The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) today branded the New South Wales Government’s inquiry into the Ruby Princess as a ‘smokescreen’ for the government’s failings in the second phase of the Ruby Princess saga after passengers disembarked.
The Mauritian government recently announced it would finally open its doors to the thousands of its own seafarers trapped around the world – but only by a slight crack. And there’s a few catches.
Seafarers in their unions are putting more pressure on the world’s governments to allow for crew changes, as more than 200,000 seafarers are now trapped aboard vessels working beyond their contracts.
The race to develop a Covid-19 response that controls the virus, protects people and provides relief for battered economies is an urgent priority.
However, as major labour providing unions that represent nearly two-thirds of the world’s seafarers, we are extremely concerned by and frustrated over the lack of understanding the global community has of the challenges faced by the men and women working at sea, and who know feel forgotten by many Governments of the world .
The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) has been assisting hundreds of seafarers aboard the six Global Cruise Lines’ vessels currently in Tilbury and Bristol, in the United Kingdom. The seafarers have been stranded there because of global travel restrictions brought in to deal with the global pandemic.
As the Covid-19 pandemic and the travel restrictions put in place to attempt containment drag on, around 200,000 merchant seafarers are trapped aboard ships in violation of international law. Each month, the 100,000 seafarers due to be relieved of their duties on board the ships transporting 90 per cent of the world’s goods, are being abandoned by the international community. Many have now been on board without access to shore leave for months beyond their original contracts.
Four months without pay and 48 hours without food, 47 seafarers off the coast of the UK are desperate to get home to their families.
Today is the ‘Day of the Seafarer’ a day when we should celebrate seafarers, but this year, as world’s seafarers are let down by governments there is little to celebrate
This year the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), whose member unions represent 1.4 million of the world’s seafarers, acknowledges the International Day of the Seafarer, but will celebrate when seafarers are given the respect that they deserve.
The ITF and the Joint Negotiating Group, along with the International Chamber of Shipping have worked tirelessly since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic on finding solutions to the issue of crew changes.
On Wednesday, Pope Francis released a video statement in which he paid tribute to seafarers and fishers, and acknowledged the difficult challenges they have been forced to endure due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
