Ukrainian crew’s onboard protest in Lyttelton backed by Maritime Union

The Mari­time Uni­on says that a group of Ukrain­i­an fish­er­men in Lyt­telton are vic­tims of the lack of reg­u­la­tion of the fish­ing industry.

The 27 crew mem­bers are cur­rently onboard the FV Malak­hov Kur­gan in the port of Lyt­telton where they are refus­ing to leave until they are paid back­pay owing to them, and held a pick­et this morn­ing at the gates of the port.

Mari­time Uni­on Gen­er­al Sec­ret­ary Tre­vor Han­son says the 27 crew mem­bers have not been paid the cor­rect wages for the time they have worked.

He says a fur­ther group of fish­er­men were sent home after accept­ing a lumpsum pay­ment, but the Mari­time Uni­on has con­cerns about the way the situ­ation has been handled, and the mes­sage this is giv­ing fish­ing com­pan­ies and char­ter­ers.

Mr Han­son says it appears that crew mem­bers have been threatened that they may be jailed when they return home unless they give up their claim.

He says the Mari­time Uni­on will sup­port the crew and is doing what it can to resolve the situ­ation in a pos­it­ive way for them.