MARITIME GRADES MEET

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: july/august 2022 :: RMTnews 24 T he biennial maritime industrial organising conference was held in Liverpool, the first time that the meeting was held in- person since 2018 when maritime and dock members travelled to the Isle of Man. In 2022, there was a progressive emphasis on organising, education and campaigning to build members and industrial power in the maritime and docks industry. The passage of time saw nearly 50 members and retired members pass away, including the union’s first national secretary Tony Santamera and national executive committee member Joe Kirby. The name of all members who have passed were read out by the current national secretary Darren Procter and a minute’s silence was observed. RMT president Alex Gordon addressed delegates with a message of solidarity across all grades in the union and across the international trade union movement. As the union’s general secretary has done in numerous media interviews, he drew an important parallel between the appalling actions of P&O Ferries and the Tory government’s destructive proposals on the railways. The fall in the number of workers covered by collective bargaining agreements since the days of Thatcher was a serious challenge and delegates were reminded of the need to recruit as many ratings into the union as the union can – over half of UK Ratings are not in RMT but they should be. Reviving the convenor and port committee structure from the National Union of Seamen days, as the union was doing in the Royal Fleet Auxillary would be a good start. In a rousing summary, the president told the meeting that P&O’s attack on nearly 600 Ratings jobs was an opportunity to recover those jobs and members across the industry. Recent successful campaigns in Orsted and Thames Clippers were an inspiration and an example of what the union can achieve as a collective. These points were backed up in the report delivered by the national secretary Darren Procter who stressed the need to build an organising union that built agreements and terms and conditions for Ratings in the ferry sector and in growth areas like offshore renewables. The meeting passed a number of detailed resolutions from Shipping Branches in Belfast, Glasgow, Liverpool, Dover and Portsmouth. These covered industrially vital areas such as organising and education and opened up new areas for campaigning, such as an end to outmoded language such as ‘Seamen’, ‘Stewardess’ and ‘manning’ when there is a concerted effort to attract more women to work in the maritime industry. Delegates also agreed that crew on offshore supply vessels needed to be part of the Union’s Fair Ferries and other post-P&O campaigns for collectively bargained terms and conditions of employment for Ratings. The plight of El Salvador dockers union STIPES general secretary David Flores was raised as he had been arrested without charge. He is being kept behind bars as part of a crackdown initiated by the country’s president, the self- styled ‘CEO of El Salvador’ Nayib Bukele which has seen over 30,000 people arrested in a matter of months. Delegates and the union sent a message of solidarity and support to David and other brothers and sisters in El Salvador in their struggle against twenty-first century fascism. Due to Covid-19, maritime organiser Ian Boyle was unable to make his planned speech to the meeting but Gerry Hitchen of the organising unit was an able replacement, telling delegates that it was up to them and their branches to set organising strategies for seafarers and dock workers in their regions. Delegates were encouraged to make suggestions and these provided much food for thought for the national secretary and NEC member present Sean Miskimmon. The BGM concluded with unanimous support for Belfast as the venue for the next meeting and a note of appreciation to Liverpool Shipping for hosting and organising the 2022 conference. RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: july/august 2022 :: RMTnews MARITIME GRADES MEET Midlands NEC Election - General Grades Region 6 (Casual Vacancy to December 31, 2022) NORA GRAHAM (Birmingham Rail) Nominating Branches: Birmingham Rail; Wolverhampton DAVE GREEN (Worcester No. 1) Nominating Branch: Worcester No. 1 MICK RAMSEY (Birmingham Rail) Nominating Branches: Birmingham Engineering; Derby Rail & Engineering; Walsall TED WOODLEY (Coventry No. 1) Nominating Branches: Coventry No. 1; Leamington; Nuneaton London Transport Regional Organiser – Period of Office five years Nominations close on August 11 2022 JARED WOOD (Neasden Branch) Nominating Branches: Bakerloo Line; Central Line West; Jubilee South; LU Fleet; Piccadilly & District West; TfL No. 1 & LU MATS Grades ELECTIONS