The Collective Agreement for Seafarers in Togo: a major step forward for the country’s maritime industry
The historic ceremony to officially hand over Togo’s Collective Agreement for Seafarers, which took place on Monday 23 October 2023 in Lomé, marked a significant milestone in the evolution of the rights and working conditions of Togolese seafarers.
Since March 2019, when the process of drawing up this draft collective agreement for seafarers was set in motion, all the major players in Togo’s blue economy, including seafarers, employers, maritime personnel, port workers and fishermen, have jointly expressed their collective awareness with a view to improving the living and working conditions of seafarers.
Approved by the Minister for the Civil Service, Labour and Social Dialogue, and certified by the Labour Court, this agreement is now validated and will come into force on 1 January 2024.
According to Mr Kokou Edem TENGUE, Togo’s Minister of Maritime Economy, Fisheries and Coastal Protection, “The Collective Agreement for Togo’s Seafarers is a document that embodies our commitment to the rights, safety and well-being of those who courageously work at sea to ensure the delivery of foodstuffs, medicines and goods essential to the global economy.
This Convention is much more than just an agreement on paper. It is the result of numerous negotiations between all the stakeholders involved (shipowners and seafarers). The Togolese government’s objective was clear: to bring our national legal provisions and practices into line with the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC), 2006 of the International Labour Organisation (ILO). They had to take into account aspects relating to the employment of seafarers, leave, dispute settlement, notice periods, conditions for the repatriation of seafarers and other situations”.
“The MLC 2006 was our guide throughout the process. By ratifying this Convention, Togo has shown its commitment to the rights and welfare of seafarers. The Collective Agreement for Seafarers is the concrete expression of this commitment at national level,” he emphasised.
It should be noted that this Convention establishes fair and equitable working conditions for Togolese seafarers, thus contributing to the security and prosperity of the Togolese maritime industry.
Photos : Kokou Edem TENGUE
