RMT DEMANDS MEETING OVER IRISH FERRIES THREAT TO JOBS IN DOVER

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: may 2021 :: RMTnews 7 RMT has written to the Irish Ferries managing director Andrew Sheen to demand a meeting to discuss the impact on local seafarer jobs of the Irish Ferries plan for a new Dover-Calais service. Irish Ferries currently operate roll-on roll-off ferry services between Dublin and Holyhead and Rosslare and Pembroke with predominantly eastern European resident crew recruited by Matrix Ship Management of Cyprus. Hundreds of Ratings in Dover were made redundant in the middle of the pandemic by P&O Ferries and Irish Ferries entry into the Cross Channel ferry market has been welcomed by local politicians and port representatives. RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said that RMT and other ITF-affiliated unions had long held concerns over the impact of Irish Ferries’ business model on local seafarer jobs and skills, trade union rights and maritime safety standards. “We regret that, to date, Irish Ferries, a member of the UK Chamber of Shipping and of the International Chamber of Shipping, has not engaged with RMT on these important issues. “A successful recovery in ferry passenger numbers and freight volumes in the summer seems to have driven the Irish Continental Group’s decision to expand their ro-ro ferry operation into the Channel. Following the major job losses amongst local seafarers in Dover last summer, the arrival of a new ferry operator should be cause for optimism amongst Ratings and Officers in Dover and the UK. “We would be very concerned, however, if Irish Ferries intend to continue using the low-cost crewing model on Dover-Calais services. Whilst this seems likely as the Isle of Inishmore is undergoing a re-fit ahead of deployment in the Dover straits, it would be extremely helpful if we could meet to establish the crewing, safety management and other regulatory details of your company’s proposals for cross channel ferry operations. “RMT has met with local and national politicians to discuss these plans. It is important, therefore, that the union and our members hear from Irish Ferries on their proposals for this key strategic route on which UK seafarers will continue to work and to be trained for generations to come,” he said. RMT has responded with concern over the Health and Safety Executive’s response to a serious safety incident in the offshore decommissioning sector. In 2020, a video was circulated of an accident that occurred during decommissioning work carried out by the contractor, Ocean Kinetics on the Buchan Alpha rig in waters off Shetland. A thousand tonne structure suddenly fell several feet, seriously endangering the safety of Ocean Kinetics and all other staff on the job. The Health and Safety Executive’s investigation into this incident found that Ocean Kinetics’ de-ballasting of the structure broke the law, specifically the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. However, in an unusual step following an investigation which established that health and safety laws had been broken and caused this incident, the HSE has only of issued Ocean Kinetics with a “Notice of Contravention” and a fine for an undisclosed amount. The HSE can take other actions in these circumstances, such as issuing a Notice of Prohibition but Ocean Kinetics admission of guilt and in- house reforms to risk management appear to have prevented the regulator from taking any stronger actions. RMT general secretary, Mick Lynch, said that the deeply troubling incident had sent shockwaves amongst offshore contractors. “Ocean Kinetics clearly tried to decommission the Buchan Alpha on the cheap, massively increasing the risk to workers’ safety and damaging standards in the UK decommissioning sector. “Ocean Kinetics failed to protect the health and safety of employees but HSE could only acknowledge that the law was broken. The government’s Energy White Paper announced a review of the environmental impact of North Sea de-commissioning but the Ocean Kinetics case shows that stronger regulation by HSE of worker safety in the growing offshore decommissioning sector must be an absolute priority too,” he said. RMT DEMANDS MEETING OVER IRISH FERRIES THREAT TO JOBS IN DOVER RMT RAISES CONCERNS OVER SERIOUS OFFSHORE INCIDENT NEAR SHETLAND