Union leaders and activists from the five countries will gather in Swansea tomorrow to call for minimum standards of pay and conditions and for UN conventions on human rights to be imposed on ferry operators to prevent them exploiting overseas crews.

The campaign will tomorrow reveal evidence that the MV Superferry, operated by Swansea-Cork Ferries, employs eastern European crew on pay rates and working conditions that fall well short of decency levels.

"Recruiting crews overseas, paying shockingly low wages, expecting them to work unacceptably long hours and sacking workers who dare even to contact a trade union adds up to a policy known as social dumping," RMT general secretary Bob Crow said today.

"We believe it is morally indefensible for employers to take advantage of workers like this, and I am delighted that trade unionists from so many countries are united in calling for minimum standards that apply to shore-base workers to be imposed on ferry operators."

"The evidence we have gathered contradicts Swansea-Cork Ferries' claims that everything is hunky-dory on the MV Superferry," said International Transport Workers' Federation inspector and campaign co-ordinator Norrie McVicar.

"If they have nothing to hide, why not allow the ITF aboard to make a full inspection and test out their claims?" Norrie McVicar said.

ends

Notes to editors: The campaign to end social dumping involves RMT, TGWU and Numast in the UK, Siptu in Ireland, CGT and CFDT in France, FWZ in the Netherlands and AVC Transcom and BTB in Belgium.

International campaign launch in Swansea,
Thursday September 1, from 12 noon starting at the Swansea Dockers' Sports and Social Club, Delhi Street, Swansea, SA1 8BT

Speakers will include: Paul Smyth of Siptu (Ireland); Steve Todd of RMT, Paul Maloney of Numast and Graham Stevenson of TGWU (UK), Didier Cappelle, FCDT (France), ITF inspector Norrie McVicar, and representatives of other unions involved.