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Ratings union RMT expressed disappointment after a amendment to the Employment Bill, urging the extension of the minimum wage to all seafarers serving in British waters, regardless of nationality, was not debated in the House of Commons.

The amendment, tabled by Dover’s Labour MP Gwyn Prosser, was guillotined on Wednesday night, after earlier debates took longer than expected.

At present the minimum wage of £5.73 an hour doesn't apply to all seafarers working in British waters

A spokesman for the union promised that it would attempt to return the issue to the parliamentary agenda at the next available opportunity.
 

A call for the minimum wage of £5.73 an hour to be extended to all seafarers working in British waters is set to be debated in the House of Commons on Wednesday (5 November), in the shape of an amendment to the Employment Bill by Dover’s Labour MP Gwyn Prosser.

Former seaman, Mr Prosser said back in July when the Employment Bill was before Parliament: "I want to see it improved further to ensure that foreign seafarers serving on British ships are not paid below the minimum wage when sailing in our territorial waters.

"This needs to be done in the name of fairness but also to prevent ship owners importing cheap labour into the ferry services and displacing British seafarers' jobs."