Seamen’s Union imposes embargo on Superfast Ferries ships in Port of Hanko

Court orders end to action

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Finland’s Seamen’s Union has imposed an embargo on three ships of Superfast Ferries operating between the city of Hanko on the southwest tip of Finland, and the German port city of Rostock. The ships were recently bought by the Estonian shipping company Tallink and placed under the Estonian flag.
      The Transport Workers’ Union gave its support to the Seamen’s Union action, instructing stevedores in the Port of Hanko not to handle cargo carried by the ships.
      The dispute concerns terms of employment on the vessels. The ships, which were previously owned by a Greek shipping company, were bought by Tallink earlier this year. The Greek, German, and Finnish crewmembers were replaced by Estonians, and the pay level dropped by about one quarter of what it was before.
      The action did not affect passenger services: passengers and their cars were able to travel on schedule. However, about 30 lorry trailers arriving in Hanko yesterday were left on board.
     
The dispute came to a head early in the evening when Helsinki District Court placed an injunction on the Seamen’s Union ordering it to desist from further action within an hour or face a fine of EUR 300,000.
      Seamen’s Union chairman Simo Zitting said earlier in the evening that the union had not been presented with any such ruling.
      Zitting noted that a similar temporary injunction had once been given in a dispute in the hotel and restaurant sector. Before a final ruling, the target of the action must be given the opportunity to state its case. In the previous matter, the injunction was cancelled.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Tallink replaces Finnish crew with low-paid Estonians (16.5.2006)

Helsingin Sanomat