MARITIME MEMBERS MATTER

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: july/august 2024 :: RMTnews 14 D elegates to the union’s biennial general meeting (BGM) of shipping and docks grades in Belfast with a packed agenda of motions, reflecting the wide range of changes and challenges facing maritime and port workers. Delegates from Glasgow, Eire, Liverpool, Holyhead, Southampton, Dover, Oban and Portsmouth were supported in their endeavours by the hosts Belfast Shipping. RMT general secretary Mick Lynch kicked off business setting out the seriousness of the union’s position in the maritime and docks sector. “There is no getting away from the urgent need to boost density and get into new workplaces as the industry changes in ways that will affect jobs,” he said. Subjects including employment conditions, training, improving our members work-life balance, pensions, boosting social security rights, seafarer safety on passenger ferries, improving mental and physical health and access to medical services for seafarers were all raised and debated in depth by delegates. The union’s priority is organising seafarers and port workers across all sectors. Mick Lynch, RMT national secretary Darren Procter and assistant national secretary Mark Carden all made clear in their addresses to delegates that RMT’s aim is to increase membership as part of the organising model the union is developing. New delegates from Stena Line in particular, where improvements have been made since the P&O scandal, made valuable contributions. This includes the new Stena Line convenor Michael Hobson who introduced himself to delegates following his recent election to the position. RMT policy is for maritime cabotage laws to protect training, employment and the domestic register on coastal and offshore shipping routes. An online presentation to delegates from Chris Given, of the Seafarers International Union (SIU) of Canada, provided inspiration to the current generation who face unfair competition from exploitative employment practices on coastal routes. Mr Given, who is also Chair of the ITF Cabotage Task Force, outlined his union’s successful approach to cabotage in Canada with government and employers support to protect Canadian Ratings and Officers from undercutting by shipowners and offshore crewing agents. A menu of conditions on visas to work in Canadian waters were at the heart of the SIU’s approach giving delegates a clear picture of what cabotage means in practice for seafarers in coastal trades. RMT president Alex Gordon spelt out in a comprehensive analysis of the industrial and economic conditions that were driving the current crisis in the global capitalist economy. “Seafarers and dockers are at the forefront of these challenges and need strong union representation that comes with high density and consistent engagement with employers, governments and the ITF,” he said. Darren Procter reminded delegates of recent agreements reached between the union and the Maritime Union of Australia as a concrete example of the international dimension to our collective endeavours. “Political turbulence in the maritime economy, whether it’s in the North Sea or the Red Sea only serves to underline RMT’s case for a huge increase in Ratings in membership working across all sectors of the shipping industry,” he said. New and experienced BGM delegates sparked healthy debates over the future of the maritime industry, including the RMT’s own position on the recruitment of foreign ratings into the union, a subject the BGM sent to the union’s annual general meeting for consideration, along with employers’ exploitation of meal breaks in hours of work and rest. These productive discussions, chaired by RMT’s well respected CalMac Convenor, Brian Reynolds, saw delegates return to work revived and renewed for the industrial and political challenges that lay ahead for a fighting maritime union. MARITIME MEMBERS MATTER