FELIXSTOWE PORT OWNERS FIRE AND REHIRE POLICY LEADS TO LABOUR SHORTAGES

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: november/december 2020 :: RMTnews 9 R MT has called on the government to put an end to the disgraceful practice at Felixstowe docks of firing and rehiring workers on worse terms and conditions which is leading to labour shortages. This follows reports, as recorded in The Register of Members' Financial Interests, that the port owners, Hutchison’s Ports Ltd have hired former Transport Secretary Chris Grayling as a “strategic advisor” on a salary of £100,000 per year for seven hours work per week working out at an eye-watering £274 per hour, or 31 times the minimum hourly wage. The port owner’s policy of firing and rehiring of workers at Felixstowe has now reportedly led to a dire situation of labour shortages at one of the UK’s most important ports meaning that freight trains cannot be loaded to capacity and are having to leave on schedule with significantly reduced loads. The labour shortage situation has become so dire that some container ships are now diverting to other ports such as London Gateway. Sources at Felixstowe have revealed that ship to shore they are lifting 15 container boxes an hour at Felixstowe currently but London Gateway lifts an average of 28 container boxes per hour, and Southampton is 33 container boxes. RMT general secretary Mick Cash said that Hutchison’s disgraceful fire and rehire policy to put their workers on worse terms and conditions was now clearly backfiring on them as labour shortages are now severely impacting the port’s ability to lift and move vital freight onto our railways. “What’s even more disgraceful is that these same port owners, whilst using the Covid-19 crisis as a cover to fire and rehire workers, are paying failed Transport Secretary Chris Grayling an eye-watering amount of money for “strategic advice”. “It’s time this government puts workers first and legislates against the despicable practice of companies firing and rehiring workers during a public health crisis,” he said. to t Feli reh term lead government and industry need to reassure staff about what is safe and what isn’t. Whilst we know that in terms of young people they tend not to have a severe reaction to Covid 19 (in most cases), they can certainly spread the virus and can show few symptoms of it. Thirdly, it’s clear that there’s a requirement to wear facial coverings on public transport unless exempt - but how do we know if someone is exempt and who enforces such rules in buses?   We now have a completely unworkable situation where people can simply board buses without a facial covering, others wear them to board the bus then remove them or certainly don’t wear them properly and another section abide by the rules and wear them all the time. If you conclude there’s a scientific and medical reason for the requirement to wear facial coverings in the first place then the haphazard way it is being implemented and enforced is simply counter productive to combating the virus. Who is supposed to enforce this and how - it can’t be the bus drivers - it’s not their role, it’s not practicable and they don’t have the powers anyway. Finally, there has been insufficient publicity around the public’s responsibilities whilst travelling on buses. On trains and railway stations there are constant announcements around the requirements I’m afraid affixed notices only have limited impact for so long - the issues on buses need to be highlighted much more. I believe that bus workers are losing confidence in the control measures and, whilst the majority of the public abide by the rules, increasing numbers do not. We want people to use public transport - all we ask is they do it responsibly and safely for their fellow pass- engers and those providing the services. HIRE AND FIRE: OOCL Hong Kong, the world's largest container ship, which can carry 21,413 twenty foot containers and is 1,311 feet long, docks in Felixstowe. FELIXSTOWE PORT OWNERS FIRE AND REHIRE POLICY LEADS TO LABOUR SHORTAGES