News online
Silent protestors demand a living wage for Irish ferry seafarers
19 May 2005
Union demonstrators staged a silent protest outside the offices of an Irish ferry company on 12 May to express their anger over the company’s refusal to pay its seafarers a decent living wage.
The ITF-affiliated union representatives - from the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers, the Amalgamated Transport and General Workers’ Union, the National Union of Marine, Aviation and Shipping Transport Officers, the Fédération Générale des Transports et de l'Equipement and the Services, Industrial, Professional and Technical Union – held their protest in Cork in the Republic of Ireland.
Swansea Cork Ferries’ consistent refusal to apply proper seafarers’ pay rates, despite having negotiated an arrangement with the ITF in 2002 to do so, gave rise to the British, Irish and French union activists’ dispute. The arrangement would have benefited seafarers on board the company’s Superferry, which flies the St Vincent flag, a flag of convenience.
The protestors also condemned the firm’s attempts to undermine crewmembers’ rights to be represented by an independent and free trade union; workers were only given the option of being represented by a “staff association”. The association could not, according to ITF Inspector Tony Ayton, be independent, and breached a number of International Labour Organization conventions, ratified by the Republic of Ireland government.
In a letter delivered to the company by protesters, the unions stated: “We strongly believe that the provision of a real and proper ITF approved agreement for the crew of the Superferry such as that agreed in principle in 2002 would not damage the viability of any properly run ferry service and would not deny the South West of Ireland this important service. Moreover, it would encourage a more open shipboard society that would enhance the welfare and safety of crew and in turn, the passengers.”
The unions are urging the company to enter into talks in order to move forward on a satisfactory agreement.
Back to current news online stories
