With no headway being made in the negotiations on the charter of demands one of the two Union viz. the Forward Seamen’s Union of India have threatened to agitate which could affect shipping
With negotiations on their charter of demands in a deadlock the Forward Seamen’s Union of India (FSUI) which claims having majority representation of seamen among the two seafarers’ unions has threatened to agitate or even strike work. A charter of demands had been submitted for 2010 – 2012. Negotiations have been taking place under the banner of the National Maritime Board (NMB) on which ship owners are represented by the Indian National Shipowners’ Association of India (INSA) and the Maritime Association of Shipowners Shipmanagers and Agents (MASSA). Whereas the two unions viz. the National Union of Seafarers of India (NUSI) have six representations and FSUI have only three in NMB.
Until 1986, NUSI was the lone negotiator on behalf of the seamen on NMB since they were the sole representatives of seamen in Western India. FSUI which commanded influence more in West Bengal especially in Kolkata all along gradually extended their activity to Mumbai and surrounding regions quickly capturing a large number of seafarers into its fold even those who had been NUSI members. Despite having majority representation, FSUI have had to be content with only three seats on the NMB while NUSI has six.
Says Naresh Birwadkar, Secretary of FUSI says, “As per Government of India, Ministry Of Labour and employment, office of Chief Labour Commissioner (c) letter no. 31(9)/2008-vfn dated 28 August 2008, we have as on 31/12/2002 a verified number of 19,761 members and NUSI has only 15,107.”
Mr Birwadkar adds, “Seamen have been facing growing pressure at sea, having to deal with procedures laid down under the ISPS code, STCW which is under revision, ISM, new Medical Rules and other strict measures imposed on them. Besides, seamen are in fear of being hijacked: like the sword of Damocles that hangs over them. Above all they have been facing reduction in manning which has been brought in step by step. This has pushed the seamen into a corner and they have decided to react against the employer through the unions.”
In the earlier part of the negotiations the two ship owners’ body pleaded their inability to agree to any increase in wages because of the economic down turn. This was proved false states Mr. Birwadkar. “None of the INSA member-companies have shown loss in their balance sheet for the last five years. The so called lean period is just a matter of assumption and we said that INSA was welcome to call for past five years’ balance sheet of any of their member- company for making a comparative study to assess the degree of “Deep Crises” which they claim.”
Now another hurdle is brought in the way of the on-going negotiations according to FSUI. INSA has disagreed to allot equal number of seats to FSUI on NMB saying that NMB constitution does not allow it. They have asked FSUI to wait until the amendment is made. Some months have passed yet no amendment has taken place. At the 43rd NMB meeting two issues had been decided upon viz. “The structure of the negotiating team be changed to give both union equal numbers of seats; and the signing of the successful wage revision document be made equally by both the unions. However, Capt S. B. Kunderghi, secretary of MASSA and of NMB stated, “No change in the constitution is possible immediately as no proposal has been made by INSA for the amendment of the NMB constitution as yet.”
The FSUI has come to the end of its tether. They have conveyed to INSA that if the Indian ship owners do not come to the negotiation table on equal terms to settle their charter of demands they will resort to agitation at any time.