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RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: april 2018 :: RMTnews
10
RMT campaigning has secured a
concrete government
commitment to help end wage
undercutting in the maritime
and offshore sectors.
The Department of Transport
published its ‘Maritime 2050’
consultation strategy document
last month which said that the
“welfare and wellbeing of our
people must be of topmost
concern as they are one of our
most valuable resources. As a
result we are currently working
in a number of employment
areas that will improve the
working conditions and reward
of personnel. Among these are
actions to extend the National
Minimum Wage for seafarers in
territorial waters and one port
voyages. The full extract is
below:
3.32 The welfare and
wellbeing of our people must be
of topmost concern as they are
one of our most valuable
resources. As a result we are
currently working in a number
of employment areas that will
improve the working conditions
and reward of personnel.
Among these are actions to:
• extend the National
Minimum Wage for seafarers
in territorial waters and one
port voyages;
• deliver greater certification
and recognition of other
countries training
certificates.
• provide easier access to visas
/ ID documents for seafarers
• extend international
agreements on social welfare
and protection to seafarers
and fishermen
• continue to be at the
forefront globally of tackling
modern day slavery issues,
working with relevant bodies
to ensure that going
forwards there are no
instances of such practices in
British waters and
worldwide.
• implement the seafarers’
directive by amending
employment legislation to
give seafarers same
protection as employees on
land
This is a significant step forward
in eliminating the scandal of
undercutting and below
minimum wage rates of pay in
the maritime and offshore
sectors.
RMT national secretary Steve
Todd, said that the government
must now stick to this clear
commitment to extend the
National Minimum Wage for
seafarers working in UK
territorial waters and on one
port voyages to the offshore
sector, as campaigned for by
members and in RMT meetings
with government.
"RMT will now be stepping
up our campaign for swift and
effective legislation from the
Government to enact this as
part of our wider campaign to
completely end undercutting
and the scourge of nationality
based pay discrimination
against seafarers and offshore
workers,” he said.
RMT general secretary Mick
Cash welcomed the movement,
at last, to apply and enforce
National Minimum Wage pay
rates for seafarers working
between UK ports and from the
UK to offshore installations.
"This is a major victory for
RMT's hard working seafarer
and offshore members who
continue to provide safe and
secure services for passengers,
businesses, the freight sector
and the offshore industry,” he
said.
RMT has welcomed the fact
that seafaring apprenticeship
numbers have grown to nearly
280 this year alone many of
which are in companies in the
public sector such as Caledonian
MacBrayne and the Royal Fleet
Auxiliary.
RMT has a seat on the
Merchant Navy Training Board
and it has long argued for more
apprenticeship schemes to stem
the steep decline in UK ratings
on UK-registered ships.
RMT national secretary Steve
Todd said that these were the
biggest numbers for a
generation but much more
needed to be done.
“To give it some context, for
UK seafarers to meet the
forecast increases in demand for
Deck Ratings alone, a
government report last year said
that the number of Deck Ratings
aged under 30 in training
needed to rise to 470 per year.
“I would like to commend the
RFA and particularly our RMT
convenor and apprentice
development office Ian Boyle
who has done great work in
encouraging apprenticeship
schemes.
“Scottish Ferry operator Cal
Mac, also in the public sector, is
also blazing a trial for young
men and women that are
looking for careers at sea.
“It is interesting that the
public sector is outstripping the
private sector when it comes in
investing in our young people,”
he said.
CalMac has expanded
Modern Apprenticeship (MA)
programme to include harbour
operations by joining forces
with Forth Ports Ltd to devise a
new Port Operations MA, the
RMT WINS PAY COMMITMENT
Union secures commitment on minimum wage
in shipping and offshore sectors
APPRENTICESHIP SUCCESSES
Union welcomes increase in apprenticeships,
many in the public sector