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The maritime union RMT has said it will be holding a protest this Friday 16 March calling for an end "to Condor Ferries paying poverty wages on their ships" which it claims affects a number of its members.
Condor Ferries is contracted by the States of Guernsey and Jersey to operate lifeline ferry services between Portsmouth and Poole and the Channel Islands but the RMT has said it wants Condor "sacked" and "fair employment on ferries to the Channel Islands."
The union claims Ukrainian Seafarers working on a 3-month contract with Condor Ferries were paid £2.46 per hour for a 12-hour working day. Now, the RMT’s SOS 2020 campaign is "calling out companies’ profiting from the exploitation of seafarers, which includes Condor Ferries’ owners, the Australian bank Macquarie who extract a management fee under the current contract with the Governments of Jersey and Guernsey."
RMT said it is wants politicians and the public in Guernsey, Jersey and the UK to support its members demands for:
RMT General Secretary, Mick Cash said: “UK and Channel Island seafarers cannot and should not have to compete with pay rates as low as £2.46 per hour.
“With wages like that it is no wonder that between 1980 and 2016 the number of UK Ratings fell by over 60%. There are 87,000 ratings jobs on ferries and other merchant vessels working from UK ports, with a vast majority paid below the UK National Minimum Wage. RMT is fighting to change this.”
RMT National Secretary, Steve Todd has commented: “In addition to the disgraceful low wages 81% of Channel Islanders in 2016 were dissatisfied with Condor Ferries, the result of rising fares, safety incidents, service cancellations, delayed freight supplies and exploitative employment practices.
“This is no way to run a lifeline ferry service for the people and businesses of the Channel Islands.”
Condor Ferries has refuted the claims made by the RMT and has said it fully complies with all regulations including with regards to staff pay.
Fran Collins, Condor Ferries' Executive Director of Operations, said: "Condor Ferries is a proud and responsible employer and totally refutes the RMT’s absurd statements made in relation to our treatment of staff. We fully comply with, and indeed exceed domestic and international employment regulations covering the pay, terms and conditions and protection of all staff which includes full compliance with the MLC 2006.
"Salary is only a part of the overall package provided to these individuals, as this includes free en-suite accommodation, all food, laundry facilities and uniform together with non-contributory life assurance, bonus scheme and medical cover. Condor also meets the travel costs of staff to attend work from their home countries."
Ms Collins said the crew members which the RMT is referring to are fairly represented and appear happy with their working conditions:
"The crew members to which this report refers live on board our conventional ferries and many repeatedly return to work for us in preference to taking up other opportunities elsewhere. Their interests are represented by colleagues in the highly active forums we run on our routes and all remain a proud and integral part of the Condor family. They also represent less than 5% of the total workforce of 570 staff.
"Condor provides training for crew at all levels (from cabin crew to Master and Chief Engineer) along with financial and other support for career development which includes cadetships and ratings’ training.
"Commercial shipping is a multi-national industry, creating opportunities for citizens of many countries to work internationally. Condor’s recruitment of non-EU staff is therefore not uncommon and in line with other UK ferry firms."
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