Nautilus river cruise social partnership helps SijFa Cruises navigate crew relations
31 March 2026
SijFa Cruises appears to be turning a corner after a tumultuous 2025 season, with new leadership at the company working closely with Nautilus International to resolve long‑standing problems affecting hundreds of inland waterway crew's pay and conditions.
In a Swiss member newsletter, Nautilus national secretary Holger Schatz describes how Nautilus has been supporting SijFa crew in several important ways, combining direct casework, pressure on management, and constructive partnership to stabilise the situation and protect members' rights.
By the end of last year, SijFa's operational difficulties had reached a breaking point. Up to 200 crew across seven vessels reported months of late or missing wages, incorrect salary calculations, and an absence of regular payslips, said Mr Schatz. In some cases, pension and accident insurance contributions had not been made, leaving many employees uncertain about their basic social protections. 'With management overwhelmed and unresponsive, crew began turning to Nautilus for help,' he said.
As reports from both members and non‑members grew, Nautilus engaged directly with the owner‑manager, pressing for overdue payments and proper registration with insurers. Unlike the previous well‑known 2021 dispute – which required a public action in Arnhem – this time the union opted for a more collaborative path, reflecting significant changes within the company, said Mr Schatz.
'A newly established Swiss office and the appointment of a new head of HR have opened the door to genuine progress. Since February 2026, the HR team has been processing cases daily, paying outstanding wages and issuing overdue documentation.
'Nautilus is currently working with more than 30 members to verify remaining claims, while also supporting former employees who have sought advice.'
Both sides have committed to a constructive social partnership, with a follow‑up meeting scheduled at the Nautilus office in April 2026. Mr Schatz said SijFa statements to the Union that it aims to become a reliable employer, and planned steps – such as introducing daily sickness benefit insurance – suggested meaningful improvements ahead.
'For many crew this renewed cooperation offers cautious optimism – and a clear reminder of the value of union membership for both crew and company when things go wrong', said Mr Schatz. 'The more crew who join as members and stay engaged, the better our collective strength in these unfortunate situations.'
Nautilus member numbers in the Swiss branch have been growing steadily for several years, not only in the booming river cruise sector but also in tanker shipping, commented Mr Schatz. The Union also works closely with its umbrella association, the European Transport Workers' Federation (ETF), to help secure improved conditions for European inland waterway transport workers, such as at a recent Danube Commission meeting in Budapest, where the ETF addressed the regulatory and social challenges facing inland navigation workers.
Do you work in river cruise?
Check out the Nautilus online hub.
Nautilus has a key objective to improve working conditions in the booming European river cruise industry.
The river cruise hub is a resource covering the Union's river cruise service, where the union has collective bargaining agreements, and how it is awarding a Fair Cruise Award Mark to companies with which it has a CBA.
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