Ocean Bounty Dispute

MUA crew on board support vessels for the Ocean Bounty held a safety stoppage in June after the marine crew rejected individual contracts from Diamond Offshore and left the rig raising safety concerns.

The union attempted to have the National Offshore and Petroleum Safety Authority, NOPSA, accept that marine crew were required full time on floaters. But the laws require only that integrated ratings move the rig.

So when the company refused to advise the union whether the seafarers on board were trained to operate the winches, the support crew refused to operate the anchors fearing their safety was at risk.

"Management response was amateurish at best," said Assistant National Secretary Mick Doleman. "The company sent a fax listing who was on board to operate the winches, with no supporting documentation, leaving the crew to 'trust' the claim by the company that the drivers of the winches were former marine crew."

When the crew were again called alongside they again refused to work without their safety guaranteed.

The matter went to the Commission which formally recognised the dispute as a safety issue. Members were ordered back to work but the settlement terms now specify that the only people who can operate the winches are recognised and experienced Marine Order 47 (MO 47) crew made up of the IRs and a mate.

Another condition was that the winch operators (MO 47) could not work any more than as prescribed in the EA or STCW 95, and the last point was that the MO 47 crew would not be withdrawn from the rig until all anchors are down and stretched, whereas in most cases they have the MO 47 crew off after the first or second anchor.

"Armed with this outcome the union will again press NOPSO to reconsider their position and include the MUA in talks with the company around these safety issues," Mick Doleman said.

Meanwhile the global campaign against Diamond Offshore continues. At the ITF Offshore Task Force Group meeting in Singapore in June, Assistant National Secretary Mick Doleman (who is vice chair of the task force) won support for a resolution condemning Diamond Offshore operations internationally.