The United Kingdom announced on Thursday the entry into force of a law aimed at preventing seafarers from being paid less than the British minimum wage, after the scandal of the dismissal of 800 seafarers from the shipping company P&O a year ago. The text, which is part of the government’s project to improve working conditions for the profession, received royal assent, allowing it to come into force, according to a press release from the British Ministry of Transport.
Its objective is to allow “thousands of seafarers who regularly enter British waters” not earn less than the minimum wage, which will rise in April to 10.42 pounds sterling (11.18 euros) an hour for people over 23 years of age. It plans to require authorities to charge shipowners who fail to prove they pay their seafarers at least the British minimum wage and to deny port access to those who do not pay this surcharge.
covid-19 victim
The text applies to shipping services that carry goods and passengers between the UK and a destination outside the country entering a UK port at least 120 times a year. P&O had created shock and anger by sacking 800 seamen overnight a year ago to replace them with contract workers paid well below the British minimum wage.
The company had repeatedly said that its cost model was unsustainable. Hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic and the collapse of international travel, it was losing £100m a year.
This scandal had earned the director of P&O Peter Hebblethwaite to be chosen “worst boss in the world”, after an online vote open to all, the result of which was announced on the sidelines of the Congress of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC). ) at the end of last year.
Source: BFM TV
