RMT PART OF 300 STRONG DEMONSTRATION IN CHERBOURG TO BLOCKADE PORT AGAINST LABOUR EXPLOITATION

300 demonstrators from RMT, the French unions CGT and CFDT, SIPTU and ITF today prevented M V Normandy owned by Irish Ferries sailing from Rosslare with 800 passengers' cars and HGV Lorries with cargo from berthing at Cherbourg after a sit down protest on the dockside.

This was the first action in a new co-ordinated EU wide campaign to secure an international ferry directive to end the loophole that allows ferry operators to pay non nationals a fraction of the minimum wage levels prevailing across the EU. Irish Ferries are using Asian and eastern European crew paying low wages thereby undercutting operators P&O ferries and Brittany Ferries putting the jobs of local seafarers at risk.

The MV Normandy has left Cherbourg looking for another port to berth at.

Ships from Portsmouth, Dover and Harwich using similar non national crew at low wages also face a blockade at French and other ports.

Steve Todd RMT shipping officer speaking from Cherbourg said "Today saw the start of international action by unions from 3 EU countries to stop the 'rush to the low road' in the terms and conditions of seafarers. This rush to the bottom entails job losses by local seafarer on the back of exploitation by labour from undeveloped parts of the world. We want to see a new international ferry directive that insists that nationals and non nationals alike are treated the same and exploitation is stamped out.

"Ferry travellers and cargo shippers must be prepared to pay to stay on the high road. Ships from UK ports 'taking the low road' face similar blockades this summer. This morning has been a good start to this vital campaign against slave labour," Steve Todd said.