Transport

The rail and maritime union RMT carried out a survey with the help of its health and safety representatives which identified that bullying and harassment was one of the top three concerns for RMT members across all the sectors it organises. As a result, the union’s National Health and Safety Advisory Committee chose bullying and harassment as the theme for the 2015 RMT Health and Safety Conference, attended by 120 delegates from the rail, bus, shipping and road transport sections of the union.

Speakers included former RMT shipping grades executive Darren Procter who told the conference that bullying and harassment on board ships was rife. He is currently one of 128 International Transport Federation (ITF) inspectors who visit vessels flying flags of convenience to avoid UK regulations and employment legislation. He spoke of crew members who frequently find themselves unpaid, but are threatened and abused if they dare to speak out. He reported that some crew he had seen had no food on board, no washing or other basic facilities along with little, or no, pay. These crew members are often abused and bullied if they threaten to speak to a visiting ITF inspector.