What we do
We are a busy union, representing thousands seafarers around the world.
In this team, we negotiate, represent, educate, support, advise and campaign for seafarers in the cruise industry.
Our aim is to improve working conditions for seafarers.
In the cruise team, our key tasks are:
- Negotiating collective bargaining agreements (CBAs)
- Making sure that the rules of the CBA are followed
- Assisting seafarers with individual grievances and disciplinary cases
- Sharing information and giving advice
- Giving legal advice and assistance where appropriate
- Visiting ships and seafarers on board
- Educating seafarers on their rights
- Lobbying internationally to improve standards at sea
You can read more about what we do below.
If you need assistance or have a question or suggestions, please send an email to mail@nsu.org
Keeping healthy and well on board can be a challenge. We work closely with the ITF Wellbeing team to support seafarers and make their life at sea better.
Below you will find advice, links to useful organisations and how to access help for free if you need it.
International Seafarers’ Welfare & Assistance Network (ISWAN)
The Mission to Seafarers | Working In Over 200 Ports Worldwide
NUSI Sahara | NUSI / ITF Trust Website (for Indian seafarers)
Contact Us – AMOSUP (for Filipino seafarers)
We have been educating seafarers in the cruise industry since 2005.
We bring seafarers together from different cruise lines and different departments to learn about their rights at sea and how to use them.
We go into detail about collective bargaining agreements (CBAs), what to do if you are disciplined, the MLC and the ITF, health & wellbeing, how to make a complaint safely and we answer any quetsions you have. We also have lots of games and time to bond with other seafarers and their families.
We have seminars in India, Europe, Indonesia and the Philippines. If you are an active crew member in the cruise industry, apply to the seminar near you!
The seminars are free for seafarers and their families (families pay their own travel costs only).
For more details, visit the Cruise Seminar website: Cruise Seminars by ITF maritime unions
You can also send an email to seminars@nsu.org
If you have a problem on board or when you have gone home or you just have a question, please contact us at mail@nsu.org
Our services are free for those covered by our agreements. Please contact us at any time.
What is a disciplinary?
A disciplinary procedure is a process for your employer to deal with concerns they have about your work, conduct or absence.
Disciplinary procedures are different in each company. You can find yours in your CBA. It might be an annex or included in the Code of Conduct. You can ask Human Resources for a copy or contact us here: mail@nsu.org
What happens when I am disciplined?
Firstly, the company should tell you why you are being disciplined.
Disciplinary procedures are designed to give employees the chance to improve behaviour so they usually have several stages. The first stage is a verbal warning. The next levels are usually a written and then a final written warning.
In general, you should begin at the first level of this process and be given the opportunity to resolve any issues. If your employer feels that your behaviour has not improved, they may decide to take the process to the next level.
Serious offences and dismissal
When there is a serious offence, employers may skip the first stages of the disciplinary process and go straight to dismissal. Serious offences include, but are not limited to, alcohol, violence and stealing.
Employers must follow a clear procedure if they decide to dismiss someone. Details of this procedure are in your CBA.
Most CBAs have a provision for a master/captain’s hearing. This is a hearing where you are given the chance to explain your version of events. Usually there will be the captain, head of HR and head of department.
You also have the right to be accompanied by a colleague of your choice.
Two things to remember if you are dismissed and facing a master/captain’s hearing:
- You should have somebody with you. Take time to find a colleague who is available to attend the hearing with you. They should take notes, ask questions and generally support you.
- Submit your version of events. Take time to write down your version of what happened. You should submit this to whoever is leading the hearing. This may be useful if you decide to appeal the decision later.
Appealing a dismissal
Every crew member has the right to appeal a dismissal. You should contact us as soon as you are home. We will ask you to fill in our initial claim form and send us as much detail as you can about how you were dismissed. If you have any other documents that might be useful, you should send them too, such as emails from the company.
If you are dismissed and you feel the decision was not fair, please contact us as soon as you can at mail@nsu.org
We will support you through this process.
Please note:
If your ship is covered by an NSU CBA, our services are FREE.
All your contact with us is CONFIDENTIAL.
We will NOT share information about you with the company unless you specifically ask us to.
We negotiate with cruise companies to agree minimum standards for working conditions on board. These agreements are called collective bargaining agreements or CBAs.
Once the CBA is signed, both the union and the company agree to follow the rules within it. A CBA can cover one vessel or a fleet of vessels.
The NSU and the company must agree on each item before it becomes part of the CBA.
What is in a CBA?
CBAs set standards and regulations on issues like:
- The maximum hours crew members should work in a week
- How to deal with bullying and harassment
- Wages
- Maternity leave
- Sick pay, medical leave and treatment for sickness and injury
- Death and disability compensation
- Making a complaint
- The disciplinary process
The contents of a CBA is affected by several things:
A set of international standards and regulations that affect seafarers. International law is constantly being updated. All CBAs must reflect the most recent updates. You can read more about these terms in helpful guide to shipping language :Explanations of abbreviations and terms.
You should receive a copy of your CBA when you start work.
If you are not sure if you have a CBA, please contact us here: mail@nsu.org
Please tell us your job title, which ship you work on and for which cruise line.
CBAs are usually agreed for a two or three year period. Sometimes there are changes made during this time. These have to be agreed by both the union and the company.
Our negotiating team meets regularly with representatives from each company. We discuss ideas for improving conditions for seafarers and we will always promote issues that seafarers tell us are important to them.
If you feel you need to raise an issue or make a complaint, the best thing is to try to resolve problems on board. If this is not possible or it doesn’t work, you have the right to make a complaint to anyone up the chain of command, even the Captain. You can also just come straight to the union and we can help you to make a complaint.
Each company will have its own complaints policy and we need to follow this in each case.
If you need help, please contact us and we will advise you. Send your email to mail@nsu.org
Please note:
If your ship is covered by an NSU agreement (CBA), our services are FREE.
All your contact with us is CONFIDENTIAL.
We will NOT share information about you with the company unless you specifically ask us to.
In addition to negotiating with different companies and directly supporting crew, we also work internationally to promote seafarers’ rights. Through this work, we help to shape international law that protects seafarers.
Most of our international work is as an affiliate of the ITF (International Transport Workers Federation).
We are a maritime union affiliated to the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF). Through our work at the ITF, we campaign for better working conditions for seafarers. This can include making changes to maritime law to benefit the crew.
You find out more about the ITF Global and what the ITF Seafarers Section does ITF Seafarers
This international work helped to create the Maritime Labour Convention or MLC, the law that sets out working conditions for seafarers. You can watch a short film about the MLC here: MLC film
We also participate in important work through the International Maritime Organisation, which is part of the United Nations (UN). Find out more about the IMO International Maritime Organisation (IMO)
Our union officers go aboard ships around the world throughout the year to speak to crew. We share information, give advice and listen to what issues are important to you.
Often, the same issues are reported to us on several ships. We take these issues up with the company when we meet with them.
Usually, we will spend our visits in the crew mess, where we can talk to people while they are not working. Sometimes we also walk around the ship and speak to crew. Look out for us. Come and speak to us about any issues you have.
Any information you share with us stays confidential unless you ask us to share it.
Our aim is to visit all the ships covered by our agreements at least once a year. Most will be visited more than once.
If you would like us to visit your ship, please email us: mail@nsu.org
Find out which ships we are visiting this year. Click here: Events and activities
If necessary, our Officers will liaise with our legal team on your behalf. If you have a case that may need input from our legal team, it will be assessed for merit before any legal action is taken. Your NSU Officer will guide and support you through this process.
External lawyers
We are aware that there are external lawyers who offer their services to seafarers.
Lawyers cost money. Our services are free.
If you have a problem, you should contact NSU first. Our services are free and we will never take any money you may receive.
Please be advised that if you employ an external lawyer to help you with a issue, we will no longer be able to assist you with that problem.
Lawyers are expensive and you may be able to resolve your issue for free with our help.
Seafarers’ House, San Juan, is a welfare centre where crew can contact their families and get support.
Our friendly staff offer a range of services and there is always someone to talk to. All seafarers are welcome. We have free internet for visitors.
We also have a free service where you can get your parcels delivered to us. We can deliver them to your ship when you arrive in San Juan or you can collect them from us.
Visit our blog page: seafarerspr.org
Find us on Facebook Seafarers House Facebook page
Find us in Instagram: instagram.com/seafarershousepr/
Find our location map here: