RMT responds to the Maritime Skills Commission’s report

RMT General Secretary, Mick Lynch said:

“RMT welcome proposals to increase seafarer training but we are concerned that this report, on its own, could further entrench long standing inequalities in seafarer training. The MSC recommends Tonnage Tax reforms which will see shipowners paying less to receive more taxpayer support for Officer Cadet training.

“The flow of new Cadets continues whilst the supply of new UK Ratings remains. This is even leading to Cadets being employed as Ratings when they enter the industry, a practice which RMT strongly oppose when hundreds of Ratings have been made redundant during the pandemic.

“We are also very concerned at the Merchant Navy Training Board’s direction of travel. There is a real risk that the MSC’s proposals will hand low-cost employers even more power over industry training policies and products, to the detriment of UK Ratings and trade unions.

“We hope that the MSC will finally enter into a meaningful dialogue with the Ratings Union, RMT and agree to a comprehensive review of Ratings Training in the UK. We look forward to working with the Maritime Skills Commission on delivering the training and jobs that UK Ratings and our maritime skills base so desperately need as we enter a period of fundamental change in the industry.”