Bullying and harassment, including sexual harassment, is an abuse of human rights and a key area of concern for the working environment, especially onboard ships where there is limited alternative for someone to avoid it. This aspect of abuse is particularly important for women, as it is considered one of the reasons keeping them away from a shipping career.
During LISW 2019, Dr. Grahaeme Henderson, Vice President, Shipping & Maritime at Shell International Trading and Shipping Company Ltd, highlighted how important is for the industry to continue its efforts on seafarers’ mental health and wellbeing and shared examples of Shell’s work towards a zero-incident future.
During the 2019 Hellenic American Maritime Forum in Athens, Capt. Apostolos Skempes, Training Manager, Arcadia Shipmanagement Co. Ltd., outlined ways to prevent offensive or hurtful behavior into the maritime workplace. As he stated, if unwanted behavior is left unchallenged it could lead to stress, lack of motivation and reduced work performance.
ITF’s General Secretary, Stephen Cotton, speaking at the ILO’s centenary conference in Geneva, highlighted that ‘now is the time to assert authority as the global standard-bearer for labour rights.’ ILO agreed a centenary declaration designed to give all workers a floor of rights and protections in an ever-changing world of work.
The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) welcomes ILO’s Convention and Recommendation to tackle violence and harassment in workplace. ITF supported that the lives of ITF union members, and in particular women transport workers, will be improved as a direct result.
According to ILO, mandatory pregnancy testing is now considered as a discriminatory practice. The Norwegian Seafarers Union played an important role to this achievement at the ILO to stop sexist discrimination.
The Centenary International Labour Conference has adopted a new Convention and Recommendation to combat violence and harassment in the workplace. The Violence and Harassment Convention, 2019, and Violence and Harassment Recommendation, 2019 , were adopted by delegates on the final day of the Centenary International Labour Conference, in Geneva.
One of leadership’s core requirements is dealing with employees that loosen and do not pull their weight, but, on the other end of the job spectrum, they are high talented. In most of the circumstances the answer to the question ‘Keep or Fire?’ is “Fire”. However, this needs to be a two way conversation. Which is therefore the best approach to such employees, so that you deliver your negative feedback in the best way possible?
We all have had a coworker who on the surface appears to be agreeable and supportive, but behind the scenes sabotages others. Sadly, this hidden anger which comes out indirectly and results in spoiling relationships, careers but also happiness is more common than we think in today’s workplaces, it is often characterized as the “cancer of organizations” and it has a name; Passive Aggressive Behaviour.
Female seafarers marked themselves lower than the general average in the latest Seafarers Happiness Index while deck crew and officers tended to be happier than their engineering counterparts. How does the industry challenging injustice and valuing diversity though? Are any equal opportunities out there?
