Employees on board 25 ships of the Costa Cruises are a total of 18 000. "80 percent of them are under 40 years old and come from 70 different countries", says the company. Except for officers, nearly all Italians, well-paid staff members are mostly young people from Asia and Latin America. The most numerous are the Filipinos, followed by Indians and Indonesians. They are entrusted with the most humble tasks, such as cleaning rooms or washing dishes.
The Europeans are working hand in contact with the public, from animation to accompanying tours. It worked in this way for the 1,026 crew members of the Concordia, among whom were 296 Filipinos, 202 Indians, 170 Indonesian and 144 Italians. The working conditions? Herbert Rodelas is a Filipino landed 28 years in November from the Costa Magica. He works for the company since 2005 as a janitor: "My last salary was $ 547 per month. Work on average 12 hours a day, seven days a week. " It should be a little better for waiters. Brijesh Patel, the Indian, he worked for Costa Cruises from 2000 to 2007: "The starting salary was 550 euros, but with the tips happened to reach 1,500 euros.From 12 to 14 hours a day, seven on seven." Brijesh Patel was lucky: his salary has always been paid in euros. "In February of 2010," says Herbert Rodelas, "the company began to pay us in dollars outside the EU. With a change in one to one: therefore my 547 euro became $ 547. " A net loss in current value of about $ 150 per month.
Protests? "No, we were afraid of losing our job." Yes, because the contracts of employment on ships are temporary in nature, ranging from four to eight months. And there is no guarantee of renewal. Even the Europeans are not doing well. Lommi Monica, 35, was on board Costa ships as a tour guide, it is required knowledge of at least three languages: "I worked from 10 to 15 hours a day, seven days a week. So for all the six month contract. The salary? 900 euros a month. " The Italian law requires that cruise ships are not able to work on average more than 11 hours a day. Leo Caggiano, coordinator for the group unit of CGIL Costa Cruises, ensuring that "employees of the company employs more than 10 hours each week enjoy a day of rest, and their wages are higher as established by international organizations."
All employees of the group contacted support yet another version. As Melissa Virdi, 30, worker at the front desk, a task that required oral and written knowledge of at least four languages: "I was busy seven days a week, for at least 12 hours a day, including night shifts, and the pay was 700 euros a month. " How is this possible? The trick is explained by a manager for Costa Cruises who continues to work and therefore prefers to remain anonymous: "Every 15 days we put in an electronic form the hours worked by employees of our office. The program does not allow, however, bring an average of more than 11 hours a day, so the official figures are not real. "
This explains the good life of those who work on cruise ships. People sleeping in cabins with 6 square feet to be divided in two, without a porthole because those are reserved for customers. People who has lost his life in front of the island of Giglio. And 'so, by reducing labor costs, which customers can afford cruises at affordable prices. Even under those Filipinos mistreated because of their inability to speak Italian. Besides, it would be hard to find thousands of countrymen ready to receive a salary of $ 500 per month for an average of 84 hours per week.
Indeed, although the majority of customers, both Italian, speaking our language is not necessary to work on ships of the Coast. The basic requirement is the basic knowledge of English. Employees take on one thing, however, to clarify: emergency preparedness. All workers must take before boarding at their own expense (500 euros) the Basic Safety Training, a course of three days in which they are trained in firefighting techniques, rescue operations at sea and first aid. In addition, the simulations of abandon ship procedures that each worker must do once you start boarding. They are the same exercises that passengers would have risen to Civitavecchia played Saturday, 24 hours after the start of the cruise, just as the law requires.
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