Eurasia - Non Payment of Wages etc.
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Topic: Eurasia - Non Payment of Wages etc.
Posted By: SHISHIR DUTT
Subject: Eurasia - Non Payment of Wages etc.
Date Posted: 06 May 2008 at 11:50am
EURASIA (ALSO CALLED BERHARD SCHULTE SHIP MANAGEMENT , PARAMOUNT ETC.)
I
have recently signed off from onboard MV ABG Narayana which is an
Indian flag bulk carrier owned by ABG shipping , India and manned and
technically managed by Eurasia group (Bernhard Schulte Group) . The
ship was supposed to be handed over (both manning and management) to
the owners for management upon arrival at Western India Shipyard ,
Mormugoa ,Goa in the first week of april . Instead of clearing their
stands over the issue as to when each of the two Giants the ABG's and
the Eurasia group about takeover-handover , they are still keeping
silent almost a month after the ship called Goa . V/l is currently at
repair berth at WISL , Goa and awaiting dry-docking . The repair works
are so slow and quality so pathetic that it is expected that vessel
will remain for almost 4 more months in either dry-dock or at repair
berth before it can finally sail out . Meanwhile the employers of the
crew , the Eurasia group , cancelled the bank allotment of the crew who
had made it , stopped giving wages and cash advances onboard , stopped
signing off long overdue crew . They did sign off some of the crew
members who had some contacts with NUSI or who were medically unfit ,
but that too without paying them a single penny . They were signed off
from the vessel saying that their final wages will be settled at Mumbai
office . When they visited the office they were told to leave bank
account no.s for the cheques to be sent later on . They have still not
recd. a single penny of their money . Not only this , but the company
did not make any replacements to the crew members already signed off
(total 6 crew members signed off with only one replacement for Ch.
cook) . Chief cook was only signed off when he stopped cooking any food
onboard by posing as being medically unfit .Before arriving India the
Employers Eurasia cancelled the bank allotments of all the crew members
for the month of feb.claiming the cancelleation to be agents fault ,
but later on the due for feb. were paid inboard in cash . Though wages
of some of the crew members were settled onboard in cash on 24/04/08 in
USD before ship arrived India (called Paradip on 28/03/ 08) , but for
those who had made allotment there was no payment done and no replies
made by the office for non-payment of the same . Not only wages and
cash advances , company stopped providing any fresh provisions , fresh
linen , towels , soaps and detergents etc. , no steward services were
available for several days and cabins, toilets , galley , provision
spaces , messrooms were in filthy condition .
Several times Master was asked verbally about the allotments and wages
, he kept on saying that office is not responding and that he had no
INR onboard and no CTM is arranged by the company . Finally we started
asking such queries in writing through the Master but again to no
effect . All the hue and cry could not turn company's deaf ears .after
getting frustrated because continuous silence of the office , MUI was
contacted but as usual they kept on pretending to do "something" while
kept on doing nothing about the situation . Finally P.O. MMD mumbai was
contacted and he appraised of the prevailing situation onboard . He
reacted positively and almost instantaneously to conduct an Flag State
Inspection for the Vessel and for flying in from Mumbai a Surveyor and
the Shipping Master to resolve the situation .The effect of the survey
and enquiry was almost instantaneous , one GS joined the vessel the
same day , fresh provision was recd. the very next day , people who
were due for sign off were promised for sign off and company promised
to supply Cash To Master(CTM) . Finally company sent the cheques for
the due amounts into the Bank accounts of the persons who did not
receive it since for the month of March . I finally recd. my money in
my Bank account on 30th April , rest of the crew members recd, cheques
either at their home addresses or at their bank . I got signed off
finally on 04/05/08 after getting the balance of wages in cash which
was received by the Master . However till the date I signed off ,
except for the off-signers none of the crew were paid their wages or
cash advances . Some of the crew members have not recd. any money since
mid february when they signed on the vessel !! and are still expecting
to get some cash onboard . The crew members can't even use their shore
leaves as they have no money onboard till they are paid something by
the Master .
ABG shipping is changing it's name to PFS shipping and
claim to be taking over the vessel . It is projected that the ship's
name will be changed over from ABG NARAYANA to "PFS MARCH" and that
the ship will change it's flag from "INDIAN" to "PANAMIAN" flag .
During the whole episode as described above at no time was such a big
company like Eurasia was ready to respond to onboard problems or
release the overdue wages . It was only when the shipping Master
enforced legally upon the company that they were left with no choice
but release the money , provide fresh provisions , and provide
sufficient competent crew to replace the ones already signed off or for
those who were signing off . It is such a shame on such big
organisations who seem to be reputed but actually are very cheap and
mean . They not only stopped at this but went all the way to find
faults with me , pulicise me with all the shipping companies so that I
don't get another job easily , to take revenge against me for the
complaints I made to the authorities . Fortunately enough due to timely
action of the authorities we got what was needed , though some of the
most of the crew members are still awaiting their due wages of April
and some their long overdue sign off also . I was lucky to get timely
sign off . God bless the rest !! and God also bless those officers and
crew who are still willing to join Eurasia group !!!
Best Regards
Shishir Dutt
2nd Engineer
Ex-ABG Narayana
Ex-Eurasia Group (Bernhard Schulte Group)
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