NAUTILUS P01 OCTOBER 2010.qxd - Nautilus International

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22 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | October 2010 MEMBERS AT WORK Thames work is London calling Thames Clippers launched with one boat in 1999 and now carries more than 7,000 passengers a day w The Thames is liquid history — so said trade unionist John Burns in 1929, who was MP for Battersea on the south bank of the river. Today, the tide of history is about to turn again on the Thames as Nautilus looks poised to gain bargaining rights for members that work on it. Following positive talks last month with passenger boat operator Thames Clippers, Nautilus industrial officer Jonathan Havard has been preparing a draft memorandum of understanding to send to management. The Union is also stepping up its recruitment drive at the company. ‘We have a majority of masters in membership. So we could legitimately go for collective bargaining rights for masters and have a strong case,’ Mr Havard informs the Telegraph. ‘What we don’t yet have, although it’s increasing all the time, is a majority among the other grades.’ The other grades comprise mates, among whom Nautilus is WARSASH MARITIME ACADEMY A Faculty of Southampton Solent University MSc Shipping Operations A new route to career progression for senior maritime professionals Commencing in January 2011 01489 556220 MIKE GERBER meets the members who are maintaining a long tradition of passenger services on London’s river… also close to claiming majority membership, deckhands, and CSAs (customer service assistants) who may work on boats or ashore. Although CSAs are in a separate line of promotion to the boatmen grades, several CSAs have also joined the Union. Both masters and mates are qualified watermen, to use the generic term. In the time-honoured waterways’ lexicon, watermen are the boat workers that carry passengers, whereas those employed on cargo riverboats are known as lightermen. Since a 1555 Act of Parliament established the Company of Watermen & Lightermen guild, this body has administered the apprenticeship schemes, following successful completion of which one becomes a freeman of the Company. To become a master, one must qualify for the national boatmaster’s licence (BML). This came into force in 2007 and covers all the country’s inland waterways, bringing the UK into line with rest of the EU. As seen in the August Telegraph, which covered the Doggett’s Coat and Badge Race — the rowing contest organised annually for newly-qualified Thames watermen and lightermen — many who work on London’s river are following a long family tradition. w Nautilus member Dean Pettipher, 23, who finished second in the race, and who is now a Thames Clippers master, took his apprenticeship under his grandfather Reuben. The family connection goes back four generations, as Dean’s father, also named Reuben, explained to the Telegraph: ‘My grandfather and great-grandfather, they were on the river carrying lighterage to London, in and out the barges and tugs, and on the shipping side towing ships, barges and steamtugs up through London docks.’ During his apprenticeship, Dean also worked for other Thames operators — Catamaran Cruises, Bateaux London, City Cruise, and Capital Pleasure Boats. But, he added, ‘Thames Clippers is my favourite company to work for — I’ve been there for about four years.’ Those rooting for Dean on the Emma Crompton day included a number of Dean’s colleagues. ‘I don’t come from a river background as such,’ said Matt Parish, 27. ‘But my dad knew my boss and that’s how I got into it. I did a four and a half year apprenticeship and I’ve been a captain for three and a half years.’ When Matt started in 2002/03, there were only three boats in the Clippers’ fleet, but now he says there’s 14. ‘And we need more,’ he adds. ‘It’s getting busier because people are realising it’s a better way to either commute or to transport goods into London. And it’s good to see, because the river was such a vital part of London’s history — what with all the wharves, it still is. ‘But it had a bit of a lull, and now it’s getting back up there again and it’s good to see there’s more lighterage and aggregate companies doing more to get stuff into London, I think it’s brilliant.’ w Dean Pettipher and his grandfather Reuben Emma Crompton, who turns 26 next month, is already a Nautilus member. A captain, she has worked for Clippers for three years. Previously she worked for a Thames company that teaches sailing. At Clippers, she started as a mate. ‘I was a mate for a year, then I was asked to attend a five-week training course to get my captain’s licence.’ Emma is the only female captain on the river. ‘There have been a few before me and there are more up and coming. We’ve got two female apprentices at Thames Clippers at the minute.’
October 2010 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 23 MEMBERS AT WORK Nautilus rep Graeme Faulkner and first officer Ben Gordon Several Thames Carriers’ boatmasters have Merchant Navy experience, including Nautilus rep Graeme Faulkner. ‘My career started on the river, based at Gravesend supplying fresh water to ships visiting and trading in the Thames — days when we had a Merchant Navy and the river was still used. ‘I was apprenticed to my father and bound to the company of waterman and lightermen. During my apprenticeship I was fortunate to be able to operate near coastal waters as well as the river. ‘After gaining my freedom of the river Thames, I remained in the river for a short time before joining a small family-run tug firm where I soon became a tugmaster,’ he recalls. ‘It was at this point that I gained the experience of coastal towage and working around the British isles. Within this time I obtained my tug masters and spent a considerable amount of time away from the Thames, but never so far as to lose touch.’ w Graeme also worked as operations and contract manager for GPS Marine contractors and spent 18 months with Belgian company Herbosch Kier, whose work was mostly around the south coast and Shetlands. ‘The opportunity arose just over three years ago to join Thames Clippers, with the attraction of taking things a little slower and easier and the challenge of a new company — albeit as the position of master.’ Would Graeme recommend river-work to seafarers who, unlike him, had no previous background in the industry ‘It’s hard to recommend a change for a seafarer to come to the River Thames purely for the fact that it cannot be compared to any other marine career,’ he says. Water works: the transport of the last decommissioned Concorde by river in April 2004 demonstrated the potential for freight on the Thames ‘Hence why I served a five-year apprenticeship. Although the MCA has now made it easier for STCW 95 to operate in the river, unfortunately the nature of the river is unchanged and the older element tend to struggle in adapting. ‘A typical day at Thames Clippers is unlike any position I have held before,’ Graeme told the Telegraph. ‘Due to the high speed in such close quarters your concentration levels are stretched to the max, and in one 10-hour shift alone you will berth the vessel a minimum 80 times — often with limited breaks and rest.’ Graeme works a three days on, two days off shift pattern. ‘But at least you get home every night and you are not worried about a “ The camaraderie of the job and the river in general is great ” gale and rolling out of your bunk,’ he adds. w Graeme joined Thames Clippers around the time that the company changed from being family-run to becoming part of the AEG multinational group, which also owns the O2 Arena. Clippers runs an express boat service between Waterloo Pier and the O2 at North Greenwich Pier at as part of its regular schedules. ‘With such a large young age group within the company, the experience was limited and as the company doubled its labour force overnight it soon became apparent to the more mature crew members that a union had to be formed,’ Graeme recalls. ‘After a few crew meetings set up by ourselves, I became elected as the crews’ rep and then concentrated on getting crews to join Nautilus.’ While there used to be a lot of disciplinary cases and staff turnover was high, Graeme points out: ‘Through sensible approaches and the help of industrial officer Jonathan Havard we are slowly getting there and hope that in the near future Thames Clippers will recognise Nautilus. ‘The camaraderie of the job and the Thames in general is great,’ he adds. ‘I can certainly see a future for Nautilus to gain more members throughout the river as more and more companies fall under the Safety Management Code.’
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