NORWEGIAN AND UK OIL WORKERS STRIKE DEAL

T he union signed a renewed protocol agreement with Norwegian energy union Industri Energy (IE) in Stavanger last month to cover the interests of members of both unions working in the offshore energy sector of both countries. RMT general secretary Bob Crow attended the meeting in Stavanger with RMT president Alex Gordon and RMT national secretary Steve Todd. A protocol agreement between the two unions has existed for many years, covering some issues concerning the offshore and the diving industry. The new protocol expands this cooperation to organising offshore energy workers in both the UK and Norwegian sectors who are not covered by any collective bargaining agreements. RMT national secretary Steve Todd said that the two unions hoped to form a North Sea Organising and Safety Committee which will meet at least three times a year. “This will enable us to discuss the situation in our respective sectors and how we can best tackle the problems which affect us all, including health and safety issues and social dumping. “We need to have the input of not just full time officers but representatives from the workforce, the very people who are at the coal face. “At the end of the day it is about their representation and how best we serve them,” he said. Steve said that the meeting in Stavanger compared the different ways the two organisations could actively represent their members. “It’s quite clear from those discussions that we are miles behind when it comes to the rights of trade unions to be able to represent their members effectively. “One particular issue that is still causes most concern is the right of access to the workforce and the right to appoint trade union safety reps. “It is quite clear that the statutory instrument –SI971 – does not go far enough in allowing us access to the workforce or the appointment of reps and we are now considering the possibility of a judicial review and whatever else we can do to try and address this problem. “We have given the matter to our legal advisors as it has gone on for far too long and its quite clear that a piece of antiquated legislation clearly prevents us from doing the job of representing our members effectively in this sector,” Steve said. The first two meetings between RMT and IE this year will be in London in July and in Oslo in October. RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: april 2012 :: RMTnews 10 The Daily Mirror newspaper has exposed that cross-channel ferry operator Condor Ferries is getting away with paying its Ukrainian crew less than £30 for a 12-hour day. That's barely a third of the minimum wage both in the UK and in Guernsey, where Condor is based. The paper quoted contracts signed last summer between a crew member and Condor Marine Crewing Services, Condor's UK subsidiary. The minimum wage at the time was £5.93, yet the Ukranians "should expect to work up to 12 hours per day" for £28.19 - that's as little as £2.35 per hour and "includes all overtime". They worked on two ferries registered in the Bahamas, so the new Equality Act - which bans different pay rates for different nationalities on UK- registered ships - does not apply. A Condor spokeswoman said it employs "a number of crew" every year on three-month contracts through an agency based in Ukraine. RMT national secretary Steve Todd said: "This loophole is totally unacceptable and unfair on British seafarers". SOCIAL DUMPING EXPOSED NORWEGIAN AND UK OIL WORKERS STRIKE DEAL PROTOCOL: RMT general secretary Bob Crow in Stavanger with IE general secretary Leif Sande, RMT president Alex Gordon and RMT national secretary Steve Todd