North Sea – Do you have foreign nationals on the ROV team?

[James McLauchlan]

This is a small survey to see if any truth can be established on whether some North Sea ROV operators are currently employing non EU citizens as ROV crew members for jobs in the North Sea. It appears some UK based operators are now viewing Asia as a cheap ready source of ROV labour. Try GBP48/day!! Hard evidence on this practice is needed.

There is no way of polling this, that I can see, but a few responses should be sufficient to prove the point.

So…

Are you currently on a North Sea job (or just off one) where there is/was a foreign national flown in from overseas being employed as an ROV tech on a rate that you suspect is way under the norm for the UK (i.e. cheap labour)?

If you do not wish to post out in the open, for fear of an internal witch hunt, please send me a PM with details, Company, work site (rig/vessel), position on team and nationality of foreign national etc. I will then pass it on to the RMT/OILC who, it seems, are very interested getting hold of some factual information rather than making inquiries based on rumours.

I feel there is no issue with Foreign nationals working on UK based jobs if they are on full rates and paying UK taxes (I’d compete on that kind of level playing field any day) but if the use of foreign labour means cheap rates and displaces UK based ROV trainees and PT’s then that’s a different matter. Don’t forget this type of thing only takes place to satisfy shareholders not the people at the work site.

[Anonymous]

Its common knowledge that S7 are employing or in the process of employing riggers, crane ops, welders and other disiplines from the Philippines on vessels that work in the UK sector. I can understand that you may feel ROV tech’s are in someway special given the nature of the forum but this is a sign of the times. The RMT may well be interested to here from you about ROV folk loosing out to cheaper labour. However the RMT did absolutly nothing for the fully paid up riggers that have already lost their jobs or waiting to loose them. Perhaps the RMT will also see ROV hands as "special"

[James McLauchlan]

I take you point but…..

…….. but this is a sign of the times.

That’s it? Just roll over and watch your job go to cheap imported foreign labour?

Write to your MP… badger the UNi0n, ask them to lobby parliament via their MP. The UK is going through high unemployment and no matter what the job .. rigger, crane op, ROV tech, there is no way foreigners (non EU citizens) should be issued with work permits by the British government when there are people in the EU that can do the job.

[Andy Shiers]

Hmmm , James , I think you did not get the gist of what 225 said methinks 😕

[piper]

When I last posted about British and Americans working in Africa you bloody lot thought I was crazy going all gaga on me about companies running for profits…….. what goes around comes around. So live with it, get out of Africa and go back to the North Sea I am sure some of us can manage without you.

[James McLauchlan]

Hmmm , James , I think you did not get the gist of what 225 said methinks 😕

Just stirring the pot a little…

[rovpilot]

get out of Africa and go back to the North Sea I am sure some of us can manage without you.

Maybe if Africa was under British rule you would be singing a different song.

I wouldnt be so much worried about the rooineks as much as the chineese who are taking everything.

If you cant make a living in Africa, you certainly wont be any better off in the UK…maybe…

[Rons_ROV_Links]

Do you have foreign nationals on the ROV team?

Yes.

The non-UK company I work for started in 1999 replacing the UK ROV pilots by technicians from the Philipinnes. These guys were not much cheaper at the end but their technical skills were much higher than that of the UK pilots who were even not able the fix a lamp. So now we have teams that consist of pilots from the Philipinnes only.

I have been training and supervising these guys for appr. 10 years until I ended up on a boring office. Yes, I lost my position as a pilot because of this but I don’t really bother (for the moment).

We even replaced most of the hydrographic surveyors onboard too. The crew onboard our vessels on the North Sea consists for 75% of people from the Philipinnes.

Actually, British pilots are foreign nationalities too when your company isn’t UK based!

… and paying UK taxes …

I always thought that paying almost no UK taxes was the reason for UK citizens to start working offshore?

[Anonymous]

The question of work permits is a mute point. I dont think work permits are issued to our Asian friends, the same way as would be required for land based work. Offshore work is not classed as working in the UK. Its all days out the country as those that claim tax back will agree. Simple transit visa’s or marine visa’s are all thats required for vessel based work. And of course they dont pay any UK tax.

Cheaper foreign labour has been the downfall of the UK merchant navy and the unions and goverment stood by and did very little. With the exception of Seafarers Earning Deduction which tries to give the UK based marine guys a competitive edge. Perhaps this time they will step in to save the ROV P/T’s from cheaper alternatives.

If your a salaried P/T then your not about to sacked and replaced by a cheaper alternative. But all new trainees and P/T will be day rate Philippino’s. Thats certainly the business model that S7 will be using in the near future. I dont think promotion is easy these days, but those that have just joined the ROV game its time to graft a bit and try and get up the ladder. Those with solid Sub Eng backgrounds or supervisory experiance have little to worry about.

[ROVRatt]

My, my, how we’re squealing now that the shoe is on the other foot. Two years ago the Brits on this forum had all sorts of reasons to justify their higher rates. When it was predicted that foreigners would take over their jobs due to this just like happened in the merchant marine, no sympathy was shpwn. Now its happening. As predicted.

James, how about a poll to find out how many Brits are working foreiegn and earning a higher rate than the locals?

Lets be fair now and stop squealing.

[Andy Shiers]

In case you have not realised old sport 🙄
Our economy ( What’s left of it ) has an uncanny way of keeping our pound higher than the rest of the world , Our cost of living in this country is higher , Our tax is higher ( Apparently due to all the benefits we get , Or give to spongers that have no inclination to work in the first place ! )
Hence the reason why all these "Foreigners" have been coming to our country since after the war ! Is there really any other reason why every Tom DICK and ‘Arry would come to little ol Blighty on the map other than the higher wage ? We get paid more but we pay more tax and our standard of living is higher !
If Mr Philipa and Mr Polish can come to this country , earn five times as much than in their own country then send the money back to their own country , that ain’t helping our little economy ( What’s left of it ! ) to grow ……. is it ?
Aaah , but if the same Mr Philipa and Mr Polish come to our country and get paid the SAME as us because they are as good if not better in experience than the old Brit then "Money for courses and ‘Orses" I have no problemo ! As you said , we go around the world to other countries but that is only because we have the experience and they don’t 😯 .
So any of you foreigners over here should be earning between £430 and £500 pounds a day as a ROV Pilot . If not Downtools and go on strike ! 😀
Solidarity……….. Mr Polish 🙂 That’s what it’s all about and if you don’t get the money ?
GO HOME TO YOUR OWN COUNTRY 😀

[Kalbo]

Well said lostboy.

On the day rate though I thinks I will be downing me tools!!!

[Scott Beveridge]

Here’s to solidarity!!! Kalbo and Lost, PLEASE join the you-know-what… especially if you live there and CAN take advantage of the you-know-what….

[Andy Shiers]

Oiright ! 🙄
Stop moaning , Wished I’d never married ya 😕
I’ll join the Onion stall !

[Kalbo]

Scott

T have alraedy joined up. I did PM you, 1 of the 10 or so you say that you received about the subject!!!
Private board!!!! Still waiting!!!!!zzzzzzzzz

Kalbo.

[Author]

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