I have a friend her son 40 years P&O ferries from engineroom rating to C/Eng. Got a phone call as he was home on leave. Your sacked we have packed your personal belongings and they will be posted to you. Gets his redundancy letter a few days later. Terms were we will pay you 20 years service redundancy payments take it or leave it. He was given until the end of the week? to return acceptance letter. He asked why 20 years and not the 40 years he had been with the company. Reply was 20 years is the maximum we will pay.
Two weeks ago he got a phone call. We will pay you a resigning bonus of £20,000 and gaurantee you 12 months employment. No doubt the plan is he would be training a new C/Eng to take over his job.
People talk about unions. The sea farer has never had a decent union he has been shafted by the likes of the then shipping federation and some ship owners.
The days for the need for a decent organised union are back again. This has been brought about because of the actions of unscrupulous employers. Employers and employees need to work together , no profits no jobs. Common sense has to be the rule.