Agreement between ETF and ECSA in order to guarantee that the marine ones are dealt on a plan of parity regarding the earth workers



Today the European Transport Workers' Federation (ETF) and the European Community Shipowners' Associations (DECOY) have announced that, graces to a constructive dialogue that has contributed to overwhelm the differences between the social parts, have reached an agreement on the issue of the exclusion of the marine ones from the within of application of the European directives on the job. The understanding, as a package that covers all the directives, even if not binding - they have emphasized - "it can be greeted as a very positive result, that it demonstrates the necessity of an active and constructive social dialogue to European level".

ETF and ECSA have specified that, also taking into consideration the specificities of the field of the marine transport, the agreement aimed to overwhelm some gaps and to guarantee that the marine ones are dealt on a plan of parity regarding the workers to earth. The union and the association confide that the understanding will contribute to promote the occupation, the improvement of the job and living conditions, an adequate social protection and a greater dialogue between the social parts.

"It is ETF is ECSA - it has specified Christophe Tytgat, senior director of the ECSA - have met half way. Our agreement offers a satisfactory solution to a delicate issue. Draft of a delicate balance between the interests of our respective organizations, but represents the best compromise that could be reached".

"This initiative - it has emphasized Philippe Alfonso, secretary of ETF for the marine transport - will have a positive impact for the seafarers with a full enjoyment of their right to the information and the consultation in the within of the enterprise let alone for their right to just and fair conditions of job. Moreover it must be interpreted as a way in order to facilitate the job of the Parliament and the European Council care to a fast and regular completion of the legislative process".

Even if the communitarian right of the job is applied in general terms to all the workers of all the fields - they have remembered the European union of the workers of the field of the transport and the association of the European shipowners - until now some European directives had allowed with the Member States to exempt the marine ones from their field of application on the base of the particular nature of the marine transport. This - they have found ETF and ECSA - could open the road to a potential differentiation of treatment of the marine ones regarding the earth workers. Moreover ETF and ECSA have remembered that in November last year, the Commission has introduced a legislative proposal in order to modify the relevant directives of the EU, that is to say European Insolvency, business Committees, Information and consultation, Lay-offs collectives and Transfers of enterprises, and that such proposal has stimulated a strong reaction everywhere, is to favor that against, but generally, after the examination of its practical application - they have found - has become clearly that the text has created much confusion and has not resolved some of the main worries of the social parts.

"Aware of the necessity to reduce the pressure of a debate that has been revealed to be more emotional of the previewed one - they have explained the union and the shipowning association - it is ETF that ECSA has decided to get ahead negotiations in the within of their Committee of sector social dialogue in the field of the marine transports in order to explore a common land in a spirit of cooperation and goodwill", activity that has lead to the announced understanding today.