With the ITF collective agreement be onboard seafarers' salary would be higher

Not more than one thousand US dollars a month – such salary are paid to crew members of the three vessels, which are loading in the port of Nakhodka. Nikolai Sukhanov, the Chairman of  SUR Far Eastern Territorial Organization (SUR FETO), said that there are no ITF collective agreements on board the vessels “Glorious Earth” (flag of Panama, IMO 9652375), “Steel Honesty” (flag of Liberia, IMO 9198393) and “Glorious Future” (flag of Panama, IMO 9370977),  and therefore the wages of their crews  do not reach the minimum rate,  required by ITF. 

-There are about twenty people working on board each of these vessels, and none of them really knows about the benefits of collective agreement or the specific activities of trade unions. But after all it is the  trade union that safeguards  the observance of seamen's  rights, in particular those  working on board  flag of convenience ships , - Nikolay Sukhanov said. - Every year our territorial organization alone receives  dozens appeals from crew members, including foreign ones,  with requests to help in recovering wages and arranging repatriation. The question arises: is it not easier to take care of your wellbeing in advance by joining a trade union? 

SUR is always ready to provide its members with legal advice and give genuine  information about the employer even before signing a contract and setting out  on a voyage  On board all three ships  in question there are insurance certificates  that stipulate  the financial liabilities of the shipowners in respect of   repatriation and payment of compensation, but the crew of “Glorious Earth” have no idea about the amount of their insurance cover.  The insurance certificates on board the vessels  “Steel Honesty” and “Glorious Future” contains all the necessary information, but the insured amount is significantly below the value provided by the ITF collective agreement. As a result of the meeting, SUR sent notices to the shipowners about the need to conclude an agreement with trade unions of their countries.