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ITF Denmark wins DKK2.5m back pay for crew

28 Sep 2018
Morten Bach on board the Natig Aliyev

The ITF has won DKK2.6 million (USD324,370) in back pay owed to 19 Russian and Ukrainian seafarers stranded off Skagen for eight months in Denmark.

It is the second time this year that the ITF has assisted crew members on board the Turkish/Russian-owned, Malta-flagged tanker Natig Aliyev, and the third time it has intervened to deal with a ship owned by Palmali Shipping for failure to comply with the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC).

ITF inspector Morten Bach came to the aid of crew on the Natig Aliyev in February 2018 after they asked for help when they had been anchored for three weeks without pay or supplies after the ship had been arrested over a financial dispute. The Danish authorities detained the ship after the ITF notified them that it had breached the MLC. Morten Bach was then able to secure wages owed to the crew since November 2017 amounting to USD250,000. He has since been able to secure the current pay owed to the crew since February from the ship’s new Estonian charterer.

Morten Bach commented that: “It's appalling that a shipping company can treat its seafarers in this way; I can only warn unscrupulous shipowners against getting into Danish waters, where the ITF has excellent cooperative relations with the Danish authorities.”

--------------------------------------------PROBLEMS WITH PAY?---------------------------------------------------

Are you having problems with getting your pay in full? If you are, this could be a sign that your company is in economic trouble. You should contact your union or the ITF directly as soon as possible to protect your wages and employment.

 

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