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Senate: New Maritime Labour Act to be reconsidered by committees
Author:Mariusz Dasiewicz
The amendment of the Maritime Labour Act will be re-examined by the commissions. On Wednesday, an amendment was tabled in the Senate for the novels concerning the non-taxation of food for seafarers working on specialised technical ships.
Nowela aims to implement the Polish law of amendments resulting from the Amendments to the 2006 Maritime Labour Convention (MLC Convention). The objective is to increase the level of protection of seafarers' labour rights in the event of their imprisonment on board as a result of piracy or armed assault on the ship, whether the period for which the contract was concluded has expired or whether the party to the contract has notified its suspension or termination.
The amendment shall also ensure the continuity of remuneration and other benefits under a naval employment contract where the seafarer is trapped on or outside the ship as a result of piracy or armed assault on the ship, until the sailor and his repatriation are released or until the date of death of the seafarer during imprisonment.
It also extends the right of seafarers trapped on board to repatriation free of charge, providing that the right to repatriation may expire if seafarers do not forget them within a reasonable time, except where they are trapped on or outside the ship as a result of piracy or armed assault on the ship.
During the debate on the novel in the Senate, Magdalena Kochan (KO) tabled an amendment related to the non-taxation of food for seafarers working on specialized technical ships, such as tugboats and dredgers. She pointed out that unionists had requested it.
On Tuesday, during a meeting of the Senate commission, the chairman of the National Marine and Fishermen's Section of the NSZZ "Solidarność" Andrzej Kościk pointed out this. "It appears that on ships such as those belonging to the Polish Company of Junk and Underwater Works (PRCiP) and SAR (Modern Service of Search and Rescue – PAP) so far food is taxed. There is injustice. Sailors in sea-going shipping are not taxed by the fact of supplying food to a ship, and sailors in PRCiP are taxed," Kościk explained.
The tabled amendment was addressed by Deputy Minister of Infrastructure Marek Grobarczyk. ‘The amendment has not been discussed with the shipping community. This can have a very big impact on jobs. We can't support it because of technical units that are not prepared for it" - he said.
Nowela will be reconsidered by the Family, Senior and Social Policy and Infrastructure Committee. The vote is due at the current Senate meeting.
Written by Karolina Brainiac/PAP
