The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) at the beginning of the year secured more than $64,960 in back pay for crew members aboard two runaway-flag vessels in the Houston area.Upon being informed of complaints from three Sri-Lankan crew members (electrician, bosun and AB) aboard the Taxiarchis Sierra, SIU ITF Inspector Shwe Tun Aung, who works out of Houston, visited the Cyprus-flag bulk carrier when it arrived in that port Jan. 18. He discovered that the managers, Argosy Shipmanagement Inc., based in Piraeus, Greece, had not been paying the crew in accordance with their ITF contract.
Aung negotiated with the company and secured the sum of $9,147.60 as per the agreement, which included two months’ wages, overtime and leave pay, along with repatriation for the three crew members.
Unfortunately, the mariners could not sign off at that time since they did not have the necessary visas, so Aung arranged for repatriation in the next foreign port. Additionally, he ordered more provisions for the crew, paid by the owner, and recommended that the ITF inspector in the next port check to make sure that everything was still okay.
Aung also was alerted to the plight of the crew aboard the Sealight, managed by Furtrans Shipping Group, a Turkish company based in Istanbul and flying the flag of Malta. The mariners claimed they had not been paid according to the ITF agreement covering that vessel. And wages that were being paid had been delayed for periods of two months or more.
The ITF inspector visited the bulk carrier when it arrived in Freeport, Texas and demanded that the company pay all wages, back pay and repatriation costs. In addition, he demanded that the owners take no action against the seafarers for demanding their contractual rights.
Aung negotiated with Furtrans and received $55,812.95, which covered two months’ wages for five crew members, as well as overtime, leave pay and repatriation. The remainder of the crew had just boarded the vessel and did not want to claim wages at that time.
Aung asked that other inspectors keep an eye out for the Sealight, checking to ensure that the company continued to comply with the ITF agreement.
The ITF, based in London and founded in 1886, is an alliance of 594 transportation-related trade unions in 136 countries, representing approximately 5 million workers. The SIU is an ITF affiliate.
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