MERCHANT NAVY OFFICERS WITH OFFSHORE CONTRACTS

Early day motion 254, tabled 25 January 2001 by Julie Morgan (Labour). Signed by 146 members.

That this House deplores the invidious position faced by Merchant Navy officers whose contracts are being terminated on ships in the Associated Bulk Carriers fleet that is being sold by the P and O Group; notes that, despite being UK citizens and having many years of loyal service, these officers are employed on 'offshore' contracts; notes the nature of these contracts, based in Bermuda, is such that these officers are denied the employment protection rights that are extended to British workers ashore and are therefore exposed to a non-UK legal system with which they are unfamiliar; notes that the arrangements mean that these officers are effectively denied the right to pursue legitimate contractual issues through the UK and European legal systems; urges P and O to look again at this situation, in the light of their massive cost savings made by this sale, to ensure that the officers receive, as a minimum a settlement equivalent to, their full pay for the notice period; and also urges the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions to look again at the proposals of the Working Group on Shipping with regard to protection of those people working on 'offshore' contracts.

Signatures by party: Labour 99, Liberal Democrat 19, Labour/Co-operative 9, Conservative 7, UUP 4, Plaid Cymru 3, Scottish National Party 3, Independent 1, UKUP 1.