RMT warns of massive UK jobs crisis in Seafarers Awareness Week

7 July 2020

RMT Press Office:

RATINGS Union RMT today issued a warning to the Government as part of Seafarers Awareness Week 2020, with its theme of Covid-19 and the impact on merchant seafarers and their families.

RMT Senior Assistant General Secretary, Mick Lynch said:

“This year’s Seafarers’ Awareness Week comes as employers seek to the use the pandemic to slash jobs, pay and conditions whilst thousands of international seafarers are stranded on cruise ships in UK ports, unable to return to their families after working at sea for over a year.

“Covid-19 has already seen hundreds of UK seafarers lose their jobs at major employers in the ferries and offshore supply sectors and P&O Ferries owner, the Government of Dubai is looking to axe hundreds more in Dover and Hull whilst receiving millions from the UK Government to keep the supply chain running.

“RMT call on Ministers to use Seafarers Awareness Week to resolve the crew change crisis, stop UK seafarer redundancies and introduce policies that recover jobs for UK crews on union negotiated terms and conditions so that we have the resilience and skills to withstand the growing economic turmoil from Covid-19.”