Week of action in India and Sri Lanka wins better conditions for seafarers

Week of action in India and Sri Lanka wins better conditions for seafarers

http://www.itfglobal.org/news-online/index.cfm/newsdetail/6822

14/12/2011

The ITF's second south Asia week of action from 5-9 December, which targeted merchant ships flying flags of convenience (FOC), has reaped rewards as substantial benefits were won for ships’ crews.

Building on the first week of action in the region, which took place in September, the campaign was led by dockers’ and seafarers’ unions on the west and east coast of India. The two-week action involved some 90 vessel inspections and the signing of three ITF total crew cost agreements and 13 ITF agreements.

The ITF-affiliated Transport and Dock Workers’ Union in Kandla secured an ITF approved agreement for the 19 crew members on board the Turkish-owned Panamanian-flagged Belde who were working excessive hours for wages significantly below international standards.

In Mumbai, action on the Chinese-owned Hong Kong-flagged Spring Nelson prompted the company to agree to ITF agreements for the vessel and for nine others in its fleet.

In New Mangalore, a warning notice was issued to the Myanmar Five Star Lines; the 38 crew members on board its vessel Dawei, who were receiving a derisory wage and enduring substandard working conditions, were too afraid to complain about their conditions.

Meanwhile, the ITF inspector in Colombo detained the Arabian Venture, flagged in Panama, owned in the United Arab Emirates and managed in India. The dockers in Colombo backed the ITF inspector’s action and as a result, the company signed an ITF acceptable wage agreement for the 20 Indian, Sri Lankan and Nepalese crew on board.

Sangam Tripathy, ITF assistant Asia/Pacific regional secretary, said: “Our Indian and Sri Lankan inspectors and unions have sent out a strong signal that FOC ships visiting our shores cannot escape action, hiding behind walls of secrecy created by dubious ownership structures, cheap foreign labour as crews and without decent rights."