Established unlawful discriminatory pay practices against Dutch shipowners, paving the way for large-scale back-pay recovery for thousands of Indonesian and Filipino seafarers
Plaintiff(s):
Indonesian and Filipino seafarers
Case type / claims:
Human rights and employment discrimination action alleging unlawful unequal pay based on race and nationality, violations of EU and Dutch anti-discrimination and equal-pay laws, claims seeking back-pay and related damages
Defendant(s):
Dutch shipping companies and shipowners operating Dutch-flagged vessels
Jurisdiction:
Netherlands Human Rights Commission (administrative ruling); forthcoming class action in the Amsterdam District Court
Year:
Active
Outcome (to date):
- In a major victory, on August 18, 2025, Human Rights Commission found Dutch shipowners’ discriminatory pay practices against Indonesian and Filipino seafarers unlawful.
- Ruling establishes a foundation for large-scale back-pay recovery for thousands of affected seafarers.
- Grant & Eisenhofer is leading the efforts to assemble and file a mass compensation action in Amsterdam District Court based on the Commission’s findings.
