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Seafarers urged not to fall for EU trade deal tricks

SEAFARERS must ignore “sly, spurious and sinister half truths” from the EU claiming that trade deals will level the playing field in global shipping, maritime union Nautilus heard yesterday.

The union has overwhelmingly passed policy as its conference opposing the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) between the EU and the US and the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement.

Nautilus young maritime professionals forum chair Martyn Gray said that TTIP would decimate the US Jones Act, which ensures that ships travelling between US ports do not fly under foreign flags to exploit loopholes in employment rights and health and safety legislation.

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