END‘SHAMEFUL’ RIGHT OF SHIPOWNERS TO DISCRIMINATE

RMTnews :: april 2007 :: www.rmt.org.uk 8 R MT’s Parliamentary group convened a maritime seminar last month in the House of Commons to discuss employment and social standards on UK ships and other ships trading in UK territorial waters. The seminar coincided with the publication of the long- awaited consultation on the seafarers’ exemption from the 1976 Race Relations Act. "In the 21st century it is grotesque that legislation aimed at ending discrimination should still contain clauses that allow it," RMT general secretary Bob Crow said. "The government has already amended Section 9 once, in 2003, when it banned discrimination on grounds of race, colour or ethnic origin, but continued to allow it on grounds of nationality. "That change made no difference to the discrimination that has ensured the continued super-exploitation of overseas ratings and hastened the decline in the number of UK ratings employed in the maritime industry. "RMT believes that only the full repeal of Section 9 will help to end once and for all a practice that brings shame on Britain's maritime industry," he said. RMT National Officer Steve Todd welcomed the publication of the consultation on the Race Relations Act and stated that RMT would continue to fight discrimination wherever it arose. Unfortunately, the seminar – attended by RMT activists, MPs, industry representatives and journalists, – then heard Shipping Minister Stephen Ladyman repeating the propaganda of the Chamber of Shipping regarding the threat to the UK registered fleet of the proposed repeal of the exemption from the 1976 Act. The minister stated that “at the stroke of a pen, they can become Liberian registered, they can become Panamanian registered, they can go to Singapore, along with those tens of thousands of jobs and all those billions of pounds”. He said in response to representations that he was giving a longer period of time for consultation on the proposed Department of Transport changes to the Race Relations Act which will now be six months as opposed to three. The consultation gives three options – a complete end to all discrimination, partial repeal so that discrimination for EU seafarers is no longer allowed and no change from the present situation. Not surprisingly, the minister faced a number of questions from RMT members who questioned his commitment to UK ratings. TUC deputy general secretary Frances O’ Grady also called on the government to end the shame of discrimination permitted on UK waters and for the full implementation of the national minimum wage. As expected, Chamber of Shipping Director General Mark Brownrigg defended the shipowners whilst accepting that the ratings position was difficult. He claimed the officer’s age profile was a reason for their projected decline and parts of the international fleet which had recently switched to the UK Register but who did not employ UK seafarers. Nautilus deputy general secretary Peter McEwen acknowledged that the right balance had to be struck but stated that action should be taken to regulate social standards on UK ships. He pointed to the situation on the Napoli where seafarers of multiple nationalities were employed and stated that in these circumstances it was hardly surprising that problems occurred. IRISH SEA ITF co-ordinator Norrie McVicar stated that the government should be working with the Irish government to improve standards and he advised the audience that the reputation of the UK flag was deteriorating rapidly. The situation in the Irish Sea was particularly grave. A new company which had recently entered the market, Celtic Link, were paying rates of pay significantly below the national minimum wage and it was looking to expand their operations, placing yet more jobs under threat. He stated that if necessary, and in order to secure a deal with the shipowners, the repeal of the exemption from the Race Relations Act could be undertaken in sectors where UK seafarers had a realistic expectation of being employed, this would exclude the deep sea. Gwyn Prosser MP said that his initial optimism for UK seafarers’ jobs had not materialised. He was pleased with the growth of the fleet but, on jobs, the tonnage tax had been a major disappointment for ratings and the best endeavours of the Chamber of Shipping had been lousy. He urged RMT to keep up the pressure. Bob Crow said that EU rules were allowing employers to exploit eastern European labour on lower wages and for higher profits. “The only winner is the employer and workers need strong trade union representation and effective Parliamentary representation,” he said. John McDonnell MP concluded by stating that it had been a good exercise in exchanging views and putting further pressure on the government for positive change. RMT demands an end to legal loophole that allows UK shipowners to discriminate against foreign national seafarers END‘SHAMEFUL’ RIGHT OF SHIPOWNERS TO DISCRIMINATE