Save Our Seafarers 2020 Rally in Parliament – Wednesday 11th September

Circular No: NP/0158/19

TO ALL BRANCHES AND REGIONAL COUNCILS.

Our ref: S1/2

5th September 2019

Dear Colleagues

Save Our Seafarers 2020 Rally in Parliament – Wednesday 11th September

Further to circular no. NP/0157/18 of 4th September 2019, we are continuing to mobilise for the SOS 2020 rally in Parliament to press our demands for more jobs and training for UK Ratings in a safer shipping industry. The rally will be held on:

Wednesday 11th September, 5-7pm, Jubilee Room, House of Commons SW1A 0AA Please note the change of room.

The current list of invited speakers is:

Mick Cash (RMT General Secretary)
Karl Turner MP (Labour, Shadow Shipping Minister)
Laura Pidcock MP (Labour, Shadow Minister for Labour TBC)
Lilian Greenwood MP (Labour, Transport Select Committee Chair TBC)
Darren Procter (RMT National Secretary)
Mark Carden (RMT Assistant National Secretary/SOS 2020 Co-ordinator)

The RMT rally is being held during ‘London International Shipping Week’, a series of promotional events backed by industry and the Department for Transport to promote UK shipping interests, particularly in the City of London, to the world’s shipowners.

Whilst wealthy shipowners are indulged by Government at champagne receptions, the SOS 2020 rally will spell out the reality of seafarer employment in our shipping industry for the tens of thousands of Ratings recruited outside the UK on contracts demanding months working 12-hour days at sea for rates of pay below the RMT’s collectively bargained rate and the legal minimum. This shameful model is continuing to devastate jobs and training for seafarers and the RMT will be the only trade union consistently highlighting these disgraceful employment practices during London International Shipping Week.

Following the Government’s commitment to legislate in the autumn to extend the National Minimum Wage Act to cover seafarers working between UK ports and out to offshore energy installations, the rally will also be used to make sure there is no back sliding on delivering this modest and overdue reform.

ALL members, particularly in Shipping Branches are strongly encouraged to attend the SOS 2020 rally. The cost of attendance, including accommodation, is a legitimate form of Branch expenditure.

We are continuing to monitor the current turmoil in the House of Commons and the possibility of a snap General Election being called. You will be informed immediately should these events effect the SOS 2020 rally.

I would be grateful if you could bring the contents of this circular to the attention of members in your branch and you will be kept updated with all further developments.

Yours sincerely

Mick Cash
General Secretary