Working Conditions for Seamen Under Discussion

Here's a press release from the International Labor Organization, which is deeply involved in improving working conditions and pay for merchant seamen the world over:

The first Maritime Session of the International Labour Conference of the 21st century scheduled here between 7-23 February 2006 will consider a major new international labour instrument, the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006. The proposed Convention sets out rights to decent conditions of work for the world's 1.2 million seafarers and covers a wide range of subjects, including health, safety, minimum age, recruitment, hours of work and other vital issues affecting a seafarer's life. If adopted, the Convention will consolidate and update more than 65 international maritime labour instruments adopted over the last 80 years.