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| Crew's mutiny over unpaid wages | |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Negotiations are under way to end a dispute after a ship's crew barricaded themselves in their cabins in a row over wages. | Negotiations are under way to end a dispute after a ship's crew barricaded themselves in their cabins in a row over wages. |
| The sailors on the Merchant Brilliant, which is anchored three miles off Heysham, Lancashire, claim they are owed $167,000 (£86,516). | The sailors on the Merchant Brilliant, which is anchored three miles off Heysham, Lancashire, claim they are owed $167,000 (£86,516). |
| The International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) has two inspectors on board to help broker a deal. | |
| They are holding talks with the ship's Latvian owners, ADG Shipping. | They are holding talks with the ship's Latvian owners, ADG Shipping. |
| ITF inspector, Ken Fleming, said: "The crew members are complaining about excessive hours, bad relationships with management and a failure to pay their wages." | |
| Heated debate | Heated debate |
| Mr Fleming said that after a heated debate with the ship's owners on Monday night, the crew and the inspectors barricaded themselves inside the cabin overnight by putting furniture against the doors as the ship sailed from Belfast. | Mr Fleming said that after a heated debate with the ship's owners on Monday night, the crew and the inspectors barricaded themselves inside the cabin overnight by putting furniture against the doors as the ship sailed from Belfast. |
| However, when it docked at Heysham in the morning, they came out and allowed the lorries and drivers they were transporting to disembark. | However, when it docked at Heysham in the morning, they came out and allowed the lorries and drivers they were transporting to disembark. |
| They then anchored off the coast where they are currently trying to reach a deal with the owners. | They then anchored off the coast where they are currently trying to reach a deal with the owners. |
| The maritime union RMT is calling for the ship to be arrested. | |
| If the crew call for the arrest, the vessel will be impounded pending a court settlement. | |
| The ITF said it is difficult to impound a vessel when it is not in port. | |
| 'Suspend hire' | 'Suspend hire' |
| "This shameful situation underlines the need to ensure that ships plying in UK waters are subject to properly policed and enforced minimum employment standards, whatever flag they fly," said RMT general secretary Bob Crow. | |
| A spokesman for Norfolkline, which chartered the Merchant Brilliant, has temporarily ended its hire of the vessel. | A spokesman for Norfolkline, which chartered the Merchant Brilliant, has temporarily ended its hire of the vessel. |
| "The charter agreement between Norfolkline and the owner of the Merchant Brilliant, ADG, clearly stipulates that the vessel be operated in accordance with ITF guidelines," he said. | |
| "Talks between the owner of the Merchant Brilliant and the ITF are ongoing, and we are hopeful that a fair and satisfactory conclusion to this matter can be reached in as short a time as possible. | "Talks between the owner of the Merchant Brilliant and the ITF are ongoing, and we are hopeful that a fair and satisfactory conclusion to this matter can be reached in as short a time as possible. |
| "However until such a time, Norfolkline has decided to suspend the hire of the vessel." | "However until such a time, Norfolkline has decided to suspend the hire of the vessel." |