The Norwegian Shipowners’ Association is a trade and employment organisation for Norwegian controlled companies within the shipping and offshore industry. NSA's members employ over 55,000 seafarers and offshore workers from more than 50 different nations, among which there are a lot of Ukrainian seafarers.
Each two years, the MTWTU with the support of Norwegian Seafarers' Union (NSU), Norwegian Union of Marine Engineers (NUME), and Norwegian Maritime Officers' Association (NMOA) holds the nagotiations with the Norwegian Shipowners' Association representatives.
On the 17-19th of December, 2018, there were held the negotiations during which the Union party offered a number of amendments to the text of the valid Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the Association and the MTWTU, and also some social guarantees for Ukrainian seafarers working onboard Norwegian shipowners' vessels. Most of the offers were accepted by the employers' party.
Thus, an increase of seafarers' wages by 2% in 2019 and by 1% in 2020 was agreed. The compensation for death onboard cases will increase by 5000 USD.
The list of holidays got two more positions: the 14th of October - Defender of Ukraine day, and 25th of December - Catholic Christmas.
The most important achievement of the negotiations was the implementation of a medical protection for seafarers during the inter-voyage period.
