Following the anticipated termination of the Offshore Wind Workers Concession on April 30, Nautilus International, the union for maritime professionals, has cautioned offshore wind employers against trying to continue to exploit foreign labour.
Importing workers from abroad
Nautilus, an international maritime union, has campaigned against the Offshore Wind Workers Concession, which allowed employers to import workers from abroad for offshore wind projects in UK waters. The union believes that this concession has discouraged employers from hiring and training UK maritime professionals, leading to fewer job opportunities for UK residents. Nautilus has welcomed the government’s decision to end the concession after six years.
No more changes in Visa
“If the government are serious about their commitment to investing in the UK maritime workforce as highlighted in Maritime 2050, they must ensure a level playing field for seafarers across the offshore wind sector,” the statement continued. “Government must commit to no further visa rule changes and ensure any seafarer recruited from abroad to work in the UK offshore wind sector receives wages and conditions reflective of UK standards, not international minimums.”
Are there alternate ways?
The UK Home Office has announced that the Offshore Wind Workers Concession, which allowed employers to import workers for offshore wind projects, will end on 30 April 2023 and will not be renewed. Nautilus, the maritime union, has expressed support for this decision but is concerned that employers may try to find alternative ways to exploit foreign workers in the absence of this concession. The concession was introduced in 2017 as a temporary measure and has been extended six times.
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Source: Nautilus Int
