PAY PRACTICES IN THE UK MARITIME SECTOR

Early day motion 252, tabled 25 November 2009 by Gwyn Prosser (Labour). Signed by 69 members.

That this House is appalled that in the 21st century, ships, including ferry services, which regularly trade on fixed routes between UK ports and between the UK and Europe, are allowed to pay poverty wages substantially below the minimum wage to non-UK seafarers including rates as little as £1.50 per hour; is dismayed that this super-exploitation is legal as a result of a loophole in race relations legislation which allows non-UK seafarers to be paid rates below agreed UK levels and also due to the exemption of seafarers from the national minimum wage; urges the Government to bring forward amendments to the Equality Bill to outlaw this discrimination and to reform race relations legislation as it applies to seafarers; and calls on the Government to bring forward immediately legislation to ensure that non-UK seafarers are protected by the provisions of the national minimum wage.

Signatures by party: Labour 53, Liberal Democrat 9, Independent 3, Scottish National Party 2, Conservative 1, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1.