THE International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) has provided assistance to starving seafarers on board a ‘floating sweatshop’ berthed at a South Australian port.
According to ITF, the 22 Chinese crewmembers on the Hong Kong registered bulk carrier, Tien Hau, were forced to fish for their own food to make up for depleting food stores on board the vessel.
ITF says the Tien Hau vessel was loading wheat in the port of Wallaroo last week and currently owes its workers $47,000.
"The 14 year old vessel is a floating sweatshop,” ITF assistant coordinator in Australia, Matt Purcell says.
“It has not been paying the Chinese crew on board in compliance with the ITF national agreement, the crew's amenities are in a disgraceful state and food stocks are so low in the galley the crew have been fishing at the berth to supplement their diet."
ITF also claims before the bulk carrier left the port, bound for Papua New Guinea, food stores on board were replenished and Fenwick Shipping, the vessel’s operator, promised to improve conditions but back pay, however is still owed.
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