“ ITF Australia , acting on a tip off , has today exposed abuse of Filipino seafarers working in Australia for CSL . The ITF has contacted the Fair Work Ombudsman ( FWO ) to investigate further but we are yet to receive a response .
Maritime
CSL Australia found to be exploiting crew
Image Credits : itfglobal . com
T he International Transport Workers ’ Federation ( ITF ) has inspected the Bahamas-registered Flag-of-Convenience ( FOC ) vessel Diana in Melbourne and found the company is underpaying Filipino seafarers who are effectively operating full time on the Australian coast .
Under coastal trading rules introduced in 2012 , foreign crew must be paid award rates as the vessel is working more than two domestic voyages in Australian waters , but today ’ s inspection shows that seafarers are only receiving low FOC wages .
The Diana is owned by an Australian company , Canadian Shipping Lines ( CSL ) Australia .
CSL has recently increased the use of foreign seafarers in coastal trades replacing Australian crew , effectively undermining employment conditions and jobs on Australia ’ s coastal shipping routes .
ITF Australia Coordinator Dean Summers said : “ Under Australian legislation all foreign workers must be paid award rates while operating in the local trade .
“ ITF Australia , acting on a tip off , has today exposed abuse of Filipino seafarers working in Australia for CSL .
The ITF has contacted the Fair Work Ombudsman ( FWO ) to investigate further but we are yet to receive a response .
“ These are vulnerable foreign workers used by an Australian company to replace Australian national seafarers working exclusively in the Australian trade .
CSL Australia has so far refused to sign an industrial agreement guaranteeing international minimum standards on its fleet of deregulated FOC vessels , Acacia , Adelie and Diana .
“ The ITF demands the government investigates these clear breaches of our trading laws immediately and prosecute the perpetrators ,” Mr Summers said . itfglobal . org
“ ITF Australia , acting on a tip off , has today exposed abuse of Filipino seafarers working in Australia for CSL . The ITF has contacted the Fair Work Ombudsman ( FWO ) to investigate further but we are yet to receive a response .
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