UK Seafarers Protest
11 January 2019, 11:28 | Updated: 11 January 2019, 11:31
The demonstration was to press for guarantees that new ferry services aimed at easing pressure on Dover after Brexit will be crewed by UK seafarers.
Contracts worth more than £100 million have been awarded to three firms to lay on additional crossings, including Seaborne Freight, even though the company has never run a Channel service.
The firm with the government contract to run ferries between Ramsgate and Ostend has insisted it will be ready by the time the UK leaves the EU. Seaborne Freight made the assertion after a report that the government had accepted in private that it would not be ready for Brexit. But the firm said that services were "due to commence in March".
The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) demonstrated in Londotoday (Friday) calling for the ferries to comply with UK employment law and to be fully crewed with UK ratings.
RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: "These are UK Government ferry contracts and the Government would be quite within their rights to insist they are protected by UK employment law and crewed with UK seafarers.
"There has been a barrage of publicity around the Government's Brexit ferry contracts and the union has written to both Transport Secretary Chris Grayling, who is in control of the arrangements, and the companies involved demanding basic assurances on UK ratings jobs, union recognition and full compliance with UK employment laws.
"RMT has no intention of allowing any backsliding, or any stitch-ups of UK seafarers, and that is why we are making our position public with the protest at the Department for Transport.
"We expect Chris Grayling and the companies he has contracted to meet our demands in full as a matter of urgency."
Seaborne's deal to run freight services from Ramsgate has been questioned as the company has never run a ferry service and does not own any ships.
The company has been criticised for using terms and conditions on its website apparently intended for a takeaway food firm.
