PETITION TO STOP THE VICTIMISATION OF TALAT BUTT BY SWEDISH REDERI ALLANDIA 14-04-2003
Background:
Talat Butt is a worker from Kashmir based in Sweden and working at M/S Birger Jarl – the old name for the Baltic Star when it was under the Panamanian flag. He started working on board in November 1997. Along with his 24 Pakistani colleagues, he was used as cheap labour in grave violation of the Swedish law. Talat Butt had a 12-hour working day for seven days a week. This went on for 21 months without a single day off. His wage was less then SEK 7,000 (approximately $750 or Euros) a month.
He started a struggle against this injustice. Working class organisations including SEKO Sjöfolk gave him help in his just struggle. After a long fight, he won equal rights according to the Swedish laws for the non-EU workers. It cost the company – Rederi – around SEK 5,000,000 (half a million dollars) for 24 workers. For more information see: