Seafarer Ratings pay

Tabnabs

Just to illustrate how badly seafarers are paid in the profitable ferry sector, a recent report on wages for ratings has been released.

https://www.rmt.org.uk/about/policies/political-circulars-and-submissions/sub-nmw-seafarer-pay-rates-in-the-uk-shipping-industry200617/?preview=true

Have a look at the table at the bottom to see the realities of working at sea.

man98

It's absolutely scandalous that this is happening and that there really isn't a massive amount anyone can do about it. We need a complete rethink about how to enforce wages (if even possible) for ships which are clearly of Irish origin (ie. Irish Ferries). Even Stena are contracting Irish Sea work out to unaccountable third parties and very few people know what they are paid.

Atlantic Dawn

Do they get around minimum wages by setting hourly rates based on port of register?

Irish Ferries vessel MV Oscar Wilde is registered in Ireland, do they pay the same salary on this vessel?

Tabnabs

And then look at the latest profit reports from Irish Ferries parent company ICG

http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/ferry-group-icgs-profits-increase-by-50pc-to-75m-34519277.html

Atlantic Dawn

Tabnabs wrote: »

And then look at the latest profit reports from Irish Ferries parent company ICG

http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/ferry-group-icgs-profits-increase-by-50pc-to-75m-34519277.html

And have last year ordered a new e144 million vessel...

Irish Continental Group has signed an agreement for a new, e144 million cruise ferry to operate between Ireland, the UK and France.

The 50,000-tonne ship, to be built by German company Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesselschaft & Co., will accommodate 1,885 passengers and crew.

http://www.independent.ie/life/travel/travel-news/irish-ferries-orders-144m-ice-class-ship-with-cinemas-pet-facilities-and-private-passenger-balconies-34763646.html

man98

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Do they get around minimum wages by setting hourly rates based on port of register?

Irish Ferries vessel MV Oscar Wilde is registered in Ireland, do they pay the same salary on this vessel?

Oscar Wilde is registered in Nassau, The Bahamas if my mind serves me. I don't think any of IF's vessels have been Irish registered since 2004 or so.

Atlantic Dawn

man98 wrote: »

Oscar Wilde is registered in Nassau, The Bahamas if my mind serves me. I don't think any of IF's vessels have been Irish registered since 2004 or so.

Yes your right, I was looking at Wikipedia and it has down homeport as Rosslare. Looking on Marine Traffic it has never been Irish reg. That's likely how they get around it by using the minimum wages of the port of register or perhaps they can even get around them and outsource staff from Asia etc.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MS_Oscar_Wilde

Tabnabs

Just to update on this, I have passed the information along to the Independent TD Tommy Broughan as I know he would take an interest in this issue. He is very interested thankfully and has promised "put down a number of Parliamentary Questions on the appalling pay rates on the Irish Sea operators".

Good to raise the profile on the matter.