Oleg Grygoriuk is a prominent figure in global maritime labor advocacy and the Chairman of the Marine Transport Workers’ Trade Union of Ukraine.
I have the privilege of interviewing Oleg Grygoriuk, a prominent figure in maritime labor advocacy and the Chairman of the Marine Transport Workers’ Trade Union of Ukraine. With over 16 years of experience championing the rights and welfare of seafarers, Mr. Grygoriuk is a steadfast leader, navigating the complexities of his role during times of peace and profound crisis.
Mr. Grygoriuk is at the forefront of addressing the unprecedented challenges Ukrainian maritime workers face amidst the ongoing conflict. His leadership is a testament to resilience, fostering solidarity among international organizations while highlighting the courage and struggles of his community. Mr. Grygoriuk’s work extends beyond national boundaries, reflecting his dedication as an elected member of the Fair Practices Committee of the International Transport Workers’ Federation and as an International Maritime Organization Goodwill Ambassador in Ukraine.
It is an honor to share insights from a leader who exemplifies unwavering commitment to the maritime community, even in the most trying circumstances.
To support Ukrainian Seafarers visit the ITF Seafarer’s Trust.
[Author’s Note: The following interview is sourced from an audio transcription. Some parts of the transcription are edited for clarity.]
Jordan Taylor: Thank you so much for taking the time for this interview.
Chairman Oleg Grygoriuk: My pleasure.
JT: What made you want to go to sea when you were a kid?
OG: I was born in Odesa, the sea capital of Ukraine. In Odesa, many families have what you might call a maritime dynasty — where the profession is passed down from father to son.
That’s my story as well. My grandfather was a chief engineer, my father was a chief engineer, and now both my brother and I are chief officers. So, in a way, the choice of pursuing this profession felt natural — almost inevitable, you could say.
JT: Was your grandfather in World War II?
OG: He was young but still helped the Soviet Union resist fascism. And now, it’s so ridiculous that we’re fighting against those we once stood shoulder to shoulder with. Now we’re fighting face to face. It’s crazy.
Later, my father went to sea, and I was born and raised with an understanding of what it’s like to have a father who’s a seafarer — not seeing him for long periods, then feeling so happy when he came back.
So, for me, the choice of profession felt almost automatic. But I ended up loving it. Transporting goods, traveling the world, and making honest money — what’s wrong with that, right?
JT: You’ve probably been asked this a million times, but why didn’t you become an engineer?
OG: Our parents pushed us away from engineering. They were the ones who said, “no, go for management.” My dad would say, “don’t end up in the basement.” He believed it was better to be on the top, managing the crew. He thought it was a much better path. I ended up becoming a chief officer, as did my brother.
JT: So you went to Odesa National Maritime Academy, correct?
OG: Yeah, correct. It’s now called Odesa Maritime Academy. When I studied there, it was called Odesa State Maritime Academy.
It’s changed status several times, but now it has the highest status — National University, which is the top level for a university.
JT: Does that mean they now have non-licensed majors or is it still for seafarers only?
OG: It is exclusively for seafarers — navigators, engineers, electrical engineers, and automation specialists. They’re trying to develop further, though. Despite the challenging times, they’re working on expanding into new specializations, like drone operation and autonomous shipping. They’re aiming to stay quite advanced.
JT: How has the conflict impacted the Academy? Has education been disrupted over the past 10 years?
OG: Not for the past 10 years. Since 2014, as far as I remember, when Crimea was occupied, the Naval Academy moved to Odesa from Crimea. They became part of our National University and now have their own department.
They’ve continued to operate there. So, while there hasn’t been much disruption, there have been significant challenges, as you can imagine.
JT: Could you tell me about your maritime academy experience?
OG: I started in 2000. It was extremely popular at the time, and very competitive to get in — about 10 applicants for every spot.
It was a very prestigious institution back then, and getting in was a real challenge for me as a kid. The specialization was highly technical, requiring knowledge of math, physics, chemistry, and English. Some of these subjects were part of the entrance exams.
I passed the exams, got lucky, and was admitted. At that time, we had the Faculty of River Navigation and Sea Navigation. Sea Navigation was considered the elite faculty, and the number of cadets was large at the beginning.
Unfortunately, that’s changed now. The numbers have declined significantly, largely due to the war and the fact that many Ukrainian seafarers are no longer in Ukraine. Their families, including their kids, are choosing different paths for their studies.
JT: When you graduated, did you sail?
OG: Yeah, for quite a while.
JT: What types of ships were you on?
OG: I started as a cadet on bulk carriers, then moved to small ro-ro ships. Those were extremely challenging but also full of valuable experience. On those smaller ships, with a short crew, we were doing pretty much everything.
As a cadet, I was involved in all sorts of tasks. It was tough, but it was crucial for my future career — it helped build my mindset. At sea, you learn that it’s a serious environment. You need to deliver, stay focused, and be strong, both mentally and physically. It was challenging but very healthy for my development as a person.
After finishing the Academy, I started working on bulk carriers. Then I transitioned to passenger ships, specifically cruise ships, which were extremely interesting.
JT: Where did the passenger vessel trade? What geographic area?
OG: From Barcelona, Spain to Columbo, Sri Lanka, with several ports in between.
It was a small, old Soviet vessel but extremely well-maintained. It was only sent to scrap a year or two ago, so it worked for quite a while after I left the sea. It was a fantastic ship called Astor (Author’s note: former name is F. Dostoyevskiy), built in the 1970s and renovated in the 1990s.
The ship was very fancy, with redwood interiors — old-fashioned, stylish, and appealing to mature passengers. It had a German operator and catered to a German-style market, offering a high level of service.
It was a steam plant with heavy fuel, not the oldest design but very conservatively packed. It was an extremely interesting vessel to work on. We had a significant number of Ukrainian seafarers — more than 200 — working in the hotel department, on deck, and in the engine room.
JT: Let’s talk about Ukrainian seafarers today in 2024. I saw somewhere, I think it was the IMO, that there are about 130,000 ratings and officers. Is that correct?
OG: Around, yes. We’re calculating on a scale between 130,000 and 150,000. So, 130,000 is likely the most relevant figure.
JT: That’s a big number, right? You guys are in the top ten at least globally, correct?
OG: We’re in the top five — and even in the top three when it comes to senior officers.
JT: Are you holding this position? Is the number of Ukrainian seafarers increasing, decreasing, or staying the same?
OG: You can only analyze this kind of statistic over the long term — at least five years to see the aftermath. However, over the last three years, which have been extremely challenging due to COVID and the ongoing war, the figures have stayed more or less stable.
That said, we’re seeing a significant decline in the number of first-year cadets enrolling in maritime universities and academies. This could lead to a noticeable drop in numbers in about five years. For now, though, it’s relatively stable.
JT: Let me ask about your transition from going to sea to the Marine Transport Workers Trade Union. How did you get into it?
OG: Actually, it’s a bit of an old story. I got into some issues — a dispute — with my company. I was working for a company, and my contract was over. I started negotiating to go home because my time was up. But they said, “we’d like you to stay.” I told them I didn’t want to stay because there was a change in crew and management, and the ship was quite old, having been in repairs for a while.
As a seafarer, I could see the work being done by the repair workers, and I didn’t like the maintenance level. It didn’t seem seaworthy to me, so I said I wanted to go home since my contract was finished. They insisted I wasn’t going anywhere. That’s when I called the ITF (International Transport Workers’ Federation) inspector in Liverpool, in Birkenhead.
We managed to negotiate my release and sign-off. I also took care of a few other Ukrainian seafarers who wanted to leave the ship with me, even though their contracts weren’t over. It became a bit of a leadership step — I took responsibility for them and started another round of negotiations to get them home as well.
After some back and forth, the company finally let us go, but they labeled me a troublemaker. In reality, I was just protecting myself and my rights. When we got back home, our seafarers supported me, but the crewing agency tried to blame everything on me, calling me the troublemaker.
That experience taught me an important lesson: when you help people, don’t expect gratitude. Many won’t be generous or even fair afterward, but that’s just how it is.
When I came back, my grandfather helped me get acquainted with the leadership of the Marine Transport Workers Trade Union of Ukraine. My grandfather had been the head of the veterans’ welfare organization for the Black Sea Shipping Company, so he had a relationship with the union.
Through that connection, they offered me a job. I started as an assistant inspector, working with crewing agencies and seafarers. Over the next 15 years, I grew with the union, raising awareness about our work, developing the organization, and building a strong team. It’s been a great journey, and that’s how I ended up here.
JT: There’s so much you’re saying to hook onto, but we have limited time. I’ve got two quick things. Going back to your situation on that ship that made you transition, was that your first exposure to an ITF inspector?
OG: In fact, yes. I was helping another seafarer who had called the ITF inspector a few months earlier. That’s how I first got acquainted with him. We became friends — he even took us to a football game at the stadium. So, when I later called him about my issue, there was already a warm reception, so to speak. But no, I’d never met an ITF inspector before that.
JT: You have a relationship with the ITF now though, right? You hold a position with them, correct?
OG: Yes, I have several positions with them. I’m a member of the executive board and other political bodies within the ITF. I’m elected to the executive board, the Fair Practices Committee, the steering group, the cruise ship task force, the offshore task force, and other task forces as well.
Normally, I’m quite active in all ITF activities.
JT: I want to ask about your grandfather because he sounds like a really interesting guy.
OG: Thank you. He lived a full life — a perfect life. When I was a kid, I remember he was already a pensioner, already retired. He was quite mature and well-known.
Even now, we honor his legacy. Our union still publishes the newspaper Seafarer, which has been running since 1919 — for more than 100 years now. Back in the 1970s, when my father was on a Black Sea Shipping Company vessel, they met in Indonesia. At that time, Seafarer printed their picture in the newspaper under the title “Generations Meet.”
JT: Do you still have that picture?
OG: Yes, I do. It’s amazing — it’s a very touching story. I’m planning to post it somewhere in my office because it means a lot to me. I’ll ask my assistants to find it and send you a copy because it’s a truly special story.
We hold onto these memories. They fuel us to keep going and deliver on what we’re doing today.
JT: You were vice chairman for quite a while, right?
OG: Yeah, I was the vice chairman and then the first vice chairman. So, for quite some time, I was the second man in the band. My predecessor was a great leader — powerful and authorized to do the job. But now he’s in his senior years.
He continues to work with the union, but it’s becoming more difficult for him to work full time. So, he decided to step down, and that marked a sort of generational change.
This generational change runs through the union. We have a lot of young members coming in, but we still keep our seniors involved, supporting them and helping them integrate into our processes and reforms.
We’re running strong, with hearts full of fire and a willingness to deliver. It’s a great combination — a mix of youth with energy and seniors with wisdom and experience. It’s this “cocktail,” as you might call it, that keeps us moving forward, and it’s working very well.
JT: So, when you were — I’m sorry if I got the position wrong — when you were vice chairman, not now as chairman, but in that earlier role, what was your proudest achievement?
OG: We were already facing challenges when I took the role, working as a tandem — myself as the young leader and Michael (Author’s note: Michael Kirieiev, who holds positions such as member of the ITF Executive board, Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine, Deputy Head of the Federation of Transport Workers’ Trade Unions of Ukraine, among many others), the senior leader.
Michael was more focused on onshore organizations because of his background in ship repairs. He was a seafarer too, but later moved to ship repairs and started his union career on land. He understands the infrastructure of ports and shipyards much better than I do.
Meanwhile, I started developing the seafarers’ branch. When I joined the union, we had about 6,000 to 8,000 seafarers. Now, we’ve grown to a massive 55,000. Over the past 15 years, we’ve been working hard to achieve this — negotiating with companies, building relationships with shipowners, ship managers, and associations worldwide.
Our goal has always been to move away from the image of a rudimentary, post-Soviet trade union that just demands money without delivering. Instead, we’ve focused on partnership and cooperation, offering projects and services to seafarers. This has built a lot of trust, and now the entire industry knows us and wants to work with us.
JT: Well, I’ll just say this — it’s an easy sell. I sailed foreign-flagged for many years, and sailed with Ukrainians. They’re the best sailors in the world — no question about it.
OG: Thank you.
JT: It’s a combination of technical proficiency and Ukrainians are just wonderful human beings. They’re easy-going, no drama, and they get the job done.
OG: Exactly.
JT: How have wages for seafarers evolved over the past five to ten years? Or have they remained stagnant?
OG: For seafarers, we’re constantly fighting for better pay. With each iteration of negotiations, we aim for increases of 3%, 5%, sometimes even 10%. The challenge, however, is that we negotiate minimum levels through collective bargaining agreements. These agreements include a wage scale, and when we increase the basic pay, it automatically raises the total salary package.
While the collective bargaining sets the minimum, individual shipowners or managers often offer more to attract better seafarers. This means some seafarers may not immediately notice the impact of these changes. However, increasing the basic wage has a ripple effect — it raises everything: compensations, leave pay, and other allowances.
For instance, a $5 or $10 increase for an individual AB might not seem significant. But when applied to the entire wage scale, for masters and other officers, it adds up — $150 here, $120 there, $60 elsewhere. Nationally, these changes make a real impact.
We’ve consistently worked toward wage growth. There was one challenging period around 2013–2014 when the market faced significant issues. Companies approached us, asking to reduce ratings wages while increasing officers’ pay. It created some tensions, but overall, the wage scale remained intact.
Even 10 years into this ongoing crisis, starting from the war in 2014, we’ve managed to maintain and grow wages within the framework of the wage scale.
JT: You’re ten years into this conflict, I’ve been reading and watching videos about the stories of Ukrainian seafarers. I was almost in tears an hour ago listening to the stories of those affected by war. My question is, after 10 years of this conflict, what was and is the biggest challenge for Ukrainian seafarers?
OG: I think the most difficult part for them was realizing that the borders are closed and they couldn’t leave the country. Most seafarers depend entirely on their jobs, and to do their jobs, they need to travel abroad. When the borders were shut, it caused extreme stress.
For those seafarers already at sea, the level of stress was unimaginable when they realized their families were back home, in a country under missile attacks and at war.
We had so many individual stories come to us. For example, those fleeing from Mariupol and Kherson — we organized evacuation services for them. We evacuated more than 500 people to Romania from Odessa, using a hub in Odessa to gather them before moving them to safety. This was a joint project with the ITF Seafarers Trust.
There were countless stories, like a captain from Mariupol whose pregnant wife was about to give birth. They called us in desperation, saying they had nothing — no place to stay, no doctor, no idea what to do. We arranged everything. I can’t recall whether we rented an apartment or got them a hotel, but we ensured she received proper medical care. She gave birth safely, and he was eventually able to leave and start earning money again.
Stories like this are endless. Everything was made possible by my team, and I deeply appreciate them. While I lead, I couldn’t deliver any of this alone. My team is young, strong, smart, and incredibly dedicated. I’m grateful for the work they do every single day.
JT: It sounds like your organization is overwhelmingly supportive of seafarers. I know it’s your mission, but it’s clear this has been at the heart of your work these past 10 years.
OG: Absolutely. It’s in our hearts every single day.
JT: Who’s supporting your union right now? Are you receiving financial or other types of help, and if so, from whom?
OG: Normally, we’re self-sustainable. But when the war started and everything was disrupted, we were lost for a while, trying to figure out how to regroup.
Thankfully, several organizations, especially unions, stepped in to support us. They sent funds and lorries filled with humanitarian aid — not for us as an office, but for distribution to seafarers. In 2022 alone, we provided financial assistance to about 2,000 seafarers and distributed tons of humanitarian aid, including warm clothing, generators, heaters, food, and medication.
We also support dockworkers, as our union has two branches — seafarers and dockworkers. We work with 45 local trade union organizations to ensure aid reaches those who need it.
Currently, we’re running another campaign dedicated to Saint Nicholas Day. It’s a mix of humanitarian aid and festive gifts to boost morale, spread Christmas vibes, and help people mentally cope. Odessa has seen some stability recently, but before that, we experienced missile strikes nearby. People were killed just five blocks away from us. It’s stressful and dangerous, and though we’ve sadly grown used to it, that’s not normal.
Despite the challenges, we’ve decided to keep working here while staying connected with seafarers who’ve moved abroad. We organize seminars and meetings in places like Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, and Poland. We hope to expand these gatherings to places like the U.S. and Canada, creating a sense of solidarity and letting seafarers know we’re here to support them.
The ITF has been incredibly supportive, along with maritime charities like MORTRANS (Author’s note: this is the charity arm of MTWTU members), Mission to Seafarers, ISWAN, Seafarers’ Charity, and others. The ITF Seafarers Trust has been instrumental, funding projects like a dental clinic we established during COVID.
The dental clinic continues to operate, providing free treatment for seafarers and their families. With many seafarers now abroad, their families rely on us more. Dental care is expensive everywhere — in Ukraine, Europe, and globally — so this service has become invaluable.
Solidarity isn’t just a word to us; it’s the reality we live by. Without the support of unions, the ITF, and maritime organizations worldwide, we couldn’t sustain our work or deliver the aid we provide.
JT: If I’m in the U.S. and I want to support Ukrainian seafarers, what’s the best avenue to do that? If I wanted to donate money, which organization should I give it to?
OG: I’d recommend the ITF Seafarers Trust. They were the first to reach out to us when the war started, offering both services and support.
One of their fantastic projects involves helping Ukrainian cadets. We’ve been relocating cadets from Ukraine to Lithuania, where the Lithuanian Maritime Academy and the Kherson Maritime Academy have a memorandum of understanding. Their curriculums are fully matched, so the cadets can continue their studies seamlessly.
The project covers their tuition in Lithuania, as well as their shelter, dormitories, and meals, including lunches. We follow up on their progress regularly, meeting with them to ensure everything is going well. The initiative has been so successful that other partners in the shipping industry have stepped in to sponsor additional cadets. This year, one partner took on a group of 10 cadets at their own expense, which is incredible.
On a daily basis, we also engage with cadets at our training center. We bring them in, talk about the union, their rights, the ITF, and other basics. We provide lunch, souvenirs, and mentorship to build a strong connection from the beginning.
We know that in a few years, these cadets will finish their studies, maybe outside Ukraine, or they’ll head to sea. We want them to know about us, so if they ever need help, they know where to turn.
Supporting the ITF Seafarers Trust directly helps make these projects possible.
JT: Is there anything you want to say to us in North America? Any message you’d like to communicate?
OG: Yes, with pleasure. I know many of our colleagues from the Seafarer’s International Union (SIU) in North America and the International Longshoreman’s Union (ILWU/ILA). I know them personally, and they’re very helpful, both in the U.S. and Canada.
One thing they can do to support us is to continue raising awareness about Ukraine and explicitly reminding people that we are still here, still suffering, and still dealing with the devastating impacts of war. If they can push their governments at any level to help, it would mean a lot.
I know unions typically don’t support Trump, but we actually have some expectations from him because he promised to somehow end the war. People here are so sick and tired of this; they just want it to be over, whatever it takes. Living under constant danger for three years is extremely exhausting.
JT: Do you see an end to this?
OG: You know, I’m not a politician. I hope for an end — I’m trying to stay positive. Normally, I’m a very positive person. I’m expecting good things to come from the decisions of politicians and decision-makers.
I truly hope that by 2025, this war will be over. We pray for it, wish for it, and desperately want to get back to normal life so we can start rebuilding our country.
JT: Thank you so much for this. I truly appreciate it. I was really looking forward to our conversation.
OG: Interviews like this allow us to share so much more. Next time, we can dive deeper into the past or focus on the future.
JT: I can say with authority that here in California, we overwhelmingly support Ukraine. As a seafarer, this is personal for me. We all deeply care about Ukrainian seafarers and wish you the best. I truly hope this conflict ends quickly.
OG: Cheers. Thank you so much.
