Seafarers with a traditional education are facing stormy weather

A FRIEND worked in Irish Ferries in 1969. He earned £22 a week while his school pals (in summer jobs elsewhere) earned £5 a week.

In the past, the union secured excellent money for its members. But nothing lasts forever. Do these members have transferable skills? Have their skills gone up the value chain? The key question is education. I’m not optimistic.

Outside the marine department, a lot of traditional education has limited value on the ocean blue. Take school English: Jane Austen, Castle Rackrent, etc, gives one the speech patterns of a headmaster or an official report - not qualities to endear one on the lower deck.