The MTWTU First Vice Chairman took part in the meeting with Norwegian Seafarers' Union (NSU), Norwegian Union of Marine Engineers (NUME), Norwegian Maritime Officers' Association (NMOA), and Norwegian Shipowners' Association (NSA).
NSA is one of the largest shipowners' associations in the world. Its members employ over 55,000 seafarers and offshore workers from more than 50 different nations, and Ukrainian seafarers in particular.
Each two years the negotiations between the MTWTU and the NSA involving Norwegian unions are held, during which the CBA's contents are being developed and social guarantees extend for the benefit of Ukrainian seafarers working onboard Norwegian shipowners' vessels.
The last negotiation session for 2019-2020 was held in December'18, and the majority of matters initiated by the union side was accepted by the employers.
Despite the fact that the current agreement is valid until the end if this year, changes adopted to Maritime Labour Act which regulates working and living conditions of the NIS vessels' crew should have been registered in the CBA wording.
Furthermore, the parties discussed the possibility of pension plans implementation for seafarers working onboard the vessels both under national flag and the FOC's. NSA supported the initiative, however, this issue requires more detailed legal analisys.
