Kasalukuyang Katayuan ng Claim

25-08-2026

EJEP: Risk of 'reflagging' Dutch shipowners is overestimated and no justification for discrimination against seafarers

The Equal Justice Equal Pay Foundation (EJEP), which fights against discrimination against Indonesian and Filipino seafarers in the Ducth shipping sector, is asking the House of Representatives and the Dutch government to take note of the second opinion by SEO Economic Research (SEO) on the report commissioned by the Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management (Minister) and drawn up by HCSS and Deloitte 'The flag register and the country of residence principle, economic and strategic value'.

Threat of changing flags turns out to be unfounded, and the consequences limited
The Dutch shipowners use the 'country of residence principle' to justify that Indonesian and Filipino seafarers are paid two to four times less than colleagues from other countries. Shipowners are threatening to change their flags en masse if they are not allowed to continue their discriminatory practices. Based on their research, SEO (which is affiliated with the University of Amsterdam) concludes that the report by HCSS and Deloitte overestimates the risks of the shipowners changing their flags. EJEP concludes therefore that the threat of the shipowners to give up the Dutch flag is unfounded.

In addition, SEO investigated the possible economic consequences of Dutch shipowners changing their flags. SEO concludes that the effect on the Dutch economy of abolishing the 'country of residence principle' in the remuneration of seafarers is limited or possibly even nil. SEO finds insufficient substantiation for negative consequences for public interests such as maritime safety, sustainability and strategic autonomy.

Human Rights Institute previously ruled: this discrimination is prohibited
On 18 August 2025, the Netherlands Institute for Human Rights (CRM) ruled in two cases on the current practice of Filipino and Indonesian seafarers being systematically paid significantly less than their Dutch or EU colleagues for the same or similar work on the same ships.

The CRM ruled that this application of the 'country of residence principle' applied by the shipowners constitutes prohibited discrimination on the basis of nationality and race on board Dutch ships. The seafarers in these proceedings were supported by EJEP. As announced by the Minister, EJEP has held the State, as well as the shipping companies, liable for the damage suffered by the seafarers EJEP represents.

The Equal Justice Equal Pay (EJEP) Foundation
The Equal Justice Equal Pay Foundation is a non-profit organization. Its statutory purpose is to promote the interests of seafarer s and former seafarers who suffer, threaten to suffer and/or have suffered damage as a result of acts or omissions of one or more shipping companies and/or third parties. In the context of this objective, EJEP stands up for seafarers from the Philippines and Indonesia who are or have been working on Dutch ships since 15 November 2016. EJEP is represented by attorneys from Rubicon Impact & Litigation.

19-05-2026

Disclosure request

Nagsimula na kami ng mga legal na hakbang laban sa Wagenborg, isa sa mga malalaking shipping companies sa Netherlands, upang makakalap ng mga impormasyong mahalaga para sa ating kaso.

Partikular dito, hinihiling namin ang access sa lahat ng mga collective labour agreements (CAO’s at CBA’s) na ipinapatupad sa mga Pilipino at Indonesian seafarers, mga crew lists na nagpapakita ng nasyonalidad at tungkulin ng mga seafarers sa barko, at impormasyon tungkol sa corporate structure ng Wagenborg group of companies.

Noong Nobyembre 2025, pormal naming hiningi ang impormasyong ito nang direkta mula sa Wagenborg. Ngunit hindi sila tumugon. Dahil dito, wala kaming ibang hakbang kundi humingi ng access sa pamamagitan ng mga hukuman, gamit ang mga bagong Dutch rules sa preliminary disclosure (voorlopige bewijsverrichtingen).

Patitibayin ng mga hininging impormasyon ang ating kaso. Kinakailangan ang hakbang na ito para sa pagbuo ng pinakamatibay na posibleng kaso para sa patas na sahod at pantay na pagtrato para sa lahat ng mga seafarers. Patuloy namin kayong babalitaan habang umuusad ang mga pagdinig.

17-04-2026

Mga pagtutol laban sa general binding declaration

We are challenging the shipowners’ & labour union’s request to declare the discriminatory Collective Bargaining Agreement for merchant ships generally binding on all Dutch merchant ships.

On 27 March 2026, the Dutch government published a proposal in the Dutch Government Gazette. The proposal: to make the entire 2026 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) for merchant ships 2026 (CAO Handelsvaart 2026) binding for all Dutch merchant ships.

Noong ika-14 ng Abril 2026, naghain ng mga pormal na pagtutol ang Equal Justice Equal Pay Foundation. Tinatarget namin ang isang partikular na probisyon: ang Article 3(2). Ibinubukod ng probisyon na ito ang mga seafarers mula sa Pilipinas, Indonesia, at Ukraine sa mga standard wage at working condition na ipinatutupad sa kanilang mga kapwa manggagawa na European - kahit na pareho lamang ang kanilang trabaho sa parehong barko.

Naniniwala kami na dapat i-reject ang Article 3(2). Narito ang mga dahilan:

May diskriminasyon. Tinatrato ng Article 3(2) nang magkaiba ang mga seafarers batay sa kanilang nasyonalidad at kung saan sila nakatira. Nilalabag nito ang batas ng Netherlands at ang pandaigdigang batas. Kinumpirma ito ng Dutch Institute for Human Rights sa dalawa nitong magkahiwalay na desisyon noong Agosto 2025.
Gumagawa ito ng hindi patas na kompetisyon sa pagitan ng iba't ibang grupo ng mga seafarers. Layunin ng pagpapalawig ng isang collective agreement sector-wide na ang lahat ay para masigurong pantay ang laban at pareho ang batas para sa lahat. Kabaligtaran nito ang Article 3(2): pinahihintulutan nito ang mas mababang sahod para sa isang malaking grupo ng mga manggagawa.
Walang economic justification para sa diskriminasyong ito. Sabi ng mga employer na ang pantay na sahod ay makakasama sa shipping industry sa Netherlands. Ngunit ayon sa independent na economic research na isinagawa ng EJEP Foundation, hindi ito totoo. Ang mga labour costs ay maliit na bahagi lamang ng kabuuang gastos ng mga shipping companies sa Netherlands. At may iba pang mga paraan upang pamahalaan ang anumang pagtaas ng gastos.

Nananawagan kami sa Minister of Social Affairs and Employment na i-reject ang request na ideklara ang CBA bilang generally binding. Panahon na upang bumalik sa negosasyon – at bumuo ng isang kasunduan na nagbibigay ng patas na pagtrato sa bawat seafarer.

20-08-2025