Well, since my last post we ITF Inspectors have been busy. We've been running targeted campaigns to cover more ships with ITF Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs). Sometimes we focus on certain companies or segments of the shipping industry and sometimes we concentrate on a particular region of the world.

If you are working on a ship without an ITF agreement and carry a rank below 3rd officer you are probably working more than 300 hours for between $700 and $1,200 per month. On vessels covered by our agreements you would expect to earn between $1,050 to $2,500 for ranks 3rd officer and below. Oh, and you would only be required to work 276 hours in the month. Any hours over this amount would attract extra overtime.

So when we are out there trying to get a collective agreement in place on board your ship you can see that it makes quite a big difference in your monthly pay and even your hours of rest.

Even more important are provisions covering medical care, sick pay and disability. Who among us does not know someone who has been badly hurt or killed at work on board a ship?

If you are hurt aboard a ship that is not covered by a CBA, you and your family may find yourselves at the mercy of the shipowner and their insurance company. All too often we hear stories of crafty insurance lawyers who have had a grieving wife or badly injured seafarer sign a waiver form and accept far less compensation than they should receive for disability, loss of profession or loss of life.

Happily, sometimes seafarers do make a full recovery from their injuries. But what about sick pay until you are well enough to work once more? Again, if you are not covered by a CBA, you are at the mercy of the shipowner and their agents.

So next time you meet an ITF Inspector, spare a thought for your own wellbeing. When we ask if everything is okay on board the ship, part of what we mean is the following: is there any information you can give us to help in securing a CBA on board this ship?

An ITF Inspector can accomplish a lot of things and make your job better, but we need your help too. Don't be passive, take charge of your situation and be responsible for your wellbeing and safety and that of your shipmates too.

For now, safe sailing.


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Edited: 11/21/2008 at 11:44 AM by ITFInspector

Click on the link below to watch a new ITF film encouraging young workers to participate in their transport unions.

'Be Part of Something Big'

Edited: 10/31/2008 at 12:46 PM by ITFBlogStaff

Having been an ITF Inspector for many years, I have worked through quite a few different economic shipping markets. The past 10 years have been heady days for the shipping industry - owners have been making the most of the boom and have made a lot of money.

Crew complaints and outright abuse have been trending down over the past few years. However, I am afraid that for a range of reasons - such as tightening credit markets - seafarers will once again find themselves at the sharp end of the financial shipping market.

It will be the ITF that comes to the assistance of those who have been left out in the cold by their shipowners. I am also concerned that those who get injured or fall ill will not receive proper medical attention. Quality and quantity of food will suffer as will duration of voyage and repatriation.

All of this will lead to less motivated and more exhausted crew - causing accidents and harm to the marine environment. My advice to shipowners, associations, flag states and port states is to take responsibility. Don't leave the carnage on whatever shores they happen to wash up on. This is your industry: step up and take responsibility for your crew. It is they who have delivered your ship and its cargo safely year after year.

And to our seafarers, my advice is keep track of your payroll and overtime records. Note any changes in operations. Also, be on the look out for any changes in payment of salary, medical care and repatriation. If you notice a difference from the time you have signed on this could indicate that the company is experiencing some difficulties. If the company is increasingly using available capital to finance continued operations and making excuses to you about late payments then your salary is at risk.

In times like these, shipowners are doing what is necessary to protect themselves; seafarers would be wise to do the same.

If your wages are simply two months late we can probably ensure these are promptly paid up to date. However, if you allow your wages to go unpaid for much longer, the shipowner's ability to pay is probably going to lessen accordingly.

If you have any doubts at all about your company, I strongly advise you to contact one of us. We can treat your concern in the strictest of confidence and privately give you the advice you need to protect you and your family in these troubling times.

Edited: 10/27/2008 at 03:46 PM by ITFInspector

...is an important motto in any workplace but especially on board a ship. Sometimes, during a ship visit, we see seafarers working without the use of proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). When we notice this we generally confront the captain about this discrepancy - after all, we want you to work safely. Also, PPE use forms part of every ITF Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) so checking if seafarers have PPE available is a routine part of every visit.

And sometimes we end up red-faced when we find out that PPE equipment is available but it is not being used. We have worked on ships, too, and we know the excuses - things like: nothing is going to happen; I won't get injured; it's too hot to use it right now; it's not comfortable; I can't breathe properly; I get a headache from this helmet; I can't see properly because these glasses are foggy; I can't hear the radio if I use ear plugs; these shoes are killing my feet; and so on and so on...

That's when the hammering part starts. We may turn into bogeymen, lecturing you on why you should use your PPE. Not just because it is a part of every ITF CBA or because ILO conventions and other regulations request it, but because we do not give a damn about all the excuses mentioned above.

PPE is there to protect you against personal injuries caused by incidents at work. It may protect you in an accident that would otherwise lead to a permanent disability or worse. We all work to earn a living, to provide for loved ones and ourselves but permanent injury will soon stop that if we are unfit for work. In the worst cases, our loved ones may end up nursing us for the rest of our lives or even arranging our funerals. No compensation is high enough to replace what could be lost through injury - remember this next time you experience mild discomfort using your PPE.

If you are a seafarer and you have a problem with your PPE, let us know. Get in touch if you don't have it or if it is available on board but unused; let us know if your shoes are killing your feet because they are too small or too large, or if other parts of your PPE are too uncomfortable to use. These things can generally be discussed and resolved through a good social dialogue. In cases where social dialogue is difficult, we know the relevant regulations and directives guaranteeing seafarers safe work and we will use them if needed. We know how to inform those authorities responsible for taking measures that will bring 'Safety First' to every Seafarer working in unsafe conditions.

Safety at work needs to be treated as a process that is ongoing and under continuous evaluation - let's all work together to create safe(r) workplaces.

Edited: 10/07/2008 at 12:21 PM by ITFInspector

Unfortunately, accidents do happen - usually in a stupid way or when they're least expected. Any accident is one too many and those involved need to draw their own conclusions and learn lessons so that similar mishaps can be avoided in the future.

As inspectors, we are sometimes contacted by crew members who have been injured during their work on board ship. And we know how it goes with minor injuries (because we have worked in the same places) - most typically: it's not hurting or bleeding enough for attention; we are sailors and so we are tough workers - we can stand the pain; it will probably get better in time just like it has done before; and so on...

But say one day the injury doesn't heal and further medical attention is needed? Imagine you might lose the top of your finger or worse. And then it all starts - bureaucratic procedures need to be followed. Easy questions arise, such as when it happened, what happened, who was around and who saw it happen, and these may suddenly be extremely difficult to answer. Often a couple of weeks has passed and things are not as fresh in the memory - for example, some of your fellow work mates may have signed off or are now difficult to contact. Unfortunately, the hazier the recollection of events, the more difficult it is to get compensation.

So, if you are injured at work and especially if you need medical assistance, try to gather the following information, even when it seems like the problem will sort itself out as it has done many times before:

. Exact day, time and location (e.g. cargo hold 2) of the accident.
. How and what happened?
. What are your injuries?
. Who was nearby, who witnessed the accident or who was the first person to notice that the accident had happened (get contact details)?

Other very useful information includes accident reports or master reports, entries in the logbook and any police documents or medical papers. Also, be sure to have a copy of your employment contract.

What happens next? If an employer refuses to follow the necessary procedures, you should contact your union representative. If you are on board ship, you can contact an ITF inspector or contact the ITF directly.

Edited: 09/22/2008 at 04:59 PM by ITFInspector

The ITF Inspectorate is aware that an FOC seafarer can jeopardise his or her future employment and sea going career. We are aware of the possible blacklists. We know how difficult it is sometimes to talk freely with us, especially on board where there may be somebody watching and listening.

First of all you should know that we handle all requests as discretely as possible. We are a very inventive species, so we generally find an excuse to board a vessel.

As a seafarer you may have various electronic systems to ask for assistance. You can send text messages or emails or make phone calls. Never forget to let us know the name of the ship, the IMO number, a location and what your concerns are. If you are contacting us with your own cell phone let us know so that we can respond to you in a discrete manner.

If you do not have access to a phone or email, you can try and contact us by asking for the cooperation of people visiting your ship (dockers, suppliers, mission reps, agents, etc.).

You can also write a letter outlining your concerns and pass to us when we are visiting your ship - or pass it to one of the above mentioned persons with a request to forward on to us. Quite often a gangway watch will announce our visit to the master using the radio and you can also keep an eye open for any visitors. Maybe we will be among them.

If you have problems explaining yourself due to a language barrier try to find one of your colleagues on board who can help you and translate. If this is not possible, we will try to find someone who you can talk to in your own language. You can also write a letter in your own language - we will find somebody who can translate it for us.

Remember, we are not miracle workers. We will always try our hardest to find the best possible solution to your problem but we also have to follow certain guidelines and what is mutually agreed among involved parties. It has to be said that sometimes we can't assist you - even when we want to. Some shipowners know of loopholes and they use them. If it's of any comfort, we also know them... and we generally know them better.

I hope you are never in a situation where you need these tips. But if you are, make sure you remember them and know that we are out there for you, fully motivated and ready to assist you.

As ITF inspectors, we are used to dealing with flags of convenience (FOC) vessels, especially those that are best described as "rustbuckets". We are also often confronted with FOC vessels where the conditions on board for the crew are rather similar to those during the dark ages.

But it would be wrong to conclude that every last FOC vessel is as described above. Our ship inspections do show that there are some FOC owners who maintain good standards on board ­ and this, in turn, is reflected in a good atmosphere among the crew.

"Heaven at Sea" can occasionally be found on an FOC vessel but only if she is covered with an ITF approved Collective Bargaining Agreement. The first glimpse of a ship tells us a lot. And this process continues when we climb the gangway and meet the watch. Sometimes we even recognise crew members from a previous visit. It is certainly nice to board a ship where we can see that nothing has changed in the months that have passed and that everything is still in a good condition. It is motivating for us to see that international standards are held in high regard and that the paperwork and payments reflect all the agreed conditions.

The crew on this kind of ship is generally one big happy family. Even when there is a mix of nationalities we can feel a good atmosphere when boarding and walking around the vessel. Crew on these "Heaven at Sea" ships have often been on board on and off for several years on returning contracts. The only concerns they seem to express are if they will see the mission reps with telephone cards before their ships depart.

Visiting these kind of ships is encouraging for an ITF inspector. It helps us to believe ­ - especially after dealing with several "rustbucket" cases in a row - ­that there are some FOC owners operating their ships on the seven seas who are not only interested in financial improvement but also in the well being of their crew.

A happy crew definitely makes a happy ship.

More than 12,000 transport workers and activists walked out on strike in two Peruvian ports recently in protest over the government's plans to privatise the port of Callao. Read more here.

In my role as an ITF inspector, I am often in contact with seafarers who are members of what are known as "Yellow Unions". These so called unions are organisations that are firstly not affiliated with the ITF and secondly often created by ship owners or ship managers for their own benefits.

There are many reasons why ship owners or ship managers choose to create their own union. Besides leadership and financial considerations, they do it to avoid interference from genuine unions, which are generally members of the big worldwide ITF family. Plainly put, certain FOC owners and managers don't like it that ITF Inspectors and reps from ITF affiliated unions board their vessels to assist, support and consult FOC crews.

It has to be said that these "Yellow Unions" are very professional in the way in which they "deceive" Seafarers. Most of them create certificates which are copy cats of the existing ITF Blue and Green Certificates. The employment contracts and Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA) they use are often copy cat versions of the well known ITF models. Sometimes the conditions, especially salary, may be around the ITF salaries. They really do their best to give you, the Seafarer, the impression that you are working on a ship covered by an ITF approved CBA.

What happens in practice?
If you are a member of a "Yellow Union" and you need assistance they will not be in a position to help you. One important reason why is that even if they have union reps they do not have a network similar to the worldwide ITF inspectorate and all its contacts in the ports in which it is based. Furthermore, local ISPS regulations make it very difficult for "Yellow Union" reps to enter the ports.

Also, an organisation created by an employer will never give the same levels of support to employees as a genuine union. And of course that's not to forget the international solidarity among seafarers and dockers who are members of ITF affiliated unions. In plain English: "Yellow Unions" will not assist and support you in the way an ITF representative can.

How can I avoid these "Yellow Unions"?
You can choose to get unionised with an ITF affiliated union. You can check in Message to Seafarers or at the following link if the organisation you want to join is affiliated with the ITF. You can also check if the FOC vessel you plan to sign up for is covered with an ITF approved CBA.

The ITF has appealed to the South Korean authorities to allow the two Hebei Spirit officers found innocent of causing an oil spillage to return home. Read the full press release here.