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Seamen’s body wants more jobs for members
2005-10-01 09:27:09
By Rachel Mkundai
The Tanzania Seamen Union (Tasu) has asked the government to enact legislation that would compel ship owners to hire indigenous seafarers via the union instead of employing foreigners while working in Tanzania.
Tasu Secretary-General Mchafu Chakoma made the request on World Maritime Day marked on Thursday at the Dar es Salaam Maritime Institute (DMI). The theme of this year’s celebrations is ’International Shipping — Carrier of World Trade’.
Chakoma said it was now not unusual to see a ship having an entirely foreign crew despite flying the Tanzanian flag.
’They are employing foreigners while there are hundreds of jobless Tanzanian seamen. This is not fair,’ he said.
Chakoma said the few Tanzanians working with foreign registered vessels were usually threatened with dismissal whenever they asked about contracts.
’We request the relevant ministry to put in place regulations that would force ship owners to signs contracts with local seamen. This would also create hundreds of jobs,’ he said.
Chakoma added that 7,245 students completed short and long courses at DMI in the past six year, but just a handful had been employed. He urged the government to work with the institute in drafting legislation that would ensure that students passing through the college were guaranteed employment.
Chakoma decried low wages paid to Tanzanian seamen and the ’terrible’ working conditions they had to endure.
Responding to the observations, Director of Communications and Transport Dr Bathlomew Ruhanjo said the government was preparing a policy on navigation transport that would protect people and the marine environment.
He said the government was working in collaboration with the Surface and Marine Transport Regulatory Authority (Sumatra) to ensure that DMI graduands were offered jobs in accordance with international conventions.
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