Higher pay for Filipino seamen in Greek ship

MANILA, Philippines—A Greek court directed the owner of MV Aetea Sierra to pay higher salaries to its crew that includes 12 Filipinos, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said in a statement Monday.

Under a court order issued on December 21, 2009, the award to be given to the crew was calculated using Greek wage standard which is about four times more than what the seafarers would have received on wages stipulated in their contracts, Philippine embassy in Athens said in its report to the DFA.

The award would cover the period from July 9 to November 9, while the residual claims shall follow to cover the period starting November 10, 2009 until the date of the seafarers’ actual departure from Greece to the Philippines.

The Filipino crew of MV Aetea Sierra sought the assistance of the embassy after negotiations with the Greek vessel owner for their unpaid salaries and damages failed.

The seafarers also filed a case against the vessel owner. A Filipino ship engineer is represented by a Greek lawyer offered by the embassy while lawyers of the International Transport Federation (ITF) are assisting the rest of the Filipino crew.

The Philippine embassy is already making arrangements for the Filipino seafarers’ repatriation. Eleven of them have completed their contracts and have signified their wish to go home.

Should the ship owner fail to pay the crew, the vessel will be auctioned off, proceeds of which be used to pay for the crew’s wages, the embassy said. –INQUIRER.net