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Enforcing workers’ compensation rights for Chinese seafarers in human resource supply chains

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2023

Desai Shan  and
Pengfei Zhang
Desai Shan*
Affiliation:
Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada
Pengfei Zhang
Affiliation:
Solent University, UK
*
Desai Shan, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St John’s, A1B 3V6, Canada. Email: dshan@mun.ca
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Abstract

Non-compliance with labour standards impedes enforcement of workers’ rights in human resource supply chains. Despite governments’ efforts to improve labour standards and encourage employer-centred voluntary compliance programmes, infringements of workers’ rights are widely reported. Using a qualitative socio-legal study of Chinese seafarers’ workers’ compensation rights, we investigate whether shipping companies and their crewing agencies comply with their legal obligations following workplace injuries and fatalities. Through 74 semi-structured interviews and analysis of crew management policies from 7 shipping companies, we identify a failure of most shipowners’ internal policies to comply with legal obligations. Furthermore, multinational shipping companies use crewing agencies to evade their liabilities to injured seafarers. We propose the establishment of a joint liability mechanism between employers and labour intermediaries to fill this compliance gap that exists in global human resource supply chains.

Keywords

J81J83L91M54N75Human resource supply chainlabour supply chainregulatory complianceseafarersworkers’ compensation
Type
Labour rights of seafarers
Information
The Economic and Labour Relations Review , Volume 32 , Issue 2: Configuring the Green New Deal , June 2021 , pp. 247 - 265
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2020

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