Six Ukrainian crew members have been stranded for over a year on four inland vessels in Novi Sad, Serbia, without wages and employment contracts, according to the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF).
ETF reports that each seafarer is owed between €6,000 and €15,000, with the total amount of unpaid wages exceeding €100,000. The crew, all experienced professionals, are said to be living in unsafe, undignified conditions, without access to their legal rights or protections.
The vessels – Zweistein (Slovak flag), Magellan (German flag), Brčko 1 (Bosnia and Herzegovina flag), and Steigerwald (Slovak flag) – are operated by DMP TIM d.o.o., a company registered in Brčko, Bosnia and Herzegovina. ETF states that the company has so far failed to provide employment contracts or make any payments to the crew. Attempts to resolve the situation through dialogue have reportedly been unsuccessful.
ETF is urging authorities in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovakia, Germany, Ukraine, and relevant EU institutions to take immediate and coordinated action to resolve the situation – including payment of outstanding wages, provision of valid employment contracts, access to safe accommodation and humanitarian aid, and protection for union representatives supporting the crew.
