Filipino icebreaker crew paid poor salary in Finland

Filipino crewmembers of an icebreaker in Finland contracted by the government have been paid a monthly salary of less than 500 euros, reported a Finnish language news consortium Lännen Media on Saturday.

The average monthly pay including other benefits and bonus being received by a Filipino crewmember is less than 800 euros, which is 2,700 euros less than the average monthly salary of a Finnish seaman.

An official of the trade union concerned termed the employment agreement slavery.

“This is really obscene. Payment of less than 800 euros including holiday and other benefits is almost like slave labour in the Finnish market,” Kenneth Bengts of the Finnish Seafarers’ Union told the Lännen Media.

According to the salary structure recommended by the International Labour Organization and the International Transport Federation, the minimum monthly pay for a seaman stands at around 1,000 euros.

The Finnish Transport Agency, however, told the Lännen Media that it is informed about the situation but it has little option to force the contractor to follow the Finnish labour laws.

The icebreaker named the Thetis is operated by Alfons Håkans Shipping registered in Cyprus.

Håkans Company, an Estonian subsidiary of Alfons Håkans, recruited the Filipino crew for eight months in Manila in December last.

The company’s Chief Executive Officer Joakim Håkans said it is not possible to pay the Filipino crew more. He also strongly disagreed with the union’s opinion, said the Lännen Media report.