DEFEND ISLE OF MAN STEAM PACKET SERVICES

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: april 2011 :: RMTnews 6 M aritime unions RMT and Nautilus International have challenged the Scottish government to confirm that it does not intend to privatise Clyde and Hebrides ferry routes following a verbal assurance given at a public meeting in Dunoon by Scottish cabinet member Michael Russell. Mr Russell accused the unions of misrepresenting the Scottish government’s position, and when confronted with the wording of the government’s consultation questionnaire – which specifically asks if routes should be market-tested – repeated that the government had no intention of privatising any CalMac routes. RMT national secretary Steve Todd, who spoke at the Dunoon meeting on April 12, said that the Scottish government should confirm what Mr Russell had told the meeting. Further meetings are taking place in May with RMT general secretary Bob Crow and Steve Todd, one in Uists on Wednesday May 18 and one in Stornoway on Thursday May 19. The meetings are the latest events in the campaign to stave off the threat from the Scottish Government Ferries Review which is proposing to tender individual routes currently run by the publicly owned Caledonian Macbrayne. 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 services face the added threat of privatisation driven by the European Union. “The Scottish government and their civil servants cannot be trusted to protect Cal Mac ferry services on the Clyde and Hebrides network when, despite their public pledges, they are conspiring to do just the opposite in private,” Bob Crow said. Maritime unions including RMT are providing every household on the Isle of Man with a freepost postcard to send to the island’s chief minister to demand that the 180 year old Isle of Man Steam Packet services are defended. The recent entry into service of Mezeron vessels has placed in jeopardy the future employment of Isle of Man Steam Packet workers. Mezeron, which operates on the backs of Eastern European workers paid below the minimum wage, have now scaled back their service but continues to operate services from Glasson Dock and Belfast. The threat of the introduction of a roll on roll off service by another operator utilising cheap labour remains and it is essential that IOM Steam Packet workers are provided with basic employment safeguards. RMT national secretary Steve Todd told a meeting on the island that the trade unions wished to see the application of TUPE guidelines for seafarers engaged on Isle of Man shipping operations. “We must not allow the unfair practices and social dumping of Mezeron or another rogue shipping company threaten to drive out the Isle of Man Steam Packet. “The skilled jobs of seafarers and other workers in the Isle of Man cannot be placed in jeopardy through the exploitation of labour. “People in the Isle of Man cannot afford to live on pay rates below the National Minimum Wage. “We stand ready to support the campaign for employment safeguards for all and we thank you for your support,” he said. DEFEND ISLE OF MAN STEAM PACKET SERVICES Unions provide postcards for islanders to send to Isle of Man government to demand future service is safeguarded HANDS OFF CALMAC ROUTES