An ITF Inspector CAN
- Inspect a ship for problems relating to employment and living conditions.
- Meet with crewmembers ashore.
- Provide advice and assistance to seafarers.
- Liaise with the Port State Control on safety matters.
- Provide advice and support to seafarers on strike.
- Advise what the legal possibilities are for resolving a particular problem in that port/country.
- Act as a representative for the crew (power of attorney) in contractual disputes.
- Provide support and guidance, in cases where the crew wish to take legal action.
- Connect a seafarer with an ITF affiliated union, where present, in their home country.
- Raise shipboard problems with the shipowner.
- Apply pressure on a shipowner to resolve shipboard problems.
- Legally board a vessel with an ITF agreement to carry out an inspection.
- Contact other ITF Inspectors, ITF affiliated unions and contacts in other countries.
- Calculate owed wages and handle backpay claims.
- Speak good English.
- Deal with matters confidentially, as far as possible.
- Provide copies of ITF publications.
- Be contacted by phone, mobile, email or instant messaging
- Facilitate the signing of ITF approved collective bargaining agreements.
- Liaise with third parties, such as flag state authorities, welfare agencies, embassies etc in handling seafarers’ disputes.
- Provide support to seafarers who find themselves hospitalised.
An ITF Inspector CANNOT
- Do more than their national legislation allows.
- Always gain access to a ship or terminal.
- Solve problems without the cooperation of the crew.
- Guarantee that a seafarer will not lose their job or be blacklisted.
- Get a seafarer a job on a ship.
- Change ITF policy.
- Act outside of the policy of the ITF or local ITF affiliated unions.
- Act against the interests of the national union that employs them.
- Act unlawfully.