To sign off from a vessel "for family reasons"

The Seafarers’ Union of Russia and the Inspectorate of the International Transport Workers' Federation in St. Petersburg helped the seafarer from the m/v FMT Efes to return home prior  the expiration  of his employment  contract. The Russian seafarer needed repatriation for family reasons  and sent the relevant report to the company.

The came the question: who should pay for the repatriation. According to the terms of the collective agreement  repatriation at the expense of the employer is provided for in few cases. Among them - the end of the contract, the failure of the employer to fulfill obligations under the agreement, the illness or death of a close relative of the seafarer, whose name is indicated in the contract (next of kin). None of these reasons fitted the seafarer's situation. Therefore, when a crew member wants to end his service prior the expiration of his contract "for family reasons" he is expected to pay the repatriation cost  out of his own pocket.

However, the seafarer was lucky. As a result of the negotiations held by  SUR, ITF and the crewing agency  the situation was resolved in his favor. The shipowner fully paid his repatriation from Dubai (UAE) and also paid him salaries in full.

The SUR notes that the above situation is rather an exception. This is only possible due to the social partnership to negotiate the repatriation at the expense of the company in case when the seafarer wants to sign off from the vessel  prior the expiration of the contract for a reason not provided for by the collective agreement.