— The Council of American Master Mariners, Inc. —
CAMM Views
06-09: CAMM Supports the ILO Maritime Labor Convention
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06-09
ILO Maritime Labor Convention
Seafarers Bill of Rights
Recent talks are putting the finishing touches to a 100-page draft Convention, which has been negotiated for over more than four years by some 1000 delegates from 100 member states, employers and workers groups.
The objective of the Convention is to eliminate sub-standard shipping with respect to maritime labor. The Convention would lay down stringent rules on working hours, minimum age, health & safety standards, etc. and require ships to prove their compliance.
The convention would require all vessels over 500 gross tons on international voyages to carry a five-year labor certificate issued by its flag state. Holders of these certificates are required to endure periodic inspections. Port State Control officers will have the power to fine and detain ships who do not abide by what many now term the Seafarers Bill of Rights. These rights include provisions for complaint procedures, supervision authority for conditions onboard ships, port state inspection standards, wages minimums, health care, and safety equipment carriage requirements.
From the masters perspective of a US flagged ship, the convention will have little bearing for controls, safeguards and legal protections afforded to US crews are well above international standard. However, countries such as the US have for decades paid the price of being undercut by substandard ships resulting in the withering of tonnage to Flags of Convenience. Though this Convention will not halt or improve this decline immediately, it is a very important step in the right direction.
This Bill of Rights for the worlds 1.2 million seafarers requires a 2/3 majority vote of member states for adoption. CAMM urges US promotion of this very important step toward improving the safety, quality and standards of todays shipping community.
Yet once again, the modern shipmaster will be faced with a dilemma imposed entirely by a Port State legislative action. In