CHANGES TO THE NIS AND MODEL AGREEMENTS FOR 2009

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A meeting between the parties of the NIS and Model Agreements was held on October 15, 2008 in Manila, Philippines, evaluating the current two Agreements for Philippine officers and ratings serving NIS vessels (NIS Agreement) and Non-Norwegian vessels (Model Agreement).

Representatives from the Norwegian Seafarers’ Union (NSU), Norwegian Maritime Officers Association (NMOA), Norwegian Union of Marine Engineers (NUME), the Norwegian Shipowners Association (NSA),  the Norwegian Seafarers Organizations’ Joint Secretariat and the Associated Marine Officers’ and Seamen’s Union of the Philippines (AMOSUP) were present during the said meeting.

The parties agreed to the following changes in both Agreements:

  1. Improve the Beneficiary’s conditions in case of a seafarer’s death and establish a mechanism to address this situation. A minimal amount per seafarer per month shall be contributed by the company for this purpose, subject to further discussions on the mechanics for implementation during the next round of CBA negotiations.
  2. Increase in compensation for death of officers and ratings in both Agreements as well as an increase in compensation for each child under 21 years of age, for a maximum of 4 children.
  3. Basic wage shall be increased by 3% for all positions, for both Agreements.
  4. Presentation of proposals in relation to overtime or bonus, in the case of NIS Agreement, about tendering operations in Arctic waters, where the parties agreed that it will not be dealt with in the CBA but should be solved bilaterally between the Companies and the Unions involved.

The above changes shall be effective on January 1st, 2009.