SHIPPING NEWS

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: october 2011 :: RMTnews 10 Stena, probably the biggest employer in the ferry sector, has announced the downgrading of the High Speed Service (HSS) on the Holyhead/Dun Loaghaire route from an all year round service to a summer seasonal service only. This not only threatens the employment of a possible 26 permanent ratings but also a number of long-term temps. These developments in two ports which have little or no prospect any future employment opportunities has dealt a devastating blow to the communities. Similarly the Stranraer/Belfast route has been affected by the withdrawal of the HSS altogether. We knew the HSS was about to finish in Stranraer and the two conventional ships were also being withdrawn to be replaced by two Superfast ferries and many believed these two ferries would absorb any possible job losses. But, out of the blue after months of trying to get the company into discussions to avoid all this, the company announced that there could be a risk of redundancy. The race is on now to save as many jobs as possible and the company has been told in no uncertain terms that the union will not accept any compulsory redundancies and is committed to looking at all alternatives that avoid anything other than voluntary redundancies. Options forms have now been sent out to the workforce to find out what the preferences are and local discussions are now taking place over staffing levels on the Adventurer and Nordica, in Holyhead. Detailed discussions are also required over the manning levels of the new Stranraer Superfast ferries. We cannot have someone just pluck a figure out of the air without discussion, involvement and consultation of our members who are at the sharp end. The task is now to save as many jobs as possible and protect the jobs of those who remain in the business securing the long term future is a priority. RFA The union has managed to prevent any compulsory redundancies at the Royal Fleet due to three ships being withdrawn from service earlier this year. The union said that it would resist any compulsory redundancies and I am pleased to say that the number of voluntary early retirement schemes has almost been achieved. We have had further difficulties with regard to the pay freezes being imposed by the government across the public sector. RFA members have not escaped the net however an increase has been achieved albeit a very low level based on performance and members overwhelmingly accepted the offer. P&O The long-running saga over the harmonisation of terms and conditions at P&O North Sea/Irish Sea is at last reaching an end and we are very close to achieving one set of terms and conditions for our members in the North Sea. Harmonisation is always a two-way street and the stakes have been high with our members on the higher level of pay quite rightly not wanting to suffer any loss. I am confident that by the end of this month we should be able to put an acceptable package to all our members as a lot of hard work has gone into getting us into this position and it would be a shame to lose the impetus at this stage. Once we clear the final hurdle it is our intention to focus on similar if not the same arrangements in the Irish Sea which is long overdue. JOBS DOWN UNDER The union has continued to meet with the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA), the Maritime Union of New Zealand (MUNZ) and the Australian employers over jobs in the offshore shipping sector industry. These jobs are for Integrated Ratings, or as we know it GP ratings, but there are no catering jobs at this stage. The problem seems to be the immigration department and the 457 visas, some grades of seafarers are not classed as skilled labour as such and this is proving to be our problem convincing the authorities. The MUA is doing its damnedest to work this out and both Mick Doleman and Chris Cain have done a tremendous job helping us - they don't want their coast flooded with cheap labour. Anyone going there will be on local terms and conditions and we have agreed in principle a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between all parties which we will sign off at the next meeting. These jobs are real and when there is an identified shortage we will be working hard with both MUA and MUNZ to ensure that union labour fills that shortage. These jobs are not "pie in the sky", I might have ate a few pies in my time as is obvious to see, but let me assure you I don't talk it whilst trying to help our members. SHIPPING NEWS National secretary Steve Todd reports on developments in the shipping sector