Meetings with BFFSA cadets are becoming a good tradition

Last week, representatives of the Kaliningrad Territorial Organization of the Seafarers’ Union of Russia (KTO SUR) met with cadets of the Baltic Fishing Fleet State Academy (BFFSA). The meeting with fourth-year students of the Marine Engineering Faculty was held on November 14 , and the meeting with third-year students – future navigators took place on November 17.

Both events were held in the form of lectures – KTO SUR representatives told the cadets about the activity of  of the  Seafarers’ Union of Russia, collective agreements, individual employment agreements, the Maritime Labor Convention and answered the questions. Particular emphasis was placed on social and labor relations within the crew.

Besides, they discussed changes in legislation and peculiarities of work on board vessels under Russian and foreign flags in the current circumstances. As examples, various situations were analysed that required the protection of the labor rights of seafarers - from sick pays and payment of insurance premiums to the repatriation of abandoned crews.

The information turned out to be very useful for young specialists, some of whom had already undergone a shipboard training. KTO SUR Chairman Lyudmila Izmalkova noted that one of the main issues for any cadet is to find a place for shipboard training, therefore, representatives of the Atlantic Fleet base of the Shirshov Institute of Oceanology of RAS, one of the KTO SUR's social partner, were invited to take part in the meeting.

There are SUR collective agreements on board all its vessels, and an shipboard training program for cadets of maritime educational institutions has been actively implemented since recently. 

Head of HR Department, Puzyrenko E.V., and director  Sazonov L.V. told the cadets about research vessels, expeditions and the shipboard program for cadets.

- The future navigators and marine engineers were pleased with the meetings, - Lyudmila Izmalkova added. – By the way, they suggested  to arrange such events more often and  took a serious interest in joining the SUR.

For their part, KTO SUR representatives thanked the leadership of the BFFSA and personally the instructor of subject “Social and labor relations within the crew” Yulia Borisevich for the opportunity to meet with future seafarers.

Based on information from KTO SUR