Agreement reached in freight vessel staff pay row
The RMT and the Scottish Government have reached a deal
A deal has been reached to ensure that foreign workers on freight vessels serving the Northern Isles are paid at least the minimum wage.
Transport minister Humza Yousaf said the agreement in principle would end a long-running dispute over seafarers' pay.
The vessels Helliar and Hildasay and their crews are currently leased from Seatruck for use by Serco Northlink Ferries on the Northern Isles ferry services.
The RMT union claimed some workers on the boats were being paid as little as #3.66 an hour while Seatruck said no-one was paid less than #4.60.
The company argued the UK national minimum wage did not apply to the crews as they are not deemed to be 'ordinarily working in the UK'''.
An agreement has now been reached to transfer the Helliar and Hildasay to a bareboat charter'' by Scottish Government-owned Caledonian Maritime Assets, meaning the crew will no longer be the responsibility of Seatruck.
Transport Scotland said the vessels would then be made available to Serco Northlink Ferries, which had previously offered to pay Seatruck staff the minimum wage.
It is expected the transfer will take place early next month.
Mr Yousaf said: The current situation with crew being paid less than the minimum wage is unacceptable and as soon as I first became aware of it, I gave a direct commitment to meet with Seatruck in person.
I'm very pleased to see an agreement in principle now in place to end this long-running issue around the freight vessels serving the Northern Isles.
The new charter basis will allow the wage issue to be resolved. Going forward, I can confirm that all crew members will be paid at least the minimum wage.
It also means that the availability of suitable freighters to service these routes has been secured for the immediate future.''
RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: After years of behind-the-scenes pressure by RMT officials, and high-profile campaigning last year, RMT is delighted that at last the Scottish Government have publicly stated they will pay at least the national minimum wage on the NIFS (Northern Isles ferry services)/Seatruck contract.''
National secretary Steve Todd added: While RMT welcome this as a first step, we reiterate that our aim is to have collectively-bargained rates of pay and conditions of service on these freight vessels on the same lines as our members enjoy on the passenger vessels on this Scottish Government contract.
The exploitation of workers, no matter where they come from, is not acceptable to RMT and the fight continues to end this exploitation in Scottish and UK waters.''