Latest issue of the Maritime Union Herald – the seafarers are in the spotlight

Recognizing seafarers as key employees is the main topic of the next issue of the Maritime Union Herald.  The issue is almost entirely dedicated to the seafarers who found themselves hostage to the situation due to the Covid-19 pandemic.  Some of them remain on board of vessels beyond the terms of contracts, others are on shore without work, and therefore without means of subsistence. Because of the pandemic the magazine was also not published for some time - instead of the planned six issues this year only two were published. Therefore, making up for lost time, the new issue describes in detail how it all began and developed, where it led the whole world and the shipping industry, how the Seafarers Union of Russia in cooperation with the ITF, maritime trade unions and government organizations helped seafarers.  The following articles are dedicated to this subject:  “Seafarers should not be worse off than people working on shore", "Recognize seafarers as key employees", "Russia will ensure the rotation of seafarers". Chief Engineer Victor Foriy told his story "Ten months towards the land”.  It is about how the seafarer was helped by the SUR in returning home from a long voyage. Victor jointed the tanker Athens Voyager in December last year, when Covid-19 was not yet in sight, and he saw his native shores only this fall. Also seafarers are encouraged to read what changes have been made to the list of IBF risk zones and collective agreements, how the amendments to rule 2.5 of the MLC are applied in practice. The problems of pilots are still on the agenda. As is known, the Interregional trade union of pilots, with the support Federation of the marine transport workers unions is fighting for the creation of a unified state port pilot service, but this time another topic is highlighted: "The absence of a social partnership is the cause of the loss". The reason for writing the article was the decision of the Federal Antimonopoly service of the Russian Federation which did not support the bill № 889303-7 "On amendments to the Code of merchant shipping of the Russian Federation", which provides for the creation of a uniform state pilot service and the introduction of restrictions on the provision of pilot services by private companies.