ITF: asked to handle cargo? Just say no!

The ITF and employers agreed the groundbreaking Non-Seafarers' Work Clause in 2020, which mandates that tasks like lashing and unlashing cargo should be performed by trained and qualified dockworkers, not by seafarers. Yet every year seafarers are killed or seriously injured carrying out lashing duties for which they are not trained. The ITF wants all seafarers to know that they can refuse this dangerous work

Why is this work dangerous?

Seafarers are often seen performing lashing and unlashing work, without the proper training and often unpaid. In addition, they are sometimes asked to do it alone, which puts them at further risk of injury, whereas dockworkers should always work in pairs. Also, local lashers and their employers always carry out a vessel safety inspection first to make sure the workplace is safe to work in.

What rights do I have?

You have the right to refuse lashing and other unsafe work if it puts you in danger. Vessels covered by an ITF-approved collective agreement must comply with:

• the 'non-seafarers work' clause. This states that crew shall not be required or induced to carry out cargo handling. Ordering you to handle cargo violates the agreement.
• the 'dockers' clause'. This acknowledges that cargo handling is specialised and potentially dangerous work that should be done by trained dockers. It stipulates that shipowners must use trained dockers to do this work wherever they are available. It stipulates that if dockers are unavailable, seafarers can only handle cargo if they agree to do it, are trained for it, and are specifically paid for it.

You can check if your vessel is covered by an ITF Agreement using the Look Up section on the ITF Seafarers' website (itfseafarers.org), or download the free ITF Seafarers' app. If your vessel is covered and you or someone in your crew is asked to handle cargo, the ITF advises you to refuse.
If the shipowner still insists that you do the work, please contact the ITF Seafarers' Support team and your industrial organiser at Nautilus.