FIGHTING BACK FOR SHIPPING

RMT helpline 0800 3763706 :: june 2010 :: RMTnews 10 RMT’s biennial Docks and Shipping Grades met recently in Belfast in mid-May and was the first trade union conference to gather under the new ConDem coalition government. In fact, so new was the stitched-together deal between Clegg and Cameron that they hadn’t even appointed a minister with responsibility for shipping by the time conference kicked off. Scott Agnew was elected Chair and Scott cut straight to the chase, warning delegates of the scale of the challenge that was facing us in the shifting political landscape and with the rousing call that “the fight back starts here.” National secretary Steve Todd picked up that theme as he introduced his report, explaining that part of the reason why the Labour government had lost power was because they had let working people down, not least in the docks and shipping industry where much more could have been done to protect jobs and improve pay and working conditions if the outgoing government had had the will. To illustrate the point Steve highlighted the campaign that RMT has been running for reform of the legislation that allows foreign national seafarers to be discriminated against in respect of their pay and conditions on UK flagged ships. Members of RMT’s parliamentary group fought tooth and nail for necessary amendments to the Single Equality Bill but foot-dragging FIGHTING BACK FOR SHIPPING Shipping members meet in Belfast