The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has decided to freeze its recommended minimum wage for able seafarers at its current level of $614 basic pay per month until at least 2018, meaning maritime employers won’t have to budget for increases in crew wages in the near future.
The recommended basic pay freeze, however, does not affect overtime payments and other pay-related entitlements under the ILO Maritime Labour Convention, meaning the total minimum pay seafarers take home every month should be higher than this level, the organisation noted today.
“The continuation of the current minimum wage until at least 2018 at the increased level, which came into effect in January 2016 as a result of the previous JMC agreement, means that employers should benefit from a period of stability in what are otherwise very challenging markets for the global industry,” said Max Johns of the German Shipowners’ Association) and spokesperson for the Shipowners’ Group of the ILO Joint Maritime Commission (JMC).
The decision to freeze the recommended level was made at a meeting of the ILO JMC held in Geneva last week. Attendees comprised major maritime employers co-ordinated by the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) and seafarers’ unions co-ordinated by the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF).
The ILO Joint Maritime Commission is expected to review the ILO minimum wage again during 2018.
not even getting the minimum basic pay what about other allowances