Seafarers’ groups have won the right to mandatory social connectivity for crews –including internet access – in updates to the Maritime Labour Convention 2006 (MLC), but are disappointed that shipowners and governments may seek to charge for it.
An application by A.P. Møller–Mærsk’s towage subsidiary, Svitzer, to terminate its collective agreement with its entire Australian workforce could further deepen the country’s supply chain woes. Unions say the bid is an unfortunate, but major, departure from Maersk’s generally constructive approach towards transport workers and their rights, witnessed in recent years.
Global road, air and sea organisations and unions have today called on the world’s heads of government gathering at this week’s UN General Assembly to end a ‘global humanitarian and supply chain crisis.’
The ITF and JNG met from 1-3 September 2021 for important negotiations on wage increase and other cost elements. Due to the pandemic, the social partnership had agreed to defer the start of the negotiations for the period 2021-2022, initially scheduled for March 2020.
Queensland will become the first Australian jurisdiction to administer COVID vaccines to all international seafarers arriving in local ports, with a trial program commencing in the coming weeks aimed at reducing the risk of serious illness and community transmission.
Maritime Safety Queensland, working with QLD Health, has developed a vaccination program that will commence with high risk vessels, ships that visit Australian ports on a regular schedule, those that carry liquid fuels, and finally all other vessels arriving at QLD ports.
Seafarers trapped on the MV Angelic Power (IMO 9250189) since July last year have now been repatriated, following a lengthy battle in the Chinese courts. ITF demands swifter action from these and similar authorities who leave seafarers to fester while they concentrate on financial matters.
Seafarers’ unions today welcomed the release of the MV Ever Given (IMO: 9811000) from detention in the Suez Canal by Egyptian authorities, but warned that more must be done to safeguard seafarers’ rights and welfare during the pandemic.
Nineteen seafarers from India, Bangladesh, Turkey and Azerbaijan will be able to see their families again this week after the ITF’s advocacy brought their two-year ordeal to a close. One member of the MV ULA (IMO: 8102414) crew had even been trapped aboard the ship for 31 months.
Hundreds of lives will be saved thanks to two new emergency projects being funded by the ITF Seafarers’ Trust and delivered through two Indian-based seafarers’ unions.
