Filipino Seafarers Demand Equal Pay and Fair Treatment on Dutch-Owned Ships

Filipino seafarers employed on Dutch-owned ships are demanding fair treatment and equal pay, as they claim to be earning significantly less than their European counterparts. A recent report highlighted the disparities in wages and treatment, revealing that Filipino seafarers earn a minimum wage of $801 per month, exceeding the International Labor Organization’s 2024 standard of $666. Despite the higher wage, Filipino seafarers often experience unequal treatment, such as delays in receiving medical care compared to their European colleagues.

Wage gaps persist between Filipino and Indonesian seafarers and their European counterparts, with the pay difference justified as a “cost-of-living adjustment.” Filipino seafarers argue that this justification is unfair, as they believe all seafarers on the ship live in the same conditions and should be compensated equally. Alfred, a Filipino seafarer on a cruise ship, shared his experience of wage inequality in a previous job, where he discovered that Asians were paid less than Americans for the same work.

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Cacdac mentioned in a press briefing that salaries on Dutch-owned vessels could exceed $801 when factoring in overtime pay. The DMW and the Department of Foreign Affairs have been urged to advocate for “equal pay for equal work,” aligning with the principles of the International Labor Organization’s Maritime Labor Convention (MLC) 2006. The issue of wage disparity and unequal treatment among Filipino seafarers on Dutch-owned ships is currently under review by the Dutch tribunal or office handling the case.

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