Norwegian Seafarers’ Union Celebrates its Centennial Year

25 September 1910 – 25 September 2010

The Norwegian Seafarer’s Union was founded 25 September 1910 under the name Norwegian Sailor and Stoker Union and currently has collective agreements for deck, engine and catering staff in domestic and foreign trade and in addition following officers positions; radio officers, electricians, stewards and the fishing fleet at sea. The Union is also alone or together with Norwegian or foreign seafarers organizations, is party to negotiations to a number of international collective bargaining agreements covering thousands of  Norwegian and foreign seamen on ships in the Norwegian International Ship Register (NIS) and on ships under flags of convenience.

The Union aims to continue efforts to secure wage and working conditions for all groups of seafarers and fishermen, both at home and abroad, into the new millennium. The Norwegian Seafarers’ Union has in the past four years had a stable membership with small fluctuations, and on 1 January 2009, membership is about 10,500 of whom 9,000 were active members on board ship.  Twenty percent (20%) of the members are women. The proportion of women is slowly increasing.