The International Bargaining Forum comprises representatives from the following organisations:

ITF - International Transport Workers’ Federation, and 

Joint Negotiating Group (JNG) consisting of members from the following organisations:

IMEC - International Maritime Employers’ Committee
KSA - Korea Shipowners’ Association
ISEG - International Seafarers Employers Group

The function of the JNG is to ensure that the four employers organisations can co-ordinate their views in advance of IBF meetings so that the employers speak with one voice.

The secretariat of the IBF is provided jointly by:

JNG - Secretary: David Dearsley (IMEC) 
         Asst Secretary: Shoko Doi (ISEG) 

ITF -  Stephen Cotton (Secretary ITF / SSD)

Membership Benefits

IBF agreements are exclusive to those organisations which participate in the negotiating process.  The benefits, for IMEC members therefore include:

1. Unique access to the crew contracts IMEC negotiate in the major labour supply countries;
2. Access to the IBF version of the Special Agreement with less onerous burdens of beaurocracy and administration;
3. Access to the IBF Disputes Procedure, to avoid confrontation or disagreement at shipboard level;
4. A 5% rebate of company payments to the ITF Welfare Protection and Indemnity Fund;
5. A dedicated, direct email line to the ITF staff in the Agreements Unit;
6. The issue of an IBF Green Certificate to ships covered by IBF agreements and the listing of each ship on the ITF database.  This not only demonstrates to ITF inspectors that the ship concerned is entitled to the benefits listed above, it also ensures that such ships are subject to the lowest priority for inspection by ITF inspectors.