The European maritime union Nautilus has been successful in winning unpaid wages totalling almost USD1 million owed to the crew of a “superyacht” that was arrested in Malta.
The Indian Empress was abandoned by its Indian owner over a year ago, and then arrested by the authorities in Malta in September 2017. The owner, Vijay Vittal Mallya, is a tycoon who owns the Kingfisher beer label and Formula 1 Force India.
The union pursued the back payment for the crew under the terms of the Maritime Labour Convention's financial security provisions. An initial payment of USD615,000 was secured, and the union pursued the remainder of the crew’s wages due after the yacht was sold for EUR35m in September, winning a further USD290,426 – an average of an additional USD20,745 for each crew member.
Nautilus international organiser Danny McGowan commented that the case indicated the importance of crew in this sector joining a union, and of owners working with the union, to resolve problems before the need to arrest and sell vessels to secure wages owed to crew.
-----------------------------------------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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