Unionising Precarious Workers: Example of Global Seafarers from the Philippines
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Unionising Precarious Workers: Example of Global Seafarers from the Philippines Ralph Buiser Doctoral Research Fellow School of Social Sciences Cardiff University, UK [not for citation] Presented in the ‘InternaKonal Symposium on Governance, Change & the Work Environment’ in Cardiff University, Glamorgan Building, 01 July 2014
Transcript of Unionising Precarious Workers: Example of Global Seafarers from the Philippines
Unionising Precarious Workers: Example of Global Seafarers from the
Philippines
Ralph Buiser Doctoral Research Fellow School of Social Sciences
Cardiff University, UK
[not for citation]
Presented in the ‘InternaKonal Symposium on Governance, Change & the Work Environment’ in Cardiff University, Glamorgan Building,
01 July 2014
I. Background & Research Questions II. Methods and Data III. Unionising Seafarers IV. Exploring the benefits of Unionisation
A. Wages B. Job Security? C. Shore-‐based benefits
V. Conclusion
Content
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seafarer faKgue
shore leave temporary
high risk
substand
ard
abandonment
unfair wages
exploitaKon
contracts isolaKon
Job insecurity
occupaKonal injury
ship design
work intensificaKon compensaKon
flags of convenience
blacklisKng
piracy
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IMAGE (ITF)
Source: http://www.itfglobal.org
Source: http://www.ilo.org
* How are seafarers unionised?
* How do seafarers perceive and experience the benefits of unionisation?
Research QuesKons
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* Quantitative component * Survey Questionnaire of 317 respondents (unionised
seafarers) for analysis. * 62% response rate. * Accessed through crewing agencies.
Methods and Data
Characteristics of Sample
* Qualitative component * In-‐depth interviews with key informants * Crewing managers and Union officials
* Observational data and field notes (including many informal talks with union officials)
Methods and Data
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Unionising Filipino Seafarers
• 22% Identified foreign-‐based unions as their union affiliation
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Closed Shop Unionism
‘the decision to enter into a contract with unions is really always on the part of the principal [ship owner], our clients. Most of the time in our case the decision is based on the vessels’ trade routes. Most owners would traditionally apply for a CBA if they feel that the ports the ship will dock in are union-‐sensitive. So for example, we know ports in Australia that are heavily unionised, so if you are a ship owner and you expect to dock in Australia, then you most certainly need to have ITF-‐TCC coverage.’
(Crewing Manager D, December 2013)
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Factors in UnionisaKon
Is the ship considered a Flag of Convenience (FOC)
vessel?
NO
YES
Vessel will not be under strict regula2on by the ITF. Ship is encouraged but NOT required by ITF to have TCC CBAs.
Vessel will be under strict regula2on by the ITF. Ship is required by ITF to have basic Total Crew Cost (TCC) CBAs, under threat of industrial
ac2on through ports. Ship is expected to have full union coverage for ALL crew. Ship can
nego2ate with ITF-‐affiliates (local unions) on wage rates based on ITF wage standard.
Is the vessel trading in a port that has strong union presence (ITF Inspectorate, dockers’ unions) or has
strict port state legislaBon on CBA coverage for
seafarers?
Due to lack of strong regula2on, there is very liLle incen2ve to have ship owners
enter into any CBAs for their crew.
Workers may s2ll be covered by CBAs depending on the ‘corporate culture’ of
the company. For example, some passenger vessels are known to enter into local CBAs in order for their staff to avail of on-‐shore medical benefits and other union-‐induced incen2ves; even
when ship is Non-‐FOC and does not trade in unionised ports.
Ship owner will more likely to have all or SOME of its crew covered by CBAs.
Companies can either nego2ate CBA wage levels through the Interna2onal Bargaining Forum (IBF), if they are part of an employers’ federa2on (e.g. IMEC, IMMAJ) or directly with a local union (in either the country of ownership, crew’s home country, or both) done through manning agencies. CBAs in this case are usually paLerned aWer basic ITF TCC
standards.
Does the country of ownership and/or the crew’s home country require CBA coverage?
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① Wages ② Job security ③ Shore-‐based welfare provision
Exploring the Benefits of UnionisaKon
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* ITF conducts the International Bargaining Forum with shipowners (represented by the International Maritime Employers Committee and the Int’l Mariners Management Association of Japan) * In 2003, about 6,500 ships carried approved ITF contracts (Lillie 2006). * ITF stipulates that CBAs are entered into with a local union (preferably an ITF affiliate) from the point of hire. * Most CBAs are patterned after ITF standard terms and conditions.
Unionised Wages
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Unionised Wages Rank Differential 2013 ITF-‐TCC Basic
Salary 2014 ITF-‐TCC Basic
Salary
Survey results (average basic monthly wage)
Master Mariner 3.369 $2,773.00 $2,864.00 $2,142.00 Ch. Engineer 3.062 $2,520.00 $2,603.00 $2,119.00 Ch. Officer 2.175 $1,790.00 $1,849.00 $2,218.00 1st Engineer 2.175 $1,790.00 $1,849.00 $1,429.00 2nd Officer 1.742 $1,434.00 $1,481.00 $1,653.00
2nd Engineer 1.742 $1,434.00 $1,481.00 $1,409.00 3rd Officer 1.679 $1,382.00 $1,427.00 $1,298.00
3rd Engineer 1.679 $1,382.00 $1,427.00 $1,684.00 Electrician 1.498 $1,233.00 $1,273.00 $1,029.00 Bosun 1.117 $919.00 $949.00 $777.00 Fitter 1.117 $919.00 $949.00 $722.00
Chief Cook 1.117 $919.00 $949.00 $991.00 Pumpman 1.117 $919.00 $949.00 $762.00
AB 1 $823.00 $850.00 $775.00 Motorman 1 $823.00 $850.00 $763.00 Messman 0.852 $701.00 $724.00 $644.00
OS 0.744 $612.00 $632.00 $539.00 Wiper 0.744 $612.00 $632.00 $484.00
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Unionised Wages
55
72
55
50
108
51
0 20 40 60 80 100 120
Previously Non-‐unionised
Ratings
Officers
No
Yes
Has your union improved your salary?
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the period of employment shall be for a period mutually agreed upon by the seafarer and the employer but not to exceed 12 months. Any extension of the contract shall be subject to the mutual consent of both parties. (Sec 2.B, POEA-‐SEC) a seafarer shall be engaged for 9 (nine) months and such period may be extended or reduced by 1 month for operational convenience. The employment shall be automatically terminated upon the terms of Agreement at first arrival of the ship in port after expiration of that period, unless the company operated a permanent employment system. (Sec 4.1, ITF CBA)
Job Security
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Job Security
How confident are you that you will be re-‐hired in the future?
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Job Security
How secure are you that you will be employed as a seafarer in the long run?
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Job Security
216
239
72 55
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
Does your union help you in being re-‐hired?
Do you think that being a union member is good for
your track record?
Yes
No
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‘We really try hard to keep our seamen employed. As one of the biggest and reputable labour unions in the country I believe it is in our best interest to do this. That is why we work with our partner agencies to kind of nurture and keep our quality seafarers. Of course, it still depends on the seaman if they will perform well and if the principals are happy with them. But ultimately we try to keep them with the same agency because we know which agencies are good to seafarers so we try to work with them and solve problems that may arise.’
(Union Official C, December 2013)
Job Security
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* Lack of workplace representation.
* Absence of traditional shop floor representatives due to workplace mobility and isolation.
* Unions are seen as ‘external’ entities unable to penetrate the internal workings of the ship while at sea.
Shore-‐based Welfare Provision
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Top reasons for Joining a Union
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* Local maritime trade unions in the Philippines have set up various welfare programs for their members to take advantage of while on-‐shore (limited to the point of hire). * Provident Fund (retirement fund) * Seafarer Training Centre * Sailors Home * Seamen’s Hospital
Shore-‐based Welfare Provision
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* AMOSUP Seamen’s hospital * Set up in Manila, Cebu, Iloilo, and Davao * Employs over 220 medical
doctors, and more than 500 medical practitioners and staff on all four sites.
Shore-‐based Welfare Provision
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In the hospital ground floor, there are queues of what looked like off-‐duty seafarers, most were with their family (a few were pregnant wives and little children) sitting in a courtyard waiting. In here, one of the junior doctors I’ve spoken to claims that the union hospital is comparable to the top hospitals in Metro Manila. Touring the whole facility, I’ve seen what he was boasting of earlier: the hospital having ‘top-‐notch’ facilities like MRI, new models of CT Scan, Gamma camera, x-‐rays, ultrasound imaging and ultrasonic machines (which were used to treat magallstones, common to their seafarer patients)
(Field notes, AMOSUP Seamen’s Hospital, 15 Dec 2013)
Shore-‐based Welfare Provision
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Seamen’s Hospital Statistics 2012 Description Numbers Patients visiting for examination (non-‐admitted and admitted)
338,291 (average of 926 patients/day
Annual out-‐patients 120,730 Patients admitted for examination 25,739 Annual In-‐patients 4,965 Total Number of In-‐patient days 21,945 days X-‐ray examination 15,653 Ultrasound Scanning 8,794 Pre-‐boarding examination for seafarers 5,404 Pre-‐boarding psychological examination 4,592 Post-‐boarding examination for seafarers 28 Rehabilitation 7,417 Surgical operations 4,675 Childbirth 618 Disembarkation of sick seamen during voyage 98 Deaths 51 Dental patients 220
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* To a large extent unionised seafarer ratings feel that unions have had little to no impact on their wages. * Unionised seafarers from the Philippines do not receive the standard ITF wages. * In general unionised seafarers in the Philippines experience some level of job security despite structural barriers to permanent employment. * Union members feel that their unions help in securing employment and re-‐employment.
Conclusions
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* Despite the lack of workplace representation, union members experience on-‐shore benefits. * Unions deliver shore-‐based welfare programs like hospitalisation, training, retirement fund, free lodging, legal assistance, etc. * Data shows that union members take advantage of ‘hospital’ benefits the most. Benefits are also extended to their families.
Conclusions
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