EU FORCE MERCHANT NAVY TO PAY UK RATES TO FOREIGN SAILORS

ABOVE: RMT general secretary Bob Crow welcomed the EU ruling forcing the Merchant Navy to equalise pay

These are rates they would simply not get away with on dry land

Bob Crow, RMT general secretary

FURIOUS Government ministers have warned that EU pirates are about to tear down the Red Ensign from Britain’s Merchant Navy.

The commercial fleet – which earns the country £10billion a year – is being scuppered by a twin broadside from trade unions and Europe.

EU officials have ruled that foreign sailors on British ships must now be paid the same rates as home-grown tars.

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Until now, foreign ratings have traditionally been paid at their local rates.
But EU law makers say this breaches equality regulations and all sailors must get the same rate of pay.

RMT general secretary Bob Crow has urged MPs to end the “shameful exploitation”.

“These are rates they would simply not get away with on dry land,” he said.

But Transport Secretary Philip Hammond and Shipping Minister Mike Penning are known to be “furious” at the ruling.

“They will fight this tooth and nail before it sinks the entire shipping industry in Britain,” said a colleague.

One senior minister said: “We are fuming about the way the EU is unfairly singling out the British.

“As ever they expect us to obey their rules while everyone else in Europe ignores them.”

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