Exploitation of Seafarers

Conference remains deeply concerned at
the impact on domestic seafarers from ferry operators’ recruitment of foreign crews on rates of pay below legal minimum wage rates on both sides of the Irish Sea.

For example, Conference notes that Seatruck, Irish Ferries and P&O pay Ratings below the legal minimums in Eire and the UK between Liverpool and Dublin, Holyhead and Dublin and Cairnryan to Larne.

Conference is dismayed that nationality-based
pay discrimination against seafarers from EU
and non-EU countries continues unabated and has been accentuated by the introduction of
new, larger vessels by exploitative employers,
recognises that this is a political failure to
resist the de-regulation of employment and
equality law covering seafarers, whatever their
nationality.

Conference also notes the effect that this exploitation has on major employers in the Irish Sea, particularly the largest employer of Irish seafarers Stena Line, who are consistently undercut by competitors’ low-cost crewing practices, especially on international routes which continue to go unchallenged by Governments.

Congress welcomes the arrival of new roll-on roll-off passenger ferries in the Irish Sea on
the condition that employment law, including recognition rights for local trade unions, is fully respected and enforced.

Conference agrees to continue to support the campaign to enforce and, if necessary, amend legislation in support of domestic seafaring skills and calls on the Governments of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland to formulate a joint policy approach to eliminating seafarer exploitation in the Irish Sea. This joint policy would be designed to establish a level commercial playing field based on minimum domestic employment, equality, immigration and vessel registration standards above the minimum standards established in the Maritime Labour Convention.

Conference remains concerned that nationality- based exploitation of seafarers if left unchallenged will see merchant passenger and freight ferries crewed entirely with foreign seafarers by the beginning of the next decade, causing profound damage to the economic and social fabric, as

well as the strategic future of these Islands which would take a generation to repair.

Finally, Conference wholeheartedly reiterates its support for the RMT’s SOS 2020 campaign, particularly the following aims:

1. Equal rights in employment, equality and immigration law for domestic seafarers.

2. 'Cabotage' (transport between domestic ports) protections for domestic crew.