NEWS - Nautilus International

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July 2010 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 43 JOIN NAUTILUS CALL NOW TO JOIN NAUTILUS ON: +44 (0)151 639 8454 Ten good reasons why you should be a member: 1. Pay and conditions Nautilus International negotiates on your behalf with an increasing number of British, Dutch and foreign flag employers on issues including pay, conditions, leave, hours and pensions. The Union also takes part in top-level international meetings on the pay and conditions of maritime professionals in the world fleets. 2. Legal services With the maritime profession under increasing risk of criminalisation, Nautilus International provides specialist support, including a worldwide network of lawyers who can provide free and immediate advice to full members on employment-related matters. Members and their families also have access to free initial advice on non-employment issues. 3. Certificate protection As a full member, you have free financial protection, worth up to £105,000, against loss of income if your certificate of competency is cancelled, suspended or downgraded following a formal inquiry. Full members are also entitled to representation during accident investigations or inquiries. 4. Compensation Nautilus International’s legal services department recovers substantial compensation for members who have suffered work-related illness or injuries. 5. Workplace support Nautilus International officials provide expert advice on work-related problems such as contracts, redundancy, bullying or discrimination, non-payment of wages, and pensions. 6. Safety and welfare Nautilus International plays a vital role in national and international discussions on such key issues as hours of work, crewing levels, shipboard conditions, vessel design, and technical and training standards. Nautilus International has a major say in the running of the industry wide pension schemes in the UK and the Netherlands. 7. Savings Being a Nautilus International member costs less than buying a newspaper every day and gives you peace of mind at work, with access to an unrivalled range of services and support. It’s simple to save the cost of membership — by taking advantage of specially-negotiated rates on a variety of commercial services ranging from tax advice to UK credit cards, and household, motoring, travel and specialist insurance. 8. In touch As a Nautilus International member, help is never far away — wherever in the world you are. Officials regularly visit members onboard their ships and further support and advice is available at regular ‘surgeries’ and college visits throughout the UK and the Netherlands. There is also an official based in Singapore. 9. Your union, your voice Nautilus International is the voice of some 25,000 maritime professionals working in all sectors of the shipping industry, at sea and ashore. As one of the largest and most influential international bodies representing maritime professionals, the Union campaigns tirelessly to promote your views. 10. Get involved! Nautilus International is a dynamic and democratic union, offering members many opportunities to be fully involved and have your say in our work — at local, national and international levels. www.nautilusint.org It’s never been more important to be a member and it’s never been easier to apply for membership. You can now join over the phone, or online at www.nautilusint.org — or post us this form to begin: SURNAME FIRST NAMES GEN DER ADDRESS POSTCODE PERSONAL EMAIL HOME TEL EMPLOYER SHIP NAME DISCHARGE BOOK NO (IF APPLICABLE) DATE OF BIRTH MOBILE RANK If you are, or have been, a member of another union please state: NAME OF UNION SUBSCRIPTIONS PAID UNTIL MEMBERSHIP NO (IF KNOWN) DATE OF LEAVING Please post this form to: Membership services department Nautilus International Nautilus House, Mariners’ Park Wallasey CH45 7PH, United Kingdom
44 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | July 2010 NEWS Alarm over attacks on unionists The International Trade Union AConfederation (ITUC) has reported a dramatic increase in the number of trade unionists murdered in 2009, with 101 killings worldwide — up 30% on the previous year. The ITUC annual survey of trade union rights violations, published last month, provides detailed evidence of harassment, intimidation and other forms of anti-union persecution, including beatings and detentions. Forty-eight of the deaths took place in Colombia, which has long had a poor reputation for anti-union violence. Elsewhere in the world, the ITUC survey highlights the situation in the Philippines, described as ‘one of the most dangerous countries in Asia for trade unionists’. In this nation — popular with international shipping companies as a source of low-cost crew — three trade union leaders were murdered in 2009 and another died following interrogations by state security forces. New Spirit for P&O A Captain David Miller, senior master of the new P&O Ferries vessel Spirit of Britain, is pictured left as the 49,000gt ship was launched at the STX Europe yard in Rauma, Finland, last month. Due to be delivered in December, Spirit of Britain was floated out of its construction dock to enable work to start on a sistership — Spirit of France. Costing more than €360m, the two ships are the largest designed for service on the Dover Strait and will be capable of carrying 1,750 passengers, 180 lorries and 195 cars. Spirit of Britain is set to begin sea trials in October and is expected to enter into service on the Dover-Calais route in January 2011, to be followed by Spirit of France in September next year. P&O Ferries chief executive Helen Deeble said the ships were designed for a lifespan of 25 years, and would be the first ferries to comply with the International Maritime Organisation’s ‘safe return to port’ regulations. Union warns on fatigue dangers F Nautilus hits out as owners and flag states seek to retain STCW ‘flexibility’ on working hours PNautilus International was last month working with other maritime unions to oppose attempts by shipowner groups and some flag states to water down proposed new curbs on seafarers’ working hours. The Union was taking part in the week-long diplomatic conference in Manila at the end of the month that was due to decide on a package of revisions to the international Standards of Training Certification & Watchkeeping (STCW) convention. In the lead-up to the final talks on the STCW shake-up, controversy mounted over plans to bring the International Maritime Organisation rules on watchkeepers’ working hours into line with those set by the International Labour Organisation (ILO). Merchant Navy Operations (Deck) Certificate of Competency Officer of the Watch (Unlimited) Jan, May & Sept Chief Mate/Masters (Unlimited) May & September Short courses to STCW 95 Safety Personal Survival Techniques Personal Safety & Social Responsibilities Fire Prevention & Fire Fighting Elementary First Aid 5 Day Combined Basic Safety Training Specialist training for the maritime and offshore industries Passenger Ships: Crisis Management and Human Behaviour Passenger Ships: Safety, Cargo Safety and Hull Integrity Crowd Management Medical Medical First Aid Onboard Ship Medical Care Onboard Ship (and Refresher) Radio GMDSS GOC/ROC/LRC Navigation NaRAST (O) & (M) Originally, the IMO was looking at proposed changes to cut the STCW’s maximum weekly work hours limit for watchkeepers from 98 to 91 and increase minimum rest time requirements from 70 hours to 77. But a flurry of counter-proposals were tabled as major shipowners and flag states sought to win support for alternative proposals, seeking to retain daily and weekly exceptions from the rules. They claim these are essential to enable ships to meet varying trading patterns, operational requirements and weather conditions. One paper, submitted by the Bahamas and Liberia and owners’ organisations including the International Shipping Federation, BIMCO, Intertanko, the Cruise lines International Association and the International Ship Managers’ Association, urged the IMO to continue to permit flexibility. They want the conference to agree to allow daily exceptions to the requirement for 10 hours of rest in very 24-hour period in certain circumstances. The International Shipping Federation argued that both the IMO and ILO regimes permit ‘occasional deviation’ from minimum rest hour rules — provided that sufficient safeguards are in place and that compensatory rest is provided. ‘Unfortunately due to misunderstandings amongst some governments about the practical aspects of ship operations, particularly when ships are in port, there is a danger that any scope for flexibility could be completely removed from the revised STCW Convention,’ it warned. ‘In effect (with the exception of emergencies) seafarers could be prohibited from ever being on duty for more than 14 hours in any 24-hour period,’ the ISF said. ‘This could prove particularly damaging to shortsea shipping and could also have an impact on the wages received by seafarers, since their overtime hours could be substantially reduced. ‘While it is accepted that the total hours of rest in any seven day period must never be less than those stipulated (77 hours under ILO and currently 70 hours under STCW), there needs to be flexibility in how this work is distributed throughout the seafarers’ working week.’ As long as seafarers are compensated with rest for working extra hours and the total hours worked do not exceed the weekly Bridge Simulator Bridge Team Management Ship’s Safety Officer/Security Officer Tanker Familiarisation Specialist Tanker Training (Oil) Other courses Efficient Deck Hand CPSC&RB Dynamic Positioning DP Induction DP Simulator limit there should be no problem, the ISF contended. EU member states put forward another paper that sought to ensure any exceptions were granted for safety and security reasons rather than commercial pressures. But Nautilus senior national secretary Allan Graveson said he was appalled by the moves and argued that there are strong health and safety grounds for tighter controls on seafarers’ hours. ‘Those flag states that accept either a 91 or 98 hour working week, with or without derogation, should be prepared to take responsibility for their actions — be that of bodies in the water or oil on the sea,’ he warned. ‘Such incidents are entirely foreseeable and preventable.’ Offshore Oil & Gas (OPITO) OIM Management of Major Emergencies CRO Controlling Emergencies Command & Control for ERRVs Masters & Mates Competence Management Consultancy Offshore First Aid (and Refresher) Advanced Offshore First Aid (and Refresher) Accredited by New Code brings big changes The new STCW Convention and Code, due to be adopted at a diplomatic conference at the end of June, will see some sweeping changes to key elements of life and work at sea. The overhaul is the first since 1995, and for Nautilus one of the most important elements it introduces is international recognition for the role of the electro-technical officer. ‘We have done what we set out to do almost three decades ago, delivering formal ETO qualifications on a global basis at operational and support level,’ said senior national secretary Allan Graveson. An additional paper being tabled at the conference by China sought to extend this further, to cover guidance on the competence requirements for senior ETOs. Other STCW changes include: zimproved measures to prevent certificate fraud znew rules to combat drug and alcohol abuse zupdated medical fitness standards for seafarers znew requirements for security training znew training guidance for personnel serving onboard offshore support vessels znew certification for able seafarers gFull report in August’s Telegraph Lowestoft College, St Peters Street, Lowestoft, Suffolk NR32 2NB United Kingdom Tel 00 44 1502 525025 Fax 00 44 1502 525106 Email maritime@lowestoft.ac.uk Web www.lowestoft.ac.uk/maritime.asp
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NEWS - Nautilus International

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