Focus on Health & Safety structures

Welcome to another edition of the Quay Worker, a publication aimed specifically at those RMT members working within the various ports around the UK and covering a number of topics that we hope you find informative and can be shared with any colleagues in your respective workplace who are not currently a member of RMT.

I have visited a number of ports over the past 12 months including Harwich, Heysham, Loch Ryan, Belfast, Holyhead, Dover, Birkenhead and Fishguard talking to our members about local issues, negotiations, safety concerns and sector specific issues. As your elected National Secretary I believe that the union should be seen in the workplace and I find these visits informative and we are able to evaluate if there are any concerns that have not been raised through any formal union mechanisms by listening to the members and taking any issues forward. During the past 12 months we have seen an increase in port workers becoming more involved in branch meetings and being elected as branch officials.

I have a concern with regards to ‘health and safety’ structures and our involvement in safety concerns of our members within ports. Health and safety structures should run parallel to industrial matters and be of equal importance to our members and this is something in which we need to focus on going forward.