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Mention the word "seafarer"
and it's pretty unlikely that wait staff or on-board entertainers will come to mind.
But the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 -- known as the "seafarers' bill of rights"
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extends to cruise ships just as it does to the merchant fleet.
And hotel workers on this cruise ship in Savona, Italy, are well aware of this.
"It gives us a high awareness for the crew members
about decent accommodation, for our salaries, for our wages,
for our repatriation in case we get sick, even hospitalization,
which we can get from our company."
Adopted by the ILO in 2006,
the Convention has been ratified to date by more than 40 countries,
representing over 70% of the world's shipping.
It provides comprehensive protection for seafarers,
and promotes conditions of fair competition for shipowners.
It covers all aspects of seafarers' professional lives,
including contracts of employment, wages and working hours;
food, accommodation and recreation on board;
as well as medical care and social security.
The MLC 2006 contains clears minimum standards
which allows a large measure of flexibility,
with respect to practical application
and it is both easily enforceable and easy to understand.
"In the contract they put everything there.
For example, if you don't agree then you say no I'm sorry, I cannot sign.
Because everything, the monthly, even the public holidays,
they put everything there so it's clear for me.
It's clear. It's no problem.
The contract is in English,
I'm from Indonesia and my contract was in English.
Everything is clear, I could read from A to the last one."
For shipowners, the MLC 2006 is changing long-held attitudes about their workforce.
"Today's shipowners cannot neglect ethics and the basic rights of the seafarers.
This industry with all its peculiarities --
for far too long this industry has not kept up
with the development of the labour market
and labour standards achieved ashore."
The result of an unprecedented consensus among governments,
shipowners and seafarers' organizations,
the MLC 2006 charts the way for everyone on board
to enjoy the right to decent work.