Small-boat seafarers sign first collective agreement since 2012

Seafarers and small-boat industry groups have signed a new collective agreement, the first for small-boat crews since 2012, mbl.is reported. The agreement was signed this morning by the Seamen’s Union (SSÍ), the National Association of Small Boat Owners and the Association of Smaller Fishing Companies.

Under the deal, small-boat seafarers will receive a contribution of 3.5% of their pay to a designated private pension scheme from their employer. Seamen’s Union chairman Valmundur Valmundarson said the agreement follows the framework of a 2024 deal between seafarers and the Association of Companies in the Fisheries Sector.

The agreement will now be presented to members, followed by a vote. It includes the Association of Shipmasters, VM, the union of marine engineers and metal technicians, and the Seamen’s and Engineers’ Union of Grindavík. The deal runs until 2033, but fishing companies may terminate it in 2028 and seafarers in 2029.