Federal government investigators from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) boarded the Carnival Encounter cruise ship in Darwin, Australia, this week following a whistleblower's allegation of unsafe working conditions, poor wages and worker exploitation.
The whistleblower sent reports anonymously to the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) out of fear of retribution from the cruise line. In the reports, according to the union, the worker alleged cramped living conditions, causing the spread of skin infections, the potentially harmful quality of drinking water and the crew being forced to work while suffering serious illnesses.
MUA's NT Branch Secretary, Andy Buford, said the union is working with the International Transport Workers Federation inspectors and AMSA to investigate and "rectify the horrifying treatment of crew."
The ship is one of three Carnival cruise ships that homeport in Australia and sail almost exclusively in Australian waters. However, the union states that the cruise line uses loopholes in maritime law to employ crew who, as foreigners, are excluded from Australia's employment laws.
"This is exactly what happens when you allow foreign owned and controlled companies to sail the Australian coast, using Australian ports, carrying Australian passengers paying Australian fares, but who are completely immune from Australian law," said Buford, when talking about the American cruise giant.
ABC News Australia reported that the union's Sydney branch...
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