Foreigners now represent 10% of the crew of the Spanish fishing fleet, a presence that can be improved both due to the lack of manpower and the need for legislative revisions, so that their boarding has the greatest guarantees.
The fishermen of countries like Senegal or Indonesia are appreciated on Spanish ships, especially at a time when the staff shortage It is even difficult for crews to get to work, which is why shipowners and unions are proposing different solutions.
While the Cepesca shipowners’ association is calling for easier qualification or hiring requirements, Unions defend collective agreement or reforms to improve wages.
In the Special Scheme for Maritime Workers of Social Security, 6,224 members are foreigners (5,460 men and 764 women), 9.5% of the total; By origin, Senegal stands out, with 1,538 members; Morocco (906) and Indonesia (767).
Galicia (1,828), Catalonia (909), the Canary Islands (669), Andalusia (578) and the Balearic Islands (540) are the autonomy with more foreign subsidiaries in fishing.
Request for flight attendants and divers
Cepesca’s general secretary, Javier Garat, explained to EFE that the lack of manpower affects sailors and other jobs, such as Divers working with tuna boats in fattening farms.
According to Garat, four years ago, shipowners reached a agreement with the government and a resolution was issued to hire foreigners on ships that operate outside Spanish waters and speed up procedures, in addition to relaxing the powers of graduates. However, There have been delays in the recognition of the title of fisherman.
Meanwhile, a agreement with Indonesia for the recognition of diplomas, Cepesca therefore hopes that the delays will be resolved and that sailors of this nationality will be enlisted.
In addition, vessels fishing on Spanish vessels from countries with which the European Union (EU) maintains an agreement have the right obligation to register a percentage of crew members of this nationalityas is the case in Mauritania.
Cepesca is in contact with the General Secretariat of Fisheries, the Social Institute of the Navy and the General Directorate of Migrations for facilitate the recruitment of foreignersas solutions to the lack of relief.
Unions demand improvements in countries of origin
The head of the CCOO’s fishing section, Juan Manuel Trujillo, stressed the need for improvements to guarantee immigrants the possibility of same coverage as national workersamong which the negotiation of a state collective agreement stands out.
On the other hand, he argued that the Labour Inspectorate is limited by a 2015 law which says it cannot act outside the national territory, which limits its action to land and port territories.
Furthermore, he defended the contract originally, and that “private employment agencieswhich poses a serious problem,” according to Trujillo.
And he denounced the fact that some agencies include workers in “blacklists” if they do not accept abusive conditionssuch as a reduction in salary to amounts lower than those established by Spanish legislation, or by making them pay for their medical certificates or diplomas with their salary.
On the other hand, the European Union ETF has defended that foreigners benefit from the interprofessional minimum wage (SMI) of their countries as well as Community seafarers, in a letter sent to the European Commission (EC).
In the letter, the ETF regretted that the EC had not included references to the IMS of the vessel’s country in the agreements with third countries.
“We are concerned about the remuneration of fishermen from ACP (African, Caribbean and Pacific) countries; the agreements should contribute to improve social conditions on Community vessels,” according to the letter.
