A FREIGHT ferry operator has categorically denied union claims that staff receive “poverty pay” of £1.64 an hour.
The RMT staged a demonstration on Friday against the DFDS Seaways Finlandia vessel, which operates between Rosyth and Zeebrugge in Belgium. The union claimed the Lithuanian crew are being “exploited’’ and local traders in Rosyth are also being excluded from work on the ferry because of low pay.
DFDS said the allegations were “simply not true”, and staff on the ship were paid between £1,259 and £5,662 per month.
The union said the Scottish Government has given grants of £356,000 to support the route while the EU will have invested £5.42 million in it by 2017. Gert Jakobsen, vice-president of communications for DFDS, said the route would not operate without the support.
“There is absolutely and categorically no single rank on board the Finlandia Seaways being paid £1.64 per hour,” he said. “This is simply not true and we have no idea where the RMT have got their information from.
“The rates of pay for this crew have been grossly under-exaggerated by the RMT. The salaries paid to each crew member range from €1,481 (£1,259) per month to €6,662 (£5,662) per month.”
RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: “Our figures are based on the most recent information regarding basic rates of pay for the Lithuanian ratings and officers on the Finlandia Seaways. We received that information in 2014 and have not since received any update.”
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