Union recovers more than $30 million in stolen seafarer wages as poor conditions laid bare

Union recovers more than $30 million in stolen seafarer wages as poor conditions laid bare
Rosemary Murphy 7 Jan 2025 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-01-07/union-recovers-30-million-dollars...

They are the people behind billions of dollars of imports and exports that flow in and out of Australia every day.

But advocates for international seafarers say crew aboard the massive cargo vessels plying their trade on global sea lanes can face limited food, substandard water, and stolen wages.

New figures compiled by the International Transport Workers' Federation show it recovered $30.7 million in stolen wages for seafarers last year.

ITF Australia coordinator Ian Bray said in 2023, stolen wages for seafarers amassed $31.9 million.

"The highest amount recovered in any given year prior to these previous two years was 2022 and that was US$6.7 million ($10.7 million)," he said.

"We know there's more out there, but it's just a case of time and resources — otherwise these figures will be exponentially higher."
Not enough food

More than 26,000 foreign-flagged vessels arrive in Australian waters each year.

Last year, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) carried out 2,264 inspections and received 169 Maritime Labour Convention complaints, with 105 of those related to bulk carriers.

AMSA national operations manager Greg Witherall said since 2020 there had been 10 bulk carriers refused access because of non-payment of wages.

"We do not support modern slavery," he said.

"And if a vessel or an operator has been determined to be underpaying its crew or not paying its crew as per their contracted terms, that generally will result in a refusal access letter being issued to that company."

In 2023, Liberian-flagged bulk carrier MSXT Emily received a one-year ban from entering Australian waters after an AMSA investigation found issues of wage theft and worker mistreatment.

A 40-year-old foreign national jumped ship while the bulk carrier was moored at Rio Tinto's Cape Lambert in WA's Pilbara last April.

An average of 29 crew members jump ship in Australia each year.

Last week, Rio Tinto announced a deck fitter on board its bulk carrier RTM Zheng He, travelling to Dampier Port, had been reported missing while the vessel was in international waters near the Philippines.

Investigations are ongoing.

A Rio Tinto spokesperson said the company established the Rio Tinto Designated Owners and Operators program in 2023, which "aims to uplift safety and welfare standards" on its chartered fleet of vessels.

"We are also actively collaborating with industry partners, regulatory bodies, and other relevant organisations to share and embed learning and best practices," the spokesperson said.

BHP points to its Modern Slavery Standard as evidence for its strict vetting of the vessels it charters, as well as financial support for charity and support groups for seafarers around Australia.

"The operators are selected based on factors including their maritime operational and safety records," the company stated.

"We seek to ensure all vessels comply with the International Labour Organisation's Maritime Labour Convention, which sets the standard for seafarers' living and working conditions."

Fortescue Metals Group, which operates eight of its own vessels and charters others, acknowledged the "high risk of modern slavery" posed by global shipping.

"We require all employees, contractors, and subcontractors to comply with Fortescue's expectations regarding safety and worker conditions," a spokesperson said.

It pointed to ship-by-ship vetting and inspections as measures taken to prevent poor and unsafe working conditions on vessels in its supply chain.

Mr Bray said conditions on board for those he described as the "world's invisible workforce" could be difficult.

"There were several occasions where we identified there wasn't enough food on board the ship to feed the crew to get from the port that we inspected to the next port," he said.

"There's substandard water, rusty tanks, those kind of things, so the water coming out is like mud and on occasions they're being told they have to drink that as well."
A large group of people with boxes around them.

'Sea blindness'

The Seafarers Centre in Port Hedland is the largest in Australia.

The town is home to the world's largest bulk export port.

Phil Donnan from the organisation said as well as providing direct support to 10,000 crew members, they also worked to inform the public about the industry.
A man in front of a sign reading seafarers centre, tours, souvenirs, gift shop

"Certainly COVID brought that to people's attention when they went to the shops and found the shelves bare because the shipping movements were highly restricted.

"We throw the centre open to the public to be able to come through, as well as that we run harbour tours where we talk about seafarers' ships and their situation to lift the awareness of the public."