RMT ballot Svitzer Terminals over sick pay failures

Maritime union RMT, will ballot members at Svitzer Terminals for industrial action, following the company’s continued failure to apply sick pay in line with long-standing union agreements.

Following the TUPE transfer of RMT members from Solent Towage to Svitzer which provides towage services for the ExxonMobil refinery in Fawley, the union has received multiple reports of management misapplying contractual sick pay.

In one case, a member was forced to repay sick pay to the employer.

Despite repeated attempts by RMT representatives to resolve the issue through negotiation, no progress has been made.

The union maintains that Svitzer is in breach of long-established collective agreements and is failing to uphold the sick pay provisions its members are contractually entitled to.

RMT General Secretary Eddie Dempsey said:

Svitzer’s refusal to resolve this matter shows a complete disregard for their staff and for collective bargaining agreements with us. We will not stand by while our members are denied their most basic contractual rights. If the employer does not come to their senses, then industrial action cannot be ruled out.

A Svitzer spokesperson said: “Svitzer is compliant with the contract as it was. But we are open to further discussions with RMT if needed.”

The ballot opened on Thursday 30 October, and will close on Thursday 27 November.