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Russian Federation gears up for implementation of seafarers’ welfare convention
14 September 2006
 |  | | Novorossisk seafarers' centre on the Black Sea | |
A tripartite council is meeting in the Russian capital today to discuss implementation of International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention 163 on seafarers’ welfare.
The meeting and the ratification of the convention in July builds on over five years of work by the government and unions – the ITF-affiliated Seafarers’ Union of Russia, the International Confederation of Water Transport Workers' Unions and the Water Transport Workers’ Union of Russia - to improve facilities for seafarers in Russian ports.
The council, comprising union, shipowner and government representatives, is meeting in the offices of the Transport Ministry in Moscow to focus on the practicalities of implementing the convention. This included discussing ways of funding the existing network of seafarers’ centres in Russia – there are currently seafarers’ clubs in some 20 Russian ports – as well as setting up port welfare committees.
Tom Holmer of the ITF Seafarers’ Trust commented: “The ratification of ILO 163 was a major milestone and now the effort is in getting the practical implementation arranged. The regional programme of the International Committee on Seafarers’ Welfare, funded by the ITF Seafarers’ Trust, has been instrumental in helping to demonstrate the need for seafarers’ welfare and the benefits of providing it on a systematic basis in ports around the region.”
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