A pirate-themed flash mob outside Canada Place is being planned through Facebook for this Saturday to raise awareness of poor working conditions aboard cruise ships.
Organizers, calling themselves Pirates of Justice, say some employees are recruited in developing countries and are paid as little as $45 per week for long hours of work.
A former cruise ship employee from Indonesia said dining room servers would be up at 5 a.m. and sometimes work until 10 a.m. before being given a “break.”
“We would have a break but it really wasn’t a break because we had to prepare for lunch,” the man said, asking that his name not be used because he’s applying for immigration to Canada and fears speaking out would hurt his chances of acceptance.
Craig Greenfield of Pirates of Justice said the lowest-paid cruise ship employees are rarely seen by tourists.
“We’re not sure that everyone in Vancouver who takes these cruises is fully aware of the kind of ‘sweatship’ practices that go into making a holiday happen,” Greenfield added.
