Eight weeks in limbo, without pay and facing starvation, far from home in the Bay of São Sebastião, Brazil, 14 seafarers from Ukraine and Montenegro are finally back with their families thanks to the ITF. And they’re home with US$261,009 backpay in hand.
As the global cruise industry and seafarers’ unions near completion of the repatriation of almost 250,000 seafarers, the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) warns that there are challenging times ahead for the industry and its workforce.
Liverpool is home to a number of ships adopting the United Kingdom flag in a sign that the island nation could once again claim its place as a maritime leader. But shipping companies will need to do more to uphold the UK’s reputation amidst the crew change crisis, says the International Transport Workers’ Federation’s Inspector Tommy Molloy.
The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) says Australia is facing economic carnage from clogged ports as a result of rapidly worsening crew change crisis around its coasts, as the crews of two further ships in Western Australia and Victoria refused to keep sailing today in bids for repatriation.
The trade union movement is increasing its pressure on governments to address the escalating crew change crisis affecting an estimated 200,000 seafarers is stepping up, this week American and Ukrainian unions joined their Australian sisters and brothers in calling for change.
The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) estimates that there are now approximately 300,000 seafarers trapped working aboard ships due to the crew change crisis caused by government Covid-19 border and travel restrictions, and an equal number of unemployed seafarers waiting to join them who are ashore. That makes 600,000 seafarers affected by this crisis.
Today marks one month since the ITF told the world’s governments that ‘Enough is Enough’ and that the global union federation and our affiliates would be assisting the world’s seafarers in enforcing their right to stop working, get off and be repatriated to their homes and families, foll
For the crew of chemical tanker Giancarlo D, Luz Baz and the ITF are a godsend.
The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) and the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) says the Australian federal government has been asleep at the wheel of the crew change crisis – risking trade, Australia’s economy and seafarers’ lives.
The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) has called on the world’s governments to act swiftly to give seafarers visa, border and quarantine exemptions in order to make crew changes possible and resolve the present crisis.
ITF General Secretary Stephen Cotton represented the global federation’s one million seafaring members today, at the International Maritime Virtual Summit on Crew Changes hosted by the United Kingdom in London.
