ACTU Media Release 10 July 2006
The crew of an Australian tanker docked in Hobart could face fines under the Howard Govt's IR laws for protesting against the operator's decision to replace the Australian crew with foreign seafarers by
refusing to unload the ship's cargo of sulphuric acid.

ACTU President Sharan Burrow said today:

"The crew of the MV Stolt is feeling both sides of the Howard Government's attacks on working Australians.

On the one hand, the crew have been told they have lost their jobs and will be replaced by foreign seafarers employed on as little as $100 a week after the ship's owners, overnight, changed the flag of the shipfrom Australia to the tax haven, the Cayman Islands.

And, on the other hand the crew could now face punitive fines for protesting over the weekend to save their jobs and draw publicattention too the demise of Australian shipping.

The crew of the MV Stolt is taking a stand for Australian shipping and for the safety of the Australian coast. They should be supported by theGovernment, not threatened with fines," Ms Burrow said.

"Operators of vessels carrying oil and chemicals through our waters and along our precious coastline need to uphold the highest safety standards and ensure that crews are properly trained with decent payand employment conditions.

Instead, the Federal Government is failing to ensure that safety standards are being maintained and is allowing more and more foreign ships to ply the Australian coast under the much-abused Single VoyagePermit system.

The MV Stolt has operated for more than 20 years moving chemicals, oil, molasses and other cargo along the Australian coast and has been on time every time over the entire period. The vessel is one of only 52Australian-flagged ships left in operation.

"The shipping policies of the Howard Government have cost these workers their jobs.

And the extremism of the Howard Government's IR laws mean that they face large fines for taking a stand to protect their livelihoods," saidMs Burrow.

more info: Maritime Union of Australia