INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORT WORKERS FEDERATION, AUSTRALIAN INSPECTORATE
MEDIA RELEASE
ITF's Nowhere to Hide Campaign shines a light on wage theft aboard cargo ships throughout Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania
22 November 2023
The International Transport Workers Federation (the ITF) has re-launched its 'Nowhere to Hide' campaign this week in Melbourne, and commenced a fresh week of action across Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania.
The Week of Action targets shipowners and agents that systematically steal the wages of vulnerable seafarers aboard the cargo ships that deliver more than 95% of the goods which Australia's community depends on.
Wage theft from seafarers aboard cargo ships in Australian waters is on the rise. In many cases, the legislative and regulatory framework in our country makes this possible.
"International shipowners are on notice that the ITF Inspectorate will be conducting spot checks of their vessels throughout Australian waters and ensuring they meet their legal, social and ethical obligations. So far, we have recovered millions upon millions of dollars of stolen wages for some of the world's most vulnerable workers, and we will pursue this relentlessly in defiance of employers and shipowners who seek to profiteer in such an unprincipled and immoral manner," said Paddy Crumlin, the MUA's National Secretary and President of the International Transport Workers Federation.
This year alone, across more than 600 inspections by the ITF's Australian Inspectorate, more than US$14 million in stolen wages has been recovered on behalf of vulnerable and exploited foreign seafarers.
"Some of the greatest acts of international piracy are committed by shipowners against their own crews," said Ian Bray, the ITF's Australian Inspectorate Coordinator.
"In many cases they roll the dice and steal their workers' wages because of a historical failure by governments of yesteryear to properly police Australian employment law in Australian waters. That is why we continue to advocate for stronger regulation, legislation and expanded enforcement resources for the Fair Work Ombudsman and the Australian Maritime Safety Authority so that this can be stamped out for good" Bray explained.
The International Transport Workers Federation and the Maritime Union of Australia call on the Australian Government to join the fight against modern slavery aboard international ships operating in and out of Australian ports.
The Robbed at Sea report, published by the Australia Institute's Centre for Future Work in 2022, set out the systematic exploitation of vulnerable international seafarers working in Australian waters.
It found that:
- 70% of ships carrying imports and exports fail to meet minimum international standards for wage payment
- $38 million in stolen wages were recovered over a ten year period by the ITF Inspectorate conducting spot checks at Australian ports.
- Flag of Convenience vessels are usually registered in low-wage, developing countries, with limited power to resist exploitation by unethical ship owners, contractors and sub-contractors.
"The Albanese Government is working with us to rebuild Australian shipping and ensure more ships fly our flag, employ our workers and pay fair, Australian wages, but there are hundreds of internationally owned ships operating in our waters today that systematically steal the hard earned wages of seafarers from some of the world's poorest nations, and this is done not only on Australia's doorstep but in our name as Australian consumers, so the ITF and the MUA are working to stamp this out and see justice delivered to these workers while they are in our ports," Mr Crumlin said.
The Nowhere to Hide campaign will see a week of action by Australian and international ITF coordinators, inspectors and volunteers , with group inspections at ships across the three states of Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania
The campaign is built on the experience of the ITF Inspectorate in Australia and the research commissioned and published in the Robbed at Sea report. It will target:
- Wage theft
- Refusal of shore leave
- Failure to repatriate seafarers to their country of origin
- Denial of medical care
- Bullying and harassment of vulnerable workers
"ITF Inspectors do more than recover stolen wages. We are on the frontline ensuring important safety standards are met, that medical care is provided to sick or injured seafarers, and that the human rights of visiting seafarers are respected in Australia ports by employers and terminal operators, including access to shore leave and repatriation," said Mr Bray.
The ITF will hone in on Flag of Convenience vessels, registered overseas but operating in Australian waters, to ensure compliance with the Coastal Trading Act and the Fair Work Act and gather further evidence to support the Robbed At Sea report recommendations to Government for improving working and living conditions aboard cargo and coastal trading vessels operating in Australian waters.
