The Seafarer Issue 10 by RMT Union

the

Seafarer

eMagazine for maritime members of RMT

The importance of a Safety Representative As we come out of the pandemic and hopefully life starts to go back to some sort of normality, ship owners will be looking to claw back some of their lost profits during Covid19. For this reason seafarers will need to be vigilant that profits are not put before safety, resulting in safety standards slipping and crews being put at greater risk. We have all seen in our working lives, safety certification extended to the absolute last day of renewal or critical maintenance redlined during refits, all in the name of saving a few pounds. This often results in safety issues arising at a later date. The role of a Shipboard Safety Representative is vital in ensuring that safe working environments are maintained, and their positions should be filled at all times with elected members. Ideally there should be one safety representative for each department that can play a role in functional shipboard health and safety committees. A safety rep has rights and entitlements to produce and implement risk assessments, safety inspections and safety tours. They have the right to access investigation records and any relevant safety documents needed to conduct their role, particularly when investigating potential hazards, dangerous occurrences, accidents and incidents. While acting within this role they are protected by law from any discrimination or dismissal by the employer and they are also entitled to paid time off to perform their role as safety

representative. Training courses are provided by the employer or RMT. If any members are interested in Safety Rep training at RMT’s Union Learning Centre at Doncaster then they should contact their RMT branch secretary.

Issue 10 – July 2022

In this issue ...

Life through a lens

Hunger is a political choice

PNTL Pay Update

Get Active, Get Involved

Your Mental Health Matters

Dale Kember

Lifeboat safety

Welcome I am pleased to be writing in this edition of The Seafarer, the first since I became General Secretary of our great union. You don’t need me to tell you that it comes at a critical time for RMT members working in the maritime transport industry and the national economy. One thing is clear: we cannot rely on Government to preserve the rights and jobs of seafarers and port workers – the trade unions must continue to take the fight to the government and employers, especially on international shipping routes. No one else will do this. Let me start with P&O Ferries. We have been telling successive Governments, and this Tory one in particular that mass dismissals of ferry crew were on the horizon. The mass P&O redundancies in 2020 and expansion of Irish Ferries into Dover in June 2021 failed to persuade Grant Shapps to act, with his Shipping Minister repeatedly shrugging his shoulders in response to this concerted attack on our members jobs, collectively bargained terms and conditions and maritime skills. What followed on 17 March shocked even them, as well as our sister union, Nautilus who we are now working closely with on a Fair Ferries campaign, endorsed by your NEC, to salvage what we can from P&O and to protect our members jobs at Stena Line and DFDS. The sound and the fury from Tory Ministers, the Chair of the Transport Select Committee and MPs from all parties was consistent but the subsequent failure to bring forward an Employment Bill (for the third year running) demonstrates just where the Government’s loyalties ultimately lie. In the chaos and confusion triggered by P&O there are opportunities for us to wrest workplace power back from shipowners and their pet politicians. I strongly support the continuation of demonstrations against capitalist bandits P&O in Dover, Hull, Larne, Liverpool and Cairnryan, and look forward to seeing as many members as possible joining the fight for a fair ferries collective agreement. With strong, collective endeavour we can make the improvements workers need to see, not just on pay but on workplace safety, training, annual leave, sick pay and pensions. National Secretary Darren Procter is leading from the front in all these areas and that expertise has seen RMT called to give evidence to the Transport Select Committee on 25 May as part of their maritime policy inquiry. The launch of the People’s CalMac campaign at the end of

RMT’s The Seafarer is compiled by National Union of Rail Maritime and Transport Workers, Unity House, 39 Chalton Street, London NW1 1JD. Tel 020 7387 4771. The information contained in this publication is believed to be correct but cannot be guaranteed. All rights reserved. General editor Brian Denny. No part of this journal can be reproduced without prior written approval of RMT. No liability is accepted for any errors or omissions. © RMT 2022.

March provides a positive picture of what public ferry services can achieve in terms of secure, unionized jobs in a fully integrated public transport system that serves isolated communities rather than private profit. We still await publication of Project Neptune, a private sector report into ferry governance for the Scottish Government but we are hard at work preparing the positive case for CalMac to be made the permanent operator of the Clyde and Hebrides contract from autumn 2024. I would also like to pay tribute to Ken Usher, Regional Organiser who recently retired. Ken is the last officer from the National Union of Seamen days and a thread of expertise and organization in the RMT for over 32 years, supporting our members in the Isle of Man Steam Packet and even achieving public ownership in 2018! Finally, I look forward to working with you to fight for more jobs and training for RMT seafarers at all ferry, cruise, cargo and offshore supply operators, including seeking recognition at operators in the offshore wind supply chain – we have a future to win.

Mick Lynch, General Secretary

Members are invited to contribute to future journals with any news, regular articles or pictures which are relevant and will be of interest to our membership. Please write to the Editor at Unity House, 39 Chalton Street, London NW1 1JD or email: theseafarer@rmt.org.uk

Welcome to the latest edition of The Seafarer I am pleased to welcome our seafarers to the latest edition of The Seafarer. We have published updates on a company and sector basis, as well as pension and mental health updates but I accept the fact that this edition of The Seafarer is overdue. I am committed to getting this publication and other publications out on a regular basis. This edition focuses on the range of reforms we need to see in the maritime industry to recover jobs and training for Ratings in communities across the country. We also maintain the emphasis on organisation within the workplace, from recruiting new members and developing the network of reps and active members we need across the shipping industry. The DP World orchestrated attack on P&O jobs has the potential for a wider impact on Ratings jobs, as our General Secretary has rightly identified. Add the escalating cost of living crisis and it’s clear that there has never been a more important time for seafarers to join and to become involved in their Union. As your National Secretary, I strongly applaud and encourage all members to attend meetings of your Shipping Branch and to assist your shipboard representatives. This is the best way to engage on the topics that matter to you and your colleagues, from safety, pensions, training, mental health, equality issues or concerns of young members within the shipping sector. It also helps identify the full range of issues you would like the Union to raise with employers during pay negotiations, if these issues cannot be sorted outside of those negotiations. If there is no RMT rep on your vessel then let your Branch Secretary know and the Union will address this. Following the P&O Ferries jobs massacre, we have been in dialogue with the UK Government Ministers and civil servants to agree a framework of improvements to seafarer conditions which would lift the ‘playing field’ well above the gutter standards imposed by P&O, Seatruck, Condor, Irish Ferries, Cobelfret and others on their exploited

foreign crews. Stena Line and DFDS both support a fair ferries framework which is based on collectively bargained terms and conditions, not the National Minimum Wage. The Government’s dense 9-point plan in response to P&O’s capitalist banditry puts excessive focus on NMW. Whilst that is an important issue, it is still not legally enforceable on international routes beyond the 12 nautical mile limit from UK ports. To punish P&O and all low-cost operators, recover Ratings jobs and protect major employers from being undercut, the Framework tackles roster patterns, safety, trade union recognition, training, pensions, voyage only contracts and, crucially, nationality-based pay discrimination.

The Government’s planned bi-lateral agreements with counterparts in France, Ireland, Belgium, Holland, Spain, Denmark and Germany risk delaying action but the announcement of primary legislation to tackle P&O is a chance to tackle the structural problems that a handful of wealthy shipowners exploit at the expense of all Ratings. Collectively, we must recognise that the response to P&O’s aggression is the last chance saloon for Ratings on international routes from this country’s ports. RMT has responded to the consultation on the Government’s Harbours (Seafarers’ Remuneration) Bill and the detail of the Bill that will go through Parliament will be released in July. MPs in our Parliamentary Group in Westminster are ready to assist us in amending this legislation to maximise the benefit to local jobs and trade union rights, as well as fighting back against the lobbying activities of the shipping industry. But the key to victory is our collective strength at this critical juncture in the future of seafarers in this Union. I look forward to working with all Shipping Branches and members to secure a seafaring future for working class communities.

Darren Procter, National Secretary

Trade Union Clean Air Network (TUCAN) For many years, as a seafarer, I’ve held concerns around car deck fumes. Although I’m employed in the Galley, I've often suffered from exhaust fumes entering the galley through the hatch while receiving the ships provision. Recent studies in the wider public and more pertinently within the RMT has significantly raised the profile and dangers of these fumes. Recently the RMT has started its own research amongst the railway members and it’s my intention to extend it to our maritime sector. The most dangerous particulate matter is 2.5microns in size. This is absorbed into the blood and the World Health Organisation (WHO) say there is “No Safe Level”. The UK’s tolerance is

currently 5 times higher than the WHO guidelines. Grahame Peterson of the Trade Union Clean Air Network (TUCAN) recorded significant readings on his way to the recent RMT Health and Safety conference which left him “astounded”. Recently the RMT requested that RSSB look into Onboard Air Quality on trains, which also raises significant questions. It appears that the industry is primarily focused on CO2, which

although a good indicator of airflow, does not do enough to identify our exposure to risk. The Maritime sector currently is not monitoring these levels. we'd urge all our Health and Safety reps and members working on car decks to share the content of this article and to take a proactive approach in raising the dangers. Sean Miskimmon NEC Member

MNWB and The Seafarers Charity have joined forces to launch the Safety Net for all UK merchant seafarers. https://seafarersafetynet.org/ The new Safety Net website is full of money management and other free resources, specifically to boost the financial resilience of UK merchant seafarers during the cost of living crisis, and was launched at the MNWB’s Port Welfare Conference in May. For more information, please see the following link to the press release: www.mnwb.org/blog-page/ support-for-seafarers-during-cost-of-living-crisis

Life through a lens Glasgow shipping branch and Calmac employee Christopher Lonie, talks about his hobby – photography I can’t recall how I got into photography. I've always had a fascination with the process and techniques used to produce an image. I bought my first camera in the late 90s and was clueless as to its operation. There were so many settings and buttons, that it all looked like hieroglyphics to me. I persevered and went out and bought books and magazines on photography. I slowly

learned the basics, and I was off. It was a case of trial and error, with a heavy emphasis on error for my part. The one thing that helped massively, was my location and occupation. I've lived and worked on the west coast of Scotland for most of my life. The beautiful landscapes we enjoy here have to be seen to be believed. I've worked on the Caledonian Macbrayne passenger

ferries, sailing the Inner and Outer Hebrides for over 20 years, and it's allowed me to capture some of my best photographs. I work on deck as a sailor. We get to see every type of weather, from sunrise to sunset, from sunny days to blizzard conditions. I’ve always been amazed at how quickly the landscape and seascapes can change, sometimes within minutes. I’ve seen breath-taking sky on fire sunrises, to grey overcast skies within the space of an hour. I live on the island of Lewis, so can even get to see the northern lights in winter, as we are so far north. The big thing I've noticed in the last 10 years, is the development of camera technology, especially in mobile phones. The latest smartphones use a technique called computational photography. This new and developing technology now allows for complex photography techniques to be applied by anyone, with the touch of a button. It has really opened up photography to the masses and allows the casual user, to take some beautiful shots. I use the social media platform Instagram, to share my images and videos, and have seen some fantastic photos from around the country, and indeed from fellow seafarers. I really do

encourage people to get into photography as a hobby. It can get you out and about and is a great creative release. The great thing is that we all have phones, and some of us are lucky enough to do a job that many people find very interesting. It's a very satisfying feeling, to get nice comments and likes from other people who enjoy the photographs you've captured. So next time you are out and about, at work or at home, take your camera out and get a few snaps. If you are not on Instagram, you should look into it. There are some great apps on phones now, to further edit your photographs. I would highly recommend one called Snapseed. I’m on Instagram under the name Hebrideanphotography, so come give me a follow and say hello. I’d love to see your photos, and I’m always happy to give advice.

Hunger is a Political Choice Labour MP, Ian Byrne (Liverpool, West Derby) explains the formation of Fans Supporting Food Banks The Fans Supporting Foodbanks story begins in 2015 when myself and Dave Kelly were visiting a local community centre in Anfield. We saw a queue outside and initially thought people were waiting to go in and play bingo. When we found out people were waiting to get food parcels we were utterly appalled, people from my community who I knew personally were suffering such food insecurity to wait in the line for a food parcel. Upon being taken inside we saw a bare storeroom and told need was outweighing supply. A sight that still resonates today was a bag of pasta being divided into small, sweet bags to make it go further, this was happening in the sixth richest country in the world. We decided that night something needed to be done – they needed to do something and that night Fans Supporting Foodbanks was formed. That weekend we got hold of some wheely bins and put out a shout on social media for collections outside Goodison Park and Fans Supporting Foodbanks began. It wasn’t an immediate roaring success. I must admit more chip wrappers were collected than food, but it was a start, and we have been collecting food outside Liverpool and Everton football grounds when either team was

playing at home and haven’t missed a game in 7 years. The backgrounds of myself and Dave as trade union organisers was hugely important in the development of the FSF. Our experience in mobilising support for campaigns and utilising networks which had already been formed through their trade union activism helped FSF to develop. An example of this mobilisation was in October 2020, FSF groups across the country came together to boycott the introduction of £14.95 pay-per-view charge on games by Sky and BT. Due to lockdown restrictions fans could not attend games and matches began to be televised free on some channels. However, Sky and BT decided to charge for certain games, at a time when money was tight due to people being furloughed or having to claim Universal Credit as they could not work. The groups organised around Twitter #BoycottPPV and more than £300,000 was raised for foodbanks with £100,000 coming from the city of Liverpool alone. This direct grassroots action caused the two broadcasting giants and the Premier League to back down and not implement pay-per-view games. With this money we have funded the pantry model which we feel is a real win

for collectivism because the greed shown by the PL has helped to feed thousands in our city. The mobile pantry service is operated in partnership with the North Liverpool Food Bank and My local Pantry was set up from the funds raised by the boycott. It has now started operating in 3 areas of the city and is being rolled out in other areas. People pay £3.50 and can get up to £20 worth of food. The purchase of a 7.5ton lorry alongside at least 3 vans, means FSF can set up in a local community like an outdoor food market, this is something we would like to explore with the trade union movement and how these can evolve to become hubs in the community. Highlighting the growing demand for food bank services under Conservativeled austerity measures, the launch of Universal Credit and the increase in zerohour contracts, FSF wanted to show people that the enemy was a common enemy to all, and by uniting they could collectively fight back against the Tory government and the importance of trade unionism in tackling these ills in society which cause so much harm. As it’s grown the movement is attempting to not only be a way of supporting foodbanks but highlighting the effects food poverty has on the poorest in society. Poor health, poor nutrition, poor education, poor housing, the list goes on and FSF want to show being hungry has a wider impact than just having an empty stomach message. Educating society on the issues around food poverty was an important factor in politicising increasing food poverty across Britain. The Right to Food campaign is fundamental. It has been supported by religious groups, trade unions, over 28 town and city councils, as well as campaign groups such as Sustain and the Trussell Trust. Key areas of the RTF are the introduction of universal free school meals, an increase in community kitchens, for benefits and wages to reflect the cost of food. It is a fight which continues.

PNTL Pay Update The union is currently in dispute with PNTL. This is yet another attack on our maritime seafarers, driven by the rotten Conservative government, says Kevin Ireland, Regional Organiser. In 2020 Nuclear Transport Solutions was set up as a trading arm to bring PNTL, DRS and INS under one banner, disgracefully, despite PNTL being set up in conjunction with the Japanese and French governments, with the majority shareholder being the UK government. In their wisdom, Tory Ministers decided to subject our maritime ratings to a wage freeze from the 1st April 2021, despite agreement having been reached with RMT in every year since austerity policies began in 2010 and never having been subject to the government’s wage freeze policy. Your union challenged this with the Energy Minister, Greg Hands MP and through the collective bargaining machinery. This has led to the union now being in the disputes procedure and we are actively making ballot preparations. The company did table 4.7% and non consolidated and non guaranteed bonus of 1.25% of salary, however this offer is substantially below current levels of

inflation. Following my report to the National Executive Committee our members 100% rejected this offer. As a union we will never tolerate wage restraint and we will fight this all the way to get a just deal for our membership.

40 Year Presentation – Keith Elliott

Pictured left is Keith Elliott of Aberdeen Shipping Branch who was recently presented with his 40 year medal by General Secretary Mick Lynch and National Secretary Darren Procter.

RMT pay respect at the memorial to Royston Grange The National Secretary Darren Procter and NEC member Dale Kember attended a memorial service in All Hallows by the Tower church, in London, for the 50th Anniversary memorial service of Houlder Line’s Royston Grange. Royston Grange was outward bound in the River Plate from Buenos Aires to London with a cargo of chilled and frozen beef and butter. On board were 61 crew, 12 passengers (including six women and a 5year old child) and the Argentinian pilot.

At 0540, as she traversed the Punta Indio Channel in dense fog, she collided with the Liberian-registered tanker Tien Chee, carrying 20,000 tons of crude oil. The Tien Chee immediately burst into flames and a series of explosions rapidly carried the flames to the Royston Grange where most of the crew and passengers were asleep. Although the Royston Grange did not sink, all 74 on board were killed together with 8 seafarers from Tien Chee.

PROBLEMS DOWN BELOW? Having recently established membership density across a number of shipping companies we have identified that membership within the engine room is problematic and an area whereby we will be looking to place more focus on going forward to understand why. It would be appreciated if you can discuss with the motormen on your respective vessel why you think this might be and get in contact with us.

Crew Transfer Vessels & Workboat Sector Your union has recently put together a CTV and Workboat specific update detailing union activity and many of the concerns specifically within this growing sector. You can find this update by scanning this QR code for information specific to this sector.

SAVE OUR SEAFARERS SOS 2020

Get Active, Get Involved Stena Line shipboard representative and RMT Activist Darren Doherty tells us why he believes it is important to get involved in union activity. “Having local reps is necessary and valuable because they are the backbone of their union, without them there would be nobody to act as a link between members, the employer and the union. I have been in RMT for 8 years and because I feel so strongly that members voices must be heard, 4 years ago I decided to become a shipboard representative on Stena Line’s Superfast 7. It’s extremely important following the recent sacking of our members by P&O Ferries that we all stand together as one. I myself have attended branch meetings, industrial organising conferences, protests and marches and would encourage fellow members within RMT to become more actively involved in your union. Your Voice, Your presence, Your support, is vital to building strength as a union. We can achieve more together than we do alone by joining RMT and becoming active.”

RMT make the case for Ratings to the Maritime Skills Commission Dan Crimes from our National Policy Department reports on the presentation given by the National Secretary to the Maritime Skills Commission in Glasgow Nautical college. RMT seafarers know more than anyone else in the maritime industry about the steady salami slicing of UK Ratings to be replaced by unorganised international crew without basic employment or pension rights. The capitalist buzz word of ‘competition’ for jobs in these circumstances is a sick joke at the expense of our seafarers, as P&O Ferries recent actions so grotesquely illustrated.

Another effect of this low cost model is to discourage training for Ratings – employers avoid training costs by contracting in crewing agents like Clyde Marine to crew their vessels with cheaper overseas labour. In these circumstances, it is deeply frustrating that the Merchant Navy Training Board continues to resist the RMT’s demands for a meaningful Ratings training strategy that would encourage all shipowners to take on

Rating apprentices. Outside of exceptions like CalMac and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, employers are not training Ratings. The greater taxpayer support for Cadet training through the SMaRT scheme and the Tonnage Tax also undermine Ratings prospects. The persistent practice of Officers being employed as Ratings is a direct result of this disgraceful imbalance. The UK Government’s Maritime

SAVE OUR SEAFARERS SOS 2020 2050 Strategy supports apprenticeships to train local Ratings, yet the DfT statistics from February show that only 60 Deck Rating apprentices were started in the year before the pandemic. More optimistically, Maritime 2050 also recommended the creation of the Maritime Skills Commission to “…report on the existing and future skills needs of the industry … and keep it up to date with the evolving needs of the sector.” The Chair, Graham Baldwin formerly of Solent University was appointed in summer 2020, along with fifteen Commissioners from academia and industry, including Nautilus and the Maritime & Coastguard Agency. Following a number of meetings with the MSC Chair and individual Commissioners, including Helen Sampson of Cardiff University who has previously worked with RMT on Ratings issues, RMT were asked to make the case for a study of skills gaps, training needs and demographic problems affecting Ratings in the UK. The National Secretary, Darren Procter presented the facts about Ratings to the MSC at Glasgow City College on

RMT National Secretary, Darren Proctor

The startling statistics presented to the Maritime Skills Commission included: n Over 60% of Ratings in the UK are over 45 years old n 45% are employed as Deck Ratings n a 35% or 1,500 drop in Deck Rating numbers in the year to June 2021 n a chronic shortage of UK Ratings in employment, especially outside the ferry sector. 10th March. This coincided with the results of RMT’s survey of members over the state of UK Ratings training, which gave us the ammunition to underline all of the points the union has been making for some years now to the Government and industry through the Save Our Seafarers campaigns. RMT’s arguments were well received and now look even stronger after P&O launched its premeditated attack on jobs and apprenticeships a week after this presentation. But we are under no illusions of the need for a rolling agenda of protest, political intervention and industrial engagement in order to get these jobs back at P&O and across the shipping industry. RMT’s Fair Ferries Campaign will push the ongoing need to train more Ratings and the 40th anniversary of the Falklands War, in which RFA and other merchant seafarers lost their lives reminds us of the significance of our Ratings jobs to national security. The 2021 report by the International Chamber

of Shipping puts Ukraine top of the list of future seafarer supplying countries in the world. Geopolitical developments, seafarer shortages and the global escalation of supply chain problems emanating from the pandemic support RMT’s policy to dramatically increase the number of Ratings in this country being trained for jobs in ferry, offshore and every sector of shipping. One point of promise is that the industry is starting to wake up to the problems with Ratings supply that they have caused themselves. From the Crew Transfer Vessels in the offshore wind sector to Stena Line, employers are asking your Union to help them supply Ratings to crew their ships. This must be tied to viable training commitments, something which we include in all pay negotiations with shipping companies. We await the Maritime Skills Commission’s decision and will update all members accordingly when the Union is informed.

SAVE OUR SEAFARERS SOS 2020

Introducing Kathy Mazur RMT members recently elected Kathy Mazur as Regional Organiser for the London and Anglia region, taking over from Steve Smart as lead officer for the Stena Britannica. Kathy explains her involvement in RMT and encourages more members to become involved in workplace organising. Hello, my name is Kathy Mazur. I have always had a passion for the rights of individuals and became an RMT member 25 years ago, when I started my role on the front line in the transport industry. Joining as a normal member, I soon became an activist and ignited my passion working tirelessly for low paid workers and our members. I progressed to local and company council representative roles and was Branch Secretary for Euston No. 1 for 11 years. I was elected by London and Anglia region as their first female NEC member and successfully completed my term. Last year following Steve Smart’s decision to retire from the Regional Organiser role, I decided to stand and am proud to say that I am now the first

female Regional Organiser in the history of RMT nationally. I would encourage any member to follow in my footsteps and fight for what you believe in and there is no better way than through our union with the education and support it provides. I fought my campaign for Regional Organiser on Honesty, Commitment and Passion for the union and its members, I believe that together we can fight the government and bosses to get the fair deal we all deserve, as a fair deal to me is not pay freezes and job losses, as we are all too aware of. Currently, I am the lead officer with responsibilities for companies both on land and at sea. In ports I cover Harwich International Port and at sea I am

responsible for the Stena Britannica. I am committed to working closely with our reps and draw from my experience of doing the same role in companies I worked for. It is important they have the skills and knowledge to best serve our members, as well as the support from myself to achieve this. However, we can all help each other by encouraging your colleagues who may not be in the union to join, as together we are stronger. I look forward to meeting you all on my travels and thank you for your ongoing support. Thanks for reading. Kathy Mazur London & Anglia Regional Organiser

Kathy pictured witn National Secretary, Darren Proctor

Public Sector Pension Schemes – McCloud and Sergeant Court Cases As you recall from my previous report, when public service pension schemes were reformed in 2015 the government’s intention was to make the schemes cheaper by opening new pension arrangements which would in the majority of cases deliver lower retirement benefits. This was to be achieved by changing the benefit structure, making them more expensive for members (increasing contributions), and increasing the age of when members can normally retire with unreduced benefits. While seemingly the Governments intentions were met, they made a major mistake in respect of increasing the normal pension age which was found to be discriminatory following the McCloud and Sergeant judgements. Had the government simply closed the old schemes and transferred everyone into the new schemes it would not have encountered a discrimination problem. However, it did not and instead split the membership into three groups depending on their closeness to retirement. The closeness of someone’s retirement age is just another way of

describing a person’s age so therefore members of the scheme were treated differently depending on their age. The Court of Appeal held that this discriminatory treatment could not be justified and has instructed the Government to carry out the necessary actions to correct this injustice. The government accepted the result of McCloud. RMT members who are potentially affected by this judgement are either employed by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, and are therefore members of the Principle Civil Service Pension Scheme, or are employed by Tyne & Wear Metro or Orkney Ferries and are members of the Local Government Pension Scheme. The potential members who may benefit from the McCloud/Sargeant ruling are those who were in service on 31 March 2012. Everyone who joined on or after 1 April 2012 was treated in the same way by moving them into the new scheme on 1 April 2015. None of these members have been discriminated against and they therefore have no claim to make.

I can advise that the Public Service Pensions and Judicial Offices Act was enacted earlier in 2022 and regulations made under the Act state that anyone who remained as an active member of the pre-2015 “legacy schemes” will be transferred to the corresponding new scheme with effect from 1 April 2022. While there are still some outstanding legal issues everyone will be transferred to the new schemes regardless of age. It is important to remember that because the reformed scheme benefits may be better for some individuals, all members who were in service on 31 March 2012 and were in service at any time between 1 April 2015 and 31 March 2022 must be given a choice when they retire (or leave). They will be presented with two benefit packages, one assuming that they did not transfer to the new scheme and the other assuming that they did. They will then have the choice of which level of benefit to choose. Paul Norris RMT Pensions Officer

Ratings Progression Plan Career Progression Plans seem to be something only discussed onboard vessels for officers, with a clearly defined path from cadet to Chief engineer or Captain. But what about us Ratings? What about having focus on the development of Ratings, for those individuals who may want to progress, who may be interested in, say transferring from a Catering position into the Deck or Engine Room? With an ageing workforce, especially in Deck positions we need to ensure we have our eye on the future requirements, with the role of chef being a perfect example - we have hundreds of stewards

around our coast but a clear shortage of chefs - why? We will be seeking to engage with members at every opportunity about

development plans to hear your views and experiences on Ratings career development.

50 and OUT! Good Luck to Charlie Meadows of Liverpool Shipping Branch who recently retired after 50 years at sea. Charlie recently ended his sea going career with Tidewater onboard the Portosalvo. Charlie explains in his own words the changes he’s seen over that period. “After fifty years at sea I’ve seen plenty of changes in that time, very few for the better I must say. The pool, the shipping federation in Liverpool was a meeting place for seaman which usually ended up with a day's drinking around the seaman's haunts of the town. “The UK had the largest shipping registry in the world so you didn't wait long for a job when it was time to return to sea. Shipping companies like Lamports, Harrison’s, Blue Star, Shaw Savile, Blue Funnel Line, PSNC and the list goes on. “I had great times with great characters, it wasn't just a job it was a

way of life which we prided ourselves on. Our uniform of choice was long hair, denim jacket and jeans. In the early days we never heard of health and safety, board of trade sports (boat and fire drill on a Sunday) was as far as it went, yet accidents were few and far between. “24-hour bars and duty-free cigarettes was all we had. A walport reel to reel movie was an event, cribbage and darts tournaments were something that all seafarers had to look forward to until us lunatics went ashore, my favourite being the Kiwi coast! “50 years at sea but only the first 20 are where the great memories were made. I genuinely feel sorry for today's seafarers, who have all the technology but live in isolation on the ship with very little shore

leave, very little socializing. I am happy that I am now retired. “The British flag meant something special to Seafarers and unfortunately it is seldom seen these days.”

Manchester Shipping Branch CLOSED Following the retirement of the former Secretary of the Manchester Shipping Branch, Tony Loyd last year, it has not been possible to fill the vacant position and it was apparent that a number of other positions within the Branch were also vacant. In recent years the branch membership was less than 15 and struggled to have quorate meetings. Following a number of reports and attempted meetings with members it

was decided by the NEC to close Manchester Shipping branch and all members have been transferred into Liverpool Shipping Branch. We would like to place on record our thanks to all the branch officials who have supported the members and the NUS and RMT campaigns over many years.

Looking back in history

Low Ship Losses in 1960 Seventeen British Ships, totalling 11,704 tons gross, were lost in 1960, says the Ministry of Transports shipping casualties and deaths return. It was the lowest annual tonnage loss on record. A total of 266 British Seafarers (Asiatics excluded) lost their lives during the year. Of these 36 died when their ships became casualties, and 91 in other accidents, while 139 were victims of disease, homicide or suicide. No fare-paying passengers lost their lives in casualties to ships. The above was an article in the May 1962 “THE SEAMAN” which was the official organ of the National Union of Seamen.

Trade Councils and their relevance today Mike Sargent, President – South East Kent Trades Council says...

“

The amount of information about Trades Councils available online is vast and easily accessible, but the purpose here is not to give a history lesson, but to show a snap shot of how trades councils are not only relevant today but increasingly taking an active role in combatting relentless attacks on organised working people. Each trades council is made up of delegates from local trade union branches; in our case over a dozen unions are represented. We hear from delegates about local, community and national issues (especially industrial disputes!) for although many delegates are still active in the workplace, some are retired, which means there is a huge well of experience and knowledge to draw from. In the South East of Kent we have been recently involved in challenging the Government over the rights of asylum seekers, supporting university lecturers, fighting against development of green spaces, supporting NHS workers and lots more. At present, we are quite heavily engaged with the campaign against P&O Ferries.

We demand better! In the Dover area, many local people have, at some point, worked or have family members that do work on the cross channel ferries. On the Railway, the post office, within the port, many of these workers are former ferry workers. It is our job as a trades council to engage with the public and highlight the issues causing dispute. To combat the popular narrative put out by the bosses. The P&O issue is a case in point. In order not to jeopardise compensation payments, non-disclosure agreements have effectively gagged the workers involved and prevented them from taking part, but their union, the RMT is continuously challenging the Government and targeting the companies involved. We are able to support and compliment this, using our national

networks to link with and promote actions around the country, and calling our friends and comrades to demonstrations and picket lines. With the advances in information technology over the last twenty years, we have been able to move to a more proactive position, responding to events as they happen (clicking ‘Like’ is no substitute for boots on the ground!). Advances in graphic design and production make it easier to produce campaign materials as and when needed, and some of our younger supporters and members are very good at this! A recent conversation with Frances O’Grady, General Secretary of the TUC left us in no doubt as to the importance of what we do – When challenged by workers at a demonstration in London in support of P&O workers, she told us that “The only way to win this, is through the movement” Not Government rhetoric and hot air, not online outrage, not righteous editorials from hypocritical editors, but workers, seafarers and their communities working with their unions and Trade Councils to stand up and say... WE DEMAND BETTER!”

Keep your contact details up-to-date All RMT members need to ensure that if you change employer, change job title, change mobile numbers, change your email address etc. you MUST inform head office. If we don’t have your correct details on file then we will be ineffective in our communication to you. If you do not receive texts from RMT – we may not have your correct mobile number. If you do not receive RMT News at home – we do not have your correct home address. If you do not receive emails from RMT – we do not have your correct email address.

Contact RMT Head office on 0800 3763706, use the app or log on to the website to update your personal details.

YOUR MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS

Feeling better, even if we are feeling lonely by Mental Health Charity, togetherall As the past few years have presented numerous physical, mental and emotional challenges for the world, it’s easy to understand how loneliness and isolation have kept people from feeling well.

How can we feel better if, and when we feel lonely? Recognizing when we start to feel lonely can be a big step to helping us feel more connected.

1. Set an intention each day to feel better. If you find yourself feeling lonely, try setting an intention to Togetherall is a safe, online community where cut down on screen people support each other anonymously to improve time or maybe actively disengage from social media accounts that support we may need, so widening your invite you to compare yourself to others. support network can help you feel Simple strategies understood with a greater sense of like setting a timebelonging. Allow yourself to open up and limit, scheduling engage with a broader range of people your social media and experiences. time for the day, or creating a daily 3. Connect with others who reminder of the have had similar link between experiences. social media and Even if you don’t know them, that well-being can be sense of support and empathy can make surprisingly us feel like we are part of a community effective. who understands.

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2. Engage with loose ties, meaning connect with others who may not be your best friend or family member.

If you find yourself wanting to widen your network and sense of belonging, try Togetherall – a 24/7 anonymous online mental health community that is monitored 24/7 by trained advisers.

Not every person can give us every type of

YOUR MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS A sacked P&O seafarer explains the impact the massacre has had on her mental health “Since receiving the email from P&O early on the 17th March 2022, inviting me to a ‘Teams’ call at 11:10am, then hearing all P&O vessels were laying-up on berths in all UK ports, made me feel a little apprehensive. I had never known of vessels laying-up pending a company announcement. Upon hearing the 2 minute ‘Teams’ shocking news, it didn’t feel real. I couldn't believe it. I’ve been sacked with no RMT consultation. I felt numb. I didn’t believe the company could do this and get away with it legally. It was like I was having a nightmare. What had I done wrong to deserve this after all my loyal years of service, it can’t be true, it’s a mistake surely? My phone started to feel like a hotline, messages from worried and scared colleagues, there were reports of security guards onboard, some with balaclavas on. Obviously a local company employed to do the horrid task of getting all the Jersey contracted crew off of all vessels; that’s why the faces were covered and all were handcuff trained. Crew were hurried off the vessels by security after having to collect their purple ‘happiness delivered’ envelope that contained their redundancy paperwork. They could see, at the quayside, coaches filled with their replacements. I can only imagine how these crew felt. Fast forward over the next couple of weeks I was still in a total daze. I felt it still wasn’t real. The feeling of being refurloughed was more real to me that the enormity of the reality of the whole situation. I had busied myself with protests standing in solidarity with excolleges which were my ‘work family’ as we were all there for each other onboard. I used to see these crew more than my own family due to our working week-on week-off roster. I was now faced with the deadline for signing away my job contract, or I would lose a considerable amount of money if I didn’t sign and it reduced to statutory payment. An hour before the solicitor phoned me was the first time I actually cried. It was the last day and only a couple of hours left until the deadline. I had been arguing with my partner for days as I

didn’t want to sign my job away. I felt I was being blackmailed into signing. I was still in two minds. Stuff the money because if I sign, I sign away my job. I worked hard to get to my rank and I would wave any right to talk about the disgraceful tactics my ex-employer had done to myself and 799 others, as included was an NDA. I was just hoping Government were going to intervene and put a stop to all this nonsense so I could go back to the job I loved, enjoyed and worked hard at for many years building a career for myself, climbing the ranks with confidence hard work and pride. I had put off having children as my career was very important to me. Now it may be too late for me to have that choice due to my age and I keep thinking if only I knew what was going to happen years ago. This choice would’ve been so easy and I’d have a family of my own by now. I was in bits, even on that dreaded call with the solicitor, as I knew that this was the end... the reality truly had set in before I put the phone down. I felt beaten, deflated, hurt, somewhat confused as what I do next. I went home, closed my curtains, curled up in bed and cried until I had dry, sore eyes and had no tears left. I tried to avoid the world for at least a few days. I tried to get my head thinking straight but I couldn't, when you feel very low, worthless and unwanted like trash. I didn’t want to talk to anyone, didn’t want to eat, just hide away. The concern from my partner was immense and just caused arguments. I know they meant well and were concerned for me and my welfare but I couldn’t see it at the time. I was blinkered, angry and to be honest I didn’t care....about anyone or anything. Looking back now, I thank them. They’ve been my absolute rock through all of this mayhem. After 3 weeks, reality starts setting in... the unanswered questions in my head... My company, that I’d worked all of those loyal years for, wouldn’t treat me like that? I had worked hard for them, above and beyond my rank duties. What do we all do now? What is the next step? How do I even start a CV after all these years employed by one company? What am I qualified to do?

What do I want to do? What can I do? The thought of going for a job interview scared me. It had been so long. A lot has changed in the interview process over the years. I started hearing some ex-colleagues were getting jobs already. I felt panic and pressure to apply for jobs as there’s so many of us ex-employees that live locally we would all be fighting for each job on offer. I didn’t know which way to turn. At times I felt I couldn’t breathe. The local businesses have been fantastic, expanding and reaching out, offering ex-employees fast-tracked interviews and a lot of crew have closed the previous upheaval and have settled in new roles elsewhere. I’m so happy for them. Others are still struggling, but we have set up WhatsApp groups that all excrew are included in. So we can all reach out, speak freely, get and give advice and support each other if and when needed, which in all honesty has been a lifeline to some. These groups will be ongoing with no time limit, to ensure all colleagues are doing ok and are happy. Also, to keep us all connected up and down the country, it’s a forever friendship like no other. In the last few weeks my mind and body got so rundown and stressed. I got Covid. That seemed to last forever. Then other health issues arose, all stress related. I didn’t realise stress affects your body in so many different ways to release itself. Now, 9 weeks on, I have a new job lined up, a totally new adventure. A new, different direction from my last. I’m still young enough to embrace another happy career, a path I wouldn’t have chosen if this situation didn’t happen. It’s scary but I’m excited for the challenge of a land-based career although I still have many valid sea tickets if I want to return to sea but even now the feeling of rejection for no reason still sickens me, so time away from sea may be good for me to restore my mental health and have the chance to challenge myself and to embrace future challenges. So here’s to new, brighter beginnings.” A Dover based sacked Seafarer

Lifeboat safety RMT Health and Safety officer Johnathan Havard gives an update on the unions actions on lifeboat safety. RMT will shortly be meeting with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to continue our discussions on lifeboat safety. RMT has presented the key findings of our survey on lifeboat safety at the Industry Lifeboat Group (ILG). The ILG was established by the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) along with non-governmental organisations and some flag States to look at improvements in lifeboat and other survival craft safety. The ILG has the objective of developing proposals to International Maritime Organisation (IMO) that address both immediate and longer-term lifeboat safety issues. Group members consider that the opportunity of co-ordinating their continuing work in support of this agenda item will facilitate a more effective contribution to discussion of this matter at IMO.

The questions RMT asked of our members were: • Are you asked to descent in the lifeboat during drills? • If so, have you ever refused? • If not, what is your employer’s policy re: drills • What are your fears, if any, about being lowered in the lifeboat during drills? • Are you aware of any regular maintenance undertaken on the lifeboats? • Have you noticed any potential areas which need attention in the lifeboats? • Has this been reported to the employer? • Have you been involved in and/or witnessed any accidents involving lifeboat drills? • What do you view as a reasonable way of undertaking lifeboat drills safely? The responses from members overall showed a variety of standards of implementation of the requirements on board along with concern expressed by members regarding crew safety during lifeboat drills and a lack of confidence in

RMT’S KEY HIGH-LEVEL ISSUES ARE: • Maintenance and safety equipment installation and maintenance • Drills – frequency, conditions, location on which drill takes place • Personnel onboard during lifeboat lowering in drills – how many onboard and at what stage should they embark the lifeboat?

using the equipment. The key findings of our survey on lifeboat safety were presented to the ILG and prompted the meetings between the MCA and RMT. The findings were also shared with Bahamas, Cyprus and the ITF. ILG members understood the concerns highlighted by the RMT and were in support of finding a solution to give seafarers more confidence in launching and testing lifeboats. Seafarers are dying needlessly in lifeboat accidents when maritime legislation doesn’t actually require vessels to be manned during drills. There has been a legislative change which means that it is not necessary for crew to be onboard when lifeboats are tested. SOLAS regulation III/19.3.3.3 requires each lifeboat to be launched at least once every three months during an abandon ship drill, and manoeuvred in the water by its assigned operating crew. However, the regulation, whilst requiring each lifeboat to be manoeuvred in the water by its assigned operating crew, does not actually require that crew to be on board when the lifeboat is launched. Many of the lifeboat fatalities have occurred during launch of the lifeboats, often due to problems with the hooks mechanism. In 2009 the IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee, agreed that the assigned operating crew should not be required to be on board lifeboats during launching, unless the Master, within the authority conferred to him/her by paragraph 5.5 of the ISM Code, considers it necessary, taking into account all safety aspects. This seems to have been missed by some ship operators and is still included in some Shipboard/ Safety Management Systems. To prevent any further loss of life in this way we will continue to raising awareness of the fact that seafarers are not required to be in the lifeboat when launching during drills. Since 1981 there have been 419 deaths involving lifeboats, 346 serious injuries and 116 minor injuries. It is a fact that many seafarers

have been, and continue to be, killed or seriously injured in accidents involving the failure of lifeboat on-load release mechanisms On-load release mechanisms have killed many seafarers, and may continue to kill many more. The fitting of on-load release systems on lifeboats became mandatory for all vessels constructed after 1 July 1986. This was as a result of several high-profile incidents involving loss of life during lifeboat evacuations utilising lifeboats equipped with fixed hook releases (“off-load” release). The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) therefore stipulated that lifeboats be fitted with a central control release system that ensured that both lower fall blocks were released simultaneously, even if under load. However, this does mean that the hooks can be disengaged at any point during the launching/recovery process, either as a result of human error or mechanical defect. In the UK, the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) produced a study listing 125 accidents and incidents involving lifeboats. The most serious of these accidents, mostly involving fatalities, were caused as a result of problems with the on-load release gear. According to MAIB data, in a 10-year period, 12 seafarers were killed and 87 injured. It is likely that the true figures are significantly higher, as many accidents and incidents may go unreported. On-load release mechanisms were never intended to release a lifeboat that was not in the water. Most on-load release systems are designed as unstable - they rely upon the release system to maintain the hooks in the closed position, rather

than to open them – in other words if the hooks fail they open rather than remain closed. Lack of proper maintenance, human error and even the motion of the lifeboat during a launch or recovery, can cause the system to release, particularly if key components have become worn or have been replaced with non-standard parts. The on-load release system will have at least two safety features built in: A safety pin prevents the release handle being operated; a positive and deliberate action is required to remove the safety pin and operate the release handle There are no routine circumstances which require the ship’s crew to override the hydrostatic interlock. Releasing a

lifeboat that is not in the water – even from heights of less than one metre – may cause death or serious injury and result in damage to the lifeboat structure and possible capsize and/or sinking of the lifeboat. The risk of an accident from inadvertent release of the lifeboat on-load hooks is unacceptably high. Fall preventer devices should be used to control the risk and stay safe. RMT’s Lifeboat Working Group is scheduled to meet again in June; should any member be interested in participating in this Group please contact RMT Health and Safety Officer Jonathan Havard at j.havard@rmt.org.uk

National Minimum Wage in Renewables Sector?

The RMT has received complaints from crew of an offshore vessel working across a number of different projects in the renewables sector. As a result, we are currently awaiting a meeting with OSM who operate the vessel, the Siem Day which is on the Norwegian Second Register. This is another example of renewable energy companies not auditing seafarer employment standards within their own supply

Green Skills Bursary Are you a seafarer needing to take qualifications essential to work in the Green Sector? Marine Society’s Green Skills Bursary has been created to support seafarers who need to take qualifications essential for working in the Offshore and Renewables Sector. These jobs have specific requirements as laid down in the IMCA C 018 publication ‘Basic Safety Training Requirements for Vessel Personnel Employed in the Offshore Renewable Energy Sector’. The training standards for these courses are set by the Global Wind Organisation (GWO) and the Offshore Petroleum Industry Training Organisation (OPITO), the skills organisations for esch sector, which are required in addition to the basic certificates required under the STCW Convention. In developing this bursary, the Marine Society consulted with the offshore sector including the National Workboat Association and maritime recruitment agencies. They confirmed the growing demand for local seafarers that hold these certificates, in an increasingly competitive job market. With a generous donation from Trinity House, this project demonstrates a welcome commitment to training in maritime careers. The Green Skills bursary is intended to provide support seafarers who need financial assistance to take or revalidate specific qualifications essential to work in the offshore and renewable sector. The maximum bursary available is £750 to help offset the cost of a course.

Eligibility Applicants must be British seafarers, resident in the UK, 18 years old and over, who currently work in the Green Sector or can demonstrate a plan to work in this sector.

chains. Whilst these companies commit to lofty principles in their company reports, the reality, particularly for seafarers can be very different. This is the latest evidence of companies in this sector paying crew below the National Minimum Wage and the voluntary Real Living Wage. We will keep members updated on developments around this vessel and the wider issue.

Only courses on the list of Approved Courses are eligible. – Comprehensive OPITO Offshore Oil & Gas Survival Training Package – BOSIET with CA-EBS (STCW 95 / 2010 Conversion) (1 Day) – Maritime to Offshore Conversion Package (BOSIET, MIST and Shoulder Width Measurement) (3 Day) – Banksman and Slinger training – Approved Engine Course (AEC) Part One – Medical Care on board – Dangerous Goods Training – On Board Crane Training – GWO Manual Handling or Refresher Training – GWO Working at Height or Refresher Training – GWO Transfer Training or Refresher Training – GWO Fire Awareness Training or Refresher Training – GWO Sea Survival Training or Refresher Training – GWO First Aid Training or Refresher Training – GWO Working at Height or Refresher Training – GWO Manual Handling or Refresher Training – GWO Basic Safety Training Package or Refresher Training Package: Sea Survival, Working at Height, Manual A bursary cannot be awarded more than once to the same person and cannot be claimed retrospectively for a course already paid for or undertaken.

How to apply Download the application form at www.marine-society.org/ userfiles/files/MS%20Green%20Skills%20Bursary.pdf and return it via email to crockson@ms-sc.org or post to: Marine Society, 200B Lambeth Road, London SE1 7JY. Notifications are sent within 10 working days of receipt of your application. The bursary must be claimed within one year of award date. For further information, please contact Carla Rockson, Head of Seafarer Learning and Welfare at crockson@ms-sc.org or call 020 7654 7029.

Understanding the Roles and Responsibilities of Elected Officials within YOUR Union THE ROLE OF A BRANCH The primary role and objective of each branch shall be the recruitment, retention and organisation of transport workers within its delegated sphere of influence. To achieve this objective, each branch shall create and work to implement a branch plan which will be submitted to the Regional Council.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF A REGIONAL ORGANISER Regional Organisers shall: (a) act under the direction of the General Secretary and the National Executive Committee and, with the assistance of the respective Regional Councils, be responsible for organisation in their Regions; (b) visit Branches and places as directed, including visiting ships berthed within the Region’s area of responsibility or, as directed by the General Secretary, elsewhere in the United Kingdom or abroad, for the purpose of investigating complaints from members or for the general protection of their interests; (c) represent members at company or industry level and at Employment Tribunals, in respect of disciplinary proceedings, unfair dismissal hearings and other matters, attend at Inquests and Inquiries; (d) attend negotiations at local company level and representing the Union on welfare bodies; (e) oversee the supply of labour to ships in their respective areas and ensure, as far as practicable, that members are up to date with their Union contributions before taking up employment; (f) have power to examine the Branch books, and report to the General Secretary; (g) render to the General Secretary on a form provided for that purpose, a statement of their travel and attendances during each month.

THE ROLE OF A REGIONAL ORGANISER The primary role of Regional Councils, in co-operation with the Regional Organisers, shall be recruitment and organisation of members in their sphere and campaigning in support of the Union’s objectives. The work of the Regional Councils shall be ordered and prioritised so that this primary role is implemented.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE NATIONAL SECRETARY AND ASSISTANT NATIONAL SECRETARY The National Secretary and the Assistant National Secretary shall work under the direction of the General Secretary and assist in representing and promoting the interests of Maritime Grades members as well as with the general administration of the grade’s affairs.

Seafarers Bursary Scheme (2016) Thinking of lifelong learning? Want to progress your career? We can help with a Bursary up to £500 (subject to conditions) The RMT Learning Seafarers Bursary Scheme is available to all current RMT seafaring members, ex seafarers and retired seafarers. It can help with a variety of courses , either through local colleges, the marine society or open university.

Contact your local Union Learning rep, Shipping Branch Secretary or Paul Shaw at p.shaw@rmt.org.uk Tel; 0207 529 8813 for more information or visit our website www.rmt.org.uk/learning

Overstretched? Aching joints? Are you suffering from... muscular or joint pains? neck or back pains? tears, sprains or strains? whiplash? With fast, free physiotherapy advice and treatment, we’ll get you back to full strength. • No need to suffer - take action now! • Call the Connect PhysioLine for fast, free physiotherapy advice and treatment • Available to anyone working in the merchant navy and resident in the UK

For more information call

0191 247 5000 Funded by the Seafarers Hospital Society (Registered Charity No: 231724) and provided by Connect Physical Health Ltd.

GET A HEAD START AT SEA Get the qualifications and confidence you need to go further with our Maths@sea and Writing@sea online courses. Find out more: education@ms-sc.org

marine-society.org

quoting ‘RMT Learning Bursary’ Recognised for continuing professional development by IMarEST and the Nautical Institute

Marine Society & Sea Cadets, a charity registered in England and Wales 313013 and in Scotland SC037808

Did you know there’s a Citizens Advice service to support RMT seafarers? Seafarers’ Advice & Information Line (SAIL) is the only Citizens Advice service dedicated to seafarers across the UK.

SAIL offers free and confidential advice on a wide range of issues. For example we can help with debt problems, benefits and housing issues, the practicalities of relationship breakdown and much more. Our trained advisers only help seafarers, so they know the issues you face. If you think SAIL can help you or your family, please call 08457 413 318 or 020 3597 1580. The help lines are open from 10am to 4pm weekdays. We’ll always call you back if the number is expensive for you. Alternatively you can email us at advice@sailine.org.uk There’s much more information about how SAIL can help you and your family at www.sailine.org.uk

Annual Basic Salary

Ethnic Group. (Please specify. This information is used as part of our equal opportunities policy)

A. White

English/Welsh/Scottish/Northern Irish/British

B. Mixed/multiple ethnic groups

Irish

Gypsy or Irish Traveller

White and Black Caribbean

Any other White background

White and Black African

White and Asian

Other mixed/multiple ethnic background

C. Asian/Asian British

Indian

Pakistani

D. Black/African/Caribbean/Black British E. Other ethnic group 5

Arab

African

Chinese

Caribbean

Other Asian background Other Black/African/Caribbean background

Other ethnic group, please specify

Sexual orientation (This information will be used for monitoring purposes as part of our equal opportunities policy)

Sexuality Hetrosexual Do you identify as transgender? 6

Bangladeshi

Homosexual Yes

Bisexual No

Prefer not to say If you wish to be contacted with information about union activities for lesbian/gay/transgender members please tick here