MP calls Condor ‘long-term bad bosses’ in parliament

Speaking under parliamentary privilege, during debate on the proposed Seafarers’ Wages Bill, Grahame Morris, the Labour MP for Easington in County Durham, appeared appalled that Condor should be being consulted about the bill.

‘The minister said that there had been consultation and that further consultation was going on, including with the UK Chamber of Shipping,’ he said.

‘My understanding is that that includes Seatruck and Condor Ferries. They are long-term bad bosses and abusers of seafarer rights, so I hope that they will not have input into the bill, which could further undermine its provisions.’

The Seafarers’ Wages Bill aims to ensure that seafarers with close ties to the UK are paid at least an equivalent to the UK national minimum wage while they are in UK waters. This could have an impact on Condor, which operates from Poole and Portsmouth.

The proposed changes to the law are being mirrored in France, where, a parallel initiative would see similar minimum standards imposed for companies operating from French Channel ports.

The bill was put forward as a reaction to the controversial sacking of 800 staff by P&O Ferries in March last year, replacing them with agency workers, being paid less than the minimum wage.

P&O, like Condor, operates ferries registered in the Bahamas.

Maritime union the RMT has written to the Transport Secretary demanding that the government enhance the bill with greater protection for crews on ships.

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said in March that his union had campaigned for years to tackle Condor Ferries’ use of international seafarers on pay below the national minimum wage.

Yesterday he added: ‘The remaining parliamentary stages of the Seafarers’ Wages Bill are imminent and seafarer unions and parliamentarians must have sight of the latest version of the Seafarers Welfare Charter in the interests of primary legislation which effectively tackles the exploitative crewing model used by P&O Ferries and other operators of international services in UK ports.’

. Condor Ferries was unable to comment yesterday. It has previously said that it exceeds domestic and international employment regulations for on-board crew.