the NUS and win their demands.
Their claim is a very modest seafarers earn £238 month compared, for example, une £472 month earned by their The basic weekly here is f64 and overtime is worked at the discretion of the ship's captain.
In practice, seafarers are 'prisoners' once on board ship and they work extremely nours. The says that overtime averages 24 hours a week.
The seafarers' demand for a per cent pay MIse nius overtime payments is not only tor a decent living wage now, but is also a move towards the reduction of overtime.
The long hours worked take their Billy Kerrigan from the Liverpool disputes committee s convinced that the conditions contribute to the high casualty of seafarers, which are 5 per cent higher than in the Reduction of hours will also go some way to providing, jobs for the thousands seamen and women who are unable to get work ed the shipping in- has affected the do the work of many work of many smaller ships, often with a smaller crew.
Standards Not is the industry immune cuts pamphlet just published by the four main civil service unions* claim that existing standards checking. on crew levels maintained and will result in 'an almost total absence meaningful spot checks on ships'.
At present infringements are uncovered a year, the biggest category being restation weevils, geetes. and maggots In cereals or meats. Those responsible for ship safety cannot cope with their existing tasks.
Bitter Conditions for seafarers often sound Loose on Ine Potemkin the Tsarist ship which mutinied in 1905.
In Liverpool they are for bitter ight with the employers. Many were the 1966 strike and they know that the emplovers Paper with the Post Office. ALL-OUT strike action by seafarers is needed to unite the various sections of will stop at nothing. 'It'll "Reds the beds", as in '66, says Billy Kerrigan. But they are standing firm.
the importance of solidarity trom other sectIons of the workforce and are confident that they have the support of the dockers, tugboat, and — 10 issues for just £1!
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other countries are turn- Seafarers' unIons in ing back ships diverted by the employers foreign ports.
As Billy Kerrigan says. win unless the trade union movement gets us. They can't afford to let us lose.
Cardiff NUS branch ups the stakes, page 15.
*'Marine Services Without by CPSA, SCPS, IPCS and Twice these rates form Socialist before being shot by Loyalist thugs Bernadette McAliskey speaking at H Block/ Armagh demonstration - her last and once
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