A P&O situation looming in the IOMSPCo?

[The Listening Ear]

4 hours ago, woolley said:

Do they not have a point as far as fewer sailings lost to cancellations is concerned? That would be something worth getting an agreement for.

I’ve never heard of any sailings cancelled due to lack of crew. Only ever weather or technical related cancellations. 

[CrazyDave]

12 hours ago, The Listening Ear said:

you’ll do what we want or be fired.

Isn’t that what the vast majority of employers do?  It’s how the world works.  You accept the job and the conditions or get another job with another employer!

[2112]

The Boss of the Steam Packet has been on the NPM (MR) this morning pleading that that they have no intention of firing anyone, but things have to change. What a mess they have created. 

[John Wright]

I think it would be interesting for the SPCo to actually spell out publicly their rationale for change.

Yes, many years ago crews were required to live aboard. That means, on a 24/7 service there are 2 crews. The one working and the one resting.

Historically that was a safeguard to have crew available for emergency, weather, etc to provide continuity of service. Employees might not have had cars, or phones. So if you were on your week on you lived on board and didn’t go home.

Of course, for nearly half  of the year there were two boats and they did one single sailing each day. 

I remember uncles telling me stories of having gone home and the police being sent round to rouse them, because the boat had to be moved to Peel, and the like.

But now the boat is operated 24/7, crew members have cars and mobiles.

Latterly crew on rota, but not on shift duty, have been allowed to leave the ship.

What actual improvement to service, readiness, etc, on the SPCo actual operations will requiring the two crews to be on board permanently for each rota period, whether it’s week on week off, or two weeks on two weeks off?

The SPCo should also publicly explain why it hasn’t/won’t agree to mediation/arbitration through MIRS before taking the nuclear step of threatening to give notice. The management have clearly had this in mind for several years, otherwise why specify a boat with all  the extra crew accommodation.

[Banker]

4 minutes ago, John Wright said:

I think it would be interesting for the SPCo to actually spell out publicly their rationale for change.

Yes, many years ago crews were required to live aboard. That means, on a 24/7 service there are 2 crews. The one working and the one resting.

Historically that was a safeguard to have crew available for emergency, weather, etc to provide continuity of service. Employees might not have had cars, or phones. So if you were on your week on you lived on board and didn’t go home.

Of course, for nearly half  of the year there were two boats and they did one single sailing each day. 

I remember uncles telling me stories of having gone home and the police being sent round to rouse them, because the boat had to be moved to Peel, and the like.

But now the boat is operated 24/7, crew members have cars and mobiles.

Latterly crew on rota, but not on shift duty, have been allowed to leave the ship.

What actual improvement to service, readiness, etc, on the SPCo actual operations will requiring the two crews to be on board permanently for each rota period, whether it’s week on week off, or two weeks on two weeks off?

Here’s CEO with his explanation to improve service to the public, I guess as he says no one has to accept terms & they will get others who will 

https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/spc-weve-no-intentions-of-firing-anyone/

[John Wright]

Just now, Banker said:

Here’s CEO with his explanation to improve service to the public, I guess as he says no one has to accept terms & they will get others who will 

https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/spc-weve-no-intentions-of-firing-anyone/

Except he doesn’t explain why the management think it’s necessary or what it will bring to improved operation/efficiency/fewer canx.

Have you ever heard of the Ben being canx due to too few crew?

[Non-Believer]

1 minute ago, John Wright said:

Have you ever heard of the Ben being canx due to too few crew?

Exactly my POV too John. Weather, yes, technical problems, yes.

Problems with crewing, unheard of, short of the seaman's strike. Where has this issue suddenly been pulled from and why?

[John Wright]

Just now, Non-Believer said:

Exactly my POV too John. Weather, yes, technical problems, yes.

Problems with crewing, unheard of, short of the seaman's strike. Where has this issue suddenly been pulled from and why?

There was a Ben sailing canx about 3 weeks ago due to no crew. One it was supposed to take over from Mx. Mx had left harbour to bob around the Island due to weather. She had been due to take the Heysham sailing. 

But that’s down to 2 sets of crews 3 boats at present.

[Banker]

35 minutes ago, John Wright said:

Except he doesn’t explain why the management think it’s necessary or what it will bring to improved operation/efficiency/fewer canx.

Have you ever heard of the Ben being canx due to too few crew?

Thought he gave recent example of Ben holding off Heysham, if second crew on board they would have stayed & docked when able & then been able to change crew for sailing back. As the crew would have been out of hours it had to return to Douglas causing major disruption for passengers 

[John Wright]

11 minutes ago, Banker said:

Thought he gave recent example of Ben holding off Heysham, if second crew on board they would have stayed & docked when able & then been able to change crew for sailing back. As the crew would have been out of hours it had to return to Douglas causing major disruption for passengers 

Except that doesn’t make sense. That sailing took 10+ hours. They could have got into Heysham and waited until back in hours. 

And, in any event there was no second crew because it was on Mx so he’s not comparing like with like.

And it is very rare.

Anyway, this is what Nautilus are saying.

Welcome to your e-telegraph

Nautilus is fighting back on behalf of members after Isle of Man Steam Packet Co pulled out of negotiations on contractual changes.

The company is demanding that they spend a minimum of 76 extra days per year living onboard – representing weeks away from their families.

When our members refused to accept this the company threatened to fire and rehire crew, in a disturbing echo of P&O Ferries.

It has also refused to accept impartial arbitration on the issue, which the Union requested.

With an industrial dispute increasingly likely due to IOMSPCo's behaviour, Nautilus stands ready to fight on behalf our members and inform the public about the company's intransigence.

[WTF]

9 hours ago, Passing Time said:

And still you claim not to work for the IOMSPC…😂😂😂

maybe they actually work for the union and are representing the racket staff ?? they'd know all the details then and not be working for the racket

Edited October 3, 2023 by WTF

[Ringy Rose]

15 hours ago, Andy Onchan said:

So how does all of this (P&O excepted) fit with the rest of the Irish Sea ferry operators?

Irish Ferries did what P&O did, but they did it in 2005 and they did it at the same time as they launched a new ferry. They’ve operated like that ever since.

[The Listening Ear]

2 hours ago, 2112 said:

The Boss of the Steam Packet has been on the NPM (MR) this morning pleading that that they have no intention of firing anyone, but things have to change. What a mess they have created. 

He did but totally contradicted himself by saying we have no intention of firing anyone but when asked if they don’t agree by 1st Jan then they don’t have a job he said yes that’s it!! 
He sounded like a total bully on there 

[Ringy Rose]

4 minutes ago, The Listening Ear said:

saying we have no intention of firing anyone but when asked if they don’t agree by 1st Jan then they don’t have a job he said yes that’s it!! 

That’s not a contradiction. They don’t intend to fire anyone. They intend for everyone to agree the new terms.

Beyond that, welcome to the real world. If the current crew don’t like what’s on offer then the Steam Packet will go and find a crew who do like what’s on offer. There’ll be plenty of takers.

All the other ferry companies have similar arrangements. Irish Ferries and P&O did it- Irish Ferries almost 20 years ago.

Edited October 3, 2023 by Ringy Rose

[The Listening Ear]

24 minutes ago, WTF said:

maybe they actually work for the union and are representing the racket staff ?? they'd know all the details then and not be working for the racket

 

25 minutes ago, WTF said:

maybe they actually work for the union and are representing the racket staff ?? they'd know all the details then and not be working for the racket

I don’t work for either but I know a lot of people that will be affected by this change and I stand firmly with them in opposition to these bullying tactics by the on shore management.