SCOTTISH FERRIES CAMPAIGN HITS BARRA

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: march 2011 :: RMTnews 10 Shipping unions RMT and Nautilus International are joining forces with the Isle of Man trades council as part of the ongoing campaign to defend Isle of Man Steam Packet services against low cost rivals paying rock bottom wages. Although the new low cost service run by rival operator Mezeron has been reduced, the threat to security of employment for shippers employed by the Isle of Man Steam Packet remains. Mezeron are still running services to the Isle of Man from Glasson Dock and Belfast on the backs of low paid Eastern European seafarers on Estonian registered ships. RMT also believe there is every prospect of a new roll on roll off ferry service being introduced which would represent a major threat to the existing Isle of Man Steam Packet service. The campaign will be seeking protection of RMT members under UK TUPE regulations, whereby workers automatically transfer to the new employer if their work is taken over by another company. It is also vital for Isle of Man Steam Packet pensions to be protected. The union has already organised demonstrations in both the Isle of Man and Liverpool against the low cost service. Alongside the regional official Ken Usher, Bob Crow met with the Minister for Infrastructure Phil Gawne and made representations for action to be taken to safeguard the future of the Isle of Man Steam Packet. Trade unions also intend to meet the Isle of Man government again to keep up the pressure. Further details of the public meeting in Douglas will be made available as soon as possible. RMT general secretary Bob Crow addressed over 100 people during two meetings in Castlebay on the Scottish island of Barra along with local SNP MP Angus MacNeil and local RMT and community activists. The meeting was the latest event in the campaign to stave off the threat from the Scottish government ferries review which is proposing to tender individual routes opening the door for new operators to take over individual routes currently run by the publicly owned Caledonian Macbrayne. On top of that there is now concerted pressure from the European Union for wholesale privatisation. RMT general secretary Bob Crow told the meeting that the threat of cuts and privatisation to Scotland’s lifeline ferry services was very real and the current climate of austerity measures has turned up the volume on the warning sirens in the communities where we are organising resistance. “The Scottish Ferries are at severe risk of being broken up and cut to bits with some routes closed, others handed over for private profit and whatever remains left at the mercy of exploitation as cross subsidies are removed and fares are jacked up through the roof. “On top of that we now face the added threat of privatisation driven by the European Union. “The livelihoods of our members and their families are on the block and now is the time for the communities and the workforce to stand shoulder to shoulder to resist any attack on the ferry services which are such a vital component of the infrastructure of Scotland,” he said. MSPs from RMT’s Parliamentary group in Scotland have tabled a motion opposing the tendering of single routes on the Clyde and Hebrides network. Every member in Scotland has received a postcard with last month’s RMT News and the union is advising all members to fill it in. They can also be given out at branch meetings, on board ship and to friends and family. “We must continue to press the MSPs of all political parties on this matter and convince them that tendering individual routes threatens fragmentation, privatisation and ultimately poorer services,” Bob said. Further details of public meetings planned over April and May will be made available as soon as possible. Unions hold public meeting on April 5 2011 to defend Isle of Man Steam Packet services against social dumping RMT CAMPAIGNS FOR ISLE OF MAN STEAM PACKET SCOTTISH FERRIES CAMPAIGN HITS BARRA After a successful public meeting on Barra against the privatisation of Scottish Ferries RMT to hold meetings in Gourock on April 12 and Stornoway on May 19