Across the world right now, there are over 250,000 seafarers who are trapped on ships that can't dock in ports and allow crews to disembark to put their feet on solid ground.

It's just another tragic consequence of the global COVID 19 Pandemic . As countries grapple with containing the spread of the deadly disease, ships that arrive in their waters carrying foreign crews are seen as potential vectors of the disease, and are forced to remain on board and at sea.

Suddenly, across the globe, there is a new cohort of displaced workers who can not go home, who can not work, who can see no solution to their predicament in sight.

On this week's podcast, you'll hear from Senior Legal Officer from the UN's International Maritime Organisation (IMO), Jan de Boer and the IMO's Director, Hieke Deggim.
We also check in with Ian Bray from the International Transport Federation (ITF) about the situation in Australian waters.

*On the Job is made by Australian Unions.

Need help with working conditions?

Call Australian Union Support Centre - 1300 486 466

About the hosts

Sally Rugg, Executive director at Change.org Australia - @sallyrugg

Francis Leach, ACTU - @SaintFrankly

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Lost at Sea - The Pandemics Forgotten Seafarers.