The maritime union RMT launched the Dover part of its ongoing SOS2020 campaign today (Thursday).

The initiative, covering working conditions, training and pay, is also aimed to get the attention of politicians during the general election campaign.

It was launched at the RMT’s Dover office at Maritime House in Snargate Street from 6pm.

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The trade union argues that there has been an exclusion of seafarers from full employment or equality rights, low levels of training and the rise of Flags of Convenience registers.

It believes that this has driven a decline in UK ratings and officers from 58,000 in the 1980s to 23,380 in 2015.

Video: RMT launch SOS 2020 campaign in Dover

Non-UK ratings continue to be recruited on pay below the legal UK minimum.

The union believes that this is unfair competition that blocks British seafarers’ access to work and drives down employment standards, training and pay across the industry.

Since 2011 UK ratings have fallen by 25% and the total number of UK seafarers decreased by more than 13%.

General secretary Mick Cash said: “RMT is determined that the future of our maritime industry is not ignored during the general election campaign.

“Ports like Dover have a huge amount at stake economically and industrially if we allow central government to continue to allow the decimation of UK shipping.

“As part of our SOS2020 campaign RMT is demanding jobs, training and the end of the race to the bottom on pay and working conditions.

“Our objective is simple – a guaranteed future for the UK shipping industry based on the development of a skilled and expanded domestic workforce that will secure the economy of areas like Dover well into the future.

National secretary Steve Todd added: “I will be in Dover tomorrow setting out RMT’s objectives for the union’s SOS2020 campaign.

“RMT will be challenging the candidates for political office to sign up to the union’s campaign.”

The ageing nature of these workers means that if training and employment do not increase soon, 2020 will see the retirement of thousands of UK seafarers.

This would expose the country to the negative economic, social and security effects of a maritime skills deficit, the RMT argues.