Ferry workers’ strike in Estonia called off after deal — ERR News
In Estonia, a strike by the crews of ferry company Kihnu Veeteed, which provides connections between the small islands and the mainland, scheduled for September 18 has been called off. The company and the Estonian Seamen’s Independent Union EMSA concluded a collective agreement, so passenger services will operate without disruptions, ERR News reports.
Negotiations and union demands
EMSA chairman Jüri Lember described the negotiations as tense. Talks between the union and the operator had reached a deadlock back in March, and on July 26 workers held a one-hour warning strike. As recently as last week, the crews were preparing for an indefinite work stoppage.
Kihnu Veeteed operates routes between the mainland and the islands of Kihnu, Manilaid and Vormsi, as well as the Saaremaa–Hiiumaa connection and the route to Piirissaar on Lake Peipus. The union demanded wage increases of 20–30%, while the company said its margin was too small to meet such demands.
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Terms of the collective agreement
The agreement provides for an agreed pay scale, the possibility of receiving a performance bonus of up to 5%, and an increase in meal compensation. From 2028, base salaries are to rise in line with changes in Estonia’s average gross monthly wage.
According to Lember, new employees will not be able to be hired for a particular position at a salary lower than the agreed monthly level. Deck crew sailors earn around €1,650.
The collective agreement will remain in force for three years or until Kihnu Veeteed stops operating its current routes. The state selected Tuule Liinid OÜ as the new operator of routes to the small islands from 2027. EMSA also proposed concluding a sectoral collective agreement with the national shipowners’ association, which would regulate working hours and minimum pay levels on ferry routes.
