Solitaire "refuses to pay its staff the minimum wage"

national | worker & community struggles and protests | news report

Wednesday June 24, 2009 04:04

by PQ

The world's largest pipe laying ship, the MV Solitaire, will arrive back in Irish waters this week.
It has emerged that the operators of the ship do not pay the minimum rate of pay for Ireland, as the ship is registered under a Panamanian flag of convenience.

Allseas, the ship's owners, is a company registered in Zurich, Switzerland.

Shell, the operator of the Corrib pipeline project, is based in Aberdeen, Scotland (although there are offices in The Hague and in London), but the Solitaire flies a Panamanian flag and according to a Parlimentary Question asked last year, "refuses to pay its staff the minimum wage"

The Minister for Sellouts, Eamon Ryan, answered a request to make a statement on the situation with the following:

"As Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources I have no statutory function in this matter. I understand that the payment of wages on foreign flagged ships is a matter for the flag state where the ship is registered and for the internal domestic laws of that country."

So that's all right then.

Comments (3 of 3)

suggestion

by doubting

Thu Jun 25, 2009 10:21

please pass
the complain on

Mercantile Marine Office (MMO)
Dublin Office

Sharon McGrath, Superintendent Ph: 01-6783481
Jennifer Cullen, Clerical Officer Ph: 01-6783482
Jimmy Thompson, Clerical Officer Ph: 01-6783483
Fax Number: 01-6783489

i got an advice from person who claims that he used to be involved with issues like this..

Contact the ITF

by Sean

Thu Jun 25, 2009 10:41

The Mercantile Marine Office is more to do with enfocement with shipping legislation and safety rather than wages and general conditions for seafarers. A better idea in my opinion would be to contact the International Transport Federation who have a fulltime officer in Ireland, Ken Fleming.
I am open to correction but I believe he works out of the SIPTU offices at Liberty Hall in Dublin.

The ITF have recently represented seafarers in winning for them unpaid wages and improved conditions in both Cork and Dublin ports.

ITF

by pat c

Thu Jun 25, 2009 11:12

Here are the details for ITF in Ireland:

Ken Fleming
ITF Inspector (F)
Dublin
Services, Industrial, Professional and Technical Union (SIPTU)
ITF Office
3rd Floor
30 Parnell Square West
Dublin 1
Tel: +353(0)1 87 43 735
Fax: +353(0)1 87 4 37 40
Mobile: +353(0)87 64 78636
Email: fleming_ken@itf.org.uk