Ominous clouds hang over industrial relations harmony in shipping
Add BT as a preferred sourceIT DOES not seem that long ago that relations between shipowners' organisations and the seafarer unions' global representative body, the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) were characterised by continual confrontation.
The bone of contention was always pay and conditions on open registry ships, referred to as '"flag of convenience ships" by the ITF.
In fact it was 21 years ago that negotiations got underway between the ITF and the International Maritime Employers' Council (IMEC), a group of ship owners and managers from around the world. Soon afterwards, the International Mariners Management Association of Japan (IMMAJ), also joined the negotiations, forming in 2003 with IMEC, the Joint Negotiating Group (JNG). The JNG has since expanded to include the Korean Shipowners' Association (KSA).
