11 June 2019
RMT Press Office
MARITIME union RMT today chalked up a significant victory in its fight for workplace justice in the maritime and offshore sector with the Government’s announcement that legislation will be introduced in September to extend the National Minimum Wage Act to cover seafarers working between UK ports and in the offshore energy supply chain.
RMT General Secretary, Mick Cash said:
“This is a major and welcome victory for RMT’s long-running campaign for pay and workplace justice in the maritime sector and I pay tribute to both the RMT members and our supporters who have fought long and hard to secure this breakthrough.
“This is a long overdue reform and we’re grateful to Alex Cunningham MP for putting the BEIS Minister, Kelly Tolhurst, on the spot this morning.
“By the end of the year, seafarers working on ships between UK ports or servicing offshore oil and gas or wind installations, regardless of the flag of the vessel, will be protected by the National Minimum Wage. This will extend the basic protections from pay exploitation that have been applied and enforced for land based workers for 20 years. This increased protection for thousands of seafarers is welcome and the RMT’s ongoing campaign to eradicate nationality pay discrimination and all forms of seafarer exploitation goes on. ”
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