The International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) is seeking more than €200,000 in payments for the east European crew of an Irish Sea freight ferry, some of whom it claims have been receiving pay of just €2 per hour.
Federation inspector Ken Fleming yesterday presented the claim to Norfolk Line, the company that charters the Merchant Bravery ferry, which operates between Dublin and the port of Heysham in England.
The boat is a roll-on-roll-off freight ferry that is part of the Norfolk Line fleet and sails regularly between Dublin and Heysham port, near Morecambe. It is registered in the Bahamas and is Latvian-owned.
Norfolk Line has said while it does not have responsibility for the crewing or technical management of the vessel, it takes the issues raised "extremely seriously".
Mr Fleming said he had told Norfolk Line representatives at a meeting in Dublin airport that if the crew, from Poland, Latvia and Russia, were not reimbursed he would have no alternative but to have the ship detained.
Mr Fleming is on secondment from Siptu to the ITF, the global organisation of transport workers' unions.
"When I produced the ship's registration details they accepted they had a problem. They do not dispute the documentation of the ITF and I made it clear to them that if the crew are not properly reimbursed, I will have no alternative but to have the ship detained."
Mr Fleming is to meet today with the captain of the vessel to investigate reported attempts to replace crew members before the dispute is resolved.
A spokesman for Norfolk Line said last night it chartered the vessel and the issue of payments to the crew was a matter for the owner and manager of the ship.
Meanwhile, Siptu president Jack O'Connor said last night that this latest incident was further evidence workers' rights needed a strong enforcement system.
"While the new national agreement 'Towards 2016' provides a mechanism for tackling these issues, the actual legal and organisational structures needed to prevent exploitation have still to be enacted," he said.
