Ro-ro dispute continues in Irish sea
In a stand-off between the crew of the 1979-built, 5,300 dwt Jamaica-flag cargo ro-ro Merchant Brilliant the International Transport Workers’ Federation says that the ship is now at anchor with crew and ITF inspectors “barricaded onboard”.
The ITF says the ship Merchant Brilliant is anchored three miles off the UK Heysham with crew members, two ITF inspectors and two Russian representatives of the owners on board.
ITF says: “Ten of the crew members have barricaded themselves in following threats made against them, their homes and families by the owner’s representatives. The two ITF inspectors, Bristol based Bill Anderson and Dublin based Ken Fleming, joined them, feeling that their presence onboard would help protect the crew. As of 13:50 today they continue to seek to settle the crew’s claims for back pay peaceably, at which time the ship will be likely to be able to return to the port, which it was requested to leave when talks reached a deadlock.”
There has been a long running dispute between the Latvia based company ADG Shipmanagement SIA and the crew. An apparent agreement on repatriation and owed wages negotiated with the help of the ITF was not, the ITF says, honoured as expected yesterday when the vessel called at Heysham.
The ITF says the ship Merchant Brilliant is anchored three miles off the UK Heysham with crew members, two ITF inspectors and two Russian representatives of the owners on board.
ITF says: “Ten of the crew members have barricaded themselves in following threats made against them, their homes and families by the owner’s representatives. The two ITF inspectors, Bristol based Bill Anderson and Dublin based Ken Fleming, joined them, feeling that their presence onboard would help protect the crew. As of 13:50 today they continue to seek to settle the crew’s claims for back pay peaceably, at which time the ship will be likely to be able to return to the port, which it was requested to leave when talks reached a deadlock.”
There has been a long running dispute between the Latvia based company ADG Shipmanagement SIA and the crew. An apparent agreement on repatriation and owed wages negotiated with the help of the ITF was not, the ITF says, honoured as expected yesterday when the vessel called at Heysham.