Filipino ship workers (at LONG BEACH) strike for wages and vacation

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.pe.com/ap_news/California2/CA_Ship_Worker_Strike_253234CA.shtml

Filipino ship workers strike for wages and vacation

The Associated Press

LONG BEACH

The last time seafarer Danilo Cruz said he saw his wife and four children in the Philippines was 20 months ago.

"We have a phone here on the ship, but we have to limit our talk because it is very expensive," he said. "I want to see my family."

Cruz and the rest of the crew on the Greek owned merchant ship, the Endless, work as many as 16 hours a day for about $4.00 an hour. Most have not been home for two or three years, said Stefan Mueller-Dombois, union inspector for the International Transport Workers Federation.

On Thursday the workers began picketing. Not only are they demanding a break, but they're also looking for back-pay in the amount of $362,000, said Mueller-Dombois.

FULL story at link above.

[fasttense]

1. They only agreed to pay them $4,00/hr and they didn't even

pay them that miserly wage. What we have to pay workers? Is this a socialist plot?

[Jazzgirl]

2. Have they not been paying them??

This sounds like slavery. Viscious!

[Omaha Steve]

3. Paying less than owed

Frank Brucculeri, an attorney for Sea Justice SA, which owns the Endless, said the company thought it could pay the crew under a Philippine union contract, which offered wages that were much less than the transport federation agreements.