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SEAFARERS' UNION OF RUSSIA
A NON-UNIONIZED SEAFARER
IS AN UNPROTECTED SEAFARER
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The ship operator DD Shipping PTE Ltd prohibits the crew of the Maltese-flagged Doris (IMO 9509425) to show the ship's documents to the ITF-affiliated marine unions. Their contacts with the unions are also frowned upon by the operator. The Far Eastern Regional Organization of the Seafarers' Union of Russia (SUR FERO) and its representatives have visited the vessel and witnessed it today.
The SUR FERO's inspectors have boarded the M/V Doris, while the ship was under coal loading at the Port of Nakhodka. The union's officials wanted to see whether the vessel has had two insurance Certificates as required the Consolidated Maritime Labour Convention (MLC). Both certificates guarantee a shipowner's financial responsibility to seafarers in case of the wage arrears limited to four months, repatriation expenses and death or disability compensations. During such inspections the officials look through the employment agreements of seafarers and the collective agreements if available. It is a way to clarify the working conditions of seafarers, whether their rights on decent employment are respected, and whether they need help. Unfortunately, the union wasn't able to see the labour conditions of the crew, consisting of 19 Russians including the SUR's members. The union points out that such practice is unlawful and is a gross violation of seafarers' rights.
However, in case of M/V Doris, we weren't able to determine this even there was a SUR's member in the crew.
Singapore-based DD Shipping PTE Ltd operates two ocean-going ships of 70,000 dwt in total. The Russian seafarers are employed on this fleet through crewing agency DMZ Crewing Limited in Vladivostok. And a subsidiary of DD Shipping PTE is located in Vladivostok, too. Its managers have been avoiding the negotiations with the SUR and the ITF to sign the collective agreement for many years. Due to this, Australia banned the ships from visiting its ports.
– We told the seafarers that the company's instruction, banning contacts with the SUR/ITF representatives, is out of law because the aim of our visit as a union is to find out whether the crew has any complaints and, in case of any problems, to help them in their resolving. Moreover, the crew includes the SUR's members, – Nikolai Sukhanov, the chairman of the SUR FERO, said. – We decided to address a notice to the operator and require.
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