Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2001, published 90th ILC session (2002)

Unemployment Indemnity (Shipwreck) Convention, 1920 (No. 8) - French Southern and Antarctic Territories

In its earlier comments, the Committee drew the Government’s attention to the lack of provisions regarding indemnity to be paid to seamen in the event of shipwreck in the legislation applying to vessels registered in the French Southern and Antarctic Territory, namely the Overseas Labour Code of 1952 and Chapter VI, section 26 of Act No. 96-151, with respect to the registration of vessels in this Territory. It notes with regret that the Government’s latest report reproduces word for word the report sent in 1999, which revealed no progress in the adoption of regulations to make good these gaps in the legislation. The Committee is therefore obliged to remind the Government that under Article 2 of the Convention, in the event of loss or foundering of the vessel, an unemployment indemnity must be paid for the days during which the seaman remains, in fact, unemployed at the same rate as the wages payable under the contract, for at least two months. The Committee trusts that measures will be adopted in the near future to ensure full application of the Convention to French Southern and Antarctic Territory, and requests the Government to submit a copy of any text adopted in this connection.

[The Government is asked to report in detail in 2002.]