UK union protests against social dumping in shipping
20 August 2012
The National Union of Rail, Maritime an d Tran sport Workers (RMT) organ ised protests against social dumping on 17 an d 18 August in Southampton an d Portsmouth respectively. The protests were well attended with representatives from four other unions an d the ITF attending to lend their support, including Jon Whitlow, ITF seafarers’ section secretary.
The RMT has repeatedly drawn attention to the exploitation of overseas workers an d the UK government’s so-called ‘light touch’ regulations that leave seafarers vulnerable to exploitation on grounds of their nationality.
Condor Ferries employs Ukrainian seafarers on £2.35 (US$3.68) per hour or £28.12 (US$44) per day for a 12-hour shift. They work on a 'three month on, one month off' basis on routes between Portsmouth, Weymouth or Poole an d the Chan nel Islan ds. The UK’s national minimum wage for workers over the age of 21 is just over £6 per hour (US$9.40).
RMT general secretary Bob Crow, said: “The super-exploitation of foreign nationals in the British shipping industry is a massive scan dal that the political elite wan t to keep quiet. That’s no surprise as it’s their wealthy mates running the shipping compan ies who benefit from this scam that dodges normal employment regulations while the European Union turns a blind eye.”
Stephen Cotton , ITF maritime co-ordinator, said: “The behaviour of Condor Ferries is utterly scan dalous. The compan y is recruiting Ukrainian seafarers specifically so that it can exploit them by paying way below the national minimum wage. The ITF entirely supports the RMT’s protests an d hopes Condor Ferries will be publicly shamed into ending this pay discrimination.”
Visit the RMT website http://www.rmt.org.uk/Templates/Internal.asp?NodeID=162538&int1stParentNodeID=89732 for more on this issue.
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