Nautilus International's branch in the Netherlands has presented two employers with a petition signed by more than 2,200 maritime professionals that urges them to extend the Dutch RVU early retirement scheme.
Nautilus executive officer Richard Moti joined Nautilus members to present the petition signed by over 2,200 maritime professionals to P&O Ferries representative Jeroen Stal onboard the company's vessel Pride of Rotterdam, and also travelled to present the petition to Thyssenkrupp Veerhaven. In the coming days Nautilus and its members will hand the petition to more employers.
Under the RVU scheme, which was instituted to ensure that those in physically demanding occupations are able to retire at a sensible age, employers may pay out up to €2,182 gross per month for a maximum period of three years to each seafarer for an early retirement scheme and will not receive a tax penalty for doing so. This effectively allows seafarers to retire at 64 rather than the current state pension age of 67.
However, the RVU scheme is due to expire in 2025. The employer organisation VNO-NCW has so far refused to reach an agreement with unions to extend and improve the scheme, so Nautilus is approaching individual companies to encourage them to support the extension and urge VNO-NCW to come to terms.
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