Australia (Commonwealth Union)_ In response to accusations of unpaid pay, unwillingness to let seafarers access the shore, and a delay in crew changes, Australian authorities detained a bulk carrier. The breaches of the marine labor agreements were discovered and submitted to the Australian authorities for action by representatives of the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF).
After reviewing the data submitted by the ITF, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) held the bulk carrier Costanza at the Newcastle port’s Kooragang 10 dock. The 96,672 dwt ship, which was registered in Panama, landed in Australia on November 8 after leaving Japan. The ITF claims that the 21 crew members on board the ship are entitled to back pay covering the months of August through October. The crew was underpaid by about 20%, according to the IFT, who claims they are owed US$48,600 after speaking with them and reviewing the records.
Dan Crumlin, an ITF inspector who boarded the bulk carrier and spoke with the crew, added that even though Australia lifted COVID-era restrictions almost three months ago, some of the crew members haven’t left the ship in nearly 11 months. The ITF contends that the ship is in breach of the MLC provisions requiring shore leave and crew rotations.
The ITF used this case to draw attention to a report it co-authored with the Australia Institute and issued in conjunction with it that claims crew underpayment and unfavorable working conditions are widespread in the maritime sector. The paper claims that between US$28 million and $54 million in salaries and other financial benefits for overseas seafarers are misplaced each year aboard ships that call at Australian ports. They state that losses for ships stopping at Australian ports over the previous ten years have averaged $42 million annually. ITF inspects Australian ports roughly 425 times a year. According to their estimates, about 70% of inspections reveal underpayment or non-payment of wage entitlements.
