Employment contracts of MV Medea crew do not contain the insurance amount

Inspectors of the Far Eastern Territorial Organization of the Seafarers’ Union of Russia met with Russian seafarers working on board MV Medea (flag of Togo, IMO 9367126), berthed at Nakhodka under the wood chips loading and destined for South Korea. According to Nikolay Sukhanov, A FETO SUR Chairman, all seafarers are from the Primorsk Territory. They were hired through the Vladivostok-based crewing agency “Our time”. The Inspectors were provided with all documents necessary for the inspection, including the Declaration of Maritime Labor Compliance, Part II, and certificates of insurance, as required by the Maritime Labor Convention. There was no collective agreement with the trade union available on board. The basic rate for an AM Seaman was $800, the bonus was $1,000 at the discretion of the employer, and the captain's salary was $4,000.

“From the insurance certificates, it became clear that the seafarers were insured by the Russian company VSK for the amount of $20,000,” Sukhanov said. “However, this amount is not indicated in their employment contracts, and there is also no column with the name of the next of kin. Therefore, in case of a fatal accident on board the vessel, the family of the deceased will not receive any insurance payment. The FETO SUR Inspectors drew the attention of the crew members precisely to that nuance. Furthermore, the seafarers were told that the registered owner, operator, and beneficial owner of the vessel is Novik Logistics-FZCO from Dubai, UAE, and MV Medea is flying the Togo flag, which could lead to problems if there is a back pay. 

The FETO SUR head explained that, in case a seafarer was signed-off from a foreign-flagged vessel located outside of Russia without salary payment, he could demand it from the Russian crewing agency that had hired him. 

Nikolay Sukhanov added: “When there is no insurance at the expense of the shipowner, the crewing agency is responsible for paying back wages and other costs that the seaman incurred due to the fault of the foreign shipowner.”

The FETO SUR inspectors advised the crew to notify the port authorities, the trade union, and the prosecutor immediately if the company fails to pay wages on time.

The crew of MV Medea were given  fresh magazines  "Maritime Unions Herald", books on the rights of seafarers working on FOC vessels and SUR calendars. All seafarers who have not yet joined the SUR were invited to do so.

"After joining SUR, the trade union will be able to start negotiations with the shipowner on concluding a collective agreement, according to which AB Seaman  would receive at least USD1,830, and the insured amount in case of seafarers' death  would be at least USD110,000", — Nikolay Sukhanov emphasized.

Photo: FETO SUR