The UK Board of Trade

The UK Board of Trade report, ‘Global Britain, Local Jobs’, which makes a series of recommendations on Britain’s trading future, contains no reference at all to creating local jobs in the key transport link in international trade – shipping.  RMT general secretary Mick Cash said that the report’s attempt to link post- Brexit trade policy to local jobs was both unconvincing and unambitious. “The government’s own statistics show that UK seafarers only held 19 per cent of jobs in the shipping industry, and this doesn’t include the cull of seafarer jobs in Dover and Hull initiated by P&O’s owners in Dubai. “Liz Truss must stop airbrushing local seafarers out of employment and recognize that investment in local Ratings and Officers is a core component of any sustainable trading policy,” he said. 5 RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: april 2021 :: RMTnews F ollowing the government’s Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy RMT reiterated the importance of UK seafarers.  RMT general secretary Mick Cash said that with all the sabre rattling, the government had overlooked the importance of civilian seafarers to the country’s long term strategic and security needs.  "Seafarer numbers slumped again last year but there is no detail in here for our members working to support the Royal Navy and the military with essential maritime capacity.  "The Royal Fleet Auxiliary remains committed to apprenticeships but it is simply not sustainable to continue replacing RFA seafarers through natural wastage every year. “Also there is no mention of how the government intends to meet the military’s future strategic sealift demands when the Ministry of Defence’s PFI contract with Foreland Shipping ends in 2024.  "Instead of striking soft power poses, we need practical measures to strengthen our seafarer skills base which would provide true strategic resilience, not to mention jobs for the years ahead,” he said. T he union has written to Scotland’s Minister for Islands, Energy and Connectivity, Paul Wheelhouse MSP demanding that he meet the union to correct a pay injustice for key workers at public sector ferry company CalMac.  RMT believes that the scandalous below inflation 0.5 per cent pay offer for 2020-21 for CalMac workers’ dedication and commitment over the pandemic has again been highlighted by the Scottish government’s two per cent settlement for other public sector workers in Scotland. The letter points out that inflation had already eaten away at the value of Calmac members’ pay and the average RPI in the months since August was 1.18 per cent. However Calmac has stuck rigidly to the August RPI figure. RMT general secretary Mick Cash said from the outset, CalMac had been intent on forcing a derisory pay offer on RMT members and even rejected the offer of conciliation through ACAS. “CalMac’s dedicated and hard-working staff are public sector key workers who have put their health at risk operating lifeline services during the pandemic but are now being treated unfairly when compared to other public sector workers, that is nothing short of a betrayal. “The sacrifices that other public sector workers and their families have made in the face of this cruel disease have been rightly recognised by the Scottish government and as we approach parliamentary elections we are giving notice that we will be launching a fairness for ferry workers campaign to achieve pay justice. “We’re calling on the Minister, Paul Wheelhouse to meet RMT to work with us to sort out this problem at CalMac,” he said. RFA NEEDS UK SEAFARERS JOBS: RFA support ship Mounts Bay (left) outward bound to sea from the sound passing RFA Wave Ruler (right) END PAY BETRAYAL FOR CALMAC KEY WORKERS FOR SHIPPING JOBS Board of Trade report ignores UK shipping jobs