Councillors seek SIPTU aid on ferry’s pay structure

CORK City Council is to ask SIPTU for full details of the pay and conditions of staff on board the Swansea Cork Superferry following allegations of wage abuses.

The council agreed to the move following calls from Socialist Councillor Mick Barry, who said Swansea Cork Ferries Ltd must answer a series of allegations made by the International Transport Federation (ITF), about pay and conditions on board its vessels.

The ITF said the company is paying its staff, up to half of whom are non-nationals, below the agreed Irish minimum wage.

The company strongly denied the claims last night.

The ship is registered in St Vincent and the Grenadines and British or Irish minimum wage rates do not apply, a company statement said. The lowest-paid crew members are paid the British minimum wage of approximately €7 per hour (£4.85). Staff also get meals, accommodation, laundry and other services on board.

However, ITF spokesman, Tony Ayton, said the company can make their wages look like whatever they want irrespective of the hours staff work. He called on the State to appoint a Labour Relations Court officer to carry out a full and independent assessment of both pay and conditions.

Mr Barry said the company has failed to date to adequately address the union’s concerns. However, city councillors were reluctant to condemn the ferry company when the issue was raised at a council meeting on Monday night.

Fianna Fáil’s Terry Shannon said he wanted more information before agreeing to any council involvement.

Labour’s Denis O’Flynn suggested the council write to SIPTU seeking full details on the company’s wage structure, a move to which councillors agreed.

Swansea Cork Ferries, however, accused the ITF of “continually misrepresenting” the rates of pay on board its vessel.

“The federation is either hopelessly out of touch or is not really interested in knowing the pay scales that apply onboard,” a company spokesman said.

“Frankly, Swansea Cork Ferries are at a loss to understand their assertions.

“For the record, Swansea Cork Ferries’ rates of pay, based on hours worked, are 12% higher than those which apply in Irish Ferries and which have been recently signed off by SIPTU, presumably with the knowledge of ITF.

“No member of Swansea Cork Ferries is paid less than the Irish minimum wage — €7.65 per hour. Many categories of crew are paid well above this rate. There is no distinction between the rates of pay applying to Irish and non-Irish crew.”

The company said it should be noted that Irish Ferries crew work about 360 hours per month whereas Swansea Cork Ferries crew work 220 hours per month.