Crewmembers from Hansa Falkenburg count on collective bargaining agreement

The Far Eastern Regional Organization of the Seafarers Union of Russia sent the notice of warning to the German shipowner Leonardt&Blumberg Shipmgmtabout the need to start negotiations with the union. During a visit on board the containership Hansa Falkenburg (Liberia flag, IMO 9435246, year of built 2008) moored at the container terminal of the Vostochny port in Nakhodka, inspectors found that there was no ITFcollective agreement on board.

«In general everything is not bad on the vessel as all documents required by the Maritime Labor Convention 2006, including insurance certificates on the financial guarantees of the shipowner are available, said Nikolay Sukhanov. No complaints about delayed salaries and working conditions from seafarers have been received. The crewmembers are provided with work clothes, meals are organized at $ 7.5 per day per person. In addition, unlike the Unipower vessel, which we visited recently, there are no problems with heating: normal temperature conditions are maintained everywhere on board.»

However the German shipowner clearly wants to save on seafarers' salaries and taxes. The vessel is flying the flag of Liberia manned by 19 Filipinos. The base rate of AB is $ 660 and the captain’s salary is $ 7,000. We told the crew that if the vessel is covered by the ITF agreement, the salary of AB cannot be lower than $ 1,700, just like insurance payments in the event of a sailor's death cannot be lower than $ 100,000. The crewmembers were impressed by the difference in wages with and without a collective agreement and asked the Union inspectors to send a notice to the shipowner about the need to conclude a collective agreement. So the request was addressed as soon as the Union representatives came back to office.

NikolaySukhanov noted that the crewmembers were happy to get the SUR calendars for 2020 and the Maritime Unions Herald brought on board. Since the magazine is published in Russian and English foreign seafarers have the opportunity to read the news in a language they understand. By the way the containership HansaFalkenburgtrades betweenVostochny and Busan ports socrewmembers often callsNakhodka and would like to visit the city’s International Seafarers Club.

Union inspectors told the seafarers that a free bus could deliver them there so before the next call to the port they just need to submit an application in advance. Note that everything possible is done at the Interclub so that the crew members from a foreign country feel there like at home. They can contact relatives, go online, participate in sports and celebrate holidays. Often employees of the Interclub conduct English-speaking city tours and in the warmer months they arrange barbecue.