The Russian crew of a Cambodian-flagged cargo ship has gone on strike at a South Korean port over salary arrears.
Fourteen Russian crewmembers of the JB Rubin ship refused to unload its cargo of scrap metal on Monday evening, saying that their employer hasn't paid their salaries for several months, RIA-Novosti reported Tuesday. The ship is docked at the South Korean port of Busan.
"The ship owner has paid the crew their salaries for May — $20,000, and $2,000 for meals — but the debt for June remains at $16,000," a spokesman of the Russian Seafarers' Union, Nikolai Sukhanov, was quoted as saying.
The owner of the ship, Japan-based TKB Shipping Co. Ltd, couldn't be immediately reached for comment. According to the company's website, the ship, which was built in 1979, was scheduled to depart for Vladivostok on Tuesday, but the sailors refused to start working before being paid in full.
This is not the first time in recent weeks that the crew has complained over salary arrears. Earlier in July, the crew appealed to prosecutors at Magadan, where they were docked at the time, to seize the vessel over a debt of $41,132. A local court rejected the petition.
A representative of the International Transport Workers' Federation was to meet the crew on Tuesday to help arrange negotiations.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.