Company attitude has changed, says UK maritime and transport union RMT after getting recognised on three Norfolkline ferries.

July 2007

After roughly  a year of union struggle workers on three Maersk owned cross-channel ferries can now organise and negociate through the UK maritime union RMT

"We haven’t signed the agreement yet, but Norfolkline has agreed to recognize RMT and negotiate a collective bargaining agreement", Steve Todd, National Secretary of the RMT says.

Norfolkline is a subsidiary of A.P. Moller-Maersk. RMT will represent deck, engine-room and catering ratings on the Maersk Delft, Maersk Dover and Maersk Dunquerque, all of which operate between Dover and Dunquerque.

RMT had been working on this case for twelve months along with other maritime union Nautilus.

Case presented in Copenhagen

"There has clearly been a change in the company’s attitude towards us. I am glad that we’ve solved this problem for the benefit of the employees, and we are now looking forward to a positive relationship with Maersk", Steve Todd says.

He presented the problem to Maersk Senior Vice president, Knud Pontoppidan and fellow trade unionists from around the world at an ITF Maersk Network conference in April in Copenhagen.

Progress on Liverpool-Belfast ferry
"The network has been very useful in this matter. The fact that we were all there, made the conference in Denmark very useful for us", Steve Todd says.

Maersk has also agreed in principle to extend recognition to UK catering ratings on its Liverpool-Belfast route, the RMT says. The union will continue to work with Irish unions on improving working conditions on other Norfolkline vessels operating in the Irish Sea.