FIGHTING THE RACE TO THE BOTTOM

Trade unions across the divide of UK and Norway are uniting to fight social dumping in the offshore energy sector. Prosafe Offshore is company which operates floating accommodation barges for oil companies to house construction and project workers is committing an act of social dumping at the expense of British and Norwegian workers. The company asked their long serving British and Norwegian workers to accept an offer of voluntary redundancy with an enhanced payment during a period of low activity. Prosafe suggested that workers would be invited to apply for their 'redundant' jobs if and when the market improved. However, within days of securing the agreement of the workers, Prosafe had engaged an agency in Poland to recruit workers to replace all those accepting voluntary redundancy, and at significantly reduced rates of pay and conditions. Representatives from RMT’s sister union in Norway, Industri Energi, travelled to Aberdeen to meet RMT representatives and discuss a strategy to stop this race to the bottom as Industri Energi national secretary Asle Reime, described the actions. RMT and Industri Energi secured the support of UK unions Unite and Nautilus International who also have members caught up in this disgraceful situation and collectively the unions have called for the support of the International Transport Federation. The trade union movement will be looking to apply pressure on Prosafe by all means available to outlaw these practices and to have our displaced members reinstated. UK and Norwegian offshore unions fight social dumping in the North Sea RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: march 2019 :: RMTnews 14 R MT has given divers advice and support around a new guidance document which the subsea industry has produced regarding medical standards for divers. RMT national secretary Darren Procter and regional organiser Jake Molloy met with a group of RMT member divers before a meeting with the Health and Safety Executive. .A significant number of members had raised concerns about several aspects of the guidance from the frequency of fitness testing, the type of testing being applied, the procedure for conducting the test, data protection issues and the fact that not one diver was consulted in the process. RMT set the meeting up with the HSE with regional organiser Jake Molloy leading the delegation. The meeting was constructive and HSE officials took on board a number of the points raised. There was some disagreement on a number of points but these will be followed up through further discussions. Jake Molloy said that the meeting was an ice-breaker. “We now have to develop our position further through research and evidence based inputs to develop a quality argument,” he said. RMT submitted an extensive report to the HSE setting out the basis of members concerns. A copy of this report is available by contacting RMT’s Aberdeen office. The union anticipates further consultative sessions with the HSE and greater involvement of members in the health and safety debate generally. FIGHTING THE RACE TO THE BOTTOM UNITY:Left to right; RMT national secretary Darren Procter, Asle Reime, RMT offshore energy branch secretary Robbie Wyness, Per Martin Labrathen of Industri Energi RMT regional organiser Jake Molloy and Fraser Know of Industri Energi. DIVERS QUESTION MEDICAL STANDARDS