Promotion to Chief Engineer, Portsmouth to Fishbourne Route – Wightlink Ltd

Our Ref: SH/16/1

12^th February 2024

 

Dear Colleagues 

 

Promotion to Chief Engineer, Portsmouth to Fishbourne Route – Wightlink Ltd

 

Today, your union has written to Wightlink advising them that our two organisations are now in dispute. Your union believes that Wightlink are currently in breach of their procedures; specifically, the Company Safety Management System which details the promotional route from Engineer Officer to Chief Engineer.

 

Until 2020, an Engineer Officer’s promotional route to Chief Engineer was detailed in the Company Safety Management System (SMS). In 2017 Wightlink, faced with recruitment difficulties, breached the SMS and appointed Chief Engineers externally. However, the RMT met with management and it was agreed that Wightlink would adhere to their procedures, especially in respect of promotion. During the pandemic amended the SMS to allow the direct employment of Chief Engineers who possessed an Unlimited Chief Engineers CoC or Y1 (Yacht Certificate) with EOOW. This was done without consultation with your union.  

 

The situation has recently come to head in relation to the company’s handling of a Chief Engineervacancy on the Portsmouth to Fishbourne route. Three internal applicants were invited for interview; however, all of these applicants were rejected for this role. This was despite the fact that all of the applicants had previously performed the duties of Chief Engineer and held the key competences. There has been no announcement of an appointment nor has this job been re-advertised. 

 

The union’s National Executive Committee has considered this matter and notes that previously adhered to methods of upwards progression are now being cast aside and that RMT members are suffering as a consequence. Consequently, the National Executive Committee has instructed me to ballot members on the Portsmouth to Fishbourne Route for industrial action. I have begun the necessary preparations to hold a ballot and I will advise members of the ballot timetable in due course.

 

In the meantime, I urge all members to ensure that their details are up to date with the RMT. Members can contact the union if their job title, address, or workplace has recently changed. If any of these changes apply, then please contact the RMT Helpline by Email at info@rmt.org.uk; Alternatively, you can call the RMT Freephone Helpline number on 0800 376 3706. 

 

Yours sincerely

 

Michael Lynch

General Secretary