Carmichael highlights MCA pay during Christmas speech to House of Commons
December 18, 2009 2:26 PM
Originally published by Scottish Liberal Democrats
Originally published by Scottish Liberal Democrats
Orkney and Shetland MP Alistair Carmichael used the Christmas Adjournment debate in the House of Commons this week to call for Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) staff 'to be paid a wage that truly reflects the value of their work'.
Speaking in the House of Commons Mr Carmichael said;Alistair Carmichael MP: Orkney & Shetland
"A number of hon. Members have paid tribute to the work of the emergency services, which will be working over the Christmas and new year period. So far, everybody who has referred to them has spoken of the fire, police and ambulance services. It pains me slightly that I have to remind the House that there is a fourth emergency service, the coastguard, which will also be on duty as we tuck into our turkey with the trimmings on Christmas day. It provides cover 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
"That status as a forgotten emergency service vexes me somewhat, because the recent history of the coastguard service has not been happy. Last year, it came to the point at which members of the coastguard staff went on strike for the first time in their history. I know that that caused many of them real anxiety, because they see themselves as having a vocation and being there to provide a very important service for those of us who live in coastal and island communities and use the sea, either for leisure or our living. They were forced into that position because their pay and conditions had fallen behind those of comparable workers in other emergency services to such an extent that in the past few years the most junior grades have had to have pay settlements imposed on them, because otherwise their pay would have fallen foul of the minimum wage legislation. That is what we are paying the watch assistants, who are responsible for some of the most important, detailed and stressful work available to coastguards.
"That is little short of a disgrace, but worse we have subsequently discovered from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency's 2008-09 annual report that the same senior management and board members who insisted that the increase for watch officers and watch assistants could not go above the 2 per cent. ceiling set by the Government for public sector pay were in fact awarding themselves increases of, on average, 15 per cent.
"The morale of staff and many watch officers is through the floor, which can be seen from the turnover of staff. If I have a hope for the new year, it is that somebody will take control of the agency and introduce proposals that will allow the staff to be paid a wage that truly reflects the value of their work."
Notes:
The Hansard to the House of Commons debate can be seen at - http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200910/cmhansrd/cm091216/debtext/91216-0017.htm#09121662000768
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