Employment does not cost money

A seafarer turned to the Southern Territorial Organization of the Seafarers' Union of Russia (STO SUR) for advice. The story he told  was as old as time: a small crewing company promised the seafarer a job on a large modern ship in exchange for a financial reward. The amount was supposed to be 10% of the future salary. According to the crewing agency, such an “advance” would help speed up the process of approving a Russian seafarer's  nominee by a foreign company.

According to Olga Ananina, the Inspector of the International Transport Workers Federation in Novorossiysk,  the company in question is really a large, reputable shipowner from Saudi Arabia, which, of course, selects applicants according to the level of their professional competencies.

- But no "advance payments" and "prepayments" can speed up the process of employment, and the seafarer was right to turn to the trade union in time to ask for clarification, - she emphasized. – Crewing agencies  are not entitled to take money from applicants under any circumstances.

As known, one of the most important areas of social service for the SUR members is a free consulting, including legal advice. For example,  the SUR Southern Territorial Organization provide with advice more  than 200 trade union members every year.

Source: STO SUR; image is from IMO website