CTASF Gain share payments.

I get lots of people asking about the gain share payments and are we (Tug drivers) getting it? To try answer the question I'll quote from the agreement.

Page 158. General rules. 3.3

Gain share is a retrospective payment based on actual savings delivered over the previous 12 months. It is not paid upfront based on projected saving which have not yet materialised.

So if we haven't made the savings we will not get it.

Page 159. Gain share types. 4.1

Additional change payments.
Lump sum payments to nominated sections who are making the greatest change and so contributing disproportionately to the overall savings.

The berth operators lost a big part of their division and will be entitled to the additional change payment.

Page 162. Detailed qualification rules. 6.1 b

They were employed in a qualifying area as defined in 2 above on the day prior to the start date of this agreement (i.e 9th March 2008).

If your job title is tug driver you will not get the additional change payment even if you work as a berth operative regularly.

Page 163. Payment. 7.1

Notwithstanding 3.3 above, the company will pay an up front sum of £1000 to all qualifying employees on acceptance of this agreement. This will be deducted from the gain share payment at the end of year 1. If the year 1 gain share is less than £1000, the overpayment will be deducted from the gain share in subsequent years.

7.2

The additional change payment for all qualifying employees will be £1000 per person per year of the gain share period. This payment will be made at the end of the year and will not be subject to any annual increase.

If we don't make the savings the shortfall will come off next years payment.

The CTASF document is available on the company intranet if you feel the need to read it or are suffering from insomnia. I have tried to give you the points that are raised most.

Intranet.

I get quite a few searches directed to this page from people trying to get onto the Port of Felixstowe intranet. The link you need to use is http://www.portoffelixstowe.co.uk/employee/

While you're here why not have a little read. Add this to your favourites and check back once a week.

Global box carriers axe more of their Asia-Europe capacity.

http://www.lloydslist.com/ll/news/viewArticle.htm?articleId=20017600766

THREE of the world’s largest container carriers that had tried to stay aloof from service rationalisation efforts have finally bowed to the inevitable by scaling back their Asia-Europe services as trade growth heads towards zero.

Mediterranean Shipping Co has withdrawn capacity from the route while CMA CGM and China Shipping are axing a recently launched joint service.

The two partners have decided to suspend the FAL4 loop, which they inaugurated in July with eight 9,700 teu vessels.

This is the biggest service cut carried out by CMA CGM since growth in cargo volumes between the Far East and Europe began to slow down. Until now, the group has only admitted to dropping two smaller services, one between Asia and North Africa, and another serving the eastern Mediterranean.

With other services being adjusted to allow for the withdrawal, MSC said it would be reducing weekly space availability on its Asia-Europe services by 2,000 teu. That is thought to be around 5%, and reflects the fact that larger ships are now being phased in on other loops, so leaving the net reduction at less than 6,500 teu a week.

Ballot of tug drivers.

I've been informed that there will be a ballot of tug drivers about the driving times. This is going to take place in January. I'll let you know the dates on here and there will be notices in the messrooms.


The options on offer are staying on 3 hours 20 minutes driving with 40 minute breaks or 2 hours 30 minutes driving with 30 minute breaks. They are the only deals on the table, that is what we will be voting on.

The new breaks:

Break 1 7.00-7.30 10.00-10.30 1.00-1.30 4.00-4.30

Break 2 7.30-8.00 10.30-11.00 1.30-2.00 4.30-5.00

Break 3 8.00-8.30 11.00-11.30 2.00-2.30 5.00-5.30

Break 4 8.30-9.00 11.30-12.00 2.30-3.00 5.30-6.00

Break 5 9.00-9.30 12.00-12.30 3.00-3.30 6.00-6.30

Break 6 9.30-10.00 12.30-1.00 3.30-4.00 6.30-7.00

As you can see the early would be 6.30

Teesport box volumes could fall 15%.

http://www.lloydslist.com/ll/news/teesport-box-volumes-could-fall-15/20017599774.htm;jsessionid=7B5F7E234A620ACB0E5DAD7D3FA02629

PD Ports, whose £330m Northern Gateway container terminal is delayed by the credit squeeze, expects a 15% fall in UK box volumes for 2008 at its Teesport facility as the High Street bloodbath dampens dock throughput.

Group development director Martyn Pellew said: “Christmas is not going so well for the retail trade and this has been reflected in container volumes. Last year we handled 120,000 boxes and I would expect that this year we will be some 15% down on that figure.”

Although PD Ports volume mix has a far greater component of short sea and ro-ro traffic than southern deep sea container ports Southampton and Felixstowe, the figures chime with industry reports of at least a 10% dive in UK box throughput in recent months.

However, PD Ports is keen to emphasise that its existing giant distribution centre for supermarket chain Asda, and the under construction mega-warehouse for Tesco will attract more and more container traffic to the north east port next year.

The ports group says that crude oil volumes, lo-lo and new car traffic are also suffering, but that ro-ro is doing well, possibly benefitting from trade surges caused by the dramatic fall in sterling against the Euro.

The company also reports that its offshore business has seen an upturn, as has its volumes linked to renewable energy.

Advice and guidance on the application of road traffic legislation to roads in docks

http://www.hse.gov.uk/foi/internalops/sectors/cactus/050803.htm

There have been a number of serious and fatal accidents recently involving vehicles on roads in and around ports. It is not always clear what legislation applies to such roads, and the relative roles of the HSE and the police in any investigation. This SIM draws attention to the various forms of legislation and guidance on road traffic in docks, and should be read in conjunction with other existing guidance on HSE's policy on investigation of road traffic incidents.

Docks Regulations 1988
21 Pertinent sections of the Dock Regulations 1988 that deal with vehicles and traffic management include:
regulation 2 interpreting certain words and phrases used within the regulations including definitions of “dock operations”, “dock premises” and “vehicle”;
regulation 11 requiring employer to authorise who can drive and operate powered vehicles and lifting appliances;
and regulation 12 requiring vehicles to be properly maintained, a safe means for vehicle movement to be provided with adequate arrangements to control traffic including proper signs and markings.
Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992
22 Pertinent sections of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 include:
regulation 2 interpreting certain words and phrases used within the regulations including definitions of “workplace”, “traffic route” and “public road”;
regulation 12 requiring floors of workplaces and traffic route surfaces to be suitable for use;
and regulation 17 requiring workplaces to be organised so that vehicles and pedestrians can circulate safely and traffic routes are suitable for use.
23 It should be noted that these regulations do not apply to ships - Regulation 3(1a).

Container capacity shrinks

http://www.idcdockworkers.org/idc/servlet/IDCManager?CODIGO_PAIS=en&PAGINA_ACTUAL=2&PAGINA_DESTINO=3&ID_ITEM=196

Ocean container carriers have cut capacity on the three main east-west liner trade routes by 6.7 percent, or 61,000 TEUs a week, over the past four months amid stalling cargo volumes and falling freight rates.

The Far East- Europe-Mediterranean trade saw the biggest drop, with weekly capacity down 9 per cent from 418,000 TEUs to 380,000 TEUs.