CASES
Netherlands – Dutch MP targets ‘fake unions’ in maritime sector
A Dutch member of Parliament joined International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) affiliate Nautilus International’s Council meeting to discuss strategies for combating ‘fake’ unions that undermine maritime workers’ rights.
Mariëtte Patijn, a labour parliamentarian with extensive union experience, shared her concerns about “yellow unions” like the International Seafarers’ Union (ISU) – which she describes as commercial operations designed to favour employers over workers.
REPORT
Netherlands – Dutch MP targets ‘fake unions’ in maritime sector
A Dutch member of Parliament joined International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) affiliate Nautilus International’s Council meeting to discuss strategies for combating ‘fake’ unions that undermine maritime workers’ rights.
Mariëtte Patijn, a labour parliamentarian with extensive union experience, shared her concerns about “yellow unions” like the International Seafarers’ Union (ISU) – which she describes as commercial operations designed to favour employers over workers.
The MP is exploring potential legislation to restrict these unions, focusing on ensuring genuine membership, independence from employers, and protecting workers’ rights.
Members of the Nautilus Council raised specific concerns about fake unions in the maritime sector arranging employment contracts that fail to comply with Dutch regulations, which the MP acknowledged as a critical area for potential intervention.
In its report on ISU, A Sham Union Undermining the Maritime Industry, the ITF outlines in detail how the relationship between ISU and the company, Lanibra, which acts as an agent for ship owners, amounts to a breach of international law: employer interference in a trade union organisation is explicitly prohibited under Article 2 of the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention (No. 98).
Branko Krznaric is the Co-Founder and Executive Board President of ISU, and he is also the Founder/Owner of Lanibra.
This clear conflict of interest and breach of international law was put to Krznaric by Slovenian national public broadcaster, RTV Slovenia, where it was also revealed that the ISU website was edited during the filming of the news broadcast to make it appear that Krznaric held no senior role in the organisation.
CASES
Belgium – Seafarers on ISU ship left to suffer appalling conditions
Less than a year after the ITF documented the case of a seafarer aboard the Navi Vega failing to receive wages of more than USD2,000, seafarers on the ship were once again forced to reach out to the ITF for help. Seafarers on the ISU ship have been forced to endure appalling conditions, including a […]
Brazil: Petrobras rejects sham union, ISU
The ISU made an unsolicited approach to Petrobras (Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. – the Brazilian Petroleum Corporation) earlier this year, seeking to sell its fake union agreements for use on the Petrobras fleet of ships. However, the approach was rejected out of hand by Petrobras, which only accepts International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) or ITF-equivalent agreements in […]
BRAZIL: SEAFARERS ABANDONED WITHOUT PAY
An international crew of seafarers on the Eleen Eva were abandoned in Brazil – and subject to wage theft of USD178,000. They reached out to ISU, but no one ever replied. The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) stepped in to help: the seafarers were repatriated and received their stolen wages in full. REPORT Brazil – […]
UK: Illegal wages in P&O scandal
On 17 March 2022, 786 seafarers were summarily dismissed by British company P&O Ferries to be replaced by a far cheaper agency crew.
Greece: “Defamation, illegal acquisition, accepting the products of crime”
The Greek union, the Panhellenic Seaman’s Federation, has filed a lawsuit against ISU President Ludvik Jesenicnik.
Finland: stolen wages, ISU binned
Finland is a hot spot for trade union action against ships with ISU-Lanibra agreements: the Finnish Seafarers’ Union (SMU) has taken action against ships from 2018 through to today. In one case, after a ship docked in Rauma in 2020 and refused access to an ITF inspector who was made aware of crew complaints, the […]
Sweden: blockades scrap ISU deals
Sweden’s Service and Communications Union blockaded a bulk carrier that tried to dock in Uddevalla with an ISU-Lanibra agreement.