New U.N. Treaty Guarantees Merchant Sailors' Labor Rights

Seeking to ensure fair globalization, the United Nations International Labor Organization (ILO) overwhelmingly adopted comprehensive new standards for the world's 1.2 million merchant sailors, establishing rights for decent working conditions, safety, minimum wages, and hours of work.

"We have made maritime labor history today," said ILO Director-General Juan Somavia at the 94th Maritime Labor Convention 2006 in Geneva, after the adoption of Labor Rights, which was adopted by a vote of 314 for, with no votes against, and four abstentions. The delegates were from more than 100 countries representing seafarers, shipowners, and governments.

"We have adopted a Convention that spans continents and oceans, providing a comprehensive labor charter for the world's 1.2 million seafarers, and addresses the evolving realities for a labor sector that handles 90 percent of the world's trade," he added.

The Labor Rights will be legally binding standards accompanied by guidelines. Its amendment procedures are rapid and, most importantly, establishes a system for the certification of seafarers' labor conditions.
"This convention is unique in that it has teeth," said Bruce Carlton of the United States, who chaired the Committee of the Whole.

It consolidates and updates 68 existing ILO maritime Conventions and Recommendations adopted since 1920. Countries that do not ratify the new convention will remain bound by the previous conventions, although those instruments will be closed to further ratification.

"We have established a socio-economic floor to global competition in the maritime sector," Mr. Somavia said. "This initiative can also provide the impetus and support for similarly innovative and balanced approaches to addressing the need to make globalization fair in other sectors of the world of work."

The new convention clearly sets out, in plain language, a seafarers' "bill of rights," while allowing a degree of national discretion to deliver those rights with transparency and accountability. The convention also contains provisions allowing it to keep in step with the needs of the industry, and to help secure universal application and enforcement.

The provisions will help meet the demand for quality shipping, crucial to the global economy, and apply to all ships engaged in commercial activities, with the exception of fishing vessels and traditional ships--such as dhows and junks.

The convention sets minimum requirements for seafarers to work on a ship and contains provisions on conditions of employment, hours of work and rest, accommodations, recreational facilities, food and catering, health protection, medical care, welfare and social security protection.

Features include accelerated amendment procedures to update technical provisions to address changes in the sector and onboard, as well as onshore complaint procedures to encourage rapid resolution of problems.