Irish trade unions reveal abuse of Filipino fishermen

MANILA, Philippines - Irish trade unions have revealed that Filipino fishermen are being being abused in Northern Ireland, describing the treatment they receive as appalling and unacceptable. A report prepared by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions noted that several Filipino fishermen have complained of human and trade union rights abuses and physical assaults made against them while working in the Northern Ireland ports of Kilkeel, Ardglass, and Portavoge. The report said the group came to know about the complaints when Patrick Yu, executive director of the Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities, and trade union Unison’s Pamela Dooley contacted the International Transport Federation (ITF) in October. Included in the allegations were physical abuse, long working hours for low pay, poor accommodation, no sanitary or social facilities, and intimidation when they complain about their employment situation. Among the victims were 11 Filipino fishermen who sought assistance from non-governmental organizations and immigration services in April to facilitate their repatriation after experiencing abuse from their employers in Kilkeel. One of the Filipino workers in the report complained of being assaulted, not being able to eat on time, working overtime without compensation and rest, and even witnessing his coworker being strangled. The 11 crew members were apparently hired by the Super Manning Agency, Inc. in the Philippines. As stated in their employment contract, they were supposed to receive only US$400 or more than P14,000 per month, with 208 hours as their minimum working hours although the report said that Filipino fishermen generally earned £374 (US$553) or almost P27,000 a month, including overtime pay for working nearly 300 hours. However, their basic pay of $1.92 or about P92 per hour is supposedly just around one-fifth of the minimum wage in the United Kingdom. Moreover, the ITF insisted in the report that the minimum wage is supposed to be at least £1,600 (US$2,366) or almost P115,000. Over 200 Filipinos are employed in such a way in Scotland, 200 more in the Irish Republic, 160 in Northern Ireland and an unknown number in England, the ITF said. Meanwhile, ITF Representative Ken Fleming had already met with the chairman of the Boast Owners Fishing Association in Dublin, Ireland to discuss employment practices and the welfare of migrant workers. Both parties have also agreed to have more dialogues regarding the issue. Ireland’s Department of Enterprise, Trade, and Employment has also reportedly acknowledged the seriousness of the concerns of the ITF. It also said that any discovered failure to comply with employment permit and employment rights requirements should be brought immediately to the attention of the relevant enforcement authorities. - GMANews.TV