Local labor leaders and activists joined a virtual press conference Tuesday evening hosted by the Pacific Coast Coalition for Seafarers, aimed at rallying support for cargo ship workers and calling for action to help an estimated 300,000 seafarers who have spent months stranded at sea, unable to disembark from their ships due to restrictions stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.
International Transport Workers’ Federation inspector Martin Larson and several others speakers said that seafarers already face
difficult and sometimes exploitative working conditions, and the pandemic situation is exacerbating existing industry problems such as hazardous working conditions, delayed or unpaid wages and illegal recruitment practices.
Cager Clabaugh, former president of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 4, which represents longshoremen at the Port of Vancouver, led the audience on an impromptu virtual tour of the port, discussing the hardships faced by vessel workers.