News / Serco hope to avert strike as ballot called
NORTHLINK ferry crews are to be balloted on strike action this week in a fight against what the RMT trade union calls the “casualisation” of the skilled labour force.
Announcing that ballot papers would be issued on 19 July, the union said the move comes after new ferry operators Serco refused to provide assurances on jobs, hours and working conditions.
However the company has said that they hope to engage in constructive dialogue that will prevent any industrial action taking place.
The union says it has already won some concessions from the multinational company that specialises in outsourcing government services.
Pension entitlements will now be honoured and union members will not be expected to work on other Serco vessels in or outside UK waters.
But union representatives say the company has so far declined numerous requests to hold national level talks over issues including zero hours contracts, flexibility, versatility and potential job losses.
They say the company refuses to provide assurances about future redundancies, insists that they want to introduce zero hours contracts and want all working conditions to be reviewed.
This has led the RMT to announce they are in dispute with the company. Ballot papers will be issued and Thursday with a closing date on Thursday 9 August.
Strike action would cause major problems for local residents wanting to travel to the mainland, tourists hoping to visit the isles and exporters of fish. It would also impact on the import of vital goods for keeping the islands going.
RMT general secretary Bob Crow said: “Serco NorthLink are fully aware that we will not accept attacks on our members jobs and conditions and what is a de facto attempt to bulldoze through the casualisation of these skilled shipping grades.
“We have no option now but to ballot in the face of this threat to our members future livelihoods.”
RMT national secretary Steve Todd added: “RMT will not stand back while staff caught in the middle of this ill-conceived privatisation stitch-up are kicked from pillar to post in the dash to maximise profits.
“The public will understand that it is jobs and conditions today and will be cuts to services and increases to fares tomorrow. Serco should take up the offer of national level talks to resolve this dispute.”
Serco managing director Stuart Garret said: “Despite the short timescale from contract award to start up we successfully achieved transition on 5 July, this was done with the cooperation of the total workforce.
“We now have the opportunity to fully engage with our staff and representative organisations, particularly the RMT and Nautilus.
“We look forward to further exploring the opportunities to translate our contract proposals in to business deliverables.
“It is understandable that in any process, particularly involving a change in contract, that there will be uncertainties.
“With clarity of communication and the establishment of open dialogue I look forward to developing these plans in a collaborative fashion.”
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