MARITIME UNIONS UNITE AGAINST ‘SOCIAL DUMPING’

RMTnews :: september 2005 8 PROTECTING AND PROMOTING OUR MEMBERS’ INTERESTS. Our personal injury lawyers won’t let bad employers get away with it. RMT fight back: The law says workers have a right to safe conditions – and RMT is here to defend that right. That’s why our Personal Injury Service is free – and even covers non-work related accidents for family members. So if you, or a member of your family, have suffered an illness or injury due to someone else’s fault, call us now. FOR FREE LEGAL ASSISTANCE CALL THE HELPLINE 0800 587 751? in England, Wales and Ireland 0800 328 1014 in Scotland M aritime unions in Britain, Ireland, France, the Netherlands and Belgium have joined forces to demand an end to appallingly low pay, unacceptable working conditions and denial of basic trade-union rights aboard ferries operating between European countries. Union leaders and activists from the five countries gathered in Swansea to call for minimum standards of pay and conditions and for UN conventions on human rights to be imposed on ferry operators to prevent them exploiting overseas crews. The campaign revealed evidence that the MV Superferry, operated by Swansea-Cork Ferries, employs eastern European crew on pay rates and working conditions that fall well short of decency levels. “Recruiting crews overseas, paying shockingly low wages, expecting them to work unacceptably long hours and sacking workers who dare even to contact a trade union adds up to a policy known as social dumping,” RMT shipping secretary Steve Todd said. “We believe it is morally indefensible for employers to take advantage of workers like this, and I am delighted that trade unionists from so many countries are united in calling for minimum standards that apply to shore-base workers to be imposed on ferry operators,” he said. International Transport Workers’ Federation inspector Norrie McVicar said that evidence gathered contradicted Swansea-Cork Ferries’ claims that everything is “hunky-dory” on the MV Superferry. “If they have nothing to hide, why not allow the ITF aboard to make a full inspection and test out their claims?” he said. The campaign to end social dumping involves RMT, TGWU and Numast in the UK, Siptu in Ireland, CGT and CFDT in France, FWZ in the Netherlands and AVC Transcom and BTB in Belgium. MARITIME UNIONS UNITE AGAINST ‘SOCIAL DUMPING’