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Victory for Argentine casino ship workers
14 June 2006
A maritime union’s long struggle to represent workers on board an Argentine casino ship has paid off. The workers have at last been recognised as seafarers and allowed to join the union.
The ITF-affiliated Sindicato de Obreros Maritimos (SOMU), had been fighting for the right to represent ratings employed on board the Estrella de la Fortuna, a floating casino, owned by Casino Buenos Aires SA, part of Spanish multinational CIRSA. Negotiations with the employer finally led to an agreement towards the end of last month, allowing the workers to be represented by SOMU and giving them the same pay and conditions as seafarers. They had previously been represented by a non-maritime union, which had agreed to terms and conditions well below the international benchmark for seafarers.
In April last year, the ITF Seafarers’ Section Conference in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, passed an emergency resolution in support of SOMU and its bid to see the workers recognised as seafarers. The ITF also called on the Argentine government to afford ratings working on board floating casinos the same status as seafarers and to promote a bargaining table between SOMU and Casino Buenos Aires S.A. In addition, ITF affiliated seafarers’ unions were urged to carry out solidarity action by sending letters of support to the Argentine labour ministry.
Enrique Omar Suárez, SOMU General Secretary commented: “Through the support of the maritime unions, the General Confederation of Labour, the Argentinian Confederation of Transport Workers on the one hand and the invaluable backing of the ITF, which has supported our complaint, our six year struggle has come to an end.”
Negotiations to finalise a collective bargaining agreement will be concluded over the coming weeks.
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