SOS 2020 Rally 11 September, House of Commons

Circular No: NP/0127/19

TO ALL BRANCHES AND REGIONAL COUNCILS.

Our ref: S1/2

23rd July 2019

Dear Colleagues

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

Further to circular no. NP/001/18 of 4th January 2019, an SOS 2020 rally will be held in Parliament in the autumn to press our demands for more jobs and training for UK Ratings in a safer shipping industry. You are advised to note that the rally will be on:

Wednesday 11th September, 5-7pm, Committee Rm 9, House of Commons SW1A 0AA

This event is being held to coincide with ‘London International Shipping Week’, a programme of events backed by the Department for Transport to promote the UK shipping industry to the world’s shipowners, especially the financial and legal services in the City of London.

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, where tens of thousands of Ratings are 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 is the only trade union fighting to end these disgraceful employment practices.

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.

Members from across the country, 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.

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