Shipping union RMT today pledged support for a joint fight alongside sister union Nautilus and the local community over a renewed threat to Isle of Man ferry services.
RMT has backed the call for the UK and Manx governments to bring in new controls to prevent unfair competition based on low-cost foreign crews and flag of convenience ships which once again threaten to undermine services , jobs and working conditions on the lifeline Steam Packet operation.
The alert comes in the wake of yet another set of proposals for a new ferry service between the Isle of Man and Liverpool in a direct threat to the long-established and highly-regarded Isle of Man Steam Packet Company.
The latest operator seeking to destabilise the Steam Packet, the Ellan Vannin Line, owned by Sea Alliance Ltd, has unveiled plans that it claims will ‘bring down prices and improve customer service’ when it launches a freight service later this year and a passenger service by April 2014 at the expense of fairly paid and rewarded jobs. Over 300 jobs on the Steam Packet are threatened by the plans.
RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said:
“No one should underestimate the scale of the latest threat to services, jobs and working conditions that is posed by this latest aggressive attempt to undermine the Isle of Man Steam Packet.
“This is not the first time scavengers have attempted to exploit this life-line ferry route and they will be met with the stiffest possible joint resistance from the trade unions and the local community where the decent jobs and conditions on the Steam Packet are an integral part of the local economy.”
Steve Todd, RMT National Secretary, said:
“Once again the vultures are hovering over the Isle of Man Steam Packet and once again we are mobilising to fight them off. This is an action replay of the failed Mezeron operation which relied on flagged-out ships and an exploited, overseas workforce to try and take out the Steam Packet and the highly-valued service it provides to the Island community.
“The political, public and industrial fight starts now.”
