Shipping company ‘paying €2.63 an hour’

AN Irish shipping company has been accused of paying its crew members as little as €2.63 per hour for working 365 hours per month in what trade unions fear is a repeat of the Irish Ferries crisis of 2005.

The International Transport Federation (ITF) has claimed it has evidence that Wexford-based Celtic Link is paying workers $1,300 (€961.58) per month to work many hours above the average working week.

“We believe from the Romanian crew, that they are working in the region of 365 hours a month — a 12 hour day and more,” said Norrie McVicar of the ITF.

He claimed the ITF had information that between 45 and 60 affected seamen were on the Dublin to Liverpool and Rosslare to Cherbourg routes working on the Diplomat and Celtic Star vessels and that the vessels were sailing under flags of convenience.

“The six general secretaries of the UK and Irish unions presented a letter to Paul Tyrell, managing director of the company, in Liverpool last week and its actions have been followed ever since,” he said.

Mr Tyrell was unavailable yesterday to comment on the allegations made by the ITF.

The ITF is now expected to take action against the company in the next 24 hours as part of its week- long campaign to expose the mistreatment of sailors by shipping companies.

The ITF also has concerns about alleged underpayment of seamen aboard the Irish Ferries vessel Normandy compared to other vessels. Mr McVicar said an anomaly had arisen because of the failure of Irish Ferries and the Labour Court to ensure the Normandy is covered by an ITF-approved agreement like the other vessels.

A spokesman for Irish Ferries said the crew on the Normandy is not employed by the company but by a Cypriot agency. However, he said the company had tried on a number of occasions to activate a clause in the Irish Sea agreement of 2005 to alleviate the anomaly which existed in the French operation.

Both Celtic Link and Irish Ferries are expected to face action by trade unions in France over the perceived underpayment when they dock in Cherbourg in the next 24 hours.

Mr McVicar said the week-long campaign by the ITF in Ireland is an attempt to expose the ‘race to the bottom’ mentality of shipping companies illustrated by the Irish Ferries dispute in 2005.

“For the last three months we have carried out a root and branch analysis of the Irish Sea in terms of wages and conditions of seafarers and there have been some shocking figures coming through.

“They have shown that some high profile companies in the Irish Sea are employing seafarers still on just under €2 per hour and even less if you are non-European.

“That is going on as we speak. It is not illegal because there is no formal position issued,” he said.