sacked seafarers - 59 Items Tagged Within News
RMT slams Foreland Shipping over pay inequality amid soaring profits and MoD contract windfall
Foreland Shipping operates the Strategic Sealift Service under a long-running Private Finance Initiative (PFI) deal with the MoD.
Originally set to run for 25 years, the contract was extended in December 2024 to 2031 at a total value of £476 million.
The company’s...
Region: National
Tagged with: RMT, Eddie Dempsey, Forland Shipping, Maritime, Seafarers
Foreland Shipping seafarers overwhelmingly reject pay offer
85% of RMT members want a better deal and the union has written to the employer calling for an urgent meeting with management in an effort to resolve the matter and avoid the need to move to a ballot for strike...
Region: National
Tagged with: RMT, Eddie Dempsey, Foreland Shipping, Seafarers
RMT remembers those lost in Herald of Free Enterprise disaster
Marking the 38th anniversary of the tragedy, RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch said:
“On this solemn anniversary, we remember the 193 crew and passengers who tragically lost their lives in the Herald of Free Enterprise disaster.
"Our thoughts are...
Region: National
Tagged with: RMT, Mick Lynch, Herald Of Free Enterprise, Seafarers
RMT condemns another annual fall in UK Ratings numbers
The number of UK resident Ratings working in the UK shipping industry fell three per cent to below 9,900 while the total number of Ratings increased by 7.2 per cent to 134,250. As a result, only seven per cent of UK resident Ratings...
Region: National
Tagged with: RMT, Mick Lynch, UK seafarers,
RFA seafarers take fifth stoppage in pay dispute
Coinciding with Merchant Navy Day, the strike will be the fifth stoppage in our fight for pay justice.
RMT has had cordial meetings with the Ministry of Defence but has not received any improved offer.
All RFA personnel...
Region: National
Tagged with: RMT, Mick Lynch, RFA, Seafarers, Pay, Strike
Tory government fails to protect seafarers as new French legislation comes into force
Effective this Sunday, new French laws will mandate ferry operators like P&O to pay their seafarers the French national minimum wage and enforce limits on seafarers’ time onboard ships.
RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch highlighted the disparity between the...
Region: National
Tagged with: RMT, Mick Lynch, Seafarers, P&O Ferries
P&O boss should be in the dock
Mr Hebblethwaite who is CEO of P&O Ferries company, unlawfully sacked over 700 seafarers just over 2 years ago, was grilled by the Business and Trade Committee over his role at the disgraced ferry outfit.
He admitted dreadfully low wages of £4.87...
Region: National
Tagged with: RMT, Mick Lynch, Seafarers, P&O Ferries, Peter Hebblethwaite
RMT calls for employment protections after zero emissions shipping routes announced
If successful, the government claims the move will bring about zero emission shipping routes connecting the UK to the Netherlands, Norway, Denmark, and Ireland.
A pot of £1.5m funding for the fifth round of the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition to...
Region: National
Tagged with: RMT, Mick Lynch, Zero Emissions Shipping Routes, Seafarers, Maritime
UK Ratings’ jobs down to 8%, new shipping industry stats show
New official figures show there has been a 38% annual increase in the total number of Ratings jobs in the UK shipping industry, to over 125,000.
However, only 8% are UK Ratings and only 11% of all seafarers are UK residents.
This...
Region: National
Tagged with: RMT, Mick Lynch, UK Ratings, Maritime, Seafarers
Royal Fleet Auxiliary opens ballot for strike action
On Wednesday a nine-week ballot will open after RMT members rejected a below inflation pay offer from RFA management.
RFA have offered a one year deal of 4.5 percent which is unacceptable to RMT members.
Over 500 RFA seafarers will...
Region: National
Tagged with: RFA, Royal Fleet Auxiliary, Seafarers, RMT, Mick Lynch
World Maritime Day
Mick Lynch, RMT General Secretary said: “RMT pay tribute to all maritime workers in the seas and ports around the UK and internationally on International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) World Maritime Day. “International moves to tackle marine and air pollution risk...
Region: National
Tagged with: RMT, Mick Lynch, Seafarers, World Maritime Day
Merchant Navy Day
RMT General Secretary, Mick Lynch said: “It is an honour to lead the trade union that represents merchant navy seafarers at work today from the northern isles of Scotland to the seas of the south Atlantic.
"Seafarer Ratings are the...
Region: National
Tagged with: Merchant Navy, Merchant Navy Day, RMT, Mick Lynch, Seafarers
RMT responds to bilateral seafarer agreement
Bilateral agreements with other nations on short sea shipping routes from the UK were part of the Government’s Nine Point Plan in response to P&O Ferries and DP World’s unlawful attacks on 786 UK seafarers and apprentices sixteen months ago.
The...
Region: National
Tagged with: RMT, Mick Lynch, Seafarers,
Thousands of seafarers will miss out on NMW increase
From April 1, the national minimum wage will rise by 9.7 percent from £9.50 to £10.42 for all over 23 year olds.
However, despite the Seafarers Wages Act being passed, it will not come into full force until next year, meaning P&O...
Region: National
Tagged with: Seafarers, National Minimum Wage, NMW, RMT, Mick Lynch
70 percent of sacked P&O workers have left the industry
On the anniversary of P&O Ferries dismissing 786 seafarers, RMT release findings of a survey of those who worked for the disgraced company in Deck, Engine, Catering and Onboard Service roles.
The findings are truly shocking, with hundreds of seafarers...
Region: National
Tagged with: P&O ferries, DP World, seafarers, maritime, RMT, Mick Lynch
Disgraced P&O owner DP World profits up by 35%
Ahead of the one-year anniversary when P&O unlawfully sacked 786 seafarers, DP World is raking in huge profits and revenues.
The latest preliminary financial results show:
Revenues up 58.9% (£5.262bn) to £14.196bn
Record profits, up 35% to £1.524 bn ($1.839 bn)...
Region: National
Tagged with: P&O Ferries, DP World, Maritime, Seafarers, RMT, Mick Lynch
RMT kick off week of action ahead of P&O scandal anniversary
786 UK seafarers lost their jobs in an unprecedented and unlawful move, by DP World who own P&O Ferries on March 17 2022.
Staff were informed via Teams they had lost their jobs, escorted off ships by masked security guards wielding handcuffs...
Region: National
Tagged with: P&O Ferries, Seafarers, Maritime, Mick Lynch, RMT
RMT calls for a new deal for seafarers
According to the latest figures , the total number of seafarers employed in the UK shipping industry fell by over 21,000.
Overall, the number of Ratings jobs fell by 28%, although there was a small increase in the number of UK Ratings. ...
Region: National
Tagged with: RMT, Mick Lynch, Maritime, Seafarers, New Deal, Maritime Union
RMT demands welfare protections for Seafarers in government bill
The Seafarers Wages Bill, in its current form, only provides for a limited extension of the National Minimum Wage to seafarers on international routes from UK ports.
The bill should refer to the broader terms and conditions contained in the...
Region: National
Tagged with: Seafarers Wages Bill, National Minimum Wage, Seafarers, RMT, Mick Lynch,
Seafarers Low Pay Commission
The LPC published its annual report yesterday, confirming that they have recommended to the Government that seafarers are exempt from the accommodation offset for onboard accommodation.
RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch said: "We are pleased that the Low Pay Commission...
Region: National
Tagged with: Seafarers, RMT, Mick Lynch, low Pay Commission
RMT criticises Home Office over concession over immigration rules affecting seafarers
The Offshore Wind Workers Concession (OWWC) has been extended until 30 April 2023 – the sixth time it has been prolonged.
In the joint letter RMT general secretary Mick Lynch and Nautilus leader Mark Dickinson wrote:
"This concession has...
Region: National
Tagged with: Offshore Wind, Seafarers, RMT, Mick Lynch, Nautilus,
RMT call to Government on Seafarers Wages Bill
Report Stage in the Lords on 26 October is a chance to amend the legislation to cover more conditions of employment than basic pay, and amendments have been tabled by Labour Peers to achieve this.
Mick Lynch, RMT General Secretary...
Region: National
Tagged with: RMT, Mick Lynch, P&O Ferries, DP World, Maritime, Seafarers Wages Bill
RMT calls for seafarer legislation fit to fight P&O Ferries
T he government drew up the Bill after 800 directly employed seafarers were sacked by P&O in March and replaced by low paid agency workers. The Bill is supposed to grant protection to seafarers working in UK waters but the company...
Region: National
Tagged with: P&O Ferries, DP World, Legislation, Mick Lynch, RMT, Seafarers Union
RMT pay tribute to merchant navy seafarers
Mick Lynch, RMT General Secretary said: “RMT pays tribute to the skills and sacrifice of working-class seafarers who have kept this country safe and supplied since the Merchant Navy was established after the First World War, and for centuries before...
Region: National
Tagged with: Merchant Nay Day, Ratings, Seafarers, RMT, Mick Lynch
RMT on ferry passenger numbers and port freight volumes
Despite this, key worker seafarers and port staff contributed to a recovery from the depths of the 2020 pandemic depression. Mick Lynch, RMT General Secretary said: “These figures show the importance of seafarers, port workers and ferry services in national recovery...
Region: National
Tagged with: Seafarers, Maritime, Ferry, Port Freight, Maritime Union, RMT
Tory Government P&O Ferries shame
The Second Reading of the Government’s Seafarers Wages Bill, the core element of the Department for Transport’s 9-point plan in response to P&O’s actions, will take place in the House of Lords later today. RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch said:...
Region: National
Tagged with: P&O Ferries, Tory Government, Boycott P&O, D P World, Department for Transport, DfT, Seafarers Union, RMT,
Maritime Safety Week 2022
RMT will shortly be continuing discussions with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to continue our discussions on lifeboat safety. RMT’s key high-level items are: • Maintenance and safety equipment installation and maintenance • Drills- frequency, conditions, location on which drill...
Region: National
Tagged with: Maritime Safety Week, Maritime, Safety, Seafarers, Maritime and Coastguard Agency
Cairnryan P&O blockade set for Monday over job losses
The ferry company sacked 800 workers in March and has since crewed shifts without proper safety protocols and paid poor wages to super exploited foreign workers.
Protesters will start their action from 1.45pm on Monday 6 June.
RMT general secretary...
Region: National
Tagged with: P&O Ferries, DP World, Cairnryan, Seafarers, Sackings
RMT responds to government terminating contract with P&O
The government has cancelled a contract with P&O Ferries after it sacked nearly 800 staff without notice in March.
Reacting to the news, RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: "This decision to terminate the Border Force’s contract with P&O is...
Region: National
Tagged with: P&O Ferries, DP World, Seafarers, Sackings
RMT slams DP World
MARITIME union RMT has called for P&O Ferries’ owner to been taken to task for describing the sacking of 800 workers illegally fired and replaced with low paid agency staff in March as an ‘amazing’ job.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch...
Region: National
Tagged with: P&O Ferries, DP World, seafarers, sackings
RMT reaction to new Freeport in Wales
Financial backing has been secured for a freeport in Wales, the UK government has announced.
With eight freeports approved in England and a deal for two struck with the Scottish Government, it is understood that the Cardiff Bay administration...
Region: South Wales and West; South West
Tagged with: Freeport, Wales, Holyhead, Seafarers, Dockers
RMT condemns Hebblethwaite P&O promotion
Mr Hebblethwaite who admitted breaching employment law during a Transport Select Committee hearing in March, by sacking 800 seafarers and replacing them with agency crews, was appointed on 1st April to the new post which has been announced today on Companies...
Region: National
Tagged with: P&O Ferries, Peter Hebblethwaite, DP World, Seafarers, Sackings
RMT responds to Pride of Kent failed inspection
General Secretary Mick Lynch said: “For the third time in a month P&O’s Cypriot flagged Pride of Kent has failed a full safety inspection by the MCA.
“Passengers and hauliers need to know that P&O’s fleet is operated by...
Region: National
Tagged with: P&O Ferries, Pride of Kent, DP World, Seafarers, Sackings
RMT protest Larne port over unsafe P&O ferries
This week the European Causeway drifted for hours in waters off Larne having lost power and had to be escorted back by tugboats.
The vessel was carrying passengers, freight traffic and was being operated by an underpaid, overworked and poorly...
Region: National
Tagged with: P&O Ferries, DP World, Larne, Seafarers, Sackings
P&O protest at Cairnryan port on Friday
Demonstrators will be encouraging passengers not to use the ferries as part of the union's "Boycott P&O" campaign.
Following the unlawful sacking of 800 staff in March, P&O has been embroiled in a series of safety violations on their ferries and...
Region: National
Tagged with: P&O Ferries, DP World, Sackings, Seafarers
RMT responds to European Causeway being adrift off the coast of Larne
"Since our members were viciously sacked on 17 March, this vessel has been detained by the MCA for failing a raft of safety checks.
"The list of offences is now as long as your arm and the Government has to step...
Region: National
Tagged with: P&O Ferries, European Causeway, DP World, Seafarers, Sackings,
P&O U-turn on further cutting of agency worker pay
The union had received reports of agency workers being forced to sign new contracts that reduced their pay to drastically low levels.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “Due to the pressure from RMT seafarers, P&O have been prevented...
Region: National
Tagged with: P&O Ferries, Seafarers, Sackings, DP World
DP World protest against P&O sackings
Organised by the International Transport Federation in London outside the offices of DP World, 16 Palace Street London SW1E 5JQ, RMT activists will be keeping up their “Fair Ferries campaign” and calling for the re-instatement of all 800 sacked seafarers. ITF inspectors...
Region: National
Tagged with: P&O Ferries, DP World, Seafarers, Sackings
P&O demonstrations continue this week
Delays at Dover have been compounded by P&O's ruthless actions and the embattled Dubai owned company says no ship will sail until April 19.
The events that we have planned this week are as follows:
Hull
4pm Tuesday 5 April
King...
Region: National
Tagged with: P&O Ferries, Sackings, seafarers, DP World,
Unions demand change to end fire and rehire
Last night, ITF, ETF, Nautilus International and RMT projected a video on to the cliffs of Dover and images on to the headquarters of P&O Ferries, demanding that the company be brought to task for its immoral and illegal actions....
Region: National
Tagged with: P&O Ferries, Sackings, Seafarers, ITF, Nautilus International, ETF
P&O / DP World protest in Portsmouth tomorrow
Although there is no direct P&O presence in Portsmouth, DP World the parent company are to provide services to the Solent Freeport at Taxpayer expense and Condor Ferries continue exploiting the same disgusting scheme of no minimum wage for overseas...
Region: National
Tagged with: P&O Ferries, Seafarers, Sackings, DP World
Pride of Kent detained
RMT tonight welcomed the MCA detention of another P&O vessel the Pride of Kent in Dover for what the union believes are multiple safety and operational breaches, including the wearing of breathing apparatus, and demanded again that the Government seize...
Region: National
Tagged with: P&O Ferries, Pride of Kent, Seafarers, Sackings,
RMT in P&O talks today
General Secretary Mick Lynch said:
"RMT is meeting with DFDS, Stena and the DfT today to discuss the ongoing crisis from P&O's illegal dismissal of its crews.
"P&O need to immediately withdraw the false and arbitrary deadline for staff sign-up...
Region: National
Tagged with: P&O Ferries, Seafarers, Sackings,
RMT calls for immediate P&O injunction
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: "In light of evidence given today by lawyers to MPs, that there have been multiple breaches of the law and the admission of the P&O Chief Executive Peter Hebblethwaite, that the company not only...
Region: National
Tagged with: P&O Ferries, Sackings, Seafarers, RMT
RMT and Nautilus raise safety alarm
As Unions give evidence to MPs in Parliament this morning, RMT and Nautilus International have written to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) to express serious concern that sacking P&O Ferries crew and replacing them with agency staff who have...
Region: National
Tagged with: P&O Ferries, Sackings, Seafarers, Nautilus International, RMT
RMT responds to Johnson’s PMQ comments on P&O
“Under pressure from Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister said today that P&O Ferries had broken the law by falling to give the government adequate notice of the redundancies – he has in effect called P&O Ferries liars as the company...
Region: National
Tagged with: P&O Ferries, Sackings, seafarers
Save P&O Jobs
RMT members will be joined by other activists this week in Liverpool for two demonstrations to protest against the sacking of 800 workers by P&O.
The protests will be taking place on Weds 23rd March 0700 and Saturday 26th March 0700 at the...
Region: North West
Tagged with: P&O Ferries, Sackings, Seafarers
P&O sacking demonstrations this week
RMT is organising mass demonstrations at ports up and down the country, to show DP World and the government that public anger is growing over the sacking of 800 P&O staff.
Protests will take place in Liverpool, Hull, Larne in Northern...
Region: National
Tagged with: P&O ferries, Sackings, seafarers,
P&O bullying
Maritime Union RMT tonight slammed what it described as a "disgusting statement" from P&O Ferries trying to justify one of the most shameful acts by any employer in recent history Sacked seafarers have been basically told that if they don’t...
Region: National
Tagged with: P&O ferries, Sackings, Seafarers
RMT calls on Boris Johnson to meet a delegation of sacked P&O workers
RMT has called on Boris Johnson to meet a delegation of sacked P&O workers as it emerged the government have delayed taking action on legislation that would have protected workers for over two years. The Union has pointed to commitments...
Region: National
Tagged with: P&O ferries, sacked seafarers,
DP World refuse to meet union delegation
Unions accused P&O of treating their members with complete contempt after their owners, DP World, refused to meet the general secretaries of RMT, Nautilus and the TUC who were attending a protest at their headquarters this lunchtime. RMT General Secretary...
Region: National
Tagged with: P&O ferries, DB World, Seafarers, Sackings,
P&O ferry crews replaced by seafarers on 2.38 dollars
Commenting on the revelation RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said,
“The news that the seafarers now on ships in British ports are to be paid 2.38 dollars an hour is a shocking exploitation of those Seafarers and another gut-wrenching betrayal of...
Region: National
Tagged with: P&O Ferries, Seafarers, Sackings, UK Seafarers
New crew on P&O ships will be paid at rates well below minimum wage
The union have supported their claim by pointing to the example of the two P&O ships on the Liverpool-Dublin route which have been crewed with Filipino Ratings who were on contracts which paid a basic rate of $3.47 per hour.
Shipping...
Region: National
Tagged with: P&O ferries, Sackings, Protests, Seafarers
P&O Crisis
On the day of demonstrations around the country RMT has called for the implementation of a four-point plan to protect jobs, services and basic employment standards as it's revealed the government knew of the plan to sack workers and disrupt...
Region: National
Tagged with: P&O ferries, Sackings, Protests, Seafarers
Future of P&O
Responding to reports about the future of P&O and speculation that hundreds of UK seafarers employed by the company could be replaced by foreign labour RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch said, “We are deeply disturbed by growing speculation that the...
Region: National
Tagged with: P&O Ferries, UK Seafarers
P&O sackings
RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch said “We are receiving reports that security guards at Dover are seeking to board ships with handcuffs to remove crew so they can be replaced with cheaper labour. "We are seeking urgent legal action and...
Region: National
Tagged with: P&O Ferries, Seafarers, Sackings,
RMT organises emergency P&O demonstrations
The company, which is funded by the Dubai Royal Family, stunned workers in a pre-recorded Zoom call, when they informed staff that they were being dismissed and would be replaced by cheap agency labour from abroad. When workers rightly refused...
Region: National
Tagged with: P&O ferries, Redundancies, Protest, Seafarers
RMT demands response from the maritime industry to decline in UK Seafarers
SEAFARER Union RMT today responded with concern to the latest Government statistics on UK Seafarers which found UK Ratings numbers continued their pattern of stagnation and decline, with very few in training to fill this gap. Mick Lynch, RMT General...
Region: National
Tagged with: Seafarers, Ratings, Deck Ratings, Numbers, Decline, Jobs,
Pacific Nuclear Transport Fleet workers pay freeze
SEAFARERS’ UNION RMT today called on the Government to reverse a pay freeze imposed on seafarers working on the Pacific Nuclear Transport Ltd (PNTL) fleet. PNTL seafarers have been hit with the 0% public sector pay freeze for 2021-22, despite the importance...
Region: National
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