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Ten per cent pay rise for seafarers in bargaining forum success
13 October 2005
Discussions at a meeting between the ITF and the international shipowners’ joint negotiating group (JNG) have led to an international agreement on pay and conditions, which could see seafarers better off by ten per cent.
The agreement, which was reached at the International Bargaining Forum (IBF) meeting in Tokyo, Japan, last week, covers 55,000 seafarers on over 3,200 ships. It includes a ten per cent pay rise in the form of a two-staged increase from US$46,170 to US$48,478 on 1 January 2006 and to US$50,787 on 1 January 2007; death and disability compensation will increase by ten per cent over two years.
The parties also agreed to implement initiatives addressing the job security concerns of seafarers from developed economies; meanwhile the JNG committed to make a recommendation to shipowner principals that non-union dockworkers should not be engaged.
Stephen Cotton, ITF Special Seafarers’ Department Secretary commented: “We have consolidated the innovative negotiating process and in doing so materially advanced the protection of seafarers’ employment and improved the conditions under which they serve.”
David Dearsley, speaking on behalf of the JNG, added: “Overall the settlement will strengthen the IBF system, provide mechanisms for discussing a number of outstanding issues as well as provide a satisfactory settlement that will appeal to seafarers and shipowners alike.”
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