'Modern-day pirates': Calls to protect foreign cruise ship workers
The Anti-Slavery Commissioner is calling for change after Carnival cruise staff alleged conditions one senator called a "floating sweatshop".
Australia’s Anti-Slavery Commissioner, Chris Evans, has called for greater protections for foreign cruise ship workers, arguing that they should be treated on par with local workers. The current exemption to Australian labour laws for cruise ships, which is set to expire at the end of the year, leaves crew members with far fewer protections than workers onshore.
Evans pointed out that crew members on foreign cruise ships often work 12 hours a day, seven days a week, and are paid as little as $33 a day. The allegations of substandard working conditions and wages came to light in an ABC News investigation, which also uncovered claims of medical neglect and the consumption of rotten buffet leftovers.
The government is reviewing the findings of a review into the exemption, and Evans stated that some changes in this area are long overdue. Labor Senator Tony Sheldon, who visited a Carnival cruise ship, backed up the crew's allegations, describing the working conditions as akin to modern-day piracy. The maritime union has accused Carnival of exploiting crew members from countries with low wage rates by offering them conditions that are unacceptable by Australian standards. Carnival has denied the allegations and stated that it follows the Maritime Labour Convention.
Written by urgent.news from ABC News AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
