RMT members held a demonstration against a Rosyth freight ferry operator outside the office of Dunfermline and West Fife MP Douglas Chapman last Thursday.

The union claims the DFDS Seaways Finlandia vessel, which operates between Rosyth and Zeebrugge in Belgium, has rates of pay as low as £1.64 for Lithuanian seafarers employed on the ship.

They also believe that crew members are being "exploited" and local Rosyth traders are being excluded from any potential work on the ferry because of the low pay.

DFDS have refuted the claims, stating they are "simply not true". 

RMT organiser Gordon Martin said: “Local politicians are saying nothing about this. It’s simply not good enough.”

MP Douglas Chapman said that he offered to meet with RMT officials before the protest.

He added: "I am happy to help the RMT members affected to secure better pay and conditions.

"An offer to meet RMT officials was made before the protest took place but has yet to be taken up."

The Scottish Government said it was committed to seeing the National Minimum Wage paid on ferry services it operates but that international commercial ferry services and staffing matters were reserved to Westminster.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: "We have supported the Rosyth-Zeebrugge service with funding to help ensure Scotland realises all of the benefits for our economy and our domestic freight industry.

"While we have no locus in international commercial ferry services and their related staffing matters, and policy on National Minimum Wage is reserved to Westminster, we are committed to seeing the National Minimum Wage applied on Scottish Government-run ferry services, most recently securing a national minimum wage deal on Northern Isles routes."

The RMT said the Scottish Government had given grants of £356,000 to support the route while the EU will have invested £5.42 million in it by 2017.

The union’s general secretary, Mick Cash, said: “RMT wants to see the Scottish Government support a thriving Scottish port and shipping sector, but not at any price.

"The Scottish Transport Minister has already taken welcome steps to end exploitative practices by Seatruck on vessels working the Aberdeen to Orkney and Shetland routes.

"RMT now call on the Scottish Government to take action to tackle all ports of shame in Scotland – starting with Rosyth.”

However, Gert Jakobsen, Vice President, Communications for DFDS, said: "There is absolutely and categorically no single rank on-board the Finlandia Seaways being paid £1.64 per hour. 

"This is simply not true and we have no idea where the RMT have gotten their information from. 

"We are disappointed that they did not take the opportunity to check their information with us first, before quoting inaccurate and false statements in the press.

"The Finlandia Seaways operates internationally and is currently assigned to the Rosyth – Zeebrugge route.   

"She flies the Lithuanian flag. All her crew are directly employed by DFDS Seaways, and are Lithuanian nationals, residing in Lithuania.   

"The vessel is subject to Lithuanian regulations as well as international regulations. 

"As a result all salaries and other terms and conditions of employment for this crew have been negotiated and agreed by the Lithuanian Seamen’s Union and have been approved by all of the relevant international bodies.

"The rates of pay for this crew have been grossly under-exaggerated by the RMT. 

"The salaries paid to each crew member range from €6662 per month to €1481 per month depending on the rank and qualifications of the crew member. 

"On top of this there are various other benefits applied such as the social benefits paid on their behalf in Lithuania and paid travel to and from work, for example. 

"This is several times higher than the amounts mentioned in the press and a very good salary in Lithuania, where the crew members live.

"In spite of an element of  financial support, the route has been loss making since 2008 and would not have been there if we hadn't seen this as a joint interest to the benefit of society and the Scottish industry and therefore previously received occasional grant funding from the Scottish Government and the EU."