FAIR PAY FOR RFA

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: july/august 2019 :: RMTnews 11 R MT has chalked up a significant victory in its fight for workplace justice in the maritime and offshore sector with the government’s announcement that legislation will be introduced in September to extend the National Minimum Wage Act to cover seafarers working between UK ports and in the offshore energy supply chain. RMT general secretary Mick Cash said that it was a major and welcome victory for RMT’s long-running campaign for pay and workplace justice in the maritime sector. “This is a long overdue reform and we’re grateful to Alex Cunningham MP for putting the Business Minister Kelly Tolhurst on the spot. “By the end of the year, seafarers working on ships between UK ports or servicing offshore oil and gas or wind installations, regardless of the flag of the vessel, will be protected by the National Minimum Wage. “This will extend the basic protections from pay exploitation that have been applied and enforced for land based workers for 20 years. “This increased protection for thousands of seafarers is welcome and the RMT’s ongoing campaign to eradicate nationality pay discrimination and all forms of seafarer exploitation goes on,” he said. RMT has launched a programme of industrial action at the Royal Fleet Auxiliary – the Royal Navy supply lifeline –and lobbied the House of Commons in July following an overwhelming yes vote of nearly 90 per cent in the fight for pay justice. In the last pay round the Ministry of Defence increased pay in the Royal Navy by nearly three per cent but imposed yet another below inflation settlement on RFA's civilian seafarers of just 1.5 per cent. The union has accused the Tory government of directly interfering in the pay negotiations, forcing the employer to undermine the living standards of a crucial group of workers who have seen service in major trouble spots, including the Falklands and the Gulf, at huge personal risk. RFA members are instructed:- • Not to come back early from End of Voyage Leave, to join at the correct time and not to volunteer to extend if asked. • Only to conduct Maritime and Coastguard Agency mandatory safety drills and not to take part in prism serials or any RFA specific drills. • Work contracted hours, not to carry out any work over and above contracted hours unless responding to emergencies. • Catering grade members are not to prepare any food for any social functions. • Not to carry out duties that would have been carried out by members of other departments taking industrial action. Members participating in humanitarian or disaster relief operations or are reacting to a military conflict situation will be exempt from industrial action. RMT general secretary Mick Cash said that it was unbelievable that the government, who were very fond of praising our forces, was imposing a pay cut on the brave men and women who supply the Royal Navy in danger zones and humanitarian missions around the globe. "From the Falklands to the Gulf the RFA is the navy lifeline and those working within it deserve far better than this kick in the teeth from the Tories. The government should lift the pay cap and allow us to negotiate a fair settlement with the employer. “RMT will not stand by while RFA staff are denied basic pay justice and we have had a fantastic public and political support for the ‘Fair Pay for RFA’ campaign and for this essential group of workers,” he said. p j y/ g FAIR PAY FOR RFA Union launches industrial action for Royal Fleet Auxiliary members and lobbies parliament RMT WINS MARITIME PAY BATTLE