Key International Labour Standards The ILO sets international labour standards through key international agreements. The eight ‘core’ ILO Conventions cover the fundamental rights expressed also in the Declaration. These Conventions cover: • Forced labour • Freedom of association and protection of the right to organise • Right to organise and collective bargaining • Equal remuneration • Abolition of forced labour • Discrimination (employment and occupation) • Minimum age • Elimination of the worst forms of child labour Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work Declaration of Fundamental Rights at Work (1998) enshrines the right of workers to organise and bargain effectively, as well as freedom from discrimination and other basic employment rights. In addition to the fundamental labour conventions the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work adopted in 1998 is an commitment by governments, employers’ and workers’ organizations to uphold basic human values - values that are vital to our social and economic lives; to respect and promote principles and rights in four categories, whether or not they have ratified the relevant Conventions. These categories are: freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining, the elimination of forced or compulsory labour, the abolition of child labour and the elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation. The Declaration makes it clear that these rights are universal, and that they apply to all people in all States – regardless of the level of economic development. It particularly mentions groups with special needs, including the unemployed and migrant workers. It recognizes that economic growth alone is not enough to ensure equity, social progress and to eradicate poverty. The Maritime Labour Convention The Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 requires all governments which have ratified the convention to have laws and regulations that safeguard the following fundamental rights: • The right to freedom of association (the right of seafarers’ to join a trade union of their choice) • Effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining (the right of a union to negotiate a CBA on seafarers’ behalf) • The elimination of all forms of forced or compulsory labour (seafarers’ right to work of their own free will and to be paid for that work) • The effective abolition of child labour • Elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation (seafarers’ right to be treated in the same way as fellow seafarers doing the same work regardless of race, religion, nationality, gender, sexual orientation or political views). In brief, the seafarers have a right to a safe and secure workplace, where safety standards are complied with, where you have fair terms of employment, decent living and working conditions and social protection such as access to medical care, health protection and welfare. The MLC 2006 consolidates almost all previous maritime instruments adopted throughout the century. It encapsulates and modernises the international experience in regulating decent living and working conditions for seafarers gained since 1920, when the 2nd session of the International Labour Conference adopted the first three conventions on these issues. Amended on three occasions since its entry into force in 2013 in order to keep up with the needs of the shipping sector, the Convention has now been ratified by 93 member States representing more than 91 % of the world merchant shipping fleet. Ratifying and implementing the MLC 2006 benefits all actors involved, namely, seafarers, shipowners, flag States, port States and labour supplying States. Ratification contributes not only to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8 on Decent Work and Economic Growth but also to SDG 14 on Sustainable Oceans . Indeed, since the human element has been identified as the main cause of accidents at sea, and decent working conditions are an important factor in preventing such accidents, ensuring the respect of seafarers’ fundamental rights and principles and well as their employment and social rights is critical for the achievement of safer shipping and cleaner oceans.