providing Global Solutions to the International Marine Industry LINE LIMITED RMT news – Shipping news CalMac climbdown The Scottish Executive agrees to challenge tendering of Caledonian Macbrayne ferry services 10 The union also met the Transport Minister, held a briefing meeting and, with the STUC, organised a very successful lobby of the Scottish Parliament and MSPs. Climbdown RMT shipping secretary Steve Todd said that he was “delighted” by the Scottish Executive climbdown. “RMT members can be proud of the role they played in saving these lifeline services from the privateers. “However, this is no time to be complacent as there is still work to do to ensure we get the right result,” he said. RMT commissioned Jeanette Findlay, of the economics department, Glasgow University, to investigate the question of value for money for the taxpayer. The publication and the results of that report, coming at the end of the consultation period, was very timely and crucial to the final decision to delay tendering. The report assessed the likely costs of ferry services to the taxpayer of a tendering exercise if it was won by Caledonian MacBrayne, or a tendering exercise won by an outside bidder, and also considered the retention of the existing publicly operated service. She concluded that the non-tendering option was the least expensive. A number of key findings are outlined below: G Even if CalMac were to win the tender there would be significant costs associated with periodical re-tendering, as well as with increased tax liabilities arising from the division of the company. New tiers of management would mean fragmentation, new channels of interaction would have to be created and safety regulation would be split. G CalMac failing to win the contract raised the prospect of even more problems, with a serious shadow cast over the pension scheme. Even if the TUPE transfer of undertakings rules were to apply, they would not protect the pension scheme, and substantial up-front pay-outs were likely to be needed to retain a scheme with similar benefits under a new employer. G The report warns that a FOLLOWING a ballot for strike action which forced management back to the negotiating table, the union has won a 3.2 per cent pay increase and a one hour reduction in the working week to 35 hours. As soon as the ballot was underway and management knew how serious the union was, talks were held and the company also agreed to pay permanent night crews a 25 per cent premium to salaries for hours worked. Wightlink agreed that the introduction of the reduced working week will be implemented as previously agreed from January 1 2005. Therefore the reduction in working hours will be from 1633 to 1589 and the total annualised hours from 1985 to 1941 with effect from January. Management stated there would be a service review relating in particular to the night boat services. The company agreed not to consider any alterations of the service and that night boat services will continue. Restructuring There were also proposals to restructure the establishment and staffing arrangements of Chief Officers on the Portsmouth to Fishbourne route. This would have resulted in 15 Chief Officer positions being lost with effect from December 31 2004. RMT made it clear to the company that the union needed a resolution on this issue. The company has agreed that the founding principles of the negotiations are as follows: - G no compulsory redundancies, G no reduction in salaries. G A new career structure based on competency. G A new salary to reflect the post held including competencies, skills and qualifications Class I to IV. G The MCA involved in all matters of safety. RMT news – Shipping news BP Oil: The 2004 pay award has finally been agreed between the union and BP Oil for our contracted seafaring members. The offer accepted is for a 2.5 per cent increase in basic rates of pay backdated to September 2004. With acceptance of the 2.5 per cent offer, the company has promised that extra funds will be made available to address serious disparities affecting agency staff, many of whom are RMT members. These employees have over the years been paid inferior wages and suffered worse terms and conditions than their contracted counterparts. The company and the union have agreed to make serious efforts address this historic problem. Extra funds will be used to increase leave rates, sickness rates and pay rates for these agency workers, with discussions to be held in the near future. Newhaven ports and properties deal: The union has secured the following deal for RMT members employed at Newhaven ports and properties: G An average increase of 3.66 per cent in order to address any discrepancy in pay rates between employees G Employees with salaries in excess of £19000 pa will have a 2.5 per cent increase G Employees with salaries under £19000 pa will have a 4.5 per cent increase. G All increases will be backdated effective from January 2 2005. Isle of Man Steam Packet Conventional Ferry: RMT negotiated a two-year offer with the company which was put before members at various ship-board meetings and the members have agreed to accept the deal which is as follows: G A four per cent increase in basic rates of pay effective from January 1 2005, this being year one. G A three per cent increase in basic rates of pay for year two. A trigger element has been incorporated into year two. This is a 12-month average of UK RPI as published in November 2006, providing for a review in the event of the average RPI exceeding 3.5 per cent, with the 0.5 per cent ranging between 3 and 3.5 per cent being excluded from any potential review. 11 Victory at Wightlink new operator with a limited tenure may lack incentives to maintain vessels to current high standards, and that limited resources to oversee the operator could lead to long-term degradation of vessels. G The report questions whether the vessel owning company would be able to run services as the ‘operator of last resort’ in the event of the operator’s failure to do so, and points out that the current ‘light touch’ regulation would have to be replaced by a more heavy handed and expensive regime. The union also succeeded in ensuring that the new evidence was examined by the Transport Committee, following the decision of the committee to agree to a further investigation into the question of tendering. RMT gave evidence and prepared questions for the Transport Minister. Further evidence has now come to light from Dr Paul Bennett and Professor Neil Kay, who published an extensive report that questions the need to tender and set out an alternative proposals. RMT responded to the consultation from the Scottish Executive on the future of the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services by setting out its opposition to tendering based on all the new evidence. The Minister is now having further discussions with European Commission officials and will report back to parliament towards the end of this month. G Members and activists can still register their protests to MSPs against the tendering. Members could also personally visit their MSP as this really raises the profile of the issue. Other shipping and docks agreements