Intervention of the  TUI Transport, Harbour, Fisheries and Communications of the WFTU in the Fifth meeting of the Special Tripartite Committee of the Maritime Labour Convention

Ladies and gentlemen,

Dear colleagues,

I am obliged to begin my intervention by protesting the unfair treatment suffered by my organization and by extension our hundreds of thousands of members, particularly in the maritime sector for which we are here now.

It is clear that the representation of workers is systematically monopolized, and the opinions of hundreds of millions of workers represented by the WFTU and other international organizations are underrepresented or even marginalized and ignored.

The WFTU will not stop fighting and demanding a genuinely representative and pluralistic ILO, with democratic and participatory functioning, as dictated by its role and the reasons for its creation.

Regarding the document before us, we would like to make the following observations:

The wording of the convention should be clearer and more explicit regarding the responsibilities of shipowners and the substantive intervention of flag states.

Τhe most important of all is the faithful implementation of the Convention and its universal incorporation into the national law of all States, as well as the consequent responsibility of shipowners and flag States.

Recognizing the particularly difficult political conditions that humanity experiences with wars, we ask that seafarers be exempt from any disciplinary proceedings by shipowners and any legal proceedings by a member country that has adopted the Convention in the event of rescuing migrants who are facing difficulties or in the event of refusing to participate in the escort of weapons and military equipment to war zones.

Thank you for your attention.