8 January 2019
RMT Press Office:
RMT to take demands for a fair deal for workers on Brexit ferry contracts direct to Chris Grayling
Maritime union RMT will be taking the demands for a fair deal for British workers on Government Brexit ferry contracts direct to Transport Secretary Chris Grayling on Friday morning.
RMT will be holding a protest outside the DfT at 10am on Friday 11th January (Department for Transport, Great Minster House, 33 Horseferry Road, London, SW1P 4DR) setting out the following three core demands on the Government contracts:
1. All ferries to be fully crewed up with UK ratings.
2. Recognition of UK trade unions.
3. UK employment laws to be fully complied with.
The RMT protest comes after a slew of publicity around the Seaborne Freight contract awarded at public expense by Chris Grayling and the on-going dredging of Ramsgate Harbour.
RMT General Secretary, Mick Cash said:
“There has been a barrage of publicity around the Government’s Brexit ferry contracts and the union has written to both Chris Grayling, who is in control of the arrangements, and the companies involved demanding basic assurances on UK ratings jobs, union recognition and full compliance with UK employment laws.
“RMT has no intention of allowing any backsliding, or any stitch-ups of UK seafarers, and that is why we are making our position public with the protest at the Department for Transport on Friday morning. We will not allow the scandal of the Ships of Shame in British waters, where poverty pay below the minimum wage and shocking working conditions are endemic, to roll over to these contracts.
“Under RMT’s SOS2020 campaign banner we have been fighting for a fair deal and increased employment opportunities across the UK maritime sector. We will taking that message direct to Chris Grayling in the wake of his Brexit contracts on Friday. We expect him, and the companies he has contracted, to meet our demands in full as a matter of urgency.”
Ends.
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