SHIPPING, OFFSHORE AND DOCKS REPORT

RMTnews :: january 2007 :: www.rmt.org.uk 12 ROYAL FLEET AUXILIARY After offering new year greetings, I would firstly like to talk about developments within the Royal Fleet Auxiliary(RFA). This union spends a lot of time making sure that our submission to RFA’s annual pay reviews is on time. Yet now we find ourselves waiting four months to sit down and start talks on this year’s review. Despite numerous efforts to speed things up members are, apparently, at the mercy of the Treasury waiting for them to give RFA the parameters for discussing pay. RMT has written to the Commodore calling time and letting the company know our position quite clearly. Despite this the union has been forced to invoke the Disputes procedure and would not be able to rule out industrial action. Since then a derisory offer has been received, soundly rejected by the membership in a referendum. Aside from the pay issue, members will no doubt be aware of the future staffing review which is being carried out. There are now only a couple of options left for the powers-that- be to consider and they are:- • Are the RFA vessels better and more efficiently left manned by RFA crews under an evolved RFA? (Certainly this is the position we are arguing for) • Are the some vessels best manned by RN crews and others by RFA or a mixture of both? ( Not sustainable) • Would RFA vessels be better staffeded by RN (Certainly on a ‘costs alone’ this is an option where they will ever get ‘best value’) The crewing being cost alone being into millions of pounds more far outweighs the costs vessels being manned by RFA. Whatever option is chosen, RMT will defend members’ jobs and has made that clear on more than one occasion. These vessels have been run efficiently, safely and very successfully in both war and peacetime by merchant seamen, many of them who lost there lives in wars and conflicts serving in RFA ships. SPONSORED RESERVISTS The final draft will be in circulation for members’ consideration, following numerous previous drafts. The final one should have taken into consideration all the points and concerns members have expressed. The final choice will be left to individuals and rightly so, after all it’s not compulsory and your jobs are not threatened by this, nor are your terms and conditions. One piece of advice is don’t rush into this and if you are unsure of anything, contact RMT if you have any queries or concerns. I know many of you are apprehensive about signing up to this, if it’s any comfort to you, our members at Foreland Shipping on the strategic RO/RO vessels have been sponsored reservists for over five years and it has had little or no effect on them or their terms and conditions. TONNAGE TAX Over a year has now passed since interests in the shipping industry made submissions regarding the review of the Tonnage Tax and the union is still awaiting the government’s findings and recommendations. The union is continually pressing government departments and the ministers’ office and will continue to do so until we get answers. RMT’s view is if the tax not connected to employment and training, it’s not worth having. We hear how well the industry is doing as a result of the introduction of the tax, how much revenue is being generated in the city and how many ships have come back under the UK flag. We say “let’s have some jobs now”. RACE RELATIONS ACT A bit of good news on the issue of the unfair nature of section nine of the Race Relation Act is that we have been re-assured that the government is still committed to a review of the Act. It is about to commence the consultation process and the union still believes that a review of section nine, which allows shipowners to pay foreign national lower wages, will help create the level playing field we have been seeking. It would certainly stop the use of cheap foreign labour and might help put a stop to the social dumping which not only threatens jobs but is blatant discrimination. DIVING SUPPORT VESSELS With the divers’ dispute now settled to the union’s satisfaction, RMT now has to start concentrating on the pay reviews for the DSV crews. It’s worth remembering that this group of workers are essential to the safe and effective running of the vessels which many of our diver members work on. These members have also been left behind in the pay stakes and a number of their issues need addressing this time around. The union will need to be prepared for a bumpy ride, SHIPPING, OFFSHORE AND DOCKS REPORT SHIPPING National secretary Steve Todd outlines the situation for shipping, offshore and docks members