The Seafarers’ International Union of Canada (SIU) have published a report on workplace harassment and bullying within the Canadian marine sector, which indicates that 46% of seafarers have experienced harassment or bullying at some point in their career as a seafarer.
The report is a summary of the data gathered from a survey that was conducted by the Union on the topic of workplace harassment in the Summer of 2023 which was sent to all members of the Seafarers’ International Union of Canada, who represent the majority of unlicensed seafarers across Canada.
The report points to some areas of concern in an industry currently experiencing a shortage of workers to fill available positions on board Canadian-flagged vessels in Canadian waterways. The Union hopes that releasing the results of the survey will help start an industry-wide conversation about how to address issues of harassment at sea to make seafaring a more sought-after career for potential job seekers. There are encouraging signs in the data gathered that harassment is less of an issue now that it has been in the past, however, it is clear more can be done to put an end to workplace harassment on Canadian vessels.
Harassment in the workplace is not something we take lightly and clearly it is an issue that the industry as a whole needs to do a better job at addressing.
..stated Michael Given, President of the SIU Canada.
A career as a seafarer can be a fantastic way to earn a living and it’s an incredibly rewarding career, however, the workplace needs to be a safe and healthy environment for everyone on board if we want to address issues of recruitment and retention within the industry.
..Michael added,
Some of the key findings from the survey are:
- 46% of seafarers have experienced harassment at some point in their career.
- 69% of female seafarers have experienced harassment at some point in their career.
- 9% of seafarers have experienced sexual harassment at some point in their career.
- 35% of female seafarers have experienced sexual harassment at some point in their career.
- 67% of those who have been harassed at work were harassed by a superior.
- 48% of those who have been harassed did not report inappropriate behaviour to their employer.
- 60% of seafarers answered ‘no’ or ‘not sure’ when asked if they felt their employer is doing enough to protect them from harassment at work.
The SIU Canada plans on working with the companies, shipowners, and all levels of government to address the issues brought up in this report. The Union is committed to finding solutions to address these problems and will be working diligently for all Canadian seafarers to help bring an end to harassment and bullying at sea.
All industry stakeholders must do better to ensure that workers in the Canadian marine sector can earn a living in a safe and harassment-free work environment.
..SIU stated.
To remind, the Coast Guard released policies to provide guidance on implementation of several of the new laws that aim to enhance crew safety on certain commercial vessels and to prevent and respond to sexual misconduct, which includes sexual assault and sexual harassment, and harassment within the maritime industry.
Furthermore, the previous year, Britannia Club released tips for seafarers to combat bullying and harassment.
