Sweatships
The campaign
"A ship owner can go any place in the world, pick up anybody he wants, on almost any terms. If the owner wants to maximise profit at the expense of people, it's a piece of cake... It's a sweatshop at sea."
Paul Chapman, a Baptist minister
Paul Chapman, a Baptist minister
| Reuters/Popperfroto |
What’s the problem?
Cruise ship employees are often excited by the chance to see the world whilst making money. For the majority of young people from industrialised countries, this dream is not too far from the truth. But it’s a very different story for many from the developing world. Working conditions and pay on cruise ships can turn out to be as low – and management practices as abusive – as the 'sweatshop' factories in the workers’ own countries . Even worse, many crewing agents in developing countries illegally charge workers fees just to get the job, which can leave their families spiralling into debt. Some cruise companies also take an indemnity out of the first month’s wages to prevent cruise ship workers from leaving. Such practices mean that many workers are reduced to virtual ‘bonded labour’. Cruise ships are also deeply hierarchical and even segregated workplaces.
The cruise industry is growing but that means there’s more competition. Cruise lines are squeezing more out of their workforces by issuing short work contracts, intensifying working hours and trying to curb trade union organisation on board. How are they getting away with it? On paper, seafarers have more international protection than many other workers through the International Labour Organisation and the International Maritime Organisation. But ships are covered by the labour protection laws of the country in which they’re registered. So, many cruise ships fly the flag of places like Panama, Bahamas and Liberia that have weak laws and weak trade unions – and are happy to turn a blind eye to international maritime standards. These are known as 'flags of convenience'. For example, Disney has two cruise ships, 'Disney Magic' and 'Disney Wonder'. They both fly the Bahamas flag of convenience. A galley assistant from Trinidad said: "In Disney’s training they say it is one big family, you must give 100 per cent. But when you get on board, it's completely different. They don't give you 100 per cent. There's no chance to progress out of the galley, at least not on merit." Working hours are extremely long and workers say there is not even a system of recording overtime. Disney says it will consider a union agreement if the majority of crewmembers want it. But Disney does not let union representatives on board and workers are scared to be seen with them in case they lose their jobs. What’s been done about it so far? The International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) and the maritime unions
affiliated to it do have collective bargaining agreements signed with some cruise companies, plus a force of ship inspectors in ports around the world to help seafarers implement these agreements. But some cruise ship companies are simply hostile to unions. On these vessels the War on Want and the ITF have launched a Sweatships Campaign to draw attention to the appalling working conditions on board many cruise ships. What can you do?
Cruise ship employees are often excited by the chance to see the world whilst making money. For the majority of young people from industrialised countries, this dream is not too far from the truth. But it’s a very different story for many from the developing world. Working conditions and pay on cruise ships can turn out to be as low – and management practices as abusive – as the 'sweatshop' factories in the workers’ own countries . Even worse, many crewing agents in developing countries illegally charge workers fees just to get the job, which can leave their families spiralling into debt. Some cruise companies also take an indemnity out of the first month’s wages to prevent cruise ship workers from leaving. Such practices mean that many workers are reduced to virtual ‘bonded labour’. Cruise ships are also deeply hierarchical and even segregated workplaces.
- jobs are allocated downwards through the decks according to gender,
- nationality and skin colour.
- the clientele and the maritime officers on the top decks are largely white and from industrialised countries.
- workers from Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America and Central/Eastern Europe do the menial jobs in the bars cabins, engine-room and galleys below.
The cruise industry is growing but that means there’s more competition. Cruise lines are squeezing more out of their workforces by issuing short work contracts, intensifying working hours and trying to curb trade union organisation on board. How are they getting away with it? On paper, seafarers have more international protection than many other workers through the International Labour Organisation and the International Maritime Organisation. But ships are covered by the labour protection laws of the country in which they’re registered. So, many cruise ships fly the flag of places like Panama, Bahamas and Liberia that have weak laws and weak trade unions – and are happy to turn a blind eye to international maritime standards. These are known as 'flags of convenience'. For example, Disney has two cruise ships, 'Disney Magic' and 'Disney Wonder'. They both fly the Bahamas flag of convenience. A galley assistant from Trinidad said: "In Disney’s training they say it is one big family, you must give 100 per cent. But when you get on board, it's completely different. They don't give you 100 per cent. There's no chance to progress out of the galley, at least not on merit." Working hours are extremely long and workers say there is not even a system of recording overtime. Disney says it will consider a union agreement if the majority of crewmembers want it. But Disney does not let union representatives on board and workers are scared to be seen with them in case they lose their jobs. What’s been done about it so far? The International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) and the maritime unions
affiliated to it do have collective bargaining agreements signed with some cruise companies, plus a force of ship inspectors in ports around the world to help seafarers implement these agreements. But some cruise ship companies are simply hostile to unions. On these vessels the War on Want and the ITF have launched a Sweatships Campaign to draw attention to the appalling working conditions on board many cruise ships. What can you do?
| Join up! Join the Sweatships campaign | |
| Take Action! Send an electronic postcard to a travel agent | |
| Going on a cruise? Find out how you can help the campaign further | |
| Send a letter to Disney Amend and print out our suggested letter | |
| Are you a trade union member? Download motions and find out how you can get your group more involved |
