Now to go to sea only with the trade union behind

This decision was made by Kristina Saraykina after a troublesome contract. 

Her story highlights the challenges seafarers can face, especially in cases of injury and unfair treatment on the part of the shipowner. It is important that, thanks to the intervention of the Seafarers Union of Russia, she was able not only to restore her rights, but also to assure herself that a secure voyage is only with the Seafarers' Union of Russia. 

Kristina lives in Kaliningrad, works in the banking sector, and goes to sea mainly in winter to earn extra money. She searches for vacancies in shipping companies on the Internet, taking cue from seafarers' reviews. At 34, she has done more than one contract at sea: once, she worked for a year on a fishing trawler in Kamchatka. These 12 months, although spent far from home, left her with great memories, which is not true of her another contract in 2023, which she had to terminate early. 

The company that Kristina chose was a well-appreciated one. She got a job on one of the trawlers as a laundry operator. According to her, it was visible that the vessel was not in very good technical condition. Soon, when the fishermen were fishing off the coast of Africa, she learned at first hand the vessel wasn't safe. “I was cleaning the vessel when the tambour door, which, like other doors on board, was not secured, hit me in the back. I felt severe pain in my lower back and went to the ship’s doctor. The doctor couldn't help me, and the pain was getting worse, so I decided to leave the vessel during unloading,” the girl said.

Upon returning home, Kristina Saraykina had a medical examination that diagnosed the injury. But the company retracted its words, reminding the girl that she had signed off from the vessel voluntarily, so she could only receive $200 of her salary. The remaining $2,000 was deducted from it to cover the costs of repatriation and the flight of the replacement. 

Desperate to obtain justice, she applied to the Kaliningrad Regional Organization of the Seafarers' Union of Russia. KRO SUR intervened in the situation and after a long and tough struggle achieved payment of wages for the girl. 

— I am very grateful to the union for their assistance. I called the SUR when I was completely desperate to get my hard-earned money, - Kristina Saraykina told.

This year she decided to go on a voyage again. But before boarding the vessel, she joined the union to be sure her rights and interests are under professional protection. 

Now Kristina Saraykina works as a senior steward on board a research vessel. According to her, the crew and conditions on board are excellent. 

And this is not surprising, because the vessel is covered by the collective agreement signed between the shipowner and the SUR Primary Organization at the Shirshov Institute of Oceanology of Russian Academy of Sciences, which is part of the KRO SUR.

Фото A.Savin, Wikipedia