The International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) has identified more than $4 million in unpaid seafarer wages in a week-long blitz of ports along the New South Wales coast.
The operation was part of the ITF's Nowhere to Hide campaign and included inspections on 77 foreign-owned vessels at Port Kembla, Newcastle and Sydney.
ITF's Australian deputy coordinator Matt Purcell said many ships around Australia had exploited workers on them.
"You can't see it, it's out of sight, out of mind. It's the most unregulated industry in the world — some of these ship owners do what they like," Mr Purcell said.
ITF's Australian coordinator Ian Bray said the inspectors uncovered an incredible amount of money owed to workers in the short time.
"We recovered 20 back payments of $749,860, and in back pay pending ... we identified $200,000," Mr Bray said.
Under the Commonwealth Coastal Trading Act, foreign ships are entitled to two voyages at lower rates of pay. When the vessel makes any additional trips, Australian wage standards apply.
"We recovered $95,622 in coastal pay and we identified, and it is pending, $3,000,070 [in]...
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