Alexander Spirit Back in Australian Waters, but with Foreign Crew
The fuel tanker Alexander Spirit has returned to Australian coastline carrying fuel, however the ship’s former Australian crew has been replaced by foreign labour force, according to the Maritime Union Australia.
The Alexander Spirit is currently in Townsville, before arriving in Cairns on Thursday, then on to Groote Eylandt.
The 36 Australian crew members of the Caltex-owned ship, operated by Teekay Australia, were fired in July, despite protests and their subsequent refusal to depart Devonport for Singapore, as they had signed a contract until 2019.
In a letter sent by Caltex on July 2, which cited changed trading arrangements as the reason for dismissal, the company said it would “deploy the Alexander Spirit on international routes … with an international crew.”
Australia’s Fair Work Commission (FWC) ordered protesting 36 crew members of the fuel tanker to return to work and after several delays the ship departed to Singapore on 22nd of July, a journey that proved to be last for the Australian crew.
MUA Assistant National Secretary Warren Smith said “dumped Aussie workers simply did not expect the ship to return to Australian shores just six weeks later, visiting many of the same ports as the vessel did previously.”
“The crew of the Alexander Spirit are still picking up the pieces from their surprise sacking, given they had a signed contract to work until 2019,” Smith said.
“Almost all of them are still without work and they have absolutely no hope of finding a job as seafarers if the Abbott Government’s deregulation of coastal shipping goes ahead.”
Caltex argued its decision to lay off its Australian workforce was down to cost pressures during the same week the company announced a half-year profit of $375 million, MUA explained.
“This is a classic example of corporate greed rather than looking after their loyal Aussie workers,” Smith said.
“In this era of high unemployment and a lack of confidence in the economy generally, the Abbott Government should be standing up for every Australian job and they won’t do it because they don’t care,” he added.
Image: MUA
