“Green Frontier”: shipowner offered to restore relationship with ITF

The crew of the vessel “Green Frontier”  (flag of Marshall Islands, IMO 9433858, 2007-built) experienced first-hand the disadvantages of work without  collective agreement on board.

Until July, 25, last year, the ship had an IBF Agreement with the All Japan Seamen's Union (JSU), but when the vessel changed the name from “Nobil Coral” to a new one and the navigation area - from the Indian Ocean and European ports to Southeast Asia, the shipowner “KYOWA SANSHO KK” decided not to prolong the agreement.

- Since then, the working conditions on board the ship have deteriorated significantly, and not least this concerns salaries - for example, the basic rate for the AB seaman is just $480,” says Nikolai Sukhanov, Chairman of the Far Eastern Territorial Organization of the Seafarers' Union of Russia (SUR FETO), who have visited the vessel today. -  The Japanese shipowner decided to exploit the seafarers' labor as much as possible: now he saves even on supplies and receives super-profits.

The crew of the ship - the Japanese captain and 19 Filipinos -  requested SUR FETO Inspectors to send the shipowner a notice demanding negotiations with the Union, so that the collective agreement would be on board the vessel again.

-We decided to provide all possible assistance in the struggle against the unscrupulous shipowner,” Nikolai Sukhanov says. - If “KYOWA SANSHO KK” does not respond to the call to conclude a collective agreement, we will organize protests  against flags of convenience on board the ship.