MTWTU Delegation Visits Maskinmestrenes Forening

The Association's members are specialists educated at marine engineering colleges or maritime training centres who work both on board ships and in manufacturing and industrial companies, energy enterprises, treatment facilities, the energy supply sector, and offshore wind, oil and gas projects.

The Maskinmestrenes Forening, founded in 1873, is one of Denmark's oldest and most influential professional organisations. It provides its members with legal and financial support, advises on wages and working conditions, and negotiates Collective Bargaining Agreements on behalf of its members. The organisation actively represents the technical professionals' interests at national and international levels.

The Association also promotes the transition of marine engineers to shore-based professions, extending their professional path and maintaining their skills. This is a striking example of how working at sea is only one stage in the further career growth of a technical specialist. A similar approach could be useful for Ukraine, where it is particularly important to continue creating high-quality workplaces for professional development and the return of our specialists home.

During the meeting, the parties discussed the activities of their organisations and exchanged experiences in the field of labour representation, protection of workers' rights and social welfare. The MTWTU representatives shared their experiences of working as a Ukrainian union in wartime and talked about international projects and programmes implemented to support seafarers and cadets.

The parties agreed to maintain further dialogue and cooperation, to regularly exchange experience and information, thereby contributing to the strengthening of international solidarity between technical workers in the maritime sector in Denmark and Ukraine.