SHIPPING workers will protest against wages of just £1.64 per hour on Scotland’s only freight link to mainland Europe tomorrow.

New figures show sharp falls in the number of British deck and engine ratings over the past year — of 8 per cent and 15 per cent respectively.

The overall figure for British ratings has seen a small increase of 1 per cent — 50 seafarers — but transport union RMT said this masks a long-term decline.

The union argued pay discrimination is the “root cause” of the decline, saying that workers from other countries are being exploited to undercut the British workforce.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said workers on the roll-on roll-off freight link between Rosyth and Zeebrugge were being paid just £1.64 an hour.

He called for a “timetable for action to end pay discrimination.”

Shipping unions have welcomed an intervention from Scottish Transport Minister Humza Yousef, which means crews working on the Seatruck “lifeline” ferries Hellier and Hildasay will be paid the minimum wage from next month.

Previously workers were paid as little as £3.66 an hour, according to another maritime union, Nautilus International.

But Labour MSP Neil Findlay said Scottish public procurement legislation should have ruled out such pay abuse from the off.

He said the SNP government had rejected Labour amendments that would have enforced a tougher line.

“These are publicly procured contracts, and there should be guidance in place to ensure that this doesn’t happen,” Mr Findlay told the Star.

Nautilus national ferries official Micky Smith said: “This outrageous situation continues to exist on other ships running regular services in UK waters.”