RMT FORCES PROCEEDINGS AGAINST RACE RELATIONS ACT OPT-OUT

RMT helpline 0800 3763706 :: september 2009 :: RMTnews 10 The Department for Transport has revealed that the European Commission has begun infraction proceedings against the UK arising from the discriminatory provisions allowed against EU nationals under the 1976 Race Relations Act. This follows an RMT complaint to the European Commission that the 1976 UK Race Relations Act was in breach of the EU free movement of workers provisions for allowing discrimination against other EU nationals. In response, the European Commission took its first steps towards infraction proceedings in March 2009. The government has received notice that the issue was not going to go away following the tabling of amendments outlawing discrimination under the 1976 Race Relations Act by the RMT parliamentary group. The amendments tabled by Gwyn Prosser MP seek to enforce the national minimum wage for foreign nationals seafarers working on ships trading between UK Ports and in the UK offshore sector. The DfT has said that it did not wish to make any changes to seafarer coverage of the national minimum wage until after the Race Relations Act has been dealt with. The union will shortly be writing to all MPs seeking support for the amendments. RMT parliamentary group member have also tabled an Early Day Motion 1780 (see below) calling for reform of the Race Relations Act which already has 56 signatures from MPs with many more to follow once Parliament returns. The formal regulations brought forward by the DfT setting out reform of the 1976 Race Relations Act will now be issued shortly after Parliament resumes later this year. They will be taken forward as part of the Equality Bill which is due to become law early in 2010. RMT national secretary Steve Todd said that at long last reform of this legislation was in sight. “We should not underestimate the fact that it is the RMT campaign and our willingness to pursue this at every available opportunity has brought this about,” he said. RMT FORCES PROCEEDINGS AGAINST RACE RELATIONS ACT OPT-OUT EARLY DAY MOTION EDM 1780 PAY PRACTICES IN THE UK MARITIME SECTOR Gwyn Prosser That this House is appalled that in the 21st century ships, including ferry services, which regularly trade on fixed routes between UK ports and between the UK and Europe, are allowed to pay poverty wages substantially below the minimum wage to non-UK seafarers including rates as little as £1.50 per hour; is dismayed that this super-exploitation is legal as a result of a loophole in the Race Relations Act which allows non-UK seafarers to be paid rates below agreed UK levels and also due to the exemption of seafarers from the national minimum wage; urges the Government to bring forward amendments to the Equality Bill to outlaw this discrimination and to reform the Race Relations Act as it applies to seafarers; and calls on the Government to bring forward immediately legislation to ensure that non-UK seafarers are protected by the provisions of the national minimum wage.