***Stranded Turkish sailors' ordeal comes to a close

The dozen Turkish sailors who've been stuck in Sorel-Tracy for months are heading home.

They've been in Quebec since April, but were left stranded when the ship's owner withheld pay and even food for three months.

It was only thanks to the generosity of Sorel residents that the crew hasn't starved. But they are broke, cold and homesick.

They'll be flying home tonight thanks to tickets donated by Air Transat, but still without their back pay.

Vince Giannopolous is an inspector with the International Transport Workers Federation and has been in regular contact with the crew.

He says their troubles aren't over yet.

"Even though they're going home, and they're extremely excited about that, there are still very many hardships waiting for them," he said. "Some of the guys have to sell their vehicles because that's the only way they can keep up with mortgage payments or any debts they've accrued."

He adds that the ordeal has also taken a personal toll on many of them.

"There's a lot of emotional stress between husband and wife," says Giannopolous. "Whether they blame the seafarers or not, it's still affecting these relationships. These are people's lives. It's not just a money thing all the time."

The crew will receive their back pay when the ship is sold, but Giannopolous says that could take months or even years.

FROM STARBROEK NEWS (GUYANA):

***Five Guyanese on abandoned oil tanker for 19 months

(Trinidad Newsday) Five Guyanese who have been living for the past 19 months on a Nigerian oil and gas vessel docked in Trinidad waters, have vowed not to leave the ship unless they are paid US$215,000 in wages.

The M T Tumini has been docked a mile off Trinidad Cement Limited’s jetty with the Guyanese holed up in there since July last year, coming to shore only every three weeks to fetch drinking water and food.

With little funds remaining, however, having been paid July, 2013 wages in January this year, the Guyanese are pleading for intervention by the Trinidad and Tobago government to seize the ship under International Maritime Law.

Attorney Nyree Alfonso has written to the vessel’s former owner in Nigeria, Petroleum Brokers Shipping Services Limited, threatening to arrest the vessel and sell it in order to meet the wages of the Guyanese crew.

With the crew running out of funds to even purchase drinking water, the Guyanese made a desperate plea for local intervention the day before yesterday, telling Newsday that they sought assistance from the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) in London, who advised them not to leave the vessel, for fear that they would lose their wages.

M T Tumini was first purchased by Petroleum Brokers Ltd of Nigeria in 2008, from a Florida-based company which worked the vessel in the Caribbean, transporting fuel. How-ever, after the Nigerian company purchased the vessel, it never sailed due to the extensive repairs that were needed.

A Nigerian bank — Eco Bank, took over the mortage on the vessel and continued to finance its operations in Trinidad.

A five-member crew from Guyana was hired to man the vessel. They are: Rakesh Jim (Chief Officer); Roy Fredericks (Chief Engineer); Lawrence Daniel (second Engineer); Mohammed Gadwah (second officer); Neil Rampersad (Assistant Engineer/oiler). These men are still aboard the vessel, and up to the day before yesterday, spoke to Newsday seeking this government’s intervention, claiming that it seems that Eco-Bank has abandoned the vessel in Trinidad.

“We have not been hearing anything from the authorities in Nigeria, especially the Chief Officer, Rakesh Jim, about the fate of the vessel, and our salaries for the past 19 months. We are the crew maintaining the vessel,” one of the men told Newsday.

The Guyanese crew has not left the vessel since July last year, except to use a dingy to get on shore at Claxton Bay to purchase water and foodstuffs to take back to the vessel.

Newsday was shown written correspondence from the ITF, dated February 6, 2014, in which Angie Robinson (Maritime Operations, London)) advised the five Guyanese crew members not to abandon the vessel as it would be difficult for them to recover their wages. Alfonso’s letter threatened that under Trinidad and Tobago law, if the vessel remains in local waters, judicial arrest proceedings could be taken out to move the court for an order for sale of the M T Tumini, in order to settle the crew’s wages

FROM PORT NEWS (RUSSIA):

• 22 сентября 2014 15:59

***В ходе балтийской Недели действий против удобных флагов морякам вернули $911 тыс. задержанной зарплаты

Инспекторы Международной федерации транспортников (МФТ) и морских профсоюзов в период кампании ?Неделя действий против удобных флагов?, прошедшей с 1 по 5 сентября 2014 года, помогли вернуть морякам $911 тыс. задержанной заработной платы. Об этом сообщает пресс-служба Российского профсоюза моряков.

Во время кампании осуществлялась проверка теплоходов на предмет выполнения судовладельцами обязательств перед моряками. Особое внимание при инспекции на борту уделяется наличию коллективного договора, одобренного МФТ, трудовым контрактам о найме и их оформлению. В период кампании моряки обращаются к инспекторам за оказанием помощи в решении любых вопросов, касающихся задолженности по заработной плате, репатриации, питания, спецодежды и др.

В рамках прошедшей акции проверяющие побывали на 200 судах в портах Дании, Эстонии, Финляндии, Швеции, Германии, Латвии, Литвы и России и помогли вернуть морякам .

Крупнейший долг пришелся на индийский круизный теплоход Delphin, который ошвартовался в Германии. Местный координатор МФТ Рууд Тауэн помог украинским членам экипажа (199 человек), получить зарплату за июль и август текущего года, а также добился выплаты компенсации за задержку зарплаты. Общая сумма составила $850 тыс. После акции протеста на Delphin судовладелец заключил коллективный договор, отвечающий требованиям МФТ, для трех судов.

Силами Российского профсоюза моряков (РПСМ) в портах Санкт-Петербург и Калининград членам экипажей было возвращено более $50 тыс., а литовским профсоюзом – $25 тыс.

GOOGLE TRANSLATION:

22 September 2014 15:59
In the Baltic Action Week FOC seafarers returned $ 911 thousand. Unpaid wages

Inspectors of the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) and the maritime unions during the campaign "Action Week against flags of convenience", held from 1 to 5 September 2014, helped the sailors to return $ 911 thousand. Delayed wages. This was reported by the press service of the Russian Seamen's Union.

During the campaign, carried out checks ships for compliance with shipowners obligations to seafarers. Particular attention is paid to the inspection on board the presence of a collective agreement, approved by the ITF, labor contracts of employment and their appearance. During the campaign period sailors refer to inspectors for assistance in resolving any issues relating to arrears of wages, repatriation, food, clothes and others.

Within the last action inspectors visited the 200 ships in the ports of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Sweden, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania and Russia and have added to the sailors.

The largest debt fell on the Indian cruise ship Delphin, which is moored in Germany. Local coordinator ITF Ruud Tauen helped Ukrainian crew members (199 people), get paid for July and August of this year, and has made the payment of compensation for the delay in salary. The total amount was $ 850 thousand. After protests by Delphin owner signed a collective agreement that meets the requirements of the ITF, for the three ships.

Forces of the Russian Seamen's Union (SUR) in the ports of St. Petersburg and Kaliningrad crew members were returned more than $ 50 thousand., And Lithuanian union - $ 25 thousand.