ILO adopts new monthly minimum wage for seafarers

GrowthA subcommittee of the Joint Maritime Commission (JMC) of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) has agreed on a resolution raising the monthly minimum basic wage figure for able seafarers from US$585 to US$592, as of January 1, 2015 and US$614, as of January 1, 2016.

The mechanism for setting the minimum monthly wage for able seafarers is the only one in the ILO for setting the basic wage for any industry.

The minimum monthly basic wage figure for able seafarers has most recently been included in the ILO’s 2006 Maritime Labour Convention.

The convention, known as the “seafarers” bill of rights, entered into force on August 20, 2013, and has been ratified by 56 ILO member states representing over 80 per cent of world shipping tonnage.

The JMC is the only permanent bipartite standing body of the ILO. It dates back to 1920, and is composed of ship owner and seafarer representatives from across the globe.