SOS2020 CAMPAIGN UPDATE

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: march 2017 :: RMTnews 9 Parliamentary column RMT branches and members have taken a series of actions to protest against the scourge of low pay in the UK shipping industry including protests against exploitation on ro-ro freight vessels in Aberdeen and Rosyth. Following RMT’s action in Aberdeen port, the Scottish government announced that it was reviewing the charter arrangements for the Seatruck vessels Helliar and Hildasay, chartered by Serco NorthLink on Northern Isles routes, with a view to applying the National Minimum Wage, at least. The union willcontinue to campaign for collectively bargained rates of pay agreed with RMT to be paid to ratings on all vessels in the Scottish and UK ferry industry but the progress on the Helliar and Hildasay is a significant step. The next steps in the campaign include an SOS 2020 day of action, Thursday May 18 in Poole, to highlight seafarer exploitation and protest against the continued undermining of collective bargaining and employment rights at Condor Ferries, where seafarers are paid below £3 per hour. The first stage will be to leaflet delegates attending an event for European Maritime Day 2017 at Poole Lighthouse Arts and Conference Centre, 21 Kingland Rd, Poole BH15 1UG. RMT members and activists are asked to mobilise for this and to arrive at the venue at 8am for leafletting delegates from the UK and European governments, as well as the shipping industry. The second stage of the Day of Action will be a demonstration against low pay and the exploitation of seafarers, outside the head office of Condor Ferries, also in Poole: Condor House, New Harbour Road South, Hamworthy BH15 4AJ. Branches in Scotland have also taken the campaign to the spring political party conferences. Delegates at the Scottish Labour, Conservative and SNP conferences were left in no doubt as to the importance of protecting jobs and services in the Scottish ferry industry from pay discrimination and a continued loss of maritime skills. The union has again asked ITF Inspectors to board vessels on the union’s ships of shame list, in order to obtain up to date pay information. This includes Flag of Convenience operators Condor Ferries, Seatruck (Irish Sea), Irish Ferries and P&O Ferries (Irish and North Sea). ITF Inspectors have already taken action against a serial offender on the union’s list, the Cypriot registered MV Daroja, operated by Streamline Ferries between Aberdeen and the Orkney and Shetland Islands. Non-UK ratings on-board are paid a scandalously low basic wage of £2.56 per hour. The vessel was detained by the MCA in November 2016 for infringing international maritime safety regulations, despite having been involved in a serious collision with an oil bunker barge in water off Peterhead in August 2015. The union’s discussions with Government and employers in the Legal Working Group on the National Minimum Wage and seafarers have concentrated on application between UK ports, with good progress made. The shipping industry continues to pat itself on the back for profiting from seafarer exploitation, with Seatruck recently receiving the Maritime Mersey Industry award for ‘business of the year.’ Non-UK seafarers on Seatruck routes between Liverpool and Dublin, Heysham to Dublin and Heysham to Warrenpoint are reportedly paid £4.61 per hour but this figure could be lower. What is certain is that pay on Seatruck ships operating from UK ports should be raised to the UK NMW, at least, as is now the case on the Helliar and Hildasay. UK government’s post-Brexit ports policy is also causing concern, with a ‘free ports’ policy being pushed by right- wing think tanks and Tory MPs. Under these proposals, a port and some of the surrounding land is designated a ‘free trade zone’ where domestic customs, tax and other relevant legislation does not apply. This would potentially undermine publicly owned ports infrastructure in the UK, concentrating even more power over ports and maritime policy in private hands. SOS2020 CAMPAIGN UPDATE Plans include a day of action on Thursday May 18 in Poole, Dorset to highlight exploitation of seafarers SUPPORT: The Morning Star conference in Glasgow gave its full support to the S0S2020 campaign including the shadow chancellor John MacDonnell