Letter: Pensioner rep PNCP

January 15th, 2006 by JCB
Posted in Letters | No Comments »

Pensioner Representative on the PNCP

As the Pilots National Committee for Pensions has now been voted out by the Resolution at the 2004 Conference, the position of Pensioners Representative is defunct. The Pilot Trustees on the Pilots National Pension Committee stated that they can look after the interests of all pilots and pensioners, so it is time for me to accept that my position is no longer required.

In resigning as Pensioners Representative

and in the light of Joe Wilson’s letter in the

April 2005 Pilot I need to make certain

points clear :-

1.  There are now very few of the old stalwarts left who are aware of the fight with the Pilotage Authorities, and in particular Trinity House, to start the PNPF. Do the present day pilots know (or really care) about the threats that were made to some of the more vociferous pilots and the problems that were caused by the later entry of some Authorities, such as Liverpool – which caused and is still causing anomalies in some pensions.

2.  There can be no retrospective

legislation without a change in the Act

3.  The use of money from the PNPF to reduce the number of pilots in 1988/9

was not legal and should any future attempt be made to “pay off” pilots then full legal advice should be obtained.

4.  The money in the Pension Fund belongs to the pilots not the Shipowners or Port Authorities. It was a negotiated part of the pilot’s earnings, I know because I was involved. The fact that certain pilots and trustees did not, or chose not to understand is a matter which should not have been allowed to happen.

5.  The Pilot Trustees are enthusiastic but they should remember Courses and Seminars cannot replace experience. The best experience is not just attending meetings. As for the PNPF Secretariat they provide an excellent service but as with the trustees they

must remember the Latin saying: Sed quis custodiet ipsos custodes”, which loosely translated means “who shall watch the watchers” and that is what the PNCP did.

Dan McMillan