GFTU BGCM Minutes 2017

up 99% of all cadets that come into the merchant fleet. But it is not a job for

them, it is a career. A large number of them will stay in that industry for 30, 35,

40 years in some format. They might go deep sea, they might come back on a

ferry, they might go on a yacht, they might go on a cruise ship, but they will

stay in that industry for 30/35 years, so they are members. When we get them

day one we keep them for 30/35 years, because they need to retain their

membership to have that protection worldwide, it is not going to be instigated

anywhere else, so it is important that we get them and then we make them

active and we bring them into the organisation. We have got a whole raft of

young people on our council now from all the different sectors participating at

the young members’ festival.

So it is just as important for us, because just like everyone else we have got an

age demographic where a lot of our members have got skills etc., but they are

in their mid-50s, coming up to their late 50s. In the Merchant Navy you can

retire at 61. Someone quoted 60 this morning, the same sort of thing. We

have got to make sure we bring these young people through as quick as we

possibly can.

The GFTU, the reason for that is self-evident, a lot of people have talked about

it. We utilise all the training. It has been a major difference for us in the last 12

months for the facilities and the calibre of training we have been able to give,

the federation issues, the shared services work that we are very interested in. I

think I will leave it at that. Thanks. (Applause)

THE PRESIDENT: I warned you that it is an interesting union. Does anybody have

any questions for Gary? (No response) Do you mind if I ask you one? How is

your relationship with the RMT who represent, I do not know what the proper

name is now for ordinary seamen?

BRO GARY ELLIOTT (Nautilus International): I won’t get into a political debate, but

we obviously do a lot of joint negotiations, not TSSA so much now, a little bit

with them, but with Unite and the RMT, because they will have seafarers.

Traditionally they would have had the ratings. We represent anyone associated

with the sea, so we will recruit ratings, shore side, officers etc. etc. What we

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