Eleven crewmen on board a ship at Dublin port since before Christmas are to return home to the Philippines after settling a dispute over unpaid wages, writes Chris Dooley, Industry and Employment Correspondent
The 11 are to receive a total of $35,000 as part of a settlement negotiated by the International Transport Workers' Federation.
Their Dutch-owned vessel, The Elwood, has been detained at the port by the Department of the Marine since late last month on safety grounds.
ITWF inspector Tony Ayton highlighted the crew's plight in the run-up to Christmas when he said their wages for November had not been sent to their families in the Philippines as promised.
It is understood the ship's owners said the money had been passed on to the Philippine agency that recruited the crew. Cash payments were subsequently made to the crew on the evening of December 23rd and sent on to their families in the Philippines.
Mr Ayton praised staff at financial company Fexco, who re-opened their office at 6.30pm that day to ensure the payments reached the families in time for Christmas, and waived all charges and commission. He also said he would be thanking people and companies who had donated "a mountain of food and drink" to the crew, who had enjoyed a good Christmas as a result.
Mr Ayton said it was now the intention of the ship's owners to take it out of service, and a $35,000 severance package had been agreed. This was the equivalent of about two months' wages for the 11 crew members, he said. In addition, the men were to be repatriated to the Philippines at their employer's expense.
The ship had initially been detained by the department following a safety inspection at Greenore port, Co Louth, before it was moved to Dublin.
