Australian oil tanker crew members refuse to leave Devonport when told they will lose jobs
By Laura Beavis
Updated yesterday at 9:31pm
The Australian crew of an oil tanker is refusing to leave Devonport in Tasmania after being told they are to be replaced when they reach Singapore.
Thirty-six sailors transporting Caltex oil on the Alexander Spirit were told they would no longer have jobs when the tanker returned to Singapore.
The crewmen have refused to leave Devonport and have filed an application for a hearing in Fair Work Australia.
Ian Bray from the Maritime Union of Australia said Caltex had refused to rule out returning the ship to Australian waters with a foreign crew.
"They can employ foreign seafarers for much cheaper than they can Australian seafarers, normally on about $2 an hour," he said.
Mr Bray suspected the company was trying to circumvent cabotage laws, which require Australian crews to be used on domestic routes.
"Once there's an Australian vessel that's not available to carry the cargo it's quite legal for a company to bring in a ship with a foreign crew, and that's exactly what they're doing," he said.
"They're removing the impediment to the cheaper labour by removing the ship."
The Federal Government wants to repeal cabotage laws.
The vessel's manager, TeeKay Shipping, has been contacted for a response.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-07-03/australian-oil-tanker-crew-refuse-to-leave-devonport-after-bein/6594588
Alexander Spirit - IMO 9326524Own photo
Topic: Crew of Australian Oil Tanker Refuse to Leave Port (Read 1352 times)