Received from: Nautilus
Congress notes that the merchant navy is the cornerstone of the UK’s maritime industry. Seafarers are vital to the UK’s economy, with 95 per cent of all goods that enter the UK doing so by sea.
Congress laments that fact that the number of UK resident seafarers and nationally registered vessels are at historic lows.
Congress condemns the continued corrosive impacts that flags of convenience have on the UK shipping industry and the practice of ‘social dumping’, as exemplified by P&O Ferries mass sacking on 17 March 2022 and Irish Ferries mass terminations in 2005.
Congress implores the UK government to protect our domestic shipping industry, to create good jobs and training and grow the UK flag by exploring implementing cabotage laws, including favourable public procurement policies for shipowners employing UK crew and operating UK registered vessels.
Congress also implores the UK government to commit to reforms to maritime training to make it more accessible through full funding, one national maritime training provider, and reforms to tonnage tax to grow the UK register and boost employment opportunities for home grown maritime professionals.
Congress further calls on the UK government to expand the scope for fair pay agreements beyond the social care sector, and fully into the wider world of work.
Congress calls on the TUC to:
i. actively support exploration of UK cabotage laws to protect and grow jobs for UK maritime professionals
ii. ensure any TUC consultation response on a procurement bill calls for favourable procurement for UK crewed and registered vessels.
Nautilus International