Ny international lov sikrer søfolk bedre forhold

Hedebølge i Californien. Verdens klimakrise har enorme sundhedsmæssige konsekvenser. Alligevel samtænkes Danmarks globale klima- og sundhedsindsats i alt for ringe grad, mener tre  debattører.


Foto: Kevin Carter/Getty Images
Laurits Holdt

Søfolk på mange af de skibe, der transporterer varer rundt i verden kommer ofte fra fattige lande og arbejdsforholdene er ofte ringe. Tirsdag træder ny lov med nedskrevne rettigheder i kraft. Internationalt fagforbund er begejstret.

On Tuesday 20 August, the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) – the seafarers’ bill of rights – comes into force. The MLC is a far-reaching, groundbreaking international convention which establishes an international minimum standard that has the potential to make a real difference to seafarers. The ITF (International Transport Workers Federation) was in at its birth and has supported it all the way. Now it becomes a reality, says ITF on its website on Tuesday.

The ITF is committed to supporting the MLC’s effective and full implementation and ensuring that as many countries as possible ratify it.

ITF acting general secretary Stephen Cotton commented:

”After over 10 years’ work we have a bill of rights for seafarers that, if properly implemented, will change their lives for the better. It has been a hard-won victory to reach this moment. Now the same coalition of the ILO, unions, maritime organisations and governments that have brought the convention into being have to continue to jointly build on and support it, deliver its effective implementation and make sure that even more countries ratify it.”

ITF president Paddy Crumlin stated:

“The MLC is a great achievement for labour rights and also for genuine social dialogue. In a world dominated by international trade, the breaking down of regulation, the global financial crisis and increasingly invasive negligence and corruption, the MLC comes like a lighthouse and a beacon for the future.”

Læs mere om The Maritime Labour Convention 2006: www.ilo.org/global/standards/maritime-labour-convention