With respect to the catering department, although the worker group's amendments originally provided for conditions better than did the Office text, they were subsequently reduced. The convention now provides that, in the case of a passenger ship, the normal hours of work shall not exceed 10 in 14 when the vessel is at sea and on days of sailing and arrival. The normal hours of work for nonpassenger ships when the vessel is at sea and on days of sailing and arrival is 9 hours in a spread of 13. (Article 14)

EXCLUSION OF OFFICERS

There was serious consideration of the exclusion of officers, as provided in article 9 of the Office draft. After much deliberation, a draft proposal was agreed upon which was accepted by the delegates representing the officers' unions. (Article 16)

Evaluation

Our participation in the work of the Wages, Hours, and Manning Committee had a salutary effect, particularly after the full committee accepted the eight-hour day in near-trade shipping. The exchange of views both on the floor and at the various committee meetings made a deep impression upon other delegates. Although the U. S. delegation had not taken an active part in the pre-conference deliberations of the various groups, as the Conference progressed a number of delegates looked to the United States for direction and leadership. Greater familiarity with collective-bargaining negotiations in Europe and some of the detailed problems and personalities involved might have made it possible for us to have been even more effective. This indicates the need for a continuing interest on our part in the maritime work of the International Labor Organization and the necessity for close contact with developments in the industry.

The convention was adopted by a vote of 55 for and 21 against, and 7 abstentions-the United States government and workers' delegates abstaining, the United States employers' delegate voting against.

COMMITTEE ON SOCIAL SECURITY

Convention on Social Security for Seafarers

Convention 70 establishes minimum standards of protection against risks of employment, illness, old age, and death for seamen and their dependents when they are resident and present in the territory of the

ship and when the seaman is left abroad because of illness or injury arising during employment.

Seamen who are resident and present in the territory of the ship on which they are employed are guaranteed the following benefits: medical care for the seaman and his dependents and cash benefits in respect of incapacity for work, unemployment, old age, and death, not less favorable than those to which industrial workers in the country are entitled; and, where the industrial workers are not entitled to benefits, the seamen are nevertheless entitled to medical care, and cash benefits in case of incapacity for work, and their dependents are entitled to cash benefits for death.

A motion made by the employer group to delete the clause requiring special protection to seafarers and dependents when similar protection is not available to industrial workers was defeated both in committee and in the plenary session. The United States government representative voted consistently against the limiting motion.

On the other hand, the committee agreed to the provision guaranteeing medical care for seamen's dependents only when a system exists for industrial workers. On motion of the United States government member of the committee, the convention provides that when a general system for industrial workers is adopted, any special systems for seamen be coordinated with the general system.

The second major provision in the convention guarantees to a seaman resident in the territory of the ship who is left overseas because of sickness or injury arising during employment maintenance, cure, and repatriation as well as an allowance equal to 100 percent of wages until the seaman is able to obtain suitable employment or is repatriated, or until the end of a period of not less than 12 weeks, whichever occurs first. In addition he is to receive unemployment and cash benefits to which he would be entitled if present in the country of residence.

A motion of the employer group to limit the wage allowance to 75 percent of wages was rejected in the committee.

The issue of major importance in the committee was the protection afforded nonresident seamen. The final text guarantees equal protection for nonresident seamen under national laws and regulations relating to the shipowner's liability for sickness, injury or death, and guarantees them maintenance, repatriation, and cure when left ill overseas either under shipowner's liability or national laws. When the seaman's country of residence has ratified the convention, the ship's country, on a reciprocal basis, guarantees the nonresident seaman equal protection for medical and cash benefits for employment injury.

In the committee the worker group motion to guarantee equal protection for nonresidents in respect to all benefits was accepted by a vote of two-thirds majority, the United States government delegate

voting in favor of the motion. The major maritime countries employing large numbers of nonresident seamen protested that the incorporation of this principle of equality of treatment would be an insurmountable obstacle to ratification. The opposition, which came from government representatives, was based primarily on the administrative difficulties claimed to be inherent, on the differential in wages between resident and nonresident seamen, and on the objection of the Scandinavian countries that their systems were primarily statefund financed.

A proposal was made by the International Labor Office staff which in effect guaranteed that the nonresident seamen from countries which had ratified the convention would be covered either by the country of the ship or of his residence. This was equally unacceptable to the European countries. Ultimately the subject was incorporated in the recommendation on reciprocal agreements.

The United States government member submitted an amendment to prohibit discrimination on account of nationality or race in respect to old-age, invalidity, and survivor insurance. The motion was withdrawn after opposition was expressed by the governments with special pension systems subsidized by public funds for seamen who are nationals of the country.

The United States government member submitted an amendment to extend long-term benefits, old-age, invalidity, and survivor insurance to resident seamen and dependents whether or not present in the territory of insurance. This motion was withdrawn following the committee's action in limiting the benefits to resident seamen.

The motion of the United States Government to provide for application to seamen of the Maintenance of Migrants' Pension Rights Convention, 1935, in an effort to obtain some guarantee of continuity of protection to seamen working on ships of various countries was opposed by the European countries and ultimately was incorporated in the recommendation on reciprocal agreements.

The committee adopted the proposal of the United Kingdom government member permitting implementation by collective bargaining of the provision guaranteeing 100 percent wage allowance to seamen sick overseas, which the United Kingdom delegation considered a wage provision inappropriate for legislation in their country.

The convention provides for its coming into effect when ratified by seven members, at least five of which should have a minimum tonnage of one million tons. This provision was adopted on the floor of the plenary session as a substitute for the ratification clause of the wages, hours of work, and manning convention which had been adopted in committee.

The convention was adopted by a vote of 76 for and 14 against, with

2 abstentions, the United States government and workers' delegates voting for adoption and the United States employers' delegate voting against.

Convention on Seafarers' Pensions

Convention 71 provides that a country which ratifies shall establish a scheme for the payment of pensions to seafarers on their retirement from sea service. The scheme shall either (1) pay, at age 55 or at age 60, benefits amounting to 12 or 2 percent, respectively, of the contribution base for each year of sea service, or (2) pay benefits which, together with any other retirement benefits simultaneously payable to the pensioner, require a premium income of 10 percent.

Seafarers collectively must not contribute more than half the cost of the pensions payable under the scheme. The scheme must make appropriate provisions for maintenance of rights in course of acquisition by persons ceasing to be subject thereto or for some return of contributions. Shipowners and seafarers who contribute to the cost of the pensions "shall be entitled to participate through representatives in the management of the scheme."

The convention requires ratification by five of the maritime countries specified in the other conventions adopted by the Conference, including three countries with at least one million gross register tons of shipping.

The proposal for a special pension scheme for seamen was incorporated in a separate convention as a result of the statements by the United States and United Kingdom representatives at the London meeting of experts that ratification of a special pension scheme would be unlikely in their respective countries.

The United States government delegate abstained from the final vote in the committee.

The convention was adopted by a vote of 56 for and 16 against, with 25 abstentions, the United States government and workers' delegates abstaining, and the United States employers' delegate voting against.

Seafarers' Social Security (Agreements) Recommendation, 1946

Recommendation 75 is that members assure to nonresident seamen equal protection with resident seamen through international agreements, examples of which are set forth in the recommendation including agreements for the transfer of contributions, agency agreements for performing functions necessary to the administration of insurance systems, and, pursuant to the motion of the United States Govern

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ment, agreements to apply the provisions of the Maintenance of Migrants' Pension Rights Convention, 1935.

The recommendation was adopted by a vote of 85 for and 7 against, with 4 abstentions.

Recommendation Concerning Medical Care for Seafarers' Dependents

Recommendation 76 is for members to provide medical care for the dependents of seamen pending the establishment of a general medicalcare program for shoreside workers.

The recommendation was adopted by a vote of 92 for and 2 against, with 3 abstentions.

COMMITTEE ON ACCOMMODATION

Summary of the Convention

Convention 75 was drafted in the Committee on Accommodation. The convention applies to all seagoing vessels 500 tons and over except tugs, fishing and whaling vessels, and vessels primarily propelled by sail; and it applies when practicable to vessels between 200 and 500 tons and to the accommodations of seagoing personnel on whaling vessels.

Requirements for crew accommodations are set forth in the convention on amount of sleeping space, on separation of sleeping and mess quarters, ventilation, heat, lighting, and sanitation. A number of these standards are couched in terms of "sufficient", "reasonable", "practicable", and "adequate". A relaxation in sleeping-room requirements is made for the groups of ratings which are employed in substantially larger numbers, Indian and Chinese seamen.

The approval of the competent authority must be obtained on adequacy of crews' quarters prior to construction, alteration, registration, or reregistration, or upon complaint of the representative union organization.

In existing ships, the competent authority may require alterations as it is deemed possible following consultation with the shipowners and unions either when the ship is reregistered or when substantial alterations are made. Similarly for ships in the process of building or alteration, the member has the discretion to require alterations as it "deems possible".