Singapore: The Singapore Maritime Officers’ Union (SMOU) has helped 20 seafarers onboard an arrested tanker called C Whale claim their unpaid wages of US$300,000.
The seafarers were denied their wages for three months until they asked for the union’s assistance in March.
Said SMOU’s executive secretary Mary Liew: “I am very glad that we fought for what is rightfully due to the seafarers and that they can finally put all these behind them and return home soon. Coincidentally, this ties in well with the spirit of Labour Day, and that is to protect the welfare of the workers from unfair treatment from their employers. We also thankful to International Lutheran Seafarers’ Mission (ILSM) and all those who rendered their assistance.”
Currently all 20 seafarers are still onboard while they wait for the tanker’s cargo to be unloaded. These seafarers are mainly from India, Pakistan, Myanmar, and Russia.
The tanker sailed from Indonesia and has been docked in Singapore since February. [30/04/13]
