The Seafarers International Union of Canada

What The Seafarers International Union of Canada does

The Seafarers International Union of Canada (SIU Canada) is a non-profit labor union founded in 1938 (operating under its own Canadian charter since June 7, 1961) that represents the majority of unlicensed Canadian seafarers working aboard vessels on the Great Lakes, St. Lawrence Seaway, East Coast, West Coast, and Canadian Arctic. Members hold positions such as deckhands, watchmen, engine room assistants, cargo handlers, greasers, cooks, and second cooks. The union is headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, with 23 employees, and operates a network of four dispatch halls — Montreal (headquarters), Thorold/Niagara, Quebec City, and Vancouver — overseen by regional vice presidents. The union is affiliated with the Seafarers' International Union of North America (SIUNA), the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF), and the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC), with its president chairing the ITF Cabotage Task Force and serving on multiple ITF committees.

The union's core product is SIU2020, a proprietary virtual hiring hall platform that enables members to manage profiles, upload certifications, register for shipping assignments, and participate in twice-daily job calls (10:00 AM and 3:00 PM ET) under rules-based dispatch. Supporting member services include the Seafarers' Medical Plan (drug, vision, dental), the Seafarers' Pension Plan administered through Manulife, life insurance through Industrial Alliance, and group banking through CIBC. The union runs a quarterly newsletter (The Sailor), a Royal Canadian Navy Veterans Transition Program formalized in 2023, and advocacy services defending Canadian cabotage laws and collective bargaining rights.

Revenue is generated almost exclusively through membership dues deducted from seafarers' paychecks, plus continued off-duty dues required to remain in good standing. Dues fund union operations, advocacy, member services, and benefit programs. The union is actively engaged in federal regulatory advocacy, having submitted formal consultations to Transport Canada and the Labour Program on cabotage protections and the Canada Labour Code, and publicly condemned a 2026 Senate committee report proposing restrictions on collective bargaining rights in marine and rail transportation.

Name

The Seafarers International Union of Canada

Legal name

Seafarers' International Union of Canada

Website

https://seafarers.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1961

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Seafarers International Union of Canada is a non-profit labor union representing the majority of unlicensed Canadian seafarers across the Great Lakes, St. Lawrence Seaway, East Coast, West Coast, and Arctic, delivering collective bargaining, dispatch services, and benefits through four regional halls and the SIU2020 virtual hiring platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Maritime Labor Union Services

NAICS

Labor Unions and Similar Labor Organizations (813930)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPACAHAE

Contractor of Record (COR) / Global Contractor Management

Business & Public Services/HR, Staffing & Recruitment Services/Employer of Record (EOR) & Global Employment / PEO Services

SECONDARYBPADANAM

Labor, Social Protection & Occupational Safety Standards Cooperation

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/International Standards, Policy & Regulatory Cooperation

Keywords

• Maritime labor union
• Seafarer collective bargaining
• Unlicensed seafarer representation
• Union hiring hall dispatch
• Canadian cabotage advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Montreal, Quebec

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Union Dues: SIU Canada generates revenue through membership dues deducted from seafarers' paychecks when they work. Members must also continue paying dues during off-duty periods to remain in good standing. This is the primary funding mechanism for the union's operations, advocacy, member services, and benefit programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SIU Canada is a labor union that represents unlicensed Canadian seafarers, providing collective bargaining, job dispatch through physical union halls and the SIU2020 virtual hiring hall, member benefits (medical, dental, vision, pension, life insurance, group banking), training, and advocacy for Canadian cabotage protections. Members pay recurring dues deducted from their paychecks and during off-duty periods to remain in good standing and access the union's services.

Product overview

The Seafarers' International Union of Canada operates as a labor union offering a portfolio of member services centered around its SIU2020 virtual hiring hall platform. SIU2020 is a web-based member portal enabling seafarers to manage profiles, upload certifications, register for job assignments, and participate in twice-daily hiring calls. Supporting the core hiring platform, the union provides the Seafarers' Medical Plan (SMP) for health, dental, and vision benefits, the Seafarers' Pension Plan administered through Manulife for retirement savings, the quarterly Canadian Sailor newsletter for industry updates, membership application services, and a Royal Canadian Navy Veterans transition program. Additional services include collective bargaining representation, advocacy for Canadian cabotage protections, and training programs through the Seafarers' Training Institute. The union hall offices in Montreal (headquarters), Niagara, Quebec City, and Vancouver provide in-person support alongside the digital platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SIU2020 Virtual Hiring Hall Proprietary web-based virtual union hall and job dispatch platform for SIU Canada members, enabling profile management, document/certification upload, twice-daily online job bidding, and assignment reporting. Replaces traditional in-person union hall visits for many services.
• Seafarers' Medical Plan (SMP) Comprehensive health benefits program for SIU Canada members including drug coverage, vision care, and dental services. Administered from the Montreal office with dedicated forms for claims processing.
• Seafarers' Pension Plan (with Manulife) Retirement savings plan for SIU Canada members administered through Manulife, offering investment options, retirement income planning tools, and Manulife Mobile app access for account management.
• Collective Bargaining and Advocacy Services Union advocacy and representation services including collective bargaining for wages and working conditions, defense of collective bargaining rights, protection of Canadian cabotage laws, and opposition to foreign-flagged vessel operations in domestic shipping.
• Royal Canadian Navy Veterans Transition Program Program facilitating transition from Royal Canadian Navy service to civilian maritime careers by leveraging Transport Canada-recognized military certifications (STCW Basic Safety, survival craft, advanced firefighting, bridge watch rating, engine room ratings).
• Seafarers' Training Institute Programs Training programs designed to meet the future needs of the maritime industry, offering courses to boost and refine job skills of members and help them operate and maintain ship's equipment safely and professionally.
• Membership Application Services Online and downloadable application services for SIU Canada membership, membership books, replacement books, and probationary cards. Requires documentation including STCW Basic Safety, Transport Canada Marine Medical Examination, and Canadian citizenship or permanent residence.

Quantifiable outcome

• Vessels manned by SIU members have one of the best safety records in the world, resulting in lower insurance costs and reliability of operations for employers.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• Royal Canadian Navy / Transport CanadamajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Since 2023, Transport Canada has allowed Royal Canadian Navy regular force personnel to obtain credits toward commercial maritime certification under the Maritime Personnel Regulations. SIU Canada actively recruits Navy veterans for civilian seafaring careers, facilitating transitions through recognized certifications including STCW Basic Safety, survival craft, advanced firefighting, bridge watch rating, and engine room ratings.
• Seafarers' International Union of North America (SIUNA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSIU Canada is affiliated with SIUNA, which has served unlicensed seafarers since 1938. SIUNA is the parent organization that granted the Canadian charter, enabling SIU Canada to operate as a distinct Canadian union while maintaining international solidarity through the seafarers' movement.
• International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSIU Canada is affiliated with the ITF, a global union federation representing transport workers. SIU Canada President Chris Given serves as ITF Regional Chair for North America in the ITF Seafarers' Section, chairs the ITF Cabotage Task Force, and serves on multiple ITF committees including Maritime Safety, Fair Practices, and Inland Navigation. The union also has an ITF Inspector (Kyle Campbell) who ensures compliance with international maritime labor standards.
• Canadian Labour CongressmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSIU Canada is affiliated with the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC), Canada's largest labor federation. SIU Canada President Chris Given serves on the CLC Transportation Committee, Privatization Committee, and National Political Action Committee, enabling coordinated advocacy on transportation and labor policy.
• Transport CanadamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSIU Canada engages with Transport Canada on maritime policy, cabotage protections, and the Canada Shipping Act. The union submits formal consultations on proposals affecting seafarers and the domestic shipping industry, including recent submissions opposing flexibility for foreign vessels during 'emergencies.'
• Employment and Social Development Canada / Labour ProgrammajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSIU Canada submits consultations to the Labour Program on changes to the Canada Labour Code, particularly regarding collective bargaining rights, strike timelines, and the use of section 107 (government-forced binding arbitration). The union advocates for strengthening worker rights and opposing measures that strip Charter-protected strike rights.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF): ITF is a global union federation representing transport workers worldwide, of which SIU Canada is an affiliate. ITF operates at a broader, international scale across all transport modes, making it an incumbent peer in the seafarer-representation space.
• Unifor: Canada's largest private-sector union with some maritime-sector membership and a far broader industrial base. While not directly competing for unlicensed seafarers, Unifor overlaps with SIU Canada in Canadian labor federation politics and collective bargaining advocacy.
• Canadian Labour Congress (CLC): CLC is Canada's largest labor federation of which SIU Canada is an affiliate. While not a direct seafarer peer, CLC shares the collective-bargaining and labor-advocacy mission and serves as a coordination umbrella for SIU Canada's broader political action.

Direct peers

• Canadian Seafarers Union / SIU of North America Canadian District: A competing or affiliated Canadian seafarer union organization representing similar unlicensed maritime workers. Direct functional overlap in dispatch, collective bargaining, and member services in the Canadian maritime sector.
• Marine Engineers' Beneficial Association (MEBA): MEBA represents licensed marine engineers aboard U.S.-flag vessels, occupying the sister craft to SIU Canada's unlicensed seafarers. They share collective bargaining, dispatch systems, and maritime labor standards advocacy, making MEBA a structurally comparable peer.
• Seafarers' International Union of North America (SIUNA): SIUNA is the parent/affiliated union that granted SIU Canada its charter in 1961 and has represented unlicensed seafarers in the U.S. and Canada since 1938. It is the most directly comparable peer — same craft (unlicensed seafarers), same collective bargaining model, same dispatch-hall heritage.
• International Longshoremen's Association (ILA): ILA represents dockworkers and longshoremen in U.S. East Coast and Gulf ports, closely tied to maritime labor markets. It shares the maritime union model with SIU Canada and overlaps in the cabotage-policy advocacy space.

Regional players

• Nautilus International: Nautilus International represents seafarers, officers, and maritime professionals in the UK and Netherlands. It is a regional peer with a comparable union model — collective bargaining, welfare benefits, and ITF affiliation — but serves a different geography than SIU Canada.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCZvAsycjInLdHiIIOXUaHdw
• Facebookfacebook.com/SIUofCanada
• Instagraminstagram.com/SIU_Canada
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-seafarers-international-union-of-canada

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Seafarers International Union of Canada