THE PORT OF MILFORD HAVEN has confirmed that it has received official notification from Unite the Union that it’s pilot boat members working on the Milford Haven waterway are to go on continuous strike from February 19.
The pilots, launch crews and port control workers are currently implementing a ban on overtime, which started on January 28.
The workers are striking over proposed changes to pension provision and sick pay for future new employees joining the Port. There are no changes planned to benefits for current staff.
Andy Jones, Interim Chief Executive at the Port of Milford Haven told The Pembrokeshire Herald: “Joint meetings have been taking place since October and these meetings are continuing.
“We are disappointed that action has commenced whilst discussions are on-going and making every effort to find a solution to this dispute through continuing dialogue.
“We are working closely with our customers and wider stakeholders and making contingency plans in the event this action goes ahead.
“The safety of our staff, customers and the wider port community remains our number one priority.”
In August 2014, the Port of Milford Haven cut the number of pilot boats on duty to a single crewed vessel.
At the time, The Herald was been contacted by a number of crew who have said that they have been offered voluntary redundancy in order to go.
The Port had said it is looking to cut costs as the amount of cargo coming into Milford Haven has been decreasing.
Speaking at the time, two members of the pilot boat crews told the Herald: “I don’t think that the Port has considered the safety implications of only having one manned crew. Safety should come before money.”
In April last year, The Herald investigated the ports purchase of £3.6m worth of new pilot boat vessels. Incidents which took place in 2017 led to two of the three new vessels being tied up in Milford Haven Docks in an ‘operational pause’ whist the Port kept some of its remaining ageing vessels in operation. At the time the boats were deemed ‘unfit for purpose’ by some crew members.
