Crews complain in city of pay rip-off: A pirates’ ransom

By Noel Murphy
A CHINESE ship loading grain in Geelong is being pursued over an alleged refusal to pay crew “pirate danger money” and other wages, according to a union representative.
International Transport Workers Federation’s Matt Purcell said the COS Glory, a Panamanian-registered vessel, left Geelong this week bound for Karachi after being issued pay demands for 24 Chinese crew aboard.
Mr Purcell said crew were not paid normal wages or special allowances for sailing through pirate waters south of India.
“They needed to pay the crew at least $80,000 before they could leave port at Geelong and the rest in Karachi,” he said said.
“We’ve hit them up for a pretty big amount. I’m not sure of the exact figure but will be hundreds of thousands.”
Zhang Le, a division of the giant Singapore shipping group COSCO, owns the ship.
The COS Glory dispute is the latest in a raft of pay claims this year totalling about $800,000 for crew on international ships plying trade in Geelong, Mr Purcell said.
The dispute also follows suicide bids and allegations of beatings, bullying, food and safety cuts and other unpaid wages.
Mr Purcell said the claims were commonplace among overseas shipping crews visiting the port of Geelong.
The Independent last week reported the attempted suicide of a Filippino seaman aboard Korean hell ship K-Coral while in Geelong.
The federation alleged the man had been subjected to beatings and harassment.
He was hospitalised for three days at Geelong after slashing his wrists before being repatriated to Manila.
Mr Purcell said the COS Glory was unable to produce a collective bargaining agreement meant to be kept onboard at all times.
“It’s going to Karachi now but we have some ITF staff there who we’ve included in our correspondence, so they’re in a bit of bother.
“They need to pay the crew at least their September wages … they needed to pay at least $80,000 before they left the port of Geelong and the rest in Karachi.”