WORK AT SEA

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22595, 7 December 1936, Page 6

WORK AT SEA

IMPEOTOTO CONDITIONS INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION AGREEMENT AT GENEVA

BT E. J. RICHES

For the first time, a conference of shipowners, seamen and Government representatives from the leading maritime powers has succeeded in reaching .agreement by a large majority on minimum standards for hours of work on board ship, and manning. These two subjects, considered together, formed the main item on the agenda of the 21st Session of the International Labour Conference held in Geneva from October 6 to 24, 1P36 The other subjects dealt with were the protection of seamen in case of sickness, including the treatment of seamen injured on board ship, the promotion of seamen's welfare in ports, the minimum requirement of professional capacity for officers in charge of ships, ; and holidays with pay for seamen. '

By the adoption of six draft conventions —that is, draft treaties —and one recommendation, in addition to the seven conventions previously adopted, the conference has drawn up an international labour code for an industry in which the factor of international competition is particularly important. Wide Representation The conference, which was presided over by Mr. Paal Berg, President of the Norwegian Supreme Court and Government delegate of Norway, brought together some 86 delegates and 108 expert advisers from 2S maritime States. The countries represented possess some 51,000,000 tons of shipping, or 82 per cent of the total world's seagoing merchant tonnage. The only important maritime Powers not represented were Germany and Italy. Of the countries of the British Empire, only South Africa and New Zealand were unrepresented. Of the six draft conventions adopted, the most important is that which establishes the principle of the eight-hour day for seamen. This hours of work and manning convention, adopted by 62 votes to 17, provides for an eight-hour day and a 48-hour week in port. At sea and on arrival and sailing days, weekly hours are modified to meet the requirements of work, which is necessarily continuous. For the staff on deck and in the engine room, whose work is organised by watches, a 56-hour week is fixed, but for all staff employed as day workers a 48-hour week is provided As' regards manning, tho convention prescribes for various categories of tonnage, minimum numbers of officers and men sufficient to ensure safety at sea and to make possible the application of the rules adopted in regard to hours of work. Sickness Insurance The second question on the agenda of the conference, the protection of seamen in case of sickness, was dealt with by the adoption of two draft conventions, the first—adopted by 70 votes to 14 —concerned with tho individual liability of the shipowner in case of sickness, injury or death of seamen, and the second —adopted by 60 votes to five —providing for sickness insurance for seamen. The assistance to be provided to sick or injured seamen under the. first convention includes medical aid, board and lodging and maintenance, as well as wages in whole or part. Subject to two important qualifications, assistance is to be provided until the sick person has been cured, or until the sickness or injury is declared permanent. The first qualification is that the liability may be limited to a period of not less than 16 weeks from the day of injury or the beginning of the sickness, apd the second is that the liability of the shipowner may stop from the time when benefits become payable under sickness insurance or workmen's compensation. The sickness insurance convention is designed to afford continued assistance to sick seamen after the responsibility of the shipowner has ceased.

Officers' Qualifications It is a recognised principle that all those who have charge of ships and are responsible for their safety should have a minimum of professional capacity. As a step toward securing international observance of this rule, the conference adopted by 80 votes to 9 a convention providing that no person may perform 011 board a vessel the duties of captain, navigating officer in charge of a watch, engineer or engineer officer in charge of a watch, unless he holds > a certificate issued or approved by the public authority of the territory where the- vessel is registered. Certificates are to be issued only to persons who are above a certain minijvum age, have had a specified .period of professional experience, and have passed appropriate qualifying examinations. The previous session of the International Labour Conference, held in June, 1936, adopted a convention providing for annual paid holidays for workers on land. At the recent maritime session, a corresponding convention for seamen was adopted by 60 votes to 15. This convention provides for an annual holiday of at least 12 working days in the case of officers and at least nine working days in the case of other ratings. The'first maritime session of the conference, held in 1920, adopted a convention fixing a minimum age of 14 for employment at sea. This convention has now been ratified and put into operation by 31 countries. Its revision, in order to raise the age limit, has, however, been under consideration for some time past, and the 22nd session of the conference was held specially in order to carry out this task. The conference decided by a unanimous vote to raise the minimum age to 15, at the same time specifying, at the request of the shipowners, that the change should not come into force until a similar revision had been made of the conventions concerning the minimum age of admission to employment in industry and in non-industrial occupations. )' Resolutions Adopted Finally, the conference adopted a number of resolutions dealing with the provision of compensation for accidents to seamen and unemployment insurance; the convening of an international economic conference; equal treatment between foreign and national seamen; the contractor system of employment in the Far East; working conditions and the accommodation of the crew 011 caryo vessels; and the collection of information concerning seamen's wages. The six conventions adopted by the conference have been described as the penmen's charter. Their existence as international standards agreed 011 by a conference representing four-fifths of the world's merchant shipping will, it is expected, load to a general improvement in legislation concerning seamen's conditions of work. If widely ratified, ar previous maritime conventions adopted by the conference have been, they will mark a turning point in tho history of the industry. That there is reason to expect tho gradual achievement of such results is evident from the success of the conference and the attitude of its members.