ICMA is a recognized NGO at the International Labour Organization. From April 7-11, the ILO hosted the Special Tripartite Committee of the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC,2006) to agree updates. During the meeting, we had a chance to sit down with one of ICMA’s representatives, Phil Schifflin, Director of the Center for Mariner Advocacy of The Seamen’s Church Institute, to better understand how ICMA could engage in the discussions and support the welfare of seafarers. Watch the video or read the transcript below.
The way ICMA gets to participate as an NGO is, one, we don’t get to vote and we don’t actually get to propose amendments ourselves. What we can do is, ahead of time, try to put some issues together and float them to the parties that can propose amendments—the shipowners, seafarers, and governments. And if they think the issue is worthwhile, they can take it up. In fact, ICMA did do that.
We recognized that shore leave was something that was really being negatively impacted, and seafarers were getting less and less shore leave. So we drafted some proposals, forwarded them into three groups. The reality is every group proposed some version of shore leave amendments, and they’re being adopted. When you boil it down, that means an organization like ours had a direct impact on seafarer welfare—literally hundreds of thousands of seafarers for decades to come. This is a change that we can point to as something we impacted.
We also have opportunities to make statements during the opening. So those three issues that were most important to us—shore leave, repatriation, and dealing with hazing, bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, and sexual assault—we made a statement highlighting their importance, and how important it is for seafarers to address these proposals to mitigate bad conduct and improve things like shore leave and repatriation.
Then there are discussions on the margins. When we say “on the margins,” we mean talking to people over lunch, during coffee breaks, and letting them know why some of these proposals are important, how they impact seafarers, and hopefully influencing those who are still on the fence to vote in a way that’s better for seafarers.
I’m Phil Schifflin with the Seamen’s Church Institute Center for Mariner Advocacy, and I currently serve as part of the ICMA—the International Christian Maritime Association—delegation to the International Labour Organization. We’re here at the fifth meeting of the Special Tripartite Committee, which considers amendments to the Maritime Labour Convention 2006, otherwise known as the Seafarers’ Bill of Rights.
ICMA is attending because the ILO’s Special Tripartite Committee is the organization that considers amendments to the MLC 2006, the preeminent international instrument dealing with seafarers’ rights. Since ICMA is all about trying to take care of seafarers, we’re certainly interested in impacting that process positively.
ICMA is viewed by many other participants as a kind of pure representative of seafarers. The three official parts of the tripartite—governments, shipowners, and seafarers—certainly have an interest in the well-being of seafarers, but they also have other interests. Shipowners need seafarers to operate ships, but they also consider costs and operations. Governments recognize the importance of seafarers to trade but must also consider broader national interests. Even seafarers’ organizations are coalitions of unions that sometimes have differing priorities. But ICMA and the chaplains who meet with seafarers are simply about ministering to and improving the wellbeing of seafarers. So we’re seen as honest brokers who can explain how these rights actually impact people at sea.
There’s a big difference here from the International Maritime Organization, where only governments vote. At the ILO’s Special Tripartite Committee, the seafarers and shipowners have equal voting power with governments, so their role is much more significant. Also, the ILO is laser-focused on seafarers’ rights, whereas the IMO has a broader plate—technical standards, environmental issues, pollution, etc.
There are 16 proposed amendments under consideration. Of greatest interest to seafarers’ welfare organizations like ours are those dealing with shore leave—because seafarers are getting less of it. Going ashore has always been a huge morale booster, and it’s happening less and less. Another important issue is repatriation. Seafarers look forward to going home at the end of a contract, and when that doesn’t happen, it becomes almost traumatic.
There are also amendments addressing hazing, bullying, sexual harassment, and sexual assault. When you’re at sea, you live in your workplace. Unlike land-based workers, you can’t just go home and get away. So this behavior surrounds you 24/7, 365 days a year during your contract. Eradicating that kind of behavior is crucial.
Other important amendments deal with hours of rest, addressing seafarer fatigue, and with maximum time on board. During the COVID-19 pandemic, seafarers stayed at sea far longer than they were supposed to. These new rules aim to ensure contracts end when they should.
In truth, every proposal under consideration would positively impact seafarers. ICMA has done a good job by consistently attending both ILO and IMO meetings. The same people often show up, so we’ve become a known and respected entity among the staff and delegations. We’ve had coffee breaks and lunches with them—they know who we are and respect us. And I feel very welcomed here.