- Act designed to boost the pay of seafarers with close ties to
the UK receives Royal Assent, as Government continues to crack
down on unfair practices
- Part of the nine-point plan to change and improve working
conditions following P&O Ferries’ disgraceful sacking of
nearly 800 staff last year
- At the recent UK-France summit, both Governments agreed to
continue working together to improve conditions for seafarers
Thousands of seafarers regularly entering UK waters should enjoy
better pay protections, as the Government continues to boost
rights and working conditions whilst preventing firms from using
legal loopholes to pay low wages.
The Seafarers’ Wages Act received Royal Assent today [Thursday
23rd March 2023] and is now
law.
A key strand of the Government’s nine-point
plan for Seafarers, the new law is designed to protect
those working on vessels operating an international service from
being paid less than the National Minimum Wage.
The law change will also require authorities to charge operators
of vessels who don’t provide evidence they’re paying their
seafarers the equivalent to National Minimum Wage, and to refuse
harbour access to those who continue to fail to comply.
Last year, P&O Ferries shamelessly sacked nearly 800 staff
without notice or consultation. The UK Government has acted
swiftly to progress its nine-point plan in response to this
disgraceful behaviour and remains committed to seafarers as a
priority, both domestically and internationally.
Transport Secretary said:
“Our maritime sector is world leading. That’s down to the
thousands of hardworking seafarers working tirelessly to maintain
supply chains and transport passengers safely across our
waters.
“These workers deserve a fair wage and I’m therefore delighted to
see our Seafarers’ Wages Act become law, helping improve pay and
protect seafarers from exploitation.”
The Government continues to engage with the UK’s near European
neighbours to protect seafarers’ welfare and pay and explore the
creation of minimum wage equivalent corridors in our respective
territorial waters.
Earlier this month, during the UK-France summit in Paris, the
Transport Secretary met his French counterpart Clément Beaune,
with both nations pledging to continue working together to
improve conditions for those working in the Channel and to
protect them from exploitation.
The Government is also taking action against rogue employers
using controversial ‘fire and rehire’ practices, consulting on plans for a
Statutory Code of Practice.
Notes to editors
- The Government will now move to make the necessary
regulations to implement the law and will be consulting
stakeholders on these.
- The Act applies to international services which carry goods
or people by ship between a place in the UK and place outside the
UK which enter a UK harbour 120 times or more in a year.
- The Act aims to ensure that seafarers with close ties to the
UK are paid at least an equivalent to the UK national minimum
wage while they are in UK waters.
- This will be achieved by making access to UK ports
conditional on operators evidencing that seafarers are being paid
the equivalent to National Minimum Wage through providing a
declaration or paying a surcharge.
- Those that do not provide a declaration will be issued with a
surcharge, non-payment of which will result in refusal of access
to the port.
- The draft Statutory Code of Practice on dismissal and
re-engagement (‘fire and rehire’) sets out employers’
responsibilities when seeking to change contractual terms and
conditions of employment and seeks to ensure dismissal and
re-engagement is only used as a last resort.
- Once in force, an Employment Tribunal will be able to
increase an employee’s compensation in certain circumstances by
up to 25% if an employer has unreasonably failed to comply with
the Code.
- Our nine point plan for seafarers was introduced in direct
response to P&O Ferries’ actions.
- Goal 3 of our nine-point plan includes international
engagement with a number of our near European neighbours on
bilateral agreements.
- We are also working closely with international organisations
to create a step change in seafarer welfare.
