The UK government has introduced a draft Employment Rights Bill aimed at bolstering protections for seafarers, a move welcomed by the maritime union Nautilus International. Set to be presented in Parliament this week, the bill seeks to reinforce wage protections and tighten laws regarding collective dismissals for seafarers working in UK waters.
A key provision in the bill is the prohibition of “fire and rehire” practices, requiring employers to demonstrate that no reasonable financial alternative exists before proceeding with dismissals.
Additionally, the bill closes a loophole exploited by P&O Ferries in 2022 by strengthening redundancy notification requirements for foreign vessel operators.
Under the proposed law, companies planning to dismiss 20 or more employees on UK-operated vessels must notify the UK government in advance. This measure is intended to prevent incidents like the one in 2022 when P&O Ferries abruptly terminated 800 UK-based workers, replacing them with lower-cost foreign agency staff.
“Ending the scourge of meaningless fire and rehire, a damaging practice that has caused widespread instability for maritime professionals, is a victory for seafarers’ rights and a strong message of fairness and respect for all workers,” said Martyn Gray, director of organising at Nautilus International.
Gray also praised the bill’s provisions on wage protections, which ensure that seafarers working in UK waters are paid at least the national minimum wage.
“This addresses a long-standing issue of wage exploitation in the industry,” he added.
While Nautilus International views these measures as a significant milestone, the union is advocating for further protections.
“This is just the beginning. We will work closely with lawmakers as the Bill moves forward to ensure it delivers the strongest possible protections for seafarers and maritime professionals,” Gray stated.
As the Employment Rights Bill progresses through Parliament, Nautilus International plans to continue lobbying for additional safeguards to strengthen seafarers’ rights in the UK.
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