Australia extends cruise labour exemption with added crew safeguards
Operators may continue using international maritime standards until 2028, subject to new collective bargaining and complaint requirements.
The Australian government has extended until 2028 an exemption that allows cruise companies to remain outside certain national labour requirements. Under the arrangement, operators may apply the international Maritime Labour Convention instead of Australian labour standards.
New conditions prohibit cruise operators from restricting employees’ collective bargaining rights. Complaints from crew members concerning the Maritime Labour Convention must also be submitted to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority.
Maritime Union of Australia national secretary Jake Field argued that the exemption should not have been introduced and called for a government investigation into cruise-industry employment practices. Carnival Cruise Line crew members have alleged they worked 12-hour shifts seven days a week, earned less than US$3 per hour, received inadequate medical care and lacked safe drinking water.
Carnival rejected those allegations and said its ships comply with international standards. The company also reported that unannounced safety authority inspections of three of its vessels in Australia identified no violations. Carnival operates Adventure, Encounter and Splendor in the Australian market.