Migrant Rights Centre Ireland (MRCI) — Seafish

Migrant Rights Centre Ireland (MRCI)

Organisation
Migrant Rights Centre Ireland (MRCI)
Location
Type
Sector
Migrant Rights Centre Ireland (MRCI) is a national organisation working to promote justice, empowerment and equality for migrants and their families.

MRCI uses a community work approach with a focus on participation, leadership and empowerment, and hase a strong track record in securing policy changes – including the criminalisation of forced labour, the Bridging Visa for undocumented migrants, reversal of work permit changes, protections for domestic & agriculture workers, and reversing the minimum wage cut. MRCI operates a Resource Centre and has a national remit. Current priorities include rights for undocumented migrants; identification and protection of victims of trafficking for forced labour; employment rights and protections for vulnerable workers in hidden or precarious sectors, including migrants in diplomatic households, au pairs, carers, domestic workers, and restaurant workers; ethnic profiling and access to education.

Left High and Dry. The Exploitation of Migrant Workers in the Irish Fishing Industry. December 2017.

This paper details research carried out by Migrant Rights Centre Ireland (MRCI) with thirty migrant fishers on their experiences working in the Irish fishing fleet since the introduction of the Atypical Working Scheme in 2016. Looking at the intersection between the immigration system, the labour market and workers’ rights in Ireland, MRCI has produced a set of recommendations to dramatically improve the situation of non-EEA fishers in Ireland’s fishing industry. According to MRCI’s report, migrant workers on Irish-owned vessels are experiencing exploitation, discrimination, physical abuse and severe underpayment. Its research is based on interviews with 30 fishermen from Egypt and the Philippines, which found that the majority worked more than 100 hours a week for an average pay of just under EUR 3.00 (USD 3.54) per hour.


Significance for seafood businesses:

Not seafood-specific, but do work in this sector. Useful for awareness as an organisation working to support the industry, and improve governance, safety and welfare within the global seafood industry.


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