The crew of MV Panafrican would like to work under a collective agreement

Inspectors of the Far Eastern Territorial Organization of the Seafarers’ Union of Russia visited the bulk carrier Panafrican (flag of the Marshall Islands, IMO 9350343) moored at the Vostochniy seaport under a coal loading. 

According to Nikolay Sukhanov, Chairman of the Far Eastern Territorial Organization of the Seafarers’ Union of Russia, the registered owner of the vessel is Panafrican Maritime INC, the operator and beneficial owner of MV Panafrican is Magna Marine, both companies are Greek. The crew consists of 20 seafarers: the captain and Chief Engineer are Greeks, the rest crew are Filipinos. The salary of an AB Seaman is USD 1,200 a captain earns USD10,200. Each crew member has an individual contract. The vessel has insurance certificates in accordance with the requirements of the Maritime Labor Convention 2006. 

-Compensation in case of the death of a seafarer on board the vessel is USD30,000, - Nikolay Sukhanov continued. — There is no collective agreement with the seafarers’ union. The captain showed the FETO SUR Inspectors all the documents necessary for the inspection and asked the off-duty crew members to gather in the mess-room. At this meeting, the SUR representatives first asked the crew if they had any complaints about back wages or working conditions. 

According to them, there were no problems in this regard. However, they asked about the size of wages paid to an AB seaman working on board a flag of convenience vessel, covered by a collective agreement with a seafarers' union. -If there was a collective agreement on board, an AB Seaman would receive at least USD1,836 and the insured amount in case of seafarers' death would be at least USD110,000, - Sukhanov explained. — Thus, it turns out that the Greek owner of MV Panafrican saves on the gross payroll through the absence of a collective agreement. 

The crew of the bulk carrier asked the FETO SUR representatives to send a notice to the shipowner on the need to enter into negotiations with the Greek Seafarers' Union to sign a collective agreement. At the end of the meeting, the Inspectors invited the seafarers to visit International Marine Club of Nakhodka - a free bus can take them here upon the request of the captain. In addition, the crew members were given the fresh magazines "Maritime Unions Herald", books in English on the rights of seafarers working on board Flag of Convenience vessels, and the FETO SUR calendars for the current year.