STENA LINE UPDATE NOVEMBER 2024
A MESSAGE FROM YOUR NATIONAL SECRETARY
Dear Colleagues,
I hope this publication for Stena Line members provides you with a comprehensive update on several matters of importance to you and your colleagues employed onboard the vessels and within the ports.
I would like to focus on how we can continue to develop our organising activity and encourage more members to become actively involved in the union.
Our democratic structures are what sets us apart from other trade unions and as your elected national officer it is important to me that we continue to improve and develop our work and effectively address your workplace concerns whilst progressing your terms and conditions of employment.
We have seen several new reps elected to various positions across the Stena network and we will soon commence industrial representative elections for all seafarers (except for those who were elected in 2024) to take up positions from the 1st of January 2025. We also have vacancies within the ports due to recent departures, a promotion and a resignation. Filling these representative positions is fundamental to ensuring we progress your terms and conditions of employment. This will give an opportunity to individuals to get involved and make a difference. Being a part of RMT should not be viewed as an
insurance policy, it is a mechanism reliant upon 2-way communication to raise and address issues of concern to you and your colleagues. We should be organised in such a way that if a workplace injustice takes place, you are ready to stand together as a collective to protect each other and seek improvements to your terms and conditions.
Whilst significant improvements have been made in some areas, I acknowledge that there are still areas of concern and we need to continually seek improvements not just to pay, but also to terms and conditions, policies and procedures, welfare facilities and your working environment. There is no magic wand to address these matters instantly but myself and your elected representatives will continue to present quality arguments to your employer and seek the necessary improvements.
I believe in a union that is present in the workplace and is seen by the rank-and-file membership on a regular basis, and whilst I make every effort to visit all ports and vessels, I am conscious that I have been seen in some locations more than others and will look to address this over the next few months.
I conclude in asking all members to take the time and effort to discuss how the union could be more effective in your workplace and encourage those not currently a member of the RMT to join you and the overwhelming majority of your colleagues in becoming a member of RMT.
Regards,
Darren Procter
Who are the 30%?
As part of our ongoing maritime pensions campaign we requested information on how many individuals were not contributing to the employer pension scheme. We did this for 2 reasons. Fiirstly, if you are not in the pension scheme you are losing out on over 5% of pension contributions by your employer. Also, just as importantly, if you are not contributing to the employer pension scheme you failing to ensure that in the event of your death whilst employed your family are protected by the life assurance scheme of 2 x annual salary and a 25% of your salary per annum payment.
Through dialogue with your employer, we established that 30% of employees are not currently in the pensions scheme!
It is every members responsibility to initiate this conversation and establish who are the 30% losing out on employer pension contributions and protection for your family.
Pensions was a matter raised by Eire Shipping branch at last year’s BMIOC and continues to be a key focus for your union.
2025 Pay Discussions
Eire Shipping Branch secretary Chris Lawless who raised the importance of pensions at the BMIOC in May 2024
Your union has recently initiated pay discussions with Stena Line for both port workers and seafarers. An initial meeting took place in Belfast on the 25th of September. We are conscious that our members would like to see an agreement in place by the anniversary date of the 1st of January for improvements to your rates of pay and conditions of service and will be doing all that we can to avoid prolonged negotiations as had been the case in previous years. We will keep all members advised by text and email of negotiation developments with the next meeting due to take place in mid-November.
Contractual issues
During recent port visits we established that several employees were awaiting permanent contracts of employment, and these are being processed by HR. However, we also identified that some individuals have been in temporary positions for considerable periods of time. We have written to the appropriate people to raise this issue, and whilst the company will always require additional seasonal support, we are talking about individuals who have been working for the company continually for over a year. This is not acceptable. Additionally, we have concerns around the issuing of PPT contracts when individuals are fulfilling overtime every week in addition to their contracted hours. As a union we will challenge this and look to have permanent full-time positions in place unless the employer can demonstrate that there is no requirement due to operational requirements; even then we will seek to present a quality argument as we campaign for job security for our members. If you have a concern in relation to your contract, then get in contact with your workplace representative or your convenor.
Equality, diversity and inclusion
A part of your convenor’s role is to promote and improve equality, diversity and inclusion within the workplace. This is an area that both your union and your employer are committed to improving for the benefit of everybody at Stena Line. We don’t want this to be a token gesture within your workplace, we want to build progressive platform where issues can be raised and addressed for the benefit of RMT members. To do this, we are seeking individuals across the Irish Sea and North Sea working in the ports and onboard ships to assist in the first instance an understanding of what the key issues are and develop an action-based agenda to address issues, promote and raise awareness of equality, diversity and inclusion within the workplace.
If you are interested in being involved in these discussions, please contact your RMT convenor Michael Hobson via email – stenaconvenor@rmt.org.uk.
Uniform for transgender employees
Your union raised concerns on behalf of members about the lack of available uniform for transgender employees and we have been advised that if the uniform remains within brand, the company will be flexible to preserve an employee’s dignity and comfort. Current policy provides for modifications such as adjustments to lengths of garments and jacket fit. If a modification is required, an employee can identify a suitable alterations service to arrange this with, and the company will reimburse them for the cost of the alteration.
Women representatives in the workplace
We have seen an increase in women members participating in workplace representative elections which is great as our representative structures should reflect our membership.
Women members amongst our seafarers represent 19% and across the ports 7.5% and we want to see more women getting involved in union activity and campaigning for improvements in the workplace and beyond.
Emma Purcell, recently elected as a rep onboard the Stena Embla
Young members’ voice
Young members are defined by RMT as anybody up to the age of 30. We currently have a total of 107 members aged 30 or under at Stena Line, 91 seafarers and 16 within the ports. You are not only the future of the maritime sector and Stena Line you are the here and now. All too often we hear how youngsters no longer want to work at sea, or how a career in ports is no longer attractive, but as our statistics show we have a considerable percentage of young people working at Stena Line. It’s important to impress upon our members and potential members at Stena Line that your views are important, and we want to hear from you. This may be about employment matters, career development, job security or issues such as housing for young members which has been brought up in several RMT forums by young members.
MENTAL HEALTH
Following the recent survey of members, which we presented to your employer at the national meeting in Belfast, we have identified several outcomes which we believe need to be progressed to provide a greater understanding of Mental health and improve engagement and dialogue within the workplace to better support you and your colleagues.
By way of a reminder the snap survey provided us with an insight to how you and your colleagues feel about mental health as a workplace issue and identified areas that require progress:
• the survey was completed by 252 members, of which 169 were seafarers and 83 were port workers
• 57% of those who completed the survey had been employed for Stena Line for more than 10 years
• 72% of RMT members believe that mental health awareness is an issue at Stena Line
• 98% of those who participated in the survey have not received any form of mental health training by your employer in the last 2 years
• 109 respondents identified that either they or a colleague have encountered mental health related issues whilst at work
• 82% of respondents identified that they do not have the resources to support or promote mental health awareness in the workplace
• 39 respondents have taken time off work in the last 12 months due to mental health.
There were lots of individual responses to the questions laid out in the survey that gave members an opportunity to answer questions in their own words. Within those responses was a recurring theme relating to a lack of employee numbers, associated pressures on members, a lack of training/support measures and views on what the company could do to assist with awareness of mental health.
Life cover – expression of wish
Have you completed an expression of wish form recently? An expression of wish form is a document which states who you would like to receive any death in service/life assurance payment. You can name more than one beneficiary and it’s important that you have completed the form and that it’s up to date if your personal circumstances have recently changed.
As death in service payments are discretionary the trustees of any pension scheme will need evidence that your wishes are being carried out in the event of your death while still employed, so CHECK you have completed a form and CHECK that it’s up to date. Employees can complete a new expression of wish form on Stena Line Life. Once you press “Submit” your entry will override any previous submission you have given.
STENA CONVENOR COLUMN
By Michael Hobson
Hi all, I’m Michael Hobson. Recently, I was lucky enough to receive the support from your workplace representatives both onboard vessels and within the ports to become RMT/ Stena Line convenor released on full time basis for a period of 3 years.
I started working for Stena Line in 2011 as a temporary steward onboard Stena Lagan before becoming permanent a few years later. I then moved to the Stena Edda when she come into service. I have worked in most OSS roles in my time at Stena line and my last job onboard being Hotel G1.
In my 13 years at Stena Line, I have been a shipboard industrial representative and a health & safety shipboard representative dealing with varied issues onboard and beyond. I took up the role at the age of 25 as a representative and it’s important that we communicate to RMT members that it’s never too early to be active within the union to protect and progress your workplace conditions. During my time with Stena line, I have developed workplace membership levels and pro-actively engaged with members to develop improvements within the workplace.
I am a regular attendee at my branch (Liverpool Shipping branch), which meets every month, and this furnishes me with a greater understanding of the challenges and progress in all areas of the maritime sector.
Since taking up the position I have attended several ships and ports and will continue to be visible to you. If I haven’t done so already, I look forward to visiting your workplaces and working alongside your current and future elected representatives to progress the areas of responsibility I have been tasked with. I will continue to work effectively with regional organisers, the national secretary and all other representatives to ensure that this position is as effective as possible for the benefit of RMT members.
The use of CCTV
The use of CCTV has become more prominent, particularly within the ports. We have raised our concerns with the company during a recent national meeting. We identified that greater clarity is required and that any monitoring of members at Stena Line should be subject to consultation and transparency and that the purpose of monitoring needs to be clear. We have requested that any introduction is discussed in local meetings with workplace reps.
Our members have clear expectations and should be made aware through consultation of the extent and reasons for monitoring of its workforce and/or premises following an impact assessment.
To help clarify the situation the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) published guidance to employers in 2003 which seeks to explain the legal position and sets out recommendations in terms of good practice and can be found online. If you require further information, then please get in touch with your port representative.
No excuses!
We were recently made aware of a woman PSO not having adequate or comparable changing facilities or separate shower facilities. This had been brought up by various representatives within Holyhead Port. When your national secretary was made aware of this it was raised on a recent port visit and addressed within 24 hours.
Health and Safety within Ports
There have been several incidents within ports that we believe to be unacceptable, and we have raised these with your employer.
We are striving to ensure that we have RMT elected health and safety representatives in every port, who have access to and are actively participating in risk assessments, who are participating in safety inspections and are present at safety committee meetings. If this is not happening, then that is a failure that we need to address.
Safety is not a tick box exercise and nor can it be wheeled out as and when it suits. This is an area that we will be focusing on and seeking answers to the many concerns that we have.
CSA – Ensuring your voice is heard
HEALTH AND SAFETY IN YOUR WORKPLACE
Over the past couple of years, we have developed significant membership levels across our CSA grades at several ports. We have raised the issue of recognition with senior management and whilst we have yet to receive a positive response, we have started engaging with our clerical staff within the ports to establish a clear understanding of your concerns and be seeking to raise them both locally and nationally.
We are fully aware of your frustration, and we have been patient enough with your employer. We recognise that we must organise your grade more effectively to ensure that the concerns of our CSA grades are heard, and we seek solutions to the issues that you and your colleagues face in work daily.
Your national secretary recently met with clerical grades within Holyhead (pic left) and a local engagement meeting has been organised with shoreside management within Holyhead.
Sanitary Provisions / Period Poverty
Your union recently raised the issue of ‘period poverty’, which means a lack of access to proper menstrual products or the education needed to use them effectively. This is because we have been informed of situations onboard vessels of both employees and passengers in emotional distress due to being unable to access sanitary items.
We are happy to announce that the company acted upon this immediately and purchased products that have been placed in ports and onboard vessels. Any individual who is not familiar with the whereabouts or appropriate signage to identify where products are located should contact your workplace representative or HOD in the first instance and encourage awareness amongst all employees of the availability of products.
Flexible working agreements
We are currently engaging with your employer on flexible working agreements, as we have a couple of examples where requests have been submitted and decisions have not been made in a timely manner and often outside of the 2-month window upon which a decision should have been made. Whilst your employer recognises that flexible working can increase staff motivation, promote work-life balance, enrich employee well being and improve performance and productivity, we do not believe that this is being promoted as an available option to employees or it is being perceived as a problematic process not worth pursuing. We will be looking to have comprehensive discussions and should any member of RMT have issues with a request not being dealt with within a timely manner please get in contact with your workplace rep or convenor. representative.
Chefs COC training
Your union has become concerned about the lack of progress around training to allow chefs to achieve COC Certification. We were informed that courses were not available, only to find out that other shipowners are not having any issues in locating training courses. Furthermore, an RMT member located a course as an individual and made this known this to the company. At the last national JNCC meeting the company identified that several individuals were now enrolled on courses and the training had commenced at long last.
Benefits notice boards
Over the past couple of years we have raised concerns regarding awareness and visibility of employee benefits. We do not believe that Stena Line promotes benefits and associated policies in a way that is visible to existing employees, or presents enough details to new employees about the benefits of working for Stena Line. These benefits include Westfield Health, life assurance, maternity/paternity pay, rail passes etc., or where more information can be found, including who is the contact person for the various benefits and policies etc. Your convenor has been advancing discussions on this and the company has agreed for employee benefits notice boards to be placed in workplaces to assist with providing you and your collegues with up-to-date detail of employee benefits.
R&F workplaces
The national secretary recently visited members working at R&F sites within Holyhead and Fishguard and engaged positively with our members in those ports.
It is important that whilst we are seeing these areas grow that we have good engagement and take up any specific issues on behalf of members in these areas.
We would encourage members to identify potential representatives in each location and ensure that we have RMT noticeboards in situ to provide you with up-to-date information.
If you are interested in becoming more involved, you require specific information, or need assistance on a particular matter then get in contact with your convenor Michael Hobson in the first instance at stenaconvenor@rmt.org.uk.
Discussion point – upskilling
Upskilling across the maritime sector is very topical at the minute. Your union is driving this debate across several national forums with various bodies such as the MNTB (Merchant Navy Training Board).
We have raised training and succession planning with your employer as this is an area we recognise has not been as focused on as it could have been in creating opportunities for current employees through apprenticeship development due to financial implications, poor progression of rating to officer training and a lack of modular training to assist individuals in ascertaining qualifications for improved career development.
Upskilling is also an area of focus across the ports’ sector, and we have recently seen individuals previously employed in various roles within the ports’ operation retraining and upskilling as PSO’s and seafarers retraining into various shore-based roles. As personal circumstances change, the experience gained in employment with Stena Line (and beforehand) may present opportunities, but we would like to see a clearer focus with a simplified, easily accessible procedure that provides greater opportunities for current employees. During appraisals and workplace assessments it should be established if individuals are content within their current roles or if you have a desire to change department or develop your skills for promotional opportunities.
Have you been asked by a HOD or shoreside manager what opportunities you would like to pursue? Have you had positive engagement when discussing career development? What would you like to see the RMT and Stena Line doing to improve upskilling opportunities? Get in contact with us and tell us your experience and how we can make this better.
Not a member of RMT?
If you a reading this update, but you are not currently a member of RMT we would encourage you to consider joining or rejoining the RMT. Whatever your reason for not being in the union currently, whether it be for financial reasons, unhappy with a democratic decision taken by the membership, or you have never been a member of a trade union, RMT is the ONLY VOICE negotiating for improvements on your pay, terms and conditions of employment, permanent employment, more jobs, apprentices, roster patterns, improved pension contributions and equality in the workplace etc as well as personal representation. Many of these issues will be subjects of conversation within your workplace, and no matter how much you talk about it in the workplace if it doesn’t get raised through RMT, the likelihood of it being addressed is minimal. The process for joining RMT is simple and is laid out below. It’s important that you stand side-by-side with your colleagues, you have your say on all matter’s workplace related and it’s vital that all members encourage any individual not currently an RMT member to become part of the collective.
