The “Oceania” research vessel did not flow into the cruise. In the background, a dispute about employing a sailing ship crew

The crew of the “Oceania” research and scientific ship received notice. B2B contracts were offered. Some of them are looking for a new job. This meant that on Tuesday the ship did not leave into a 9-day cruise.

“Oceania” is a sailing ship belonging to the Institute of Oceanology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, built in 1985 at the Gdańsk Shipyard. And the Lord is the largest Polish institute that studies the problems of physics, chemistry, biology and ecology of the sea. The ship's range is unlimited and the autonomy is 30 days. Annually, “Oceania” spends about 250 days at sea, taking, among others A research expedition in the Arctic and numerous Baltic cruises.

Research ship employees at the end of January this year. They received notice. Director of the Institute prof. Jan Marcin Węsławski in a letter sent to trade unions of employees and the PAN indicated that the termination concerns 13 employees, and the reason for the dismissal is “changing the organization of the employer's employment structure, resulting in the liquidation of positions.” He stated that the liquidation of positions results from “the need to make changes in the scope of conducting financial management, as well as limiting expenditure, including by reducing employment in the workplace.”

Prof. Węsławski pointed out that “employees who would apply to the termination of the employment contract provided work on the scientific and research ship S/y Oceania, which is kept from the ministry subsidies-subsidies for maintaining scientific and research equipment.” He wrote that the Institute requested over PLN 30 million, including a budget for remuneration in the amount of PLN 12 million for a period of 3 years, but – as he pointed out in the letter – the decision of the Ministry of Science was awarded PLN 24 million. ” Employment policies, and consequently, termination of the employment contract is necessary and justified, “wrote the head of the Institute to trade unions.

A crew member, “Oceania” mechanic Sebastian Szymanek said in an interview with PAP that so far all crew members were employed on employment contracts. He added that their collective labor agreement was in force. “Normally it was 16 people, at the end of the year the duties of the captain retired, and one of the employees of the hotel department from the second half of 2023 was on vacation related to the education of children,” he said.

He added that the crew consists of three officers, including captain, three sailors, three people from the hotel department and three specialists in research equipment and four people from the machine department. He said that at the end of January this year. 9 people received notice. “There were 13 people on the list, but some were on sick leave,” he explained and added that on Tuesday the chef received the termination, who returned to work after sick leave.

Head of IO, Mr. prof. Jan Marcin Węsławski passed on PAP that “PIP control showed that the Oceania crew was on the basis of a trade union agreement, which contained an internships that were not allowed according to the new labor law – especially work in a system that did not develop relevant hours and days of rest.”

The PIP inspection was carried out in 2024, after a crew member accident that occurred two years ago. According to the Institute on its website, the “Oceania” sailing ship from the 90s has been applying a employment system based on a collective labor system-a agreement concluded between the Institute of Oceanology of the Polish Academy of Sciences and trade unions.

It was stated that the effect of PIP control was necessary to change the employment system, so that it meets statutory working time standards both at sea and in the port. It was emphasized that these changes have significant consequences for the crew, although they do not result from the initiative of the Institute, but from the obligation to adapt to the regulations. “Our goal is to find the most comfortable solution to this situation, comfortable for the crew and shipowner with the ocean budget, falling in the already unnecessary subsidy from the ministry for 2024-2026” – it was written.

In addition, it was indicated that when planning changes, the Institute must take into account both financial possibilities and research needs. The public procurement plan for 2025 is PLN 3.14 million for the Oceania remuneration system. By maintaining current needs and compliance with new regulations, the crew would have to go to a shift system (2 weeks of work at sea and 2 weeks of rest), which means the need to employ a double crew. This entails both a reduction in remuneration for current employees (due to the smaller number of working hours) and a significant increase in the Institute's costs. It is an unfavorable solution for the crew and at the same time financially unreal, because the Institute does not have additional funds, over the amount granted from the subsidy.

Prof. In an interview with PAP, Węsławski added that the Institute cannot employ two crews and keep the ship's work 200 days a year in the sea. “In addition, the work system according to the Code does not allow cruises for more than two weeks, because the number of overtime and obligatory rest days are increasing in an illegal way,” he explained.

In his opinion, only coastal shipping ships can swim in this way. “We have to swim in the ocean and our cruises last after 2-3 months. The only legal output is employing a crew in a contract system, changing the employment structure, and for the financial benefit for the crew,” he added.

He noted that “specialists for research equipment are a unique group among the crew,” they assessed – as he assessed – unique qualifications. To these employees, the Institute proposed to remain full -time in the Institute's technical team. They are – as added by prof. Węsławski – also needed outside of work in Oceania, where they can now swim not as crew members, but members of the measuring team.

Other dismissed employees were proposed to switch to B2B contracts – sole proprietorships. “The crew has a notice period by the end of April this year, they are still working in full -time mode, until then we will not know for sure how many people will decide on contracts; everyone got the proposals, two people definitely gave up,” said the head of IO PAN.

“The Labor Code is not suitable for hiring crews on sea ships in long cruises, which is why we do not have Polish ships. In practice known from the land – every institution formerly employing a full -time cleaning staff has already gone to the purchase of services in the company, because full -time employment was incompatible with rational management,” said Węsławski.

Szymanek in an interview with PAP added that this form of “cooperation” is illegal on a ship raising the Polish flag. “We will not work in this way because it is a fictitious employment,” he said.

He pointed out that on the Institute's website in March this year. A plan for awarding procedures for next year has been published. It shows, among others Orders for “sailor services on the S/Y floating unit” for over PLN 5.5 million. He reminded that the Institute's website was previously given to PLN 3.14 million for the “Oceania remuneration system”. “Where did these discrepancies come from?” – asks the sailor.

Lack of agreement between the Oceanian crew and the Institute's management means that the research and scientific ship did not flow into a cruise, planned on April 1 this year. “Cruise No. 1 was to start on Tuesday, as a result of an unexpected sick leave, we choose the missing crew member and the cruise should set off any day, plans for short Baltic cruises we have until mid -May, then two long ocean cruises,” said prof. Węsławski.

The Oceania mechanic stated that the planned 9 -day cruise on the Baltic Sea did not take place due to “management activities”. “By giving the crew, they did not anticipate that some would not want to stay at all costs and found other jobs,” he explained.

As noted by prof. Węsławski, “Oceania” is an unconventive ship and the crew must have basic maritime qualifications and the right to work on sailing ships.

Szymanek emphasized that the vast majority of the current crew is very experienced and longtime employees. “They know the ship and its operation perfectly, thanks to this + Oceania + is – despite 40 years – in very good technical condition, it can swim safely and conduct research with scientific teams on board.”

The head of IO Lord to PAP questions about the future answered that new crew members are recruiting. “Qualifications are the basic criterion, there is no problem finding qualified mechanics, bosoms or navigators, and we keep unique apparatus specialists” – he explained.

Szymanek noted that employees are waiting for a “sensible proposal from the management.” He added that some of the crew found other classes, some are looking for a new job. “We are waiting for the results of re -inspection of PIP, which entered the Institute. We also reported to help and information to the National Trade Union of Officers and Sailors in Gdynia. Maybe we will apply to the court to bring to work to work,” said the sailor.

It is possible that due to the lack of the “Oceania” crew, it will not sail in April in any of the three planned cruises. The first of them was to take place from 1 to 9 April, the second is scheduled between 11 and 14 April, the third is to take place between 22 and 30 April. (PAP)

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