RMT slams SS7 on pay/conditions through hiring cheap labour

[James McLauchlan]

…….This will always lead to an influx of cheaper labour to any sector. I dont mind competition from foreign workers but the obvious disparity in pay rates make it impossible for this to be possible……

Except for the Diving Industry in the North Sea.
Except for all Subsea related vocations offshore in Oz.

[Scott Beveridge]

…….This will always lead to an influx of cheaper labour to any sector. I dont mind competition from foreign workers but the obvious disparity in pay rates make it impossible for this to be possible……

Except for the Diving Industry in the North Sea.
Except for all Subsea related vocations offshore in Oz.

They should be properly black-balled by us all…

[liddelljohn]

I dont know if SS7 trainee P/T’s are staff. By staff I mean they have a contact of employment and a salary plus benefits. I presume they are day rate, with the possibilty of a staff position at a later date.

They are on the following contracted 90 day employment package:

Salary of US$1065 with the option to earn overtime up to take it to a maximum of US$2159

They are doing 6 weeks on and 2 weeks off.

Further information I will not divulge, but that is enough to give people the idea. Oh… they are not day rates of course!

Now, does that mean they will do a 90 day trip away from home? If not, what will they be doing in-between offshore trips? Sitting in a hotel.. or, as loyal salary staff, working at the base on work permits?

I have spoken to several of the SS7 Phillipinos recently and thay work for the above rates but it is also Tax free under phillipine offshore regulations.

liddelljohn

[Scott Beveridge]

Will we see more empty TMS units coming back to the workshops throughout the world soon? I think we all know the answer to this!

[doug]

Hi , what is the latest update now with Subsea 7 employing Fillipino ROV crew ,riggers and co-ordinators , is it a done deal and going ahead or has it been stopped?
Did the Union manage to intervene and get it overturned and was there ever a reply to the letter sent to Subsea 7 by the union?

Apologies if there are obvious answers to all this but I just haven’t heard anything for so long about it.

[Rons_ROV_Links]

Hi , what is the latest update now with Subsea 7 employing Fillipino ROV crew ,riggers and co-ordinators , is it a done deal and going ahead or has it been stopped?
Did the Union manage to intervene and get it overturned and was there ever a reply to the letter sent to Subsea 7 by the union?

Apologies if there are obvious answers to all this but I just haven’t heard anything for so long about it.

Just had a look at the RMT website plus their online newsletters and I didn’t find anything new to this subject.

[James McLauchlan]

If you join the EiE (OILC-RMT branch) forum at http://www.nokernok.com you will see what’s going on, or not, as the case may be. You need to be an RMT member to access it.

The RMT upper echelon have indeed dragged their heels on this. The OILC branch is keen and on the case but the union big wigs (mainly based in London) seem to be more interested in trains!

[Anonymous]

Subsea 7 have published the following figures in December regarding the changes in personnel.

What is the scale of this change?

To date we have replaced 4% [98 personnel] of our offshore workforce of 2,500 personnel. 24 positions in transition. Onshore (excluding spoolbases) we have reduced 15% [450] of our personnel in 2009.

Of those 98 offshore positions, very few were ROV. Given the union did absolutly nothing to help the fully paid up riggers keep their jobs. I doubt they will do much for the ‘special ones’ in the ROV sector.

[James McLauchlan]

Those are global figures, no doubt released to make the UK losses appear insignificant.

Of those 98 offshore positions, very few were ROV. Given the union did absolutly nothing to help the fully paid up riggers keep their jobs. I doubt they will do much for the ‘special ones’ in the ROV sector.

It wouldn’t matter to me if there was only one job lost as a result of the company using cheap foreign labour. It’s still wrong.
Stating that that ‘very few were ROV’ doesn’t mean it’s any more acceptable. That was 2009. What will happen this year?

Many countries are jumping on the ‘must be a national’ bandwagon these days… just look at the job ads a appearing of late.
All accept the UK North Sea sector that is… if it’s a SS7 ROV job it’s more like… UK national need not apply!

[Anonymous]

Global figures reflect a global industry. However you would find even less change on the vessels that work solely in the North Sea.

James wrote:

The OILC branch is keen and on the case but the union big wigs (mainly based in London) seem to be more interested in trains!

Given the volume of ROV guys actually replaced by cheaper labour in the UK, its hardly a supprise. You dont need to join the union to find out they are doing next to nothing. It does seem that many ad’s recently appear to be more restrictive, locals only type deals. Some of it is visa issues, but I would guess its financially motivated mostly. Every company is trying to reduce costs.

The North Sea for Brits only? Its never going to happen with this Goverment or the next.

[James McLauchlan]

The North Sea for Brits only? Its never going to happen with this Goverment or the next.

I wouldn’t want to see the UK sector of North Sea for Brits only and I am inclined to agree with your statement, by ‘North Sea’ I assume you mean UK sector.

What I would want to see is general parity of pay for all those working in the UK sector and not one person on x£/day and another on 75% less!!

In an ideal world I would also wish to see a requirement for foreign nationals to posses a work permit to be able to enter the UK with the intention to work in the UK offshore sector. Many countries appear to be adopting this policy but the UK is being it’s usual slack self and allowing all and sundry in at the expense of it’s own citizens and tax revenue for the country. How counter productive is that? It’s a slack policy that benefits nobody other than the likes of corporate bean counters.

[bristolrover69]

Its catching.

DeepOcean Norway have taken on a batch of Phillipino trainees
£ 48 a day is what they are believeto be on
Surely thatsunder the minimum wage threshold

[dandydon]

If the above is the truth then it must be a test to see how the noggie union treats the threat o super-low wages ken, worth watching this …if its true ken

[mustafa bigen]

The new policy of s club may not be filling there personnel need as they expected. Still in touch with a few of the lads but won’t repeat there comments ill just leave you with this;

If anything s club sound bottom heavy as appose to top

We are looking for an ROV Supervisor and Pilot tech

PRIORITY

Job Title
ROV Senior Operations Controller

Vessel
Seven Seas

Date required
Travel (UK) Sunday 25th April

Location
Norway & UK Waters

Duration
2- 4 weeks

Quals/certs
Relevant Survival & Medical + technical qualification in either mechanical or electrical engineering – must be confirmed before hire

Additional Info
ROV’s onboard Herc 23 & 24, construction experience

Job Title
ROV Pilot Technician

Vessel
Toisa Polaris

Date required
Travel (UK) 27th TBC

Location
Norway & UK

Duration
4 weeks

Quals/certs
Relevant Survival & Medical + technical qualification in either mechanical or electrical engineering – must be confirmed before hire

Additional Info
WCROV Herc 4 & Herc 15 + construction & IRM experience

Job Title
ROV Pilot Technician

Vessel
Toisa Polaris

Date required
Travel (UK) 27th TBC

Location
Norway & UK

Duration
4 weeks

Quals/certs
Relevant Survival & Medical + technical qualification in either mechanical or electrical engineering – must be confirmed before hire

Additional Info
WCROV Herc 4 & Herc 15 + construction & IRM experience

Job Title
ROV Submersible Technician

Vessel
Toisa Polaris

Date required
Travel (UK) 27th TBC

Location
Norway & UK

Duration
4 weeks

Quals/certs
Relevant Survival & Medical + technical qualification in either mechanical or electrical engineering – must be confirmed before hire

Additional Info
WCROV Herc 4 & Herc 15 + construction & IRM experience

You Must have Norwegian medicals and Survivals and Hercules experience is ideal.

Please note start dates. The closer to Norway you are the better

Please call or email if you require more information or are interested?

Yours sincerely,

[Anonymous]

South Africa is the new Philippines…

[Author]

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