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Fair Practices Committee

Menzies_Luke@itf.org.uk — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 08:16:31 +0000

Fair Practices Committee

Rotterdam, The Netherlands

Menzies_Luke@i… 17 Apr 2026

Wednesday 13 May

The Fair Practices Committee is a joint committee of ITF seafarers' and dockers' sections, which oversee the policy side of the ITF campaign against Flags of Convenience. The Committee will be meeting in Rotterdam on 13-14 May 2026.

Governments and employers must protect the lives and livelihoods of transport workers impacted by the war in the Middle East

barton_linda — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 07:18:47 +0000

Governments and employers must protect the lives and livelihoods of transport workers impacted by the war in the Middle East

Governments and employers must protect the lives and livelihoods of transport workers impacted by the war in the Middle East

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) Executive Board, speaking on behalf of 16.5 million transport workers worldwide, joins the global trade union movement in calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities and a return to peace in the Middle East.

We reiterate the demands made by the Council of Global Unions on 15 March 2026. The ongoing military escalation has already resulted in unacceptable civilian casualties, destruction of vital infrastructure, and heightened risks for workers across the region, including transport workers operating in ports, airports and at sea. This is taking place in a broader global context marked by the rise of the far right, whose aggressive and militaristic policies are fuelling division, undermining international cooperation and increasing the risk of conflict that working people ultimately pay the price for.

The ITF unequivocally affirms that peace, grounded in international law and multilateral cooperation, is the only sustainable path forward. We reiterate that all parties must comply fully with the United Nations Charter, including the prohibition on the use or threat of force. Any State or other party to armed conflict must unequivocally respect and ensure respect for international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure. The targeting or endangerment of workers, including transport workers, is unacceptable under any circumstances.

Transport workers are among the first to feel the impacts of conflict and geopolitical instability.

Civilian seafarers have been placed in unacceptable danger, particularly in the Strait of Hormuz, where the targeting of commercial vessels – including attacks that have killed and injured seafarers – is putting tens of thousands of seafarers at serious risk. While the announcement of a temporary ceasefire and safe passage through the Strait is welcome, it is not enough. It must be the starting point for permanent de-escalation and the permanent, unconditional reopening of the Strait.

Attacks on civilian airports and aviation facilities have also placed aviation workers at severe risk. Aviation workers – including pilots, cabin crew, ground staff and air traffic controllers – continue to operate under exceptional pressure, maintaining the continuity of services despite escalating threats to their safety. The crisis is also driving widespread disruption across global aviation, including airspace closures, flight diversions, and operational instability, increasing the burden on workers and heightening risks to their physical and psychological wellbeing.

At the same time, the war has led to significant disruptions in global supply chains and sharp increases in oil, gas and fuel costs. These developments are placing enormous pressure on transport systems and workers’ livelihoods worldwide. The crisis exposes how essential reliable, accessible public transport is for climate and social justice. As fuel costs rise and millions are struggling to afford daily travel, governments must be encouraging a shift to public transport to reduce congestion and fuel consumption. Additional gains can be achieved through car sharing and more efficient driving practices, as well as improved efficiency in freight and delivery operations. Underinvestment has weakened services or left entire communities without any services to rely on.

In line with the principles of the International Labour Organization (ILO), including the Decent Work Agenda and core conventions on occupational safety and health and social protection, the ITF calls on transport employers to take immediate and concrete measures to protect workers.

Employers, major brands and multinationals – through their human rights due diligence processes – must ensure the health and safety of all transport workers operating in or affected by conflict zones, including through risk assessments, adequate training and the provision of appropriate protective measures. They must also safeguard workers’ incomes, employment security and welfare, ensuring that no worker bears the economic burden of geopolitical crises beyond their control. This includes fair compensation, income protection mechanisms, and respect for collective bargaining agreements and social dialogue.

Governments have a critical responsibility to intervene decisively. The ITF calls on governments to adopt urgent economic measures to mitigate the impact of rising fuel costs and inflation on transport workers. This should include targeted subsidies, price stabilisation mechanisms where appropriate, and broader social protection measures in line with international law. Governments must also ensure that transport workers are not forced into unsafe conditions due to economic pressures and that labour rights, including freedom of association and collective bargaining, are fully respected.

Furthermore, the ITF urges governments to work through the United Nations and other multilateral institutions to prioritise diplomacy, de-escalation, and conflict resolution. The protection of workers, civilians, and essential services must be at the centre of all international efforts.

The ITF stands in solidarity with transport workers and their trade unions across the Middle East and globally. We reaffirm our commitment to peace, justice, and the protection of workers’ rights. Transport workers must not pay the price of war; not with their lives, their livelihoods, or their dignity.

The ITF Executive Board calls for:

A permanent ceasefire and de-escalation of the conflict, with all parties adhering to the UN Charter and international humanitarian law, and prioritising diplomacy through the United Nations.
Full protection of civilians, including transport workers, and safeguarding of critical civilian infrastructure and workplaces.
Transport employers to take urgent measures to protect the health and safety of workers, including risk mitigation, training, and appropriate protections in line with ILO Convention No. 155.
Transport employers to guarantee workers’ incomes, employment security and welfare, including through income protection, fair compensation, and respect for collective bargaining and social dialogue.
Governments to implement economic measures to address the impact of rising oil, gas, and fuel costs on transport workers, including subsidies, price stabilisation mechanisms, and support for transport systems.
Governments to strengthen social protection in line with relevant ILO Standards, ensuring that all transport workers have access to adequate income security and essential services.
Governments and international institutions to uphold labour rights, human rights and democratic freedoms, including freedom of association, across the region and around the world.

barton_linda 17 Apr 2026

Public transport workers move us all

Mark_D — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 16:02:05 +0000

Public transport workers move us all

On World Public Transport Day, the ITF and ETF celebrate the vital role of workers, trade unions and passengers.

In every country, all around the world, public transport is the beating heart that keeps our cities moving – whether it’s the workers who sustain public transport or the passengers who depend on it, billions of people rely on this most vital of public services.

World Public Transport Day, an annual celebration of the social, environmental, and economic benefits of public transport – organised by the International Association of Public Transport (UITP) – exists to recognise this truth: that public transport is vital for our cities, and for our hopes of realising climate and economic justice.

“On World Public Transport Day, we celebrate everyone – from public transport workers to trade unions and passengers – who is committed to a social model of public transport based on climate and economic justice,” said International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) Urban Transport Chair, Eric Campos.

“But we also call for the investment in operations and infrastructure that we need and the crucial role of trade unions in ensuring that we can achieve this.”

Workers have always been at the heart of achieving sustainable, safe, efficient and accessible public transport.

It is the drivers, conductors, maintenance workers, ticket sellers, station staff, office workers and cleaners who keep our cities moving every day.

It is these workers who take pride in providing a public service which gets passengers to their jobs, schools, shops, families and recreation activities. And it is these workers who protect the health and safety of passengers, who are there in emergencies when people need them, and who are always on hand to help the elderly, the disabled and the vulnerable to access the public transport services they depend on.

“Alongside the passengers who need public transport every day, there are millions of public transport workers, both directly employed and sub-contracted, who depend on their jobs for their livelihoods – the workers who provide this high quality service need and deserve high quality jobs,” said Dirk Schlömer Chair of the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) Urban Public Transport Committee.

“But to maintain public transport, we need investment. And there is no doubt that sustainable investment in expanding and improving public transport is an investment in our collective future.”

Without well trained public transport workers, the safety and efficiency of our public transport services is in jeopardy. That, in turn, threatens the realisation of economic and climate justice.

The ITF and the ETF are united in our demands for sustainable investment in public transport operations and infrastructure. It must include:

Plans to address staffing shortfalls and recruit women and young workers
Re-training for workers, including on the use of electric vehicles and other new technologies
Improving pay and conditions to recruit and retain a skilled workforce
Creating safe and gender-equal workplaces
Incorporating informal public transport services into integrated, formal systems which guarantee secure and decent jobs
Pushing for a modal shift that places mass public transport as the priority in urban transport systems to guarantee that everyone can have equal access to the city

In all of this, the role of trade unions must be paramount.

Trade unions give public transport workers a collective voice to defend and win their rights in their workplaces all around the world. Recognising and bargaining with trade unions, and involving them in decision-making from the outset, is critical to ensuring an understanding of and mutually beneficial collaboration with the public transport workforce. And by fighting for better working conditions, trade unions also play a critical role in employee retention for public transport companies

The ITF and the ETF deeply value their ongoing social dialogue relationship with UITP and its members to improve conditions for workers worldwide, and to ensure a just transition for the public transport workforce.

During Covid-19, UITP recognised public transport workers as the ‘Guardians of Mobility’ who kept essential services running despite the health risk to themselves. And now, just as during Covid-19, trade unions’ engagement with public transport authorities, companies and local and national governments everywhere must ensure that a social model of public transport keeps our cities moving, and that we move towards realising true economic and climate justice.

Mark_D 16 Apr 2026

Abuse at sea: report exposes labour exploitation in MSC-certified fisheries

Mark_D — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 09:00:06 +0000

Abuse at sea: report exposes labour exploitation in MSC-certified fisheries

ITF research reveals serious abuses of fishers’ labour rights on vessels operating in Marine Stewardship Council-certified fisheries, casting doubt on ‘responsible sourcing’ claims.

Labour abuses suffered by fishers working on vessels in fisheries certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) raise serious concerns about the credibility of the ‘responsible sourcing’ label, a new report from the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) reveals.

The report, Slipping Through the Net: Labour Abuses in MSC-Certified Fisheries, identifies 80 cases of labour abuse across 72 vessels linked to MSC-certified seafood between 2019 and 2025. These included 10 cases involving forced labour, human trafficking, and forced criminalisation, alongside a wide range of other abuses.

The findings reinforce long-standing concerns that MSC’s labour policies risk “fairwashing” seafood supply chains, creating an illusion of ethical production without the mechanisms needed to identify, prevent or remedy abuses suffered by fishers.

“Our research shows that serious labour abuses are occurring within fisheries that are able to sell their products under the MSC label – and that should concern anyone who believes MSC certification guarantees ‘responsible sourcing’,” said ITF Fisheries Section Coordinator, Chris Williams.

Due a general pattern of under-reporting of abuses on fishing vessels, the significant lack of vessel data available through the MSC and the report’s reliance on ITF data, the findings likely underestimate the scale of harm occurring within MSC supply chains.

The report finds that the MSC’s own requirements were often inconsistently adhered to and that limitations on publicly available data restrict transparency.

MSC states that it does not certify against labour standards, and that its ‘blue tick’ label makes no assurances or social claims – but at the same time, it identifies itself as a “collaborator” and “ally” in eliminating forced and child labour, and it has suggested its certification can reduce exposure to forced labour risks.

The label relies on self-declarations that participating ‘entities’ have not been convicted of forced labour – however, in practice, forced labour convictions are rare in global fisheries due to the high evidentiary threshold, and the time, financial and evidentiary burdens on fishers.

“It’s clear that there are systemic weaknesses in MSC’s data accessibility and transparency, and it must urgently improve this,” said Williams.

“But if companies are serious about ensuring that their products aren’t tainted by labour rights abuses, voluntary ecolabels offer no real guarantees – companies need binding agreements with trade unions.”

ENDS

Notes to Editor

The full report is available for download here.

About the ITF: The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) is a democratic, affiliate-led federation recognised as the world’s leading transport authority. We fight passionately to improve workers’ lives, connecting more than 730 affiliated trade unions from over 150 countries to secure rights, equality and justice for workers globally. We are the voice for more than 16.5 million transport workers across the world.

Media contact: Mark Dearn +44 7738 832 413 media@itf.org.uk

Mark_D 16 Apr 2026

Labour Abuses In MSC-Certified Fisheries

barton_linda — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 08:46:00 +0000

Labour Abuses In MSC-Certified Fisheries

Labour abuses in global fisheries are pervasive, yet oversight mechanisms intended to mitigate risk and guide responsible seafood sourcing often fail to detect exploitation at sea.

Experts have raised concerns that the Marine Stewardship Council’s (MSC) social policies and practices may obscure labour abuses in seafood supply chains by undermining enforcement efforts and reducing scrutiny.

This report identifies 80 cases of labour abuses onboard 72 vessels harvesting MSC-certified seafood products by cross-referencing data on known cases of labour abuse from the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) between 2019 and 2025 with publicly available vessel information from the MSC. Findings highlight systemic weaknesses in MSC’s data accessibility and transparency, and overall accountability.

barton_linda 16 Apr 2026

Global Unions Call for a Permanent and Sustainable Ceasefire in the Middle East

barton_linda — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 13:13:56 +0000

Global Unions Call for a Permanent and Sustainable Ceasefire in the Middle East

The undersigned Global Unions (CGU) call for a permanent and sustainable ceasefire across the Middle East and an immediate end to the relentless cycle of war and militarism that continues to exact a devastating toll on civilians, workers, and entire communities.

We lament that the recent negotiations in Islamabad during the two‑week ceasefire between the United States of America, Israel and Iran ended without a viable peace deal. This ceasefire must be made permanent, must lead to full de‑escalation, and must explicitly include Lebanon, where ongoing Israeli military assaults against Iran supported Hezbollah, have already produced a catastrophic humanitarian crisis also affecting the lives and livelihoods of ordinary Lebanese citizens. Lebanon continues to bear a heavy human and social cost of the conflict. Civilians face ongoing attacks, displacement, and the destruction of critical infrastructure, including schools and hospitals. Lebanon must not be treated as a secondary theatre of war; any serious path to peace must include an end to the attacks devastating the country and its citizens.

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has triggered severe humanitarian and economic shocks across the region, disrupting oil, gas and fertiliser exports and supply chains, exacerbating already strained food security, as the conflict spills into neighbouring countries and pushes already fragile economies into further fiscal crisis with severe consequences for people’s livelihoods and access to basic needs. This is putting thousands of jobs at risk, leaving workers exposed to sudden income loss and being left without protections.

Unfortunately, one of the defining features of this war is the targeting of energy, oil, gas and petrochemical facilities in a region that relies heavily on these industries for its economy. Workers in these sectors are being killed or injured while carrying out their duties at their workplaces while the commodities themselves are used as leverage on both sides of the conflict.

While global attention focuses on rising oil prices, civilian seafarers have been killed and injured, and vessels remain under threat of being targeted. More than 20,000 seafarers remain trapped in the Strait of Hormuz, living in constant fear and uncertainty – innocent civilian workers who are effectively on the front line, their lives on the line every day.

With over 30 million migrant workers across the region, many are among the hardest hit, sustaining key sectors while facing heightened risks to their safety, job loss, unpaid wages, and barriers to evacuation. Their safety, rights, and access to wages must be guaranteed without delay.

Workers, civilians, and public institutions must never be targets of military operations. The killing and injuring of workers across all sectors, including those in education, healthcare, journalism and media, transport and other essential services, as well as the destruction of protected spaces such as schools and hospitals, are profound violations of international law and an assault on human dignity. Such acts are intolerable and must be unequivocally condemned.

The global trade union movement rejects the logic of war and militarisation. Military force does not bring security - it entrenches violence, fuels instability, deepens injustice, and undermines the foundations of peace, democracy, human rights and multilateral cooperation. Diplomacy, not bombs; dialogue, not destruction, remain the only legitimate path to lasting peace.

As unions representing over 200 million workers across sectors and continents, we call on the international community to:

Reject war, respect international law and condemn the use of military force by all parties;
Transform the current ceasefire into a permanent and sustainable end to the hostilities, including full de‑escalation;
Protect civilians and safeguard essential services and infrastructure, ensuring access to healthcare, education, transport, workplaces, water, and food, in full compliance with international law;
Ensure the protection of migrant workers, seafarers, refugees, and all workers in precarious situations, including safe evacuation where necessary, as well as access to wages, healthcare, shelter, and communication;
Uphold human and labour rights, guarantee accountability for violations of international humanitarian and human rights law, and protect freedom of association, trade union activity, and democratic civic space during conflict and crisis.

We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to a world in which conflicts are resolved through diplomacy rather than violence, where multilateralism is strengthened, and where all people have the right to live and work in safety, dignity, democracy, and peace. War is a political choice. But peace is the only answer.

Signatories:

David Edwards, General Secretary, Education International

Atle Høie, General Secretary, IndustriALL Global Union

Luc Triangle, General Secretary, International Trade Union Confederation

Christy Hoffman, General Secretary, UNI Global Union

Steve Cotton, General Secretary, International Transport Workers’ Federation

Ambet Yuson, General Secretary, Building and Wood Workers International

Adriana Paz Ramírez, General Secretary, International Domestic Workers Federation

Daniel Bertossa, General Secretary, Public Services International

Kristjan Bragason, General Secretary, International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers’ Associations

Veronica Nilsson, General Secretary, Trade Union Advisory Committee to the OECD

Anthony Bellanger, General Secretary, International Federation of Journalists

barton_linda 13 Apr 2026

Labour’s Position on the 2026 International Migration Review Forum Progress Declaration

barton_linda — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 07:45:55 +0000

Labour’s Position on the 2026 International Migration Review Forum Progress Declaration

The global labour movement,¹ approaches the 2026 International Migration Review Forum (IMRF) at a critical juncture for workers worldwide. We are navigating a period defined by deepening economic inequality, climate-driven displacement, geopolitical fragmentation, and a sustained global assault on democracy, multilateralism, and fundamental trade union rights.

Across regions, migration is increasingly shaped by forces and dynamics beyond workers’ control - armed conflicts, war, and instability, alongside climate breakdown and economic exclusion. For many, migration is not a free choice but a necessity for survival.

In this volatile context, migration governance cannot be treated merely as an exercise in border management, nor can it be reduced to a transactional system of “skills mobility” designed solely to fill labour shortages. Migration is fundamentally a matter of labour rights, human dignity, and global equity. Migrant workers sustain economies and essential sectors across borders, yet in times of crises, they are often the first to lose protection, income and security. The reality is that the global economy relies heavily on the toil and sweat of migrant workers, yet these same workers are routinely excluded from the protections of national labour laws, pushed into the informal economy, and subjected to highly exploitative working conditions and deceitful recruitment and sponsorship systems. They build and sustain economies, yet remain structurally excluded.

To address these systemic failures, the global labour movement has consistently fought for social, economic and environmental justice – a framework that guarantees climate-friendly jobs, rights for all workers, universal social protection, equality, and inclusion. Coherent, rights-based migration governance is an essential pillar of this vision. When migrant workers are denied fundamental rights or structurally silenced by precarious visa regimes, it does not just harm the migrant workers and their familes; it degrades the democratic fabric of our societies, undermines collective bargaining, and puts downward pressure on working conditions for everyone. For the labour movement, defending migrant workers is inseparable from the broader fight for democracy and shared prosperity. True workplace democracy requires that every worker, regardless of their passport or visa status, has the power to organize, speak up, and demand their fair share of the wealth they create.

Assessing the 2026 Zero Draft

While the inaugural 2022 Progress Declaration made important strides by anchoring migration governance in decent work and fair recruitment, the 2026 Zero Draft presents a deeply concerning landscape. We acknowledge and welcome the areas of progress—particularly the expanded focus on integrating migrants into national social protection systems and the stronger language condemning recruitment fees and debt bondage.

However, we are profoundly alarmed by the structural regressions present in the draft. The text exhibits a dangerous shift in framing, moving away from a rights-based approach toward technocratic “labour market governance.” By diluting explicit references to the International Labour Organization (ILO) core conventions, removing robust calls for labour inspection, and largely omitting the enabling rights of freedom of association and collective bargaining, the current draft risks treating migrant workers as disposable commodities rather than human beings and rights-holders.

We remind Member States that international labor standard protections apply to ALL workers regardless of their immigration or other status. The 2026 Progress Declaration must not regress. It must deliver on the promise of the Global Compact for Migration (GCM) by cementing international labour standards as the non- negotiable foundation of all migration policies. To that end, we present the following urgent demands.

Demand 1 – Collective Worker Voice and Participation

Right to Freedom of Association: We remain alarmed that the 2026 Zero Draft largely omits freedom of association and the right to organise and collectively bargain (ILO Conventions 87 and 98). These are fundamental enabling rights that shift power dynamics, allowing workers - importantly also migrant workers - to protect their interests, negotiate fair wages, and defend themselves against exploitation through collective action.
Meaningful Social Dialogue: Migration policies and programmes designed without trade unions will inevitably fail workers. States must heed the call to engage in authentic, institutionalised social dialogue with trade unions, migrant-workers-led organisations and independent workers’ organisations at the local, national, and multilateral levels to develop safe and fair migration frameworks, including rights-based pathways.
Worker-informed BLAs: The participation of unions and worker-led organisations in the design and negotiation of Bilateral Labour Agreements (BLAs) is crucial. Currently, the exclusive involvement of governments, employers and industry lobbies creates a deep imbalance, resulting in the exclusion of worker voices and a lack of a rights-based approach.
Tripartite Mechanisms: The Declaration must reaffirm the unique and critical importance of the ILO’s tripartite structure (bringing together governments, employers’, and workers’ organisations) as the necessary and only legitimate foundation for building fair global labor migration governance.

Demand 2 – Commitment to Decent Work, International Labour Standards and Human Rights

Restore Normative Anchors: The 2026 Zero Draft dangerously dilutes explicit references to international labour standards. We call for the final Declaration to explicitly centre ILO core conventions and the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work as the absolute bedrock of migration policy.
Strengthen Inspection and Enforcement: We note a clear regression in the 2026 draft regarding labour inspection capacities. Rights on paper are meaningless without enforcement. States must recommit to robust, fully funded labour inspection mechanisms to monitor workplace conditions—including in the informal economy and domestic work sector —and establish firewall protections so migrants can report abuse without fear of detention and deportation.
Climate and Social Justice for All: Migration must be a choice, not an act of desperate survival. We call for investment in quality, equitable public services – including inclusive and adequately funded public education as a pillar of social justice - economic diversification that broadens access to decent work, and jointly- developed green industrial and just transition policies that build resilience for workers and their communities in origin countries. This is essential to ensure that all people can live, thrive and work with dignity, without being pushed into migration by intersecting climate and social injustice.
The Right to Stay: States should commit to sustainable development goals that include the creation of decent work and living wages in origin communities/countries so that workers, their families and communities have a right to stay and are not pushed to migrate due to economic coercion or lack of viable options at home.

Demand 3 – Non-Discrimination and Universal Social Protection

Equality of Treatment: We acknowledge the 2026 draft’s recognition of the acute vulnerability of workers in the informal, domestic, and care sectors, where many women, racialized and youth migrant workers are concentrated in low-wage work. States must translate this recognition into policy by enforcing pay equity and by ensuring these workers have equal legal protection, minimum wage guarantees, and occupational health and safety standards.
Social Protection Portability: We welcome the 2026 draft’s expanded focus on social protection inclusion. However, it is crucial that this inclusion ensures that all migrant workers, regardless of their migration status or the sector in which they work, are included in the scope of social protection portability. States must urgently operationalize the portability of benefits (including pensions and healthcare) through bilateral and multilateral agreements, strictly aligned with ILO Convention No. 102.
Portable Justice: The Declaration must go further in calling for robust “portable justice” mechanisms for effective access to justice. Migrant workers must be able to pursue grievances, access legal representation, and obtain remedies in countries of origin, transit, destination and even after they have returned to their origin country for wage theft, workplace violations as well as any kind of violence and harassment suffered along their migration journey. As noted by the ILO, wage theft is the number one indicator of forced labor, and migrant workers are three times more likely to be in forced labor than other workers.

Demand 4 – Rights-Based Pathways and Regularisation

Priority for Regularisation: A sustainable migration system cannot rely on keeping millions of people in undocumented, hyper-exploitable limbo. Implementation of the GCM must prioritise broad, accessible regularisation schemes, family unification, and humanitarian resettlement over the expansion of restrictive, employer-tied temporary or circular work programmes that structurally breed abuse. It should also guarantee that migrants and their families can safely access education and essential public services without fear of being deported, upholding these as safe, trusted spaces free from immigration enforcement.
Humanitarian Pathways: As the climate emergency accelerates, we demand expanded regular pathways for climate-displaced persons. These pathways must guarantee full worker rights, social cohesion, and clear options for permanent residence and civic participation. And states must re-commit to humanitarian pathways for those displaced by conflict, war and other forms of violence, which are increasingly driving migration globally, while ensuring equality of opportunities and outcomes for migrant women and men, unequally impacted by crisis, and that these workers and their families are not excluded from quality public services, labour rights and protections while sustaining economies in destination countries. Temporary labour migration schemes are not a viable solution to long-term displacement.

Demand 5 – Just Models for Labour Migration and Fair Recruitment

Beyond Skills Recognition: The 2026 focus on “skills recognition” must not overshadow worker rights and agency. Pathways must end the commodification of migrant labour. We reject models that treat migrants purely as economic inputs; regular pathways must allow for job mobility and full freedom of association. And the progress declaration must recognize that ALL work has dignity - regardless of whether in the informal or formal economy; whether low wage or higher paid - and skill.
Binding Fair Recruitment Regulation: While we welcome the 2026 draft’s stronger language on ending recruitment fees and debt bondage, voluntary guidelines have proven insufficient. This commitment must be backed by binding, cross-border regulations on the recruitment industry, strictly guided by the ILO’s General Principles and Operational Guidelines on Fair Recruitment and Definition of Recruitment Fees and a zero tolerance policy on fees charged to workers.
ILO Leadership: As the only UN agency with a rights-based, constitutional mandate to protect workers and establish labour standards, the ILO must lead on the governance of labour migration within the UN Network on Migration and any other UN agency addressing issues of labour migration.

Signatories:

David Edwards
General Secretary, Education International

Christy Hoffman
General Secretary, UNI Global Union

Ambet Yuson
General Secretary, Building and Wood Workers International

Daniel Bertossa
General Secretary, Public Services International

Benoît Machuel
General Secretary, International Arts and Entertainment Alliance

Atle Høie
General Secretary, IndustriALL Global Union

Steve Cotton
General Secretary, International Transport Workers’ Federation

Adriana Paz Ramírez
General Secretary, International Domestic Workers Federation

Kristjan Bragason General Secretary,
International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers’ Associations

Anthony Bellanger
General Secretary, International Federation of Journalists

^{1 Represented by the ten Global Union Federations: Education International (EI), IndustriALL Global Union, UNI Global Union, International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), Building and Wood Workers International (BWI), International Domestic Workers Federation (IDWF), Public Services International (PSI), International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers’ Associations (IUF), International Arts and Entertainment Alliance (IAEA), International Federation of Journalists (IFJ).}

barton_linda 09 Apr 2026

Trade Union Rights in Nepal Must Not Be Violated

barton_linda — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 11:12:58 +0000

Trade Union Rights in Nepal Must Not Be Violated

We, the undersigned Global Union Federations (GUFs) representing workers across the Asia Pacific region, issue this joint statement with the gravest concern following the announcement by the newly formed Government of Nepal of its intention to ban selected trade unions — in particular those representing workers who deliver public services. We call on the Government to immediately and unconditionally withdraw this proposal.

A Violation of International Law and Nepal’s Own Constitution

Nepal has ratified ILO Convention No. 98 (Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining) which, together with the 1998 ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, guarantee all workers — including workers who deliver public services — the right to form and join organisations of their own choosing, free from government interference. All member states of the ILO are bound by the core conventions. The proposed ban is a clear and direct breach of these obligations. This proposal also violates Nepal’s own Constitution. Articles 34 and 35 of the Constitution of Nepal (2015) explicitly guarantee the right to form trade unions and engage in collective bargaining. Any executive or legislative action to ban trade unions would be constitutionally unlawful.

Workers Decide — Not Governments

The democratic right to form, join, or affiliate with a trade union belongs exclusively to workers — it is not the prerogative of any government. Public services workers perform essential services for society, including delivering vital public health services, water and sanitation, energy supply, local government services, public works, welfare delivery amongst others. These workers hold the same fundamental rights as workers doing any other job. To single them out for the denial of those rights amounts to authoritarianism, and without any lawful basis under international or domestic law. Trade unions are not adversaries of the state; they are an indispensable pillar of democratic governance.

Severe Damage to Nepal’s International Standing

Should this proposal proceed, the consequences will be serious. Nepal would face:

Scrutiny by the ILO’s Committee on Freedom of Association and Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations.
Jeopardy to preferential trade arrangements from countries requiring adherence to core ILO labour standards (like the EU)
Condemnation through UN human rights mechanisms, including the Universal Periodic Review.

We call upon the Government of Nepal to:

Immediately and unconditionally withdraw the proposal to ban trade unions.
Uphold Articles 34 and 35 of the Constitution of Nepal, guaranteeing the right to organise for all workers.
Reaffirm its obligations under ILO Core Conventions and the 1998 ILO Declaration.
Immediately implement the ILO Committee on the Application of Standards 2025 Recommendations¹
Engage in genuine social dialogue with trade unions on any proposed reforms to labour relations.

We stand in full solidarity with the workers and trade unions of Nepal and will take all necessary steps at the international level in defence of their fundamental rights.

Responding to the joint statement and the alarming developments in Nepal, ITF Asia Pacific Regional Secretary Scott McDine said:

“The international community is watching closely. The Government of Nepal’s move to ban trade unions will tarnishes its standing nationally and internationally and represents a direct attack on the democratic voice of the people in Nepal. Trade unions are not a threat to society; they are a cornerstone of it. To move against them will trigger serious negative repercussions."

^{1. 2025 ILO Report of the Committee on the Application of Standards}

barton_linda 08 Apr 2026

ITF welcomes Strait of Hormuz temporary ceasefire but demands permanent protection for seafarers

Menzies_Luke@itf.org.uk — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 10:23:49 +0000

ITF welcomes Strait of Hormuz temporary ceasefire but demands permanent protection for seafarers

The International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) welcomes the announcement of a ceasefire in the Middle East and the agreement to allow safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz over the coming two weeks.

"For the hundreds of seafarers of all nationalities caught in the middle of this crisis, this announcement will bring real and immediate relief, that must now be translated into safe, orderly and guaranteed transit through the Strait. That has to be the priority,” said Stephen Cotton, ITF General Secretary. "Civilian seafarers should never have been exposed to the risks of warfare, nor should commercial vessels ever be considered targets.”

However, a temporary ceasefire is not enough, it must be the start of a permanent de-escalation.

"We call on all parties to make this ceasefire permanent and to uphold their responsibilities under international law to protect civilian shipping and the seafarers who keep it moving."

To guarantee the safety of seafarers and the integrity of global supply chains, the ITF calls for:

An absolute commitment from all parties that civilian vessels will not be targeted.
A coordinated management of vessel movements through the Strait with phased transits to ensure safe and orderly transit.

"The ITF will continue to work closely with shipowners, industry partners and governments in the Gulf, alongside key labour-supplying nations, to ensure seafarers’ concerns and needs are heard - and their safety, dignity and basic needs are delivered. We will prioritise working with our industry partners to ensure that seafarers who have been stranded in the Gulf are repatriated and reunited with their loved ones without delay,” said Cotton.

For more information, contact: media@itf.org.uk

Photo credit: REUTERS

Menzies_Luke@i… 08 Apr 2026

Transport unions push for justice and equality at UN CSW70

barton_linda — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 08:21:51 +0000

Transport unions push for justice and equality at UN CSW70

The 70th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) brought governments, unions and civil society together in New York from 9-19 March 2026, at a critical moment for women’s rights.

This year’s priority theme – ensuring access to justice for all women and girls – comes amid growing global attacks on equality, alongside rapid changes in the world of work driven by the climate crisis, new technologies and economic instability. For women transport workers, these pressures are deepening inequalities.

Women trade unionists once again formed part of the Global Unions delegation, coordinated by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC). The ITF delegation included Meryem Halouani, Chair of the ITF Women Transport Workers’ Committee; Jessica Isbister, Dockers’ Section Women’s Representative; Céline Ruffie, ITF Executive Board member, and Claire Clarke from the ITF Women’s Department.

Justice at work is central The Global Unions’ joint statement to CSW70, Access to justice for women in the world of work, makes clear how access to justice for women sustains peace and democracy, is a direct means of implementing women’s labour rights, and that economic justice for women starts with decent work.

The Agreed Conclusions adopted at CSW70 include several commitments in line with trade union priorities – for example, commitments on labour rights, the care economy, and gender-responsive justice systems, and recognition of trade unions as key actors in promoting access to justice. The text also recognises multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination, as well as structural and systemic barriers, as major impediments to gender equality.

However, negotiations exposed ongoing resistance. Several provisions were weakened by references to implementation being “subject to national law,” particularly on girls’ rights. Access to justice related to sexual and reproductive health and rights remained highly contentious. The Conclusions were adopted by vote for the first time, with the United States opposing and tabling a separate resolution that was not adopted questioning the very concept of ‘gender equality’.

ITF voices at CSW70

ITF representatives played an active role throughout the session. At a civil society Townhall with the UN Secretary-General, ITF Executive Board and Women’s Committee

member Céline Ruffie called for stronger commitments to include young women leaders in decision-making.

At a Global Unions parallel event on “Reimagining Justice: Decent Work for Women,” Jessica Isbister highlighted the ITF’s work on supply chains: “When women workers organise, when unions expose abuses, and when global supply chains are held responsible for their workers, we can move closer to a world where decent work and justice is truly available to all women.”

Meryem Halouani, Chair of the ITF Women Transport Workers’ Committee, said:

For women transport workers, access to justice means being safe at work, being heard, and having the power to claim our rights. Through our unions, we are organising to break down the barriers that still deny women equality and dignity.”

Driving change through solidarity

Despite political tensions, CSW70 reaffirmed the essential role of trade unions in advancing women’s rights. For the ITF and its affiliates, the focus now is clear: turning commitments into action through organising, solidarity and continued pressure for change.

barton_linda 07 Apr 2026

ICS and ITF engage Gulf States on seafarer and shipping crisis in the Gulf

Menzies_Luke@itf.org.uk — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 06:36:52 +0000

ICS and ITF engage Gulf States on seafarer and shipping crisis in the Gulf

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) and the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) have met representatives from Gulf States to address the ongoing conflict and its direct impact on seafarers and shipping in the Gulf.

The meeting comes four weeks into the deadly conflict in which seafarers have been killed, ships have come under attack, and an estimated 20,000 seafarers remain stranded in conditions of fear and uncertainty, on ships unable to transit the Strait of Hormuz.

Discussions focused on urgent practical, joint initiatives aimed at supporting ships and crews currently impacted. These include:

Introducing, as required, a reporting mechanism, via the International Maritime Organization (IMO), for ships to highlight their most immediate concerns for resupply so this can be communicated to Gulf State partners.
Recognition of seafarers as key workers in accordance with the national law and the need to prioritise their replacement onboard ships, where necessary and in accordance with the relevant international standards, to ensure that vessels in the affected region remain sufficiently manned and operational.
Being able to quickly and safely disembark seafarers from vessels for medical reasons, as necessary.

These initiatives are intended to support both operational continuity for shipping and the immediate safety, protection and wellbeing of seafarers caught in the conflict zone.

Thomas A. Kazakos, Secretary General of the International Chamber of Shipping, said: “Discussions with our partners in the Gulf States at this meeting were constructive and timely. Their support is essential to addressing the challenges facing seafarers and ships in the region and I was encouraged by their commitment to work with us to introduce solutions as required.

“Together, we have identified a series of practical and achievable steps, and we are committed to working in close partnership to safeguard seafarer welfare and maintain the flow of global trade.”

Stephen Cotton, General Secretary of the International Transport Workers’ Federation, said: “Seafarers are on the frontline of this conflict, and right now too many are facing extremely difficult conditions.

It is essential that they have access to food, clean water, fuel and medical care. These are not optional; they are fundamental rights.

“At the same time, no seafarer should be expected to remain in a conflict zone against their will. Those who want to go home must be able to do so safely and without delay, with arrangements in place to ensure safe crew changes and the continued operation of vessels.

“The ITF is working closely with shipowners and our industry partners, to support seafarers through this crisis. We are making sure their voices are heard and are bringing their demands directly to governments and industry to secure practical solutions that protect seafarers and the industry.”

During the meeting the representatives of the Gulf States to the IMO highlighted several issues. Including that their respective governments have already begun and will continue to do everything in their capacity to support seafarers, emphasising the importance of concerted efforts to ensure that neither seafarers nor passengers onboard ships feel abandoned.

They also highlighted that the current phase is different from the initial stages, and as such requires different measures. They also confirmed that logistical support will be implemented across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) States for ships that are unable to leave the Gulf region, and that crew changes will not face difficulties.

In cases where crew contracts or medical certificates expire, it was indicated that the GCC States may resort to exceptional measures like those taken during the Covid-19 pandemic to facilitate seafarers’ situation.

Moreover, they stressed the need to work closely with the IMO and its Secretary-General, under the auspices of the resolutions of its Extraordinary Session (36), to ensure the establishment of a safe maritime corridor for the evacuation of ships, guarantee the safety of seafarers, and resume navigation in the Strait.

For more information, contact: media@itf.org.uk

Notes to editors
IMO representatives from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain and Qatar attending the meeting with ICS Secretary General Thomas A. Kazakos and ITF Secretary General Stephen Cotton.

About ICS
The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) is the principal global trade association for merchant shipowners and operators, representing all sectors and trades and over 80% of the world’s merchant fleet – www.ics-shipping.org

About the ITF
The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) is a democratic, affiliate-led federation recognised as the world’s leading transport authority. We fight passionately to improve workers’ lives, connecting more than 730 affiliated trade unions from over 150 countries to secure rights, equality and justice for workers globally. We are the voice for more than 16.5 million transport workers across the world.

Photo credit: REUTERS

Menzies_Luke@i… 31 Mar 2026

Care before Profit

barton_linda — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 15:08:20 +0000

Care before Profit barton_linda 30 Mar 2026

Impact stories

As recently as 2023, 748 million people aged 15 and above were outside the labour force due to care responsibilities across the globe. A shocking yet unsurprising 708 million of these workers are women.

¹With women making up less than 25% of the global transport workforce, ²factoring in caring responsibilities is vital in ensuring decent jobs for women workers and unlocking their crucial participation in the transport workforce.

On International Women’s Day 2026 the ITF highlighted the role of our affiliate unions in bringing the issues of care work to the bargaining table.

Throughout 2024 and 2025, ITF Women Representatives in Africa worked with the Kenya Hotels and Allied Workers’ Union (KHAWU) and the Kenya National Coordinating Committee (NCC) to successfully negotiate and sign a series of collective bargaining agreements supporting gender equality with key tourism companies, including Atua Engop Africa Ltd, Mahali Mzuri Management Ltd, Basecamp Explorer Ltd. These agreements cover women working as hotel workers and drivers in hotels and resorts in key hotspots for Kenya’s tourism industry, from the beaches of Mombasa to the safari camps of the Masai Mara.

Key wins included extended provisions for maternity leave, stillbirth leave, and protected pumping and breastfeeding time during working hours. In Basecamp Explorer worksites alone, maternity leave has increased from 3 to 4 months, substantially increasing the time women are able to spend with their babies after birth. As new CBA negotiations get underway from 2026, there is an opportunity to build on these wins and further centre the role of women hotel workers and drivers across the country’s tourism industry.

Morrine Mangoja Women's Representative, KHAWU stated:

Women have told us how vital these rights are to ensuring a level playing ground for women and mothers in ensuring participation in the workforce and equality throughout the transport and tourism sector.

_{1. ILO Brief The impact of care responsibilities on women’s labour force participation}

_{2. survey of women transport workers by the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF)}

Tourism

ITF statement on Air Canada Express Flight 8646 collision at LaGuardia Airport

Menzies_Luke@itf.org.uk — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 21:45:49 +0000

ITF statement on Air Canada Express Flight 8646 collision at LaGuardia Airport

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) expresses its deepest condolences following the tragic collision involving an Air Canada Express aircraft at LaGuardia Airport in New York.

We mourn the loss of the two pilots who were killed in the incident workers who have dedicated their lives to the safe transport of passengers, and their deaths are a profound loss to our global aviation community. Our thoughts are with their families, friends, and colleagues during this incredibly difficult time.

We also extend our solidarity to all those injured in the collision, including passengers, crew members, and emergency responders.

This collision underlines the high-risk environment aviation workers operate in every day and the critical importance of robust safety systems and coordination on the ground.

The ITF calls for a full, transparent investigation to ensure that the causes are identified and that lessons are acted on without delay. We strongly caution any speculation before the investigation is concluded. There can be no compromise on safety.

Transport workers keep the world moving. They must be able to do so safely.

The ITF stands with our affiliates and all those affected by this tragedy.

Menzies_Luke@i… 23 Mar 2026

NORTH AMERICA

ITF files complaint against Slovenia over sham union scandal exposing employer interference in seafarers’ rights

barton_linda — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 09:07:37 +0000

ITF files complaint against Slovenia over sham union scandal exposing employer interference in seafarers’ rights

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) filed a formal complaint against the Government of the Republic of Slovenia to the International Labour Organization (ILO) today, exposing its failure to protect seafarers from employer interference in trade union activity.

The complaint to the ILO Committee on Freedom of Association (CFA) details how the International Seafarers’ Union (ISU), operating in close connection with a private company, Lanibra, is undermining fundamental trade union rights, in breach of international law.

The submission sets out evidence that the ISU is not an independent workers’ organisation and calls on the Government of the Republic of Slovenia to take urgent action. It explains that ISU is controlled by individuals acting on behalf of unscrupulous shipowners in order to undermine established seafarers’ labour rights.

A sham union built to serve employers

The ITF’s complaint shows that:

The ISU and Lanibra were founded and operated by the same individuals, with overlapping leadership and functions.
Lanibra markets itself to shipowners as a consultancy that can deliver “tailor-made” agreements through ISU – agreements designed to meet company requirements, not workers’ interests.
Lanibra acts as an agent for employers while the ISU claims to represent seafarers – amounting to clear employer influence in a union, strictly prohibited by international law under Article 2 of ILO Convention 98L

ITF Seafarers’ Section Chair, David Heindel, said: “It is plain to see that this sham union is breaking established international law on what trade unions are meant to be – this cannot be allowed to go on. This sham operation has already hit the pay and conditions of seafarers, to the benefit of the unscrupulous shipping companies it works with and the ISU-Lanibra leadership,”

Failure of accountability

The ITF argues that Slovenia has failed to uphold its obligations under ILO Convention 98 and the principles concerning freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining, which guarantee workers’ organisations protection from employer interference.

Despite repeated warnings from the ITF and concerns raised by ILO supervisory bodies, Slovenian authorities have so far failed to act.

“The continuing existence of ISU-Lanibra is a direct attack on freedom of association and the right to genuine collective bargaining, for which seafarers are paying the price,” said ITF President Paddy Crumlin.

The Government of the Republic of Slovenia has no excuses not to act – it must immediately shut down this fake trade union operation, or else it places its entire credibility on trade union rights at risk.”

What the ITF is calling for

The ITF is urging the CFA to:

Find that Slovenia is in breach of Convention 98
Call for Slovenia to strip the ISU of its domestic registration
Require urgent legislative reform to prevent future employer interference in Slovenian unions

ENDS

Notes to Editor

About the ITF

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) is a democratic, affiliate-led federation recognised as the world’s leading transport authority. We fight passionately to improve workers’ lives, connecting more than 730 affiliated trade unions from over 150 countries to secure rights, equality and justice for workers globally. We are the voice for more than 16.5 million transport workers across the world.

About the Committee on Freedom of Association (CFA)
The CFA is a special procedure of the International Labour Organization that examines complaints from workers’ and employers’ organisations concerning violations of freedom of association, regardless of whether the country has ratified the relevant conventions. It is a tripartite body set up in 1951 by the Governing Body of the ILO.

About the complaints process
Once a case is received, the CFA assesses evidence, requests information from governments, and issues recommendations. Its findings carry significant international authority and can trigger legislative and policy reforms.

For more information, visit: ISU Exposed

barton_linda 20 Mar 2026

ISU

Governments must act now to protect seafarers

Menzies_Luke@itf.org.uk — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 18:02:32 +0000

Governments must act now to protect seafarers

ITF demands immediate action after emergency meeting at International Maritime Organization

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) is calling on governments to take immediate, concrete and concerted action to protect seafarers, following the 36th extraordinary session of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council held in London today.

Speaking after the meeting, ITF General Secretary Stephen Cotton said: “The world has recognised the grave danger facing seafarers trapped near the Strait of Hormuz – now governments must act.

“For the thousands of seafarers still trapped in this region, facing daily threats to their lives, words are not enough. What matters now is urgent, practical action that safeguards their safety, health and dignity.”

The extraordinary session was convened to address the escalating crisis in Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, the Arabian Sea, and particularly the Strait of Hormuz, where seafarers continue to face attacks on vessels, serious risks to safe navigation, and worrying shortages of essential supplies.

Lydia Ferrad, ITF Permanent Representative to the IMO, warned in her intervention to the IMO Council that the situation remains perilous for crews in the area: “This is not an abstract geopolitical crisis – it is a human crisis at sea. Seafarers have been killed. Others have been injured. Thousands remain stranded onboard vessels in conditions of fear, fatigue and uncertainty. We are receiving daily distress calls from crews who do not know if they will make it home.”

The ITF highlighted the reality facing seafarers in the region, including direct threats to life from attacks on ships, disruption to navigation systems, limited access to food, water, fuel and medical care, and severe restrictions on crew change and repatriation.

“Seafarers are civilian workers. They are not parties to this conflict — and they must never be treated as expendable,” said Ferrad.

The ITF stressed that the commitments, demands and calls made during the IMO session must now be translated into concrete action that safeguards seafarers’ lives, health and wellbeing.

While recognising the outcomes of the meeting, Cotton underlined that seafarers urgently need protection.

“We welcome the commitment from Gulf states to ensure the provision of essential supplies to vessels in the region, as well as their efforts to facilitate crew change and repatriation for seafarers.

“But let’s be absolutely clear: the focus of all governments must be the protection of innocent, civilian seafarers. As we said during the meeting, all flag states must immediately issue clear and unambiguous notices to shipowners and operators to avoid sailing to, or transiting through, the war zone. No seafarer should be placed in a position where they are expected to navigate through active conflict.”

The IMO Council encouraged the establishment of a ‘maritime corridor’ to facilitate the safe evacuation of seafarers and vessels from the Gulf region as an urgent measure. The IMO Secretary-General will now work with relevant parties to initiate this.

“The ITF supports the development of safe evacuation maritime corridors if they are guaranteed to be genuinely safe in practice, not just in principle,” said Cotton.

Seafarers must not be asked to face further risks to their lives.”

Media contact: media@itf.org.uk

Photo: REUTERS

Menzies_Luke@i… 19 Mar 2026

ITF: Stop attacks on civilian airports, protect civil aviation workers

barton_linda — Mon, 16 Mar 2026 15:53:10 +0000

ITF: Stop attacks on civilian airports, protect civil aviation workers

The ITF demands an immediate end to attacks targeting civilian aviation infrastructure and personnel and full respect for international law.

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) is warning that the lives of more civil aviation workers may be lost unless attacks against airports in the Gulf states and Middle East are brought to an immediate end. Strikes on civilian aviation infrastructure constitute a serious breach of international law and have already injured civilian aviation workers and passengers.

Aviation workers in the region are currently operating under extraordinary pressure and at great risk while working around the clock to keep vital operations running, including facilitating evacuation flights to ensure the safe return of passengers stranded across the region. The ITF stands in full solidarity with its affiliated unions and aviation workers across the region who continue to perform their duties in extremely dangerous and uncertain conditions, and again calls on all parties to respect international law and pursue an immediate end to the war and a return to diplomatic solutions.

"Aviation workers are heroes, acting for others when crisis hits – each and every time our colleagues rush to help whether they’re on the ground or in the air,” said Sara Nelson, ITF Civil Aviation Section Chair. "But this man made crisis is intolerable and must stop.

Nelson continued: “We stand shoulder to shoulder with aviation workers across the region who are keeping airports operating, assisting passengers and ensuring flights can continue safely in incredibly difficult circumstances. Their professionalism and courage are keeping people safe – but their dedication must be matched by the highest standards of safety protection. Governments must ensure aviation workers and passengers are never placed in harm’s way.

“We must be vigilant given the heightened risk to aviation workers and we must ensure that no corners are cut on safety, with every passenger and worker knowing that they can return home safely. This is critical for confidence in air travel, for the worldwide economy, and for any credibility of a government claiming to fight for their people. Immediate ceasefire, diplomacy, and commitment to peace is the only way forward for any nation that claims to care for its own people.”

The impact of the conflict is also being felt far beyond the immediate war zone. Aviation workers across the world are dealing with the knock-on effects as airlines scramble to respond to rapidly changing security threats, closed airspace, rerouting of flights and major operational disruption: from flight crews facing longer routes and extended duty times, to ground staff and air traffic controllers managing complex operational changes, workers throughout aviation are carrying the burden of this crisis.

ITF-affiliated unions in civil aviation collectively represent more than three million workers, spanning pilots, cabin crew, ground handling workers, air traffic controllers and air traffic management staff.

The ITF and its affiliated civil aviation unions stand united in demanding that airports, aircraft, and aviation workers – all part of critical civilian infrastructure – must never be targets of military action. The safety of passengers and the workers who keep aviation moving, must remain the overriding priority at all times.

^{Image credit: REUTERS}

barton_linda 16 Mar 2026

Seafarers, we stand with you in this time of crisis

Mark_D — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 14:22:25 +0000

Seafarers, we stand with you in this time of crisis

As seafarers in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman face escalating risks to their lives, maritime unions and employers worldwide stand ready to offer protection and support

Seafarers, you are not alone: the maritime industry stands with you – that is the joint message to seafarers from maritime unions and employers from around the world.

Attacks on merchant ships have intensified in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. At least six cargo vessels were hit by projectiles in the Strait of Hormuz within the last 48 hours, with a container ship also hit off the coast of the UAE.

The International Bargaining Forum (IBF) – which brings together the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) and the international maritime employers that make up the Joint Negotiating Group – acted decisively last week to designate the Persian Gulf as a ‘Warlike Operations Area’, activating protections for seafarers on ships with IBF agreements, including the right to refuse to sail in the area, enhanced pay and compensation, alongside a strong recommendation for employers to enhance security arrangements.

Today, the IBF agreed to extend protections for seafarers by demarcating the area extending 12 miles off the coast of Israel in the eastern Mediterranean, including ports and anchorage areas, an ‘Extended Risk Zone’. This means that seafarers are entitled to additional protections, including a bonus equal to their basic wage payable if their vessel is attacked and doubled compensation for death or disability.

Every day since the start of the war, the ITF has received requests for advice and assistance from seafarers in the region, including on repatriation and their right to refuse to sail. Despite severe operational difficulties due to attacks on wider transport infrastructure and the closure of international airspace across the region, some shipping companies have managed to repatriate seafarers back home to safety.

Simon Spacey, Chairman of the International Maritime Employers' Council (IMEC) said: “The world’s dependence on maritime trade and in particular on the seafarers that keep that trade moving smoothly has never been clearer than it is now, as the impact that this war is having on the global economy starts to fully reveal itself. There are many reasons for, and justifications given, in times of such conflict – but what is unacceptable is that once again innocent seafarers find themselves trapped inside an area of conflict not of their making where they face genuine danger.

“We therefore call on everyone, everywhere to recognise the very real danger our seafarers are facing and to do whatever can be done to protect and support them. On a positive note, we know that our seafarers are a tough and hardy bunch and that responsible employers are working around the clock with our trade union partners to ensure that seafarers receive every protection and, where possible, compliance with the repatriation rights we offer them. But right now, the reality is that this is an extremely dangerous environment, safe travel opportunities are severely limited, and therefore our advice is for employers and seafarers to stay away from this area where possible.”

ITF Seafarers’ Section Chair David Heindel said: “Civilian seafarers have already lost their lives, while many thousands of seafarers who are trapped in the region are spending every waking moment living in fear that their vessel could be the next target – this cannot go on.

“To flag states, we demand that you step up and do more to fulfil your obligations to protect those on your ships, this is your responsibility. To every seafarer in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, know this: we stand shoulder to shoulder with you, and we are on hand to do everything we can. If you need help, reach out to your ITF-affiliated union, to the ITF itself, an ITF inspector, or your employer, and we will do what we can to protect and support you.”

ENDS

Notes to Editor

See here for a list of designated risk areas and applicable benefits for seafarers.

Image credit: Reuters

Mark_D 13 Mar 2026

‘We divide ourselves in two’ - the unequal burden of care for women in transport

barton_linda — Sun, 08 Mar 2026 00:05:00 +0000

‘We divide ourselves in two’ - the unequal burden of care for women in transport

“We divide ourselves in two. We leave part at work and part at home.” Woman civil aviation worker, Senegal_¹

This perspective from a woman civil aviation worker exposes the ‘double burden’ women face of carrying out unpaid care work at home on top of paid employment. This heavy burden affects choices about work and contributes to a poor work-life balance and increasing pressure on women.

In 2023, worldwide, 748 million people aged 15 and above were outside the labour force due to care responsibilities. Shockingly, 708 million of these workers are women. And with women making up less than 25% of the global transport workforce, factoring in caring responsibilities is vital in ensuring decent and secure jobs for women workers – and unlocking their crucial participation in the transport workforce.

Through unionisation and negotiation of effective workplace policies that allow the integration of family and caring responsibilities for all workers, ITF unions can help shape an industry that is gender responsive.

The ITF wants employers and governments to recognise women’s unequal and disproportionate share of caring responsibilities, and to provide workplace measures and other caring rights and policies as part of promoting women’s employment and retention in the transport industry.

Key areas of concern

According to the UN Sustainable Development Goals Report 2025_², women carry an unfair, disproportionate burden of unpaid domestic care work, spending 2.5 times as many hours a day on domestic and care work as men.

Those facing this ‘double burden’ have a greater need for flexible working hours. But the way that work is planned in the transport industry – including awkward shift patterns and long periods away from home – does not always recognise the disproportionate care burden faced by women.

Options for part time work across the transport sector are also limited, particularly for better paid positions such as drivers, where flexibility in working hours is routinely unavailable – and women in precarious transport work face greater difficulty in negotiating better working hours to deal with family responsibilities. Digital platforms in the transport gig economy stress flexibility for those with caring responsibilities. However, perceived flexibility that accommodates the reality of care must not come at the cost of decent work that is sorely lacking in the gig economy.

When it comes to maternity rights, women may not have access to maternity leave with cash benefits, and during pregnancy and when returning to work they can face exclusionary measures and victimisation – including degraded working conditions, alternative job duties imposed without consultation, more precarious contracts, lower wages or even outright job loss.

Inadequate or non-existent caring measures in the workplace to allow women to reconcile work and caring responsibilities can impact pay and pension – for example, from not be able to access higher-paying shifts – equal access to training, and retention and progression.

This reinforces the systemic exclusion of women from the industry – and is further exacerbated by the fact that caring responsibilities are often seen as a women’s issue, with the resulting absence of paternity and parental leave rights.

Care work at the bargaining table

This International Women’s Day, the ITF is spotlighting the role of our affiliate unions in bringing the issues of care work to the bargaining table.

This includes work throughout 2024 and 2025 by ITF women representatives in Africa working with the Kenya Hotels and Allied Workers’ Union (KHAWU) and the Kenya National Coordinating Committee: they successfully negotiated and signed a series of collective bargaining agreements supporting gender equality with key tourism companies, covering 3,000 women working as hotel workers and drivers. Key wins included provisions for extended maternity leave, stillbirth leave, and protected pumping and breastfeeding time during working hours.

A gender-responsive industry that cares for its workers

Collectively addressing the issues of care at work helps to deliver the objective of a gender-responsive transport industry that cares for its workers.

This means that:

Governments need to ratify and effectively implement ILO Conventions 111 (Discrimination in Employment and Occupation) and 156 (Workers with Family Responsibilities)
Governments need to enact legislation and gendered public policies that target the root causes of discrimination and ensure women’s right to paid work, safety, dignity and respect – including protection from pregnancy discrimination and access to paid leave for childcare and caring
Governments need to invest in a public care service and the creation of decent care jobs as a central mechanism for promoting women’s economic empowerment
Unions and employers need to negotiate effective workplace policies and facilities – such as:

> Paid maternity and paternity rights and leave, and protections for pregnant women and those who have given birth

> Protection of terms and conditions for women returning to work after maternity leave and policies to ensure fair re-entry to the workforce

> Working hours and shift patterns that accommodate caring responsibilities, and improved parental leave

> Childcare facilities, in particular at anti-social times, and facilities for nursing mothers

> Ensuring career progression is decided through a transparent process that does not discriminate against workers who have primary or sole caring responsibilities

_{1. ITF report – ‘}_{The Gender Divide in Transport: Understanding the Barriers and Impacts for Women’s Exclusion from Decent Jobs in Ghana and Senegal}_{’, December 2025}

_2._{The Sustainable Development Goals Report}_{2025, United Nations}

barton_linda 08 Mar 2026

Equality

ITF condemns killing and targeting of innocent civilian seafarers as Strait of Hormuz designated Warlike Operations Area

barton_linda — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 13:31:12 +0000

ITF condemns killing and targeting of innocent civilian seafarers as Strait of Hormuz designated Warlike Operations Area

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) condemns the continuing attacks on civilian seafarers caught up in escalating war in Iran and the Middle East, warning that the world’s maritime workforce is once again being forced directly into the line of fire.

Following a meeting of the Warlike Operations Area Committee of the International Bargaining Forum (IBF) today, the ITF and the Joint Negotiating Group (JNG) agreed to designate the Strait of Hormuz, Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf as a Warlike Operations Area (WOA) due to the heightened threat to crews and vessels operating in the region.

The designation activates enhanced protections and compensation for seafarers serving on vessels covered by IBF agreements in the war zone.

ITF General Secretary Stephen Cotton said the designation reflected the unacceptable reality that civilian seafarers are once again being exposed to.

“Once again, seafarers are being placed directly in harm’s way in a conflict not of their making,” said Cotton. “Too often in recent years we have seen civilian seafarers become the collateral damage of war – whether in the Black Sea, the Red Sea or now in the Strait of Hormuz. These are workers, often from the Global South, far from home and with no connection to the conflicts unfolding around them.

“Today’s designation ensures that seafarers on vessels covered by IBF agreements have critical protections if they operate in this dangerous region. The fact we have to take these measures at all is a damning indictment of the situation facing seafarers today. No worker should have to risk being killed or maimed simply for doing their job – particularly when that job is transporting the oil and goods that keep the world’s economies running.”

Every day since the United States of America and Israel launched ‘Operation Epic Fury’ against Iran on 28 February, ITF Seafarers’ Support has received a high volume of enquiries from seafarers seeking advice and assistance. The most common concerns raised by seafarers include clarification of their rights and protections, specifically around requests for repatriation and questions about their right to refuse to sail into the area.

The situation is compounded by the widespread closure of international airspace across much of the region, which is severely limiting the ability of seafarers to leave vessels and return home. With repatriation routes heavily restricted, many crews face the prospect of remaining on ships operating in an incredibly volatile environment, underscoring the urgent need for de-escalation, stability and the safe movement.

There are already calls to simply reopen shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz under naval escort. But we must be clear: the safest way to protect seafarers is not to send them through a war zone in the first place,” said Cotton.

“Naval escorts cannot guarantee the safety of civilian crews. No escort can eradicate the risk of missiles or drones striking a merchant vessel and harming civilian seafarers. The priority must be de-escalation, diplomacy and an end to the conflict. Until then, civilian seafarers should not be placed in the line of fire.”

Around 1,000 ocean going vessels are stranded in the Gulf following the halt of vessel movements through the Strait of Hormuz, highlighting the scale of disruption and risk facing seafarers.

David Heindel, Chair of the ITF Seafarers’ Section and International President of the Seafarers’ International Union of North America, said the designation demonstrated the importance of cooperation between unions and shipowners when seafarers’ safety is at risk.

“The actions taken today by the social partners of the International Bargaining Forum show why cooperation between shipowners and operators and seafarers’ unions is essential,” said Heindel. “Through constructive social dialogue, we can respond quickly to emerging risks and ensure that the safety, rights and wellbeing of the world’s mariners remain the first priority. Seafarers are civilian workers, and together we must ensure they are protected from the consequences of geopolitical conflict.”

The ITF stressed that while the WOA designation provides important protections, the only real solution is de-escalation. The designation will remain under regular review by the Warlike Operations Area Committee (WOAC).

ENDS

Media Contact: Mark Dearn | media@itf.org.uk | +44 7850 207412

Notes for Editors

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) and the Joint Negotiating Group (JNG), as the social partners of the International Bargaining Forum (IBF), today agreed to designate the Strait of Hormuz, Gulf of Oman and Persian Gulf as an Warlike Operations Area (WOA) following a review today by the Warlike Operations Area Committee (WOAC).

Under the terms agreed by the IBF parties, seafarers serving on vessels within or entering the designated WOA will be entitled to the following protections:

A bonus equal to 100% of basic wage, payable for a minimum of five days, and for each additional day a vessel remains in the area.
Doubled compensation for death and disability arising from incidents in the area.
The right for seafarers to refuse to sail into the area, with repatriation at the company’s cost and compensation equal to two months’ basic wage.
A recommendation for ship operators to implement enhanced security arrangements equivalent to ISPS Level 3.

The Warlike Operations Area designation will remain under regular review by the IBF WOA Committee.

About the ITF: The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) is a democratic, affiliate-led federation recognised as the world’s leading transport authority. We fight passionately to improve workers’ lives, connecting more than 730 affiliated trade unions from over 150 countries to secure rights, equality and justice for workers globally. We are the voice for more than 16.5 million transport workers across the world.

About the JNG: The Joint Negotiating Group (JNG) allows for the coordination of the views of employers from across the world in the maritime industry. The JNG today consists of the International Maritime Employers' Council (IMEC), the International Mariners Management Association of Japan (IMMAJ), the Korean Shipowners Association (KSA) and Taiwan-based company Evergreen.

About the IBF: The International Bargaining Forum (IBF) is the forum that brings together the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) and the international maritime employers that make up the Joint Negotiating Group (JNG). IBF negotiations include both central negotiations and local negotiations which allow for development of core principles which can then be incorporated into specific local arrangements. This unique approach to pay negotiations is the only example of international collective bargaining.

barton_linda 05 Mar 2026

Joint ITF–JNG Statement: Designation of Warlike Operations Area in the Strait of Hormuz

barton_linda — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 13:26:30 +0000

Joint ITF–JNG Statement: Designation of Warlike Operations Area in the Strait of Hormuz

Joint ITF–JNG Statement: Designation of Warlike Operations Area in the Strait of Hormuz

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) and the Joint Negotiating Group (JNG), as the social partners of the International Bargaining Forum (IBF), agree to designate the Strait of Hormuz, Gulf of Oman and Persian Gulf as a Warlike Operations Area (WOA) following a review today by the IBF Warlike Operations Area Committee (WOAC).

The designation upgrades the High Risk Area designation applied to the Strait of Hormuz, Gulf of Oman and Persian Gulf on 2 March and reflects the continuing and heightened threat to seafarers and vessels operating in the region. Hundreds of vessels are stranded in the Gulf following the halt of vessel movements through the Strait of Hormuz, highlighting the scale of disruption and risk facing civilian crews in the region.

The WOA designation ensures that seafarers on IBF-covered vessels receive enhanced protections and compensation if they are stranded or operating in the area. Seafarers already within the designated area are entitled to additional compensation and to request repatriation, noting the current, significant operational difficulties, while those instructed to enter it have the right to refuse to sail and request repatriation at the company’s expense.

Under the terms agreed by the IBF parties, seafarers serving on vessels within or entering the designated WOA will be entitled to the following protections:

A bonus equal to 100% of basic wage, payable for a minimum of five days, and for each additional day a vessel remains in the area.
Doubled compensation for death and disability arising from incidents in the area.
The right for seafarers to refuse to sail into the area, with repatriation at the company’s cost and compensation equal to two months’ basic wage.
A recommendation for ship operators to implement enhanced security arrangements equivalent to ISPS Level 3.

These provisions reflect the standard protections applied to seafarers transiting Warlike Operations Areas under IBF agreements.

The ITF and JNG emphasise that the safety and welfare of seafarers must remain paramount. The safest way to protect seafarers is through de-escalation and a return to diplomacy. At present, the closure of international airspace across the majority of the region is also severely constraining repatriation options for seafarers seeking to leave vessels, further underlining the urgent need for stability and safe passage.

Seafarers operating in or near the designated area should remain vigilant and seek guidance from their companies or unions regarding their rights and options – while recognising that repatriation will be difficult due to restrictions and limitations on air travel and the rapidly evolving security situation. Shipowners and operators will make every effort to facilitate repatriation and take all available measures to safeguard crews,

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the most strategically important maritime routes in the world, through which a significant share of global energy and commodity trade passes, making peace and stability in the region critical for both seafarer safety and global trade.

The Warlike Operations Area designation will remain under weekly review by the WOAC.

Media Contact: Mark Dearn | media@itf.org.uk | +44 7850 207412

Notes for Editors

barton_linda 05 Mar 2026

Global Union Federations Call for an immediate Cease Fire and an end to the Military Escalation in Iran and the Middle East

barton_linda — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 16:30:11 +0000

Global Union Federations Call for an immediate Cease Fire and an end to the Military Escalation in Iran and the Middle East

The undersigned Global Union Federations (GUFs) condemn the recent military attacks carried out by the United States and Israel against Iran, including air strikes that have resulted in civilian deaths, injuries, and the destruction of critical public infrastructure — among them schools and medical facilities.

These actions represent grave violations of the UN Charter and international humanitarian law and further escalate a conflict whose human cost is borne overwhelmingly by working people.

Workers, civilians, and public institutions must never be targets of military operations. The killing and injuring of students, teachers, and education personnel, and the destruction of protected civilian spaces such as schools and hospitals, is intolerable and must be unequivocally condemned.

The GUFs are also concerned by the subsequent retaliatory attacks by Iran. Escalation will only deepen instability, threaten civilian lives, including migrant workers and transport workers in ports, airports and at sea – who have already been reported killed and injured as violence spreads across the region – a caught in the crossfire, and risk plunging the region into a wider, devastating war.

The global trade union movement stands united in rejecting the use of military force that fuels cycles of violence, and undermines the foundations of peace, justice, and multilateral cooperation. Diplomacy — not armed confrontation—remains the only legitimate path toward security and lasting peace.

As unions representing millions of workers across sectors and continents, we call on the international community to:

Condemn the use of military force by all parties and prevent further escalation;
Ensure an immediate ceasefire and full de-escalation;
Prioritise diplomacy and dialogue, including a strengthened, coordinated role for the United Nations;
Defend international law, including the UN Charter and the protection of civilians;
Safeguard critical public infrastructure such as schools, hospitals, and workplaces;
Uphold human rights, labour rights, democratic freedoms, and freedom of association across the region;

The GUFs stand in unwavering solidarity with workers, independent unions, and communities in Iran and throughout the region. Workers’ voices — too often silenced by authoritarian governance and the logic of militarisation — must be heard. The future of Iran, and of the region, must be determined by its people themselves, free from external aggression and internal repression.

We reaffirm our commitment to building a world in which conflicts are resolved through negotiation, multilateralism is strengthened, and all people have the right to live and work in safety, dignity, democracy, and peace.

Signed by:

Education International
International Domestic Workers Federation
Public Services International
International Federation of Journalists
International Transport Workers’ Federation
IndustriALL Global Union
UNI Global Union
International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers' Associations
Building and Wood Workers’ International

_{Image credit: REUTERS}

barton_linda 03 Mar 2026

ITF calls for ceasefire and protection of transport workers amid military escalation threatening regional peace

barton_linda — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 16:51:02 +0000

ITF calls for ceasefire and protection of transport workers amid military escalation threatening regional peace

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) joins the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) in calling for an immediate ceasefire, full de-escalation by all parties and the urgent initiation of diplomacy grounded in international law.

The ITF strongly condemns the illegal bombing carried out by Israel and the United States, and the subsequent retaliatory attacks launched by Iran across the region, in violation of the most fundamental rule of international law, namely the use of force. The escalating military action is not merely placing civilian lives at grave risk – it is already costing civilian lives and deepening instability globally.

Transport workers have reportedly been killed and injured following the escalation in violence, underscoring once again that working people are often the first victims of conflict. We join Educational International in deploring the attacks on the schools in Iran, which have killed at least 150 people, mainly schoolchildren, and injured around 100 others.

ITF General Sectary Stephen Cotton said: “The ITF and the entire trade union movement condemn the continued cycle of military action and retaliation pushing the region toward wider conflict, placing civilian lives at risk and threatening peace, stability and security far beyond the Middle East. Without urgent de-escalation, the consequence for working people, global trade and international security will be severe.”

The ITF fully supports the ITUC’s calls for:

An immediate ceasefire and full de-escalation by all parties.
Strict respect for international law and the UN Charter.
A renewed commitment to nuclear disarmament and regional security arrangements based on dialogue.
Full respect for freedom of expression, freedom of association and democratic rights across the region.

Transport workers on the frontline of escalation

Reports indicate that a number of transport workers have been killed or injured across attacks on ships, airports and ports. The ITF and its affiliate unions in the region are working around the clock to verify the safety and security of the transport workers they collectively represent.

There have been attacks on three tankers; strikes on Bahrain International Airport, Dubai International Airport, and Zayed International Airport; along with attacks on Jebel Ali Port, in the United Arab Emirates, and in Duqm Port, in Oman.

One seafarer has been confirmed killed after a projectile hit the tanker, MKD VYOM (IMO: 9284386) off the coast of Oman. The seafarer was working in the Marshall Islands-flagged ship’s engine room at the time. Reports also suggest that four seafarers were injured when a sanctioned Palau-flagged tanker, Skylight (IMO: 9396737), was also hit off the coast of Oman on Sunday.

Four airport staff were injured at Dubai International Airport, one person was killed with seven injured at Zayed International Airport, and minor injuries were suffered at Kuwait International Airport. A worker is also reported to have been injured in a drone attack on Duqm Port, Oman.

Iran has not formally announced that it is closing the Straits of Hormuz, the world’s most important oil export route, connecting Gulf oil exporters with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. But a European Union naval mission official confirmed to media on Saturday that ships have received transmissions from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) stating that: “No ship is allowed to pass the Strait of Hormuz.”

More than 200 ships are currently at anchor around the Strait, while the International Maritime Organization is urging “all shipping companies to exercise maximum caution” and warning that, “where possible, vessels should avoid transiting the affected region until conditions improve”.

Cotton said: “All transport workers in the region – whether at airports, in ports, on ships or in any other transport role – must be protected from military action. They are innocent bystanders to this conflict, they must never be targeted, and they must be removed from harm’s way.

“Seafarers on ships in and around the Strait of Hormuz, or on ships planning to go near the Strait, must be protected by being granted the right to refuse to sail in what the ITF believes is clearly becoming a ‘Warlike Operations Area’. The ITF is engaging with our maritime industry partners to ensure that seafarers are given the information and protections they urgently need, including their right to avoid the area.”

International law and diplomacy must prevail

The ITF firmly endorses the ITUC’s call for strict respect for international law and urgent diplomatic engagement under United Nations leadership, and a recommitment to dialogue, disarmament and collective security arrangements capable of delivering lasting regional peace.

The illegal use of military force and violation of state sovereignty – concerns strongly echoed by the Arab Trade Union Confederation (ATUC) – risks dismantling the international legal framework that is designed to protect civilian populations. The ITF is also deeply concerned that support expressed by some governments – including the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada – for military operations that violate international law undermines the credibility of the rules-based international systems and weakens efforts to uphold peace.

“What we are witnessing is an appallingly reckless escalation that is pushing the region toward a devastating war,” said Paddy Crumlin, President of the ITF. “Violations of state sovereignty and the continued resort to military force are leading to innocent civilians and workers paying the price for political failure.

More bombs and retaliation will not deliver peace, democracy or security – they will only deepen instability and human suffering.

“The ITF stands in solidarity with workers across the region who are calling for peace, safety and a future free from violence, war and occupation. We also stand with the people and workers of Iran in their struggle for democracy, rights and dignity – for a future that must be shaped by workers themselves, not imposed through violence or military action.”

Photo credit: REUTERS

barton_linda 02 Mar 2026

Joint ITF–JNG statement: Designation of High Risk Area in the Strait of Hormuz

barton_linda — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 16:43:12 +0000

Joint ITF–JNG statement: Designation of High Risk Area in the Strait of Hormuz

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) and the Joint Negotiating Group (JNG), as social partners of the International Bargaining Forum (IBF), have today designated the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waters as a High Risk Area following the sharp escalation of military tensions involving the United States, Israel and Iran, and the widening instability across the region.

This designation reflects the rapidly deteriorating security environment, confirmed reports of attacks on commercial vessels, and the growing risk posed to seafarers. More than 200 vessels are currently anchored in or near the Strait amid significant uncertainty regarding safe transit. The International Maritime Organization has urged maximum caution and advised vessels to avoid the area where possible.

Seafarers are civilian workers. They must never be exposed to military risk or used as leverage in geopolitical conflict. Their safety must come before all commercial considerations.

What the High Risk Area designation means

The High Risk Area designation activates enhanced protection measures for IBF-covered seafarers operating in or near the affected waters. Shipowners and operators must:

conduct enhanced risk assessments prior to transit;
provide seafarers with clear, timely information regarding security conditions;
ensure all contractual, insurance and safety protections are fully implemented; and
engage with crews and their representatives regarding voyage planning and risk mitigation.

Additionally, the IBF Warlike Operations Area Committee (WOAC) agrees to include into the existing conditions for the designated High Risk Area, the seafarers’ right to refuse to sail into the area.

Map: IBF-designated High Risk Area covering the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waters.

Ongoing assessment

The ITF and JNG are closely monitoring developments and will continue engaging with each other over the coming days regarding a potential upgrade of the area to a Warlike Operations Area. This designation would activate additional protections for seafarers.

Call for restraint

All parties are urged to respect international law, protect civilian shipping, and take immediate steps to de-escalate tensions. The safety of life at sea must remain paramount.

The ITF and JNG will continue working jointly to assess risks, provide guidance to the industry, and ensure seafarers receive the protection and support they urgently need.

Notes for editors

barton_linda 02 Mar 2026

maritime labour convention

Arab World

ASA World and ITF Sign Historic Memorandum of Understanding

Mark_D — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 13:15:59 +0000

ASA World and ITF Sign Historic Memorandum of Understanding

Partnership aims to enhance worker welfare, rights, safety, and decent work standards in global ground and cargo handling operations.

Aviation Services Association World (ASA World) and the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) today announced the signing of an agreement to collaborate on advancing worker welfare, rights, safety standards, and decent work practices across the global aviation ground and cargo handling industry.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) marks a significant milestone in bringing together employers’ and workers’ perspectives to address shared priorities affecting ground handling workers at airports worldwide. ASA World represents ground and cargo handling organisations operating at more than 1,000 unique airports in 85 countries while ITF represents 16.5 million transport workers, including over a million aviation workers through its affiliated unions in 150 countries.

“Ground handling workers are essential to safe and efficient aviation operations, yet they often face challenging working conditions. This MoU establishes a framework for constructive dialogue between industry and labor to address critical issues affecting these workers and reflects our commitment to elevating industry standards while ensuring the wellbeing of the workforce that keeps global aviation operations running," said Dr. Waleed Youssef, Director General of ASA World. "By working together with the ITF, we can develop practical solutions that benefit workers, improve safety outcomes, and strengthen the sustainability of ground handling operations worldwide."

Stephen Cotton, General Secretary of the ITF, said: "This agreement recognises a simple truth: aviation workers move the world – and the industry’s safety and operational resilience and sustainability depend on workers whose rights are respected, whose jobs are secure, and whose voices are heard. The ground handling sector and its workforce have long been overlooked by the wider aviation industry and its regulators. Together with ASA World, we are going to raise standards for the millions of ground handling workers across the world, and build an socially, economically and environmentally sustainable industry.”

The agreement establishes cooperation in several key areas:

Worker welfare, rights, health and safety
Equalities and equity of treatment in employment
Fair employment and good industrial practices
Sustainability and the future of work in aviation
Social responsibility and decent work standards
Enhanced career paths

Both organisations will exchange expertise, share best practices, and develop joint positions on issues affecting the ground handling workforce. The partnership will also involve coordinated engagement with regulatory authorities and aviation industry stakeholders to advance shared objectives.

The collaboration comes at a critical time for the aviation sector as it addresses workforce challenges, technological changes, and evolving safety and regulatory requirements. Through this MoU, ASA World and ITF aim to ensure that industry development and worker welfare and rights advance together.

ENDS

About ASA World

Aviation Services Association (ASA World) is the global trade association representing ground and cargo handling organisations operating at more than 1,000 unique airports in 85 countries. ASA World holds observer status at ICAO, EASA, and other aviation regulatory bodies, and advocates for industry standards, safety excellence, workforce welfare, and economic resilience in ground handling operations.

About ITF

The International Transport Workers' Federation is a global union federation representing transport workers' trade unions from 150 countries. ITF advocates for the rights, safety, and fair treatment of transport workers worldwide, including those in aviation, promoting decent work, social dialogue, and sustainable practices across the industry. The ITF is a recognised observer at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

For media inquiries:

ASA World

Georgina Willison

Email: Georgina@bamboo-orchard.com

Website: www.asaworld.aero

International Transport Workers' Federation

Mark Dearn

Email: media@itf.org.uk

Website: www.itfglobal.org

Mark_D 02 Mar 2026

20 years of advancing social dialogue and decent work at sea

Mark_D — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 14:10:01 +0000

20 years of advancing social dialogue and decent work at sea

Joint statement from the International Labour Organization, the International Chamber of Shipping, and International Transport Workers’ Federation on the 20th anniversary of the Maritime Labour Convention

On the 20th anniversary of the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006, we jointly reaffirm our commitment to the principles and protections it embodies and recognise the profound impact it has had on seafarers and on global shipping.

The MLC consolidated and modernised around seventy maritime labour instruments into a single, comprehensive international framework. In doing so, it established enforceable minimum standards for wages, hours of work and rest, medical care, accommodation, repatriation and welfare, creating a clear and consistent global baseline for decent work at sea.

The adoption of the MLC was made possible through close and constructive tripartite cooperation between governments, shipowners and seafarers. That shared commitment ensured that the Convention is both ambitious in its protections and practical in its implementation across a truly global industry. This spirit of partnership has remained central to its continued strength and relevance.

Since its entry into force, the MLC has delivered tangible improvements in living and working conditions on board ships, strengthened compliance through flag and port state control, and provided a structured mechanism to address emerging challenges. Amendments adopted over the past decade enhanced financial security protections, supported seafarers in cases of abandonment and criminalisation, and reinforced safeguards in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and violence and harassment on board.

In a context of geopolitical uncertainty and climate transition which significantly affect shipping and seafarers, we reemphasise our shared resolve to ensure that the MLC remains robust and is fully implemented.

On this anniversary, we urge countries across the world to recognise seafarers as key workers. Protecting and advancing the standards of the MLC is essential for the dignity and welfare of seafarers and for the resilience and stability of global trade.

Mark_D 20 Feb 2026

labour rights

maritime labour convention

ITF celebrates anniversary of landmark global treaty for seafarers

Mark_D — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 12:56:37 +0000

ITF celebrates anniversary of landmark global treaty for seafarers

The ITF played a leading role in securing the now 20-year-old Maritime Labour Convention – and it continues to advocate for its implementation and updating to protect seafarers’ rights

Before 2006, the global protection of seafarers’ rights rested on a patchwork of more than 60 maritime labour conventions and ‘recommendations’: few were ratified, some overlapped, and many were outdated by the rapid changes taking place in the global shipping industry.

From the perspective of protecting seafarers’ rights, these gaps were not simply legislative loopholes – their cost could be counted in the human and labour rights abuses faced by the workers who play a central role in keeping the world and its trading relationships moving forward.

In a uniquely international industry, the aim of bringing disparate, unenforced rules into a unified, global treaty – the Maritime Labour Convention 2006 (MLC) – was no mean feat. And it was one that required cooperation and coherence from seafarers’ trade unions, governments and ship owners.

The result of this landmark effort is one of the most significant global labour treaties ever created: a convention with ‘teeth’ that offers a unique level of enforcement, with ratifying states able to detain vessels regardless of the flag they fly, and one that has fundamentally altered the working conditions of seafarers everywhere – and which, crucially, continues to be improved and enhanced through concerted advocacy on behalf of seafarers.

“The significance of the Maritime Labour Convention simply cannot be overstated – it is without doubt one of the world’s most important international labour treaties,” said ITF General Secretary, Stephen Cotton.

“The concerted advocacy that took place to bring the MLC into being is one of the most important international efforts made by the ITF in its long and storied history – one that also demonstrates social dialogue at its best, with trade unions working alongside business and governments to produce genuinely enforceable, global rules to protect workers.

“But as global shipping continues to evolve, so too does the ITF’s mission to protect seafarers and, in turn, the need for the MLC to continuously improve.”

The ITF was at the forefront of the efforts to bring the MLC into being – alongside the International Chamber of Shipping, representing ship owners, and the United Nations International Labour Organization (ILO). To this day, the ITF and its affiliated maritime trade unions continue to work closely with these partners.

Today, the ITF Seafarers’ Trust, an independent UK charity supported by the investment income of the ITF International Assistance, Welfare and Protection Fund, also announced that it is awarding EUR500,000 (USD 587,213) of funding to the ILO to support institutional capacity building to enhance protection of seafarers’ rights in the Middle East.

Former Nautilus UK General Secretary and ITF Seafarers’ Section Chair, Brian Orrell, played a leading role in the ITF’s efforts to secure the MLC.

“While the objective of creating a unique single maritime instrument to replace all those existing at the time was ambitious, the work of the ITF with shipowners and governments was instrumental in securing unanimous adoption twenty years ago,” he explained.

“That the MLC 2006 remains as relevant and important today as it was twenty years ago rests with the foresight of the ITF in securing an agreement – a first within any ILO instrument – on a rapid amendment procedure enabling the instrument to be more easily reviewed and updated. Looking back over the past twenty years, the importance of these procedures in ensuring that the rights of seafarers were delivered has been demonstrated time and again.”

The ability to amend the MLC has proved pivotal. Regularly referred to as a ‘bill of rights’ for seafarers, it sets a floor or minimum level for international standards on seafarers’ labour rights. Amendments made after the MLC came into force in 2013 – via the same formula of tripartite negotiations – include the coverage of vital issues for seafarers such as abandonment, violence and harassment, protecting victims of piracy and, most recently, the 2025 classification of seafarers as ‘key workers’, among others.

“It’s crucial to remember that the MLC is a ‘living instrument’ which must be continuously improved,” said Mark Dickinson, Nautilus International General Secretary, ITF Seafarers’ Section Second Vice Chair, and Seafarer Vice-Chairperson at the Special Tripartite Committee of the MLC.

“Just as the maritime industry continues to evolve and new threats to seafarers’ rights and working conditions emerge, so too must we come together to ensure the MLC adapts to ensure that seafarers are protected at all times, in all their areas of work.

“After 20 years of the MLC, it’s important that we look back and reflect on a landmark achievement – but it’s even more important that this legacy is reflected in our ongoing work to ensure the MLC continues to protect every seafarer, everywhere.”

ENDS

Mark_D 20 Feb 2026

abandonment

human rights

Urgent protection needed for Malian truck drivers after deadly convoy attacks

barton_linda — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 16:17:46 +0000

Urgent protection needed for Malian truck drivers after deadly convoy attacks

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) is calling on the government of Mali to urgently intervene to protect truck drivers following a wave of deadly attacks targeting fuel convoys and key transport corridors across the country.

In a letter sent to Prime Minister Général Abdoulaye Maïga, ITF General Secretary Stephen Cotton expressed the ITF’s full solidarity with its Malian affiliate Synacor and all road transport workers facing escalating violence.

The intervention follows a brutal ambush by armed groups on 29 January 2026 along the Diboli–Kayes corridor in western Mali, when more than 15 fuel tanker drivers were killed and dozens of trucks destroyed.

Workers targeted as fuel blockade escalates

Since September 2025, terrorist groups operating across the Sahel have increasingly targeted fuel convoys and transport corridors linking Mali to neighbouring countries Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire, in efforts to isolate the capital of Mali, Bamako, and choke off essential supplies. Reports indicate drivers were stopped, executed and their bodies were left abandoned beside burned tankers.

The blockade has already had severe economic consequences. Fuel shortages have paralysed businesses, and insecurity along critical trade corridors has stalled regional supply chains, leaving thousands of shipping containers stranded and threatening further price increases and shortages of essential goods.

In the letter, the ITF condemns the attacks: “The targeted killing of petrol truck drivers – workers assassinated simply for performing their essential duties – is a grave crime. The deliberate strategy adopted by terrorist groups in the Sahel to target fuel convoys is an immoral assault on working people, designed to strangle the Malian economy and destabilise the region.”

The Federation backs Synacor’s decision to declare an indefinite strike halting loading and unloading operations following the killings, a move taken after drivers concluded that continuing to work without protection meant risking their lives.

The ITF calls on the government of Mali to act immediately

The ITF’s letter sets out urgent demands to the Malian government, placing responsibility on authorities to guarantee workers’ safety:

Immediate repatriation of victims: The ITF and Synacor demand the immediate recovery and return of the bodies of drivers killed in the January attack and earlier incidents.
Enhanced security guarantees: The Federation calls on the Malian government to provide genuine, effective, and permanent armed protection for transport convoys.
End the blockade: The ITF urges the government to take all necessary measures to end the blockade that has disrupted and brought essential public services to a standstill.

Transport workers at the centre of the Sahel crisis

The escalating violence reflects a wider regional security crisis across the Sahel, where armed groups are increasingly targeting infrastructure and supply chains – placing transport workers directly in the line of fire.

ITF Congress delegates recognised these dangers during the 46th ITF Congress in Marrakech, adopting Resolution A05: Crisis in the Sahel Countries, which warns that insecurity and armed violence across the region threatens workers’ lives, disrupts the movement of goods and people, and undermines economic stability. The resolution commits the ITF to advocating for the protection of transport workers and civilians, defending the free movement of essential supplies, and mobilising international solidarity in response to escalating violence.

_{Image credit: REUTERS}

barton_linda 19 Feb 2026

ITF stands in solidarity with transport workers striking in Argentina

barton_linda — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 16:05:54 +0000

ITF stands in solidarity with transport workers striking in Argentina

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) expresses its full solidarity with transport unions and workers across Argentina taking strike action today in defence of labour rights, trade union freedoms and democratic protections.

The national strike called by CGT comes as President Javier Milei’s labour reform advanced through Congress after being approved in the Senate last week by 42 votes to 30 following a marathon debate and now moves to the lower house for final approval.

The proposed legislation includes measures to weaken collective bargaining, restrict the right to strike, reduce severance protections, deregulate working conditions and increase employer flexibility, changes that would roll back fundamental rights won through decades of struggle. By undermining freedom of association and collective bargaining, these attacks place Argentina in clear conflict with its obligations under ILO Conventions 87 and 98. Transport workers are once again on the frontline of defending democratic and workplace rights as unions mobilise against reforms.

ITF President Paddy Crumlin said: “This reform agenda is a direct attack on working people and on the trade union movement in Argentina. President Milei’s government is attempting to dismantle hard-won labour rights under the false promise of economic freedom, while shifting the burden of crisis onto workers and their families. Transport workers are right to resist. When governments try to silence unions, restrict the right to strike and weaken collective bargaining, the international labour movement must respond with unity and solidarity. The ITF stands firmly alongside our affiliates in this fight.”

ITF General Secretary Stephen Cotton added: “Across the world we are seeing economic reforms used to shift risk onto working people. Argentine transport workers are right to defend secure employment, social protections and internationally recognised labour rights, and governments must engage in genuine social dialogue rather than impose reforms that erode workers’ protections. Today, transport workers across every region of the world stand in solidarity with all those on strike in Argentina defending their rights and their future.”

The ITF joins the global trade union movement in calling for respect for international labour standards and meaningful dialogue with unions and stands firmly with Argentine transport workers and their unions in their struggle for decent work, social justice and democratic freedoms. The ITF stands alongside the ITUC and TUCA in supporting the CGT, the CTA-A and the CTA-T as they oppose this regressive package, which represents a serious assault on trade union and democratic rights.

_{Image credit: REUTERS}

barton_linda 19 Feb 2026

strike

David Dearsley

barton_linda — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 15:43:49 +0000

David Dearsley

Today the International Transport Workers’ Federation remembers David Dearsley, a man whose influence on the international maritime industry reached far beyond boardrooms and negotiating tables, and whose character left a lasting impression on all who had the privilege to work alongside him.

David served as a shipowners’ representative at the highest levels of international maritime dialogue. He played an important role in the establishment of the Maritime Labour Convention and in the development of the International Bargaining Forum with the ITF. These were not easy arenas. They demanded intelligence, resilience, patience, and above all, integrity. David brought all of these qualities in abundance.

He understood that maritime industrial relations were never simply about contracts, clauses or compliance. At their heart, they were about people, the seafarers who keep global trade moving, and the responsibility to find balance between the different interests across the industry. David approached this responsibility with seriousness and professionalism, but also with humanity. He listened carefully, spoke thoughtfully and never lost sight of the bigger picture.

Those who negotiated with him knew that they were dealing with someone principled and prepared. He was firm when he needed to be, but he was always fair. He believed in process. He believed in dialogue and he believed that lasting solutions were built through mutual respect and understanding.

David’s contribution helped shape the framework that protects seafarers and underpins the industry today. His work will continue to have an impact for many years to come, even as ships sail on and new generations step into the roles he once held.

Paying tribute to David, ITF General Secretary Stephen Cotton said: “I have known David Dearsley since the early 90s. Already at that stage, he was the recognised leader of progressive thought when it came to engaging in maritime industrial relations. Having bargained with him, he was a tough negotiator, a master wordsmith, and a man who held honesty and fairness at the top of the social dialogue process.

“For over three decades, his vision showed that real outcomes can be achieved through serious and professional negotiations. Whether it was his role at the ISF at the beginning of the formation of the Maritime Labour Convention or the establishment of the International Bargaining Forum, David was a person that once you'd finished your tough negotiations, you knew he would stick to the deal and work with you to implement it. From all of his friends and colleagues at the ITF, he will be sorely missed and truly appreciated for his contribution to the maritime industry.”

Mark Dickinson, General Secretary of Nautilus International and Vice-Chair of the ITF’s Seafarers’ Section said: “I worked with David at ISF when I graduated from university in 1986. After a year, I joined ITF, which caused a few ripples, but David and I continued a close working relationship and friendship as I later became secretary of the ILO seafarers’ group and he continued as secretary of the shipowners group.

“We collaborated and strategised over the years, and as is now well known we enjoyed many curries in the Halal in Aldgate where much of this dialogue took place, where ideas that later became the MLC and IBF first emerged. David was the crucial advocate, with a keen eye on the strategy and the importance of employer and union dialogue. He will be missed, as a giant of the shipping industry.”

Simon Spacey, Chairman of the International Maritime Employers Council (IMEC) added: “Above all else David was a humble man who never sought the limelight, but I am sure that he would be pleased to see that as Chairman of IMEC I have been invited to pay tribute to our former Secretary General, alongside our social partners at the ITF with whom David worked so hard and passionately with to improve safe working conditions and the welfare of seafarers worldwide.

“Certainly, he was one of the visionaries that created both the concept of the IBF and the MLC and was one of the key architects that made those visions a reality. He knew that the parties would never agree on everything, and that in some areas never could, but he believed very strongly in the partnership as a whole and the results speak for themselves. Always calm but focused, he was highly respected by everyone that knew him on both sides of the negotiation table. He leaves behind no enemies but many, many friends. He will be sorely missed by us all.”

Beyond his professional achievements, David will be remembered for who he was as a person. He brought calm to difficult discussions, perspective when tensions ran high, and a quiet confidence that reassured those around him. He was a representative who carried his responsibilities with dignity and a person whose presence made a difference.

His passing is a great loss to the maritime community. He leaves behind not only a professional legacy, but also the respect and appreciation of those who worked with him, learned from him and shared in the important work he helped advance.

Today, we honour David not only for what he did, but for how he did it, with integrity, professionalism, and respect for others. We extend our condolences to David’s family, friends and colleagues.

He will be deeply missed, and he will not be forgotten.

barton_linda 13 Feb 2026

in memory

ITF Dakar Declaration on Combating IUU Fishing in West Africa

Mark_D — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 13:55:32 +0000

ITF Dakar Declaration on Combating IUU Fishing in West Africa

In West Africa, over 200 million people rely on fish as their primary source of protein. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation’s (UN FAO) State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2024 report, 35% of global fish stocks are now overexploited — more than triple the level recorded in 1974. Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, marine pollution and climate change now pose severe threats to livelihoods, food security and national stability across the region.

IUU fishing alone represents up to 40% of all regional catches, costing West African economies more than USD2.3 billion annually. Fisheries are no longer solely an ecological concern — they are a matter of security, governance, and workers’ rights.

IUU fishing refers to activities that violate national or international laws, avoid reporting obligations, or occur in areas or for species where governance structures are inadequate. Its impacts on African states are profound — draining public revenues from taxes, licences and landing fees, and undermining the livelihoods of local artisanal fishing communities.

Key international tools exist — including the Port State Measures Agreement (PSMA), the International Labour Organization (ILO) Work in Fishing Convention, 2007 (C188), and the Cape Town Agreement (CTA). The CTA remains unratified across many West Africa Fishers Organising Project (WAFOP) countries, and full and proper implementation of PSMA and C188 is urgently needed.

Declaration

We, the undersigned unions and civil society organisations, declare our shared commitment to confront IUU fishing and defend the rights and welfare of all fishers across West Africa. Together, we commit to:

Establishing a Regional IUU Taskforce/Working Group to enhance knowledge-sharing, intelligence exchange, and coordinated action across borders.
Campaigning and lobbying for the full and proper implementation of C188 and the PSMA, ensuring decent work, safe vessels, and IUU and labour-focused port state controls throughout the region.
Campaigning nationally for the CTA ratification across WAFOP countries.
Building a worker‑ and fisheries‑observer‑led advisory group to lead the campaign and ensure worker voices are at its centre.
Learning from one another, documenting national successes and challenges in addressing IUU fishing and using that knowledge to overcome shared barriers.
Developing a joint regional Action Plan for 2026, led by the Working Group.

Planned Activities – ITF, ITF affiliates, and civil society partners

On combating IUU fishing

Awareness‑raising programmes in artisanal fishing communities (building on successful Ghana initiatives).
Collective advocacy for greater transparency, aligned with the Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency.
Regular information‑sharing and joint analysis across unions, civil society organisations (CSOs), and observers.
Monthly virtual coordination meetings led by a regional coordinator.
Training on recognising and reporting IUU practices at the artisanal level.
Knowledge exchanges with partners and relevant stakeholders (e.g., satellite tools, vessel tracking and monitoring technologies).
Expanding participatory surveillance programmes in coastal communities.
Integrating labour rights data with IUU risk analysis using tools such as the Trygg Mat Tracking (TMT) database.
Building fishers’ understanding of the criminalisation risks they face when employers order them to engage in illegal fishing.
Advocacy for the national revision of fishing codes to ensure transparency, accountability and gender inclusivity.

For ITF-affiliated trade unions

Strengthening leadership capacity and organisational resilience.
Reinforcing cross‑border collaboration among trade unions to confront IUU fishing collectively.
Promotion of women in fish processing and distribution, including ensuring that supply chains are free from IUU-sourced fish.

Through solidarity, shared knowledge, and coordinated regional action, we reaffirm our commitment to dismantling the structures that enable IUU fishing and to securing dignity, safety and decent work for all fishers across West Africa. Together, we stand united in the fight for justice and sustainable fisheries for future generations.

Dakar declaration signatories:

International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF)

Maritime Dockworkers Union of Ghana (MDU)

National Union of Teamsters and General Workers (NUTEG)

Syndicat National de la Marine Marchande (SNTMM)

Syndicat Nationale de Gens de Mer (SNGMS)

Union Democratique des Travaileurs de Senegal (UDTS)

Syndicat de Marin Pecheurs de Cote d’Ivoire (SYMAPECHI)

Greenpeace Africa

Mark_D 13 Feb 2026

Hugo Perosa

barton_linda — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 09:53:17 +0000

Hugo Perosa

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) mourns the loss of Hugo Perosa, lifelong trade unionist and comrade from the Asociacion Del Personal Aeronautico (APA), Argentina.

We remember Hugo as a committed trade unionist, educator and internationalist whose life was dedicated to the collective struggle of aviation workers. From his early years in APA, Hugo was a clear voice for a democratic, combative and forward-looking unionism, grounded in deep convictions and an unwavering commitment to social justice.

Beyond his leadership roles in Argentina, Hugo made a lasting contribution to the ITF’s Civil Aviation Section and Latin America and Caribbean region, where he brought strategic clarity, generosity and a strong belief in international solidarity. He played an important role in advancing discussions on the future of aviation, contributing to the ITF’s work on sustainable aviation that placed workers, public interest, and environmental responsibility at its core. He played an instrumental role in ensuring trade unions were stakeholders and decision-makers in sustainability initiatives in the Argentinian aviation industry, and in doing so set important precedents for us to follow globally.

As founder and long-time director of the Instituto de Capacitacion Asociacion Del Personal Aeronautico (ICAPA), Hugo believed deeply in education as a tool for empowerment, ensuring that new generations of workers were equipped to face both present and future challenges of the industry.

Hugo was, above all, a comrade – respected, thoughtful, and deeply human. His legacy lives on in the organisations he helped build, the struggles he strengthened, and the many people he inspired along the way. He will be profoundly missed.

Vale, Hugo Perosa.

barton_linda 13 Feb 2026

in memory

Japanese cabin crew union wins landmark victory on fatigue, safety and union rights

barton_linda — Tue, 10 Feb 2026 17:23:24 +0000

Japanese cabin crew union wins landmark victory on fatigue, safety and union rights barton_linda 10 Feb 2026

Impact stories

Japanese cabin crew have won an important legal victory reinforcing a core principle of aviation safety: fatigue protections and rest cannot be sacrificed to commercial pressure and union rights are fundamental to safety too.

“This ruling sends a clear message that commercial pressures on turnaround times and aircraft utilisation cannot come at the expense of safety for passengers or crew,” said Sara Nelson, Chair of ITF’s Civil Aviation Section. “Fatigue is the asbestos of the aviation industry. Cabin crew are safety professionals first and foremost, and our right to rest is fundamental to keeping passengers safe.”

In a series of rulings involving Jetstar Japan, courts and labour authorities upheld the rights of cabin crew to genuine rest, safe working conditions and freedom from anti-union retaliation.

“The treatment of Jetstar Japan cabin crew exposed here is a safety issue,” Nelson said. “Cabin crew are aviation’s first responders. We rely on them to evacuate us or respond to a medical emergency on board – exhausted crew can’t do that as effectively. Forcing crew to work excessive hours without real breaks puts everyone at risk.”

The case was brought by the Jetstar Crew Association (JCA) representing cabin crew at Jetstar Japan, with support from ITF- affiliated Kohkuren. During proceedings, it was revealed that cabin crew were routinely forced to work shifts of more than 10 hours across four domestic flight legs without proper meal breaks or rest.

The Tokyo District Court ruled that Jetstar Japan had violated Japan’s Labour Standards Act and failed in its duty to protect workers’ safety and rights, ordering an injunction to halt the illegal practices. “A ‘break’ under the command and control of the captain is not a true rest,” the court ruled.

Jetstar argued that short ground turnaround times counted as rest. The court rejected this, noting that cabin crew remain fully engaged in safety checks, cabin cleaning and passenger assistance. In separate decisions, Jetstar Japan was also found to have illegally imposed new wage contracts and unlawfully disciplined union leaders for legitimate union activity.

“This is exactly why fatigue prevention must be rooted in a just culture in aviation,” Nelson said. “Punitive management systems silence workers, discourage reporting and undermine safety. Unions play a fundamental role in keeping the aviation industry safe and moving. Unions ensure commercial pressures don’t undermine the safety and wellbeing of the workforce that powers this industry. The courts in Japan have recognised that.”

The ruling echoes findings from the ITF’s 2025 report on cabin crew fatigue, which exposed a global fatigue crisis driven by understaffing, intense turnaround pressures and weak enforcement of rest protections.

“This victory shows what collective action can achieve and why strong unions are essential to protecting workers, passengers and the safety record of airlines themselves. Airlines and regulatory bodies around the world would do well to take note,” said Nelson.

Despite being central to emergency response and passenger safety, cabin crew in Japan are still officially classified as “service personnel” rather than safety professionals.

“This case provides all the argument and recognition necessary to properly and urgently recognise cabin crew as the safety-critical professionals they are,” Nelson concluded.

ITF and Dominican Republic come together to improve labour conditions

Mark_D — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 15:21:00 +0000

ITF and Dominican Republic come together to improve labour conditions

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) is forging a new partnership with the Dominican Republic through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Labor, aimed at promoting the protection of labour rights, reinforcing social dialogue, and improving working conditions in the country’s transport sector.

Under the agreement, the ITF and the Dominican Republic commit to work closely together to ensure nationwide compliance with labour legislation and international labour standards, particularly in sectors such as transport, logistics, and tourism — areas characterised by high labour mobility and significant relevance to the national economy.

"The signing of this MoU represents a new achievement in the region and constitutes a key instrument to advance decent work and ensure that transformations in the transport sector take place with social justice and trade union participation,” said David Massiah, ITF Tourism Chair.

The agreement establishes a cooperation framework designed to develop joint actions that strengthen social dialogue, improve occupational safety and health conditions, and promote technical and professional training for workers, trade union leaders, and institutional actors.

A central pillar of the agreement is collaboration aimed at preventing and eliminating unacceptable forms of work, such as child labour, forced labour, and human trafficking for the purpose of labour exploitation. The ITF will contribute studies, data, and methodologies that facilitate the detection and eradication of these practices. In addition, it will promote research initiatives to analyse emerging trends and strengthen evidence-based policymaking.

Edgar Díaz, ITF Latin America and the Caribbean Regional Secretary, said: “With this alliance, the ITF reaffirms its role as a global actor in defending the rights of transport workers. It also positions the Dominican Republic at the forefront of an international network dedicated to promoting fair, safe, and sustainable working conditions.”

In accordance with the MoU, the ITF and the Ministry of Labor will designate focal points for coordination, develop joint work plans, and establish monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to measure the labour and social impact of the actions implemented. The agreement, which is non-binding and has an indefinite duration, creates a stable platform for ongoing cooperation between the federation and the Dominican State.

The document was signed by the Minister of Labor, Eddy Olivares Ortega, and ITF Deputy General Secretary, Rob Johnston, with the participation of Edgar Díaz, ITF Regional Secretary, David Massiah, Chair of the ITF Tourism Section, Santiago Zamora, member of the ITF Global Tourism Committee, Ricardo de los Santos, President of FENATRADO, and Jacobo Ramos Crispín, President of the CNTD and FENATRAZONAS.

Mark_D 09 Feb 2026

ITF welcomes return of Safe Rates in South Korea – strong enforcement, further expansion needed

barton_linda — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 09:45:45 +0000

ITF welcomes return of Safe Rates in South Korea – strong enforcement, further expansion needed

The implementation of Safe Rates for container and bulk cement transport in Korea marks an important step towards improving fair pay, good jobs and road safety for truck drivers.

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) welcomes the re-introduction of Safe Rates – a system that guarantees decent pay for all the time drivers work – as an urgently needed measure to address the dangerous cost-cutting pressures that have plagued the industry since 2022 when the system was temporarily abolished.

During that period, low-cost tendering practices rapidly returned, driving freight rates down by as much as 35% and placing immense pressure on drivers to work longer and more dangerous hours to make ends meet. However, from 1 February 2026, the system will be back in place.

“The Korean Safe Rates system protects the rights of truck drivers and the safety of road-using public”, said KPTU-TruckSol President, Dongguk Kim.

“While we welcome the implementation of safe rates for containers and cement, we can’t stop here. We now have the urgent task of enforcing these rates on the ground while also mounting a fierce struggle to make sure the system is permanent and expand its coverage. This includes working to bring Safe Rates to road transport workers globally.”

A recent survey of drivers conducted by the Korean Public Service and Transport Workers’ Union Cargo Truckers’ Solidarity Division (KPTU-TruckSol) found that in the absence of safe rates, 77% of drivers experienced an increase in working time, while 78% reported increased instances of microsleep while driving after the loss of the first Safe Rates system. The same proportion reported a rise in accident risks linked to long hours, night-time driving, speeding and overloading. Hundreds of lives have been lost in truck crashes during this period.

Under the newly announced Safe Rates, drivers’ net pay is expected to increase by around 11%. While this increase is significant and welcome, it still falls short of what is needed to compensate for the sharp drop in earnings and the rising cost of living since the system was abolished in 2022.

After mass protests that led to the removal of former Korean president, Yoon Suk Yeol, legislation was passed in July 2025 to reintroduce the Safe Rates system. While the ITF welcomed this decision as a positive step forward, it is disappointed that the law once again makes the system temporary and limits its application to just two sectors, covering less than 6% of the professional truck drivers.

The ITF urges the Korean government to work with lawmakers, unions and other industry stakeholders to make the Safe Rates system permanent and to expand its coverage to all professional truck drivers. Only then can it ensure fair pay, safe roads and decent jobs for the workers who keep its economy moving.

For the system to deliver real improvements, enforcement will be critical” said Flemming Overgaard, ITF Road Transport Section Chair.

“The ITF calls on the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to take an active role in ensuring that clients and transport companies comply with the published standards – including preventing the undercutting of rates through hidden mechanisms such as increased fees or charges imposed on drivers.

“We will continue our global campaign for Safe Rates with an action week in July 2026”.

#SafeRatesSaveLives

ENDS

Notes to Editor

What are Safe Rates? 

Guaranteeing Safe Rates mean drivers are paid fairly for all the time they work, allowing them to make enough money to drive safely and support their families. If drivers own their own vehicles, Safe Rates are calculated to ensure that they can cover the cost of purchasing, maintaining, and operating them. Safe Rates can be guaranteed through multi-stakeholder agreements, or legal regulatory systems which:

Set standards for pay and conditions that are fair and equal for all drivers
Hold all industry stakeholders accountable, including the companies at the top of road transport supply chains
Include strong provisions on monitoring and enforcement
Involve unions in the process of setting, monitoring, and enforcing standards.

barton_linda 02 Feb 2026

safe rates

Seafarers, unions and maritime industry leaders unite at MILAAP ITF Seafarers’ Expo 2026

CommsLondon — Fri, 30 Jan 2026 06:11:26 +0000

Seafarers, unions and maritime industry leaders unite at MILAAP ITF Seafarers’ Expo 2026

Landmark event for seafarers opens, Indian Government announces new support for seafarers

Indian seafarers are set to benefit from a raft of new initiatives to support them in their maritime careers, India’s Director General of Shipping announced at the opening of one of the country’s largest seafarer events, yesterday.

The MILAAP – ITF Seafarers' Expo 2026 – jointly organised by the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) and Indian maritime unions – opened in Mumbai with cultural performances, a marching band led by seafarers, and a traditional lamp-lighting ceremony. Hundreds of seafarers and their families were in attendance, alongside regulators, welfare institutions, and global industry stakeholders, as the three-day event launched at Princess Dock.

The Expo comes a week after the ITF’s release of seafarer abandonment data showed another record-breaking year for abandonment, with Indian seafarers the worst affected of any nationality.

“While we have great aspirations, in the news, our nation is also showcased as the nation with the highest number of abandoned seafarers – I seek to reassure all my seafarer brothers and sisters that the maritime administration is committed to your welfare, your dignity and your safety 24/7,” India’s Director General of Shipping, Shri Shyam Jagannathan, said in a speech to seafarers and attendees.

Jagannathan outlined India’s ambition for its seafarers to make up 25% of the global seafarer workforce – and a raft of new measures to support the rapidly expanding workforce.

These include a new 24/7 grievance redressal support service for seafarers, available via a toll-free phone number, on Whatsapp and email, due to launch in the first week of April.

He also outlined that there will be seafarers’ clubs at every port in India for shore leave, alongside a new insurance support framework with financial assistance for every eligible seafarer, including towards medical insurance, critical illness cover and life insurance.

The new measures to support Indian seafarers

“It’s critical at this moment in the maritime world that we recognise the importance of India – and when we look at the future, we believe that India will be an even bigger part of the maritime world,” said ITF General Secretary, Stephen Cotton.

Cotton explained that seafarers and the maritime industry in India and around the world faces challenges including scams to profit from taking advantage of seafarers, climate change and the rise of new fuels, and the need for more women in the industry.

“The challenge for us when we celebrate you – Indian seafarers and all those in India in the maritime industry – is how to secure the future,” he said.

“We need more women in maritime, we need more women on the ships, we need more women in the offices, and we need more women in governance – this is critical to our future.”

Expert-led sessions for seafarers at the Expo are covering issues including criminalisation and fair treatment of seafarers, ethical recruitment and rights awareness, abandonment issues, the Maritime Labour Convention, and health and safety at sea.

Speakers at the event’s opening included: Shri Sameer Kumar Khare, Chairman, National Shipping Board; Shri Shyam Jagannathan, IAS, Director General of Shipping; Stephen Cotton, General Secretary, International Transport Workers’ Federation; Elena Gerasimova, International Labour Organization; Savio Ramos, General Secretary of MUI; Milind Kandalgaonkar, General Secretary of NUSI; Manoj Yadav, General Secretary of FSUI.

CommsLondon 30 Jan 2026

Seafarers to take centre stage as thousands set to gather in Mumbai for ITF Seafarers’ Expo

barton_linda — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 09:03:38 +0000

Seafarers to take centre stage as thousands set to gather in Mumbai for ITF Seafarers’ Expo

The International Transport Workers’ Federation, alongside maritime unions from India, is bringing a major international seafarers’ event to India with the 2026 ITF Seafarers’ Expo, taking place this week in Mumbai.

Where: Princess Dock, Mumbai Port Trust, Mazgaon, Mumbai
When: 1100 – 1730 daily, 29 – 31 January 2025

Thousands of Indian seafarers are set to attend the ITF’s Seafarers’ Expo, a unique three-day event bringing together seafarers, trade unions, seafarer welfare organisations,shipping companies and government shipping authorities.

ITF Maritime Coordinator Jacqueline Smith said: “We’re delighted to be holding our 2026 Seafarers’ Expo event in one of the world’s most important seafaring nations – India. Seafarers move the world and Indian seafarers are critical to keeping global trade moving, crewing ships across the world and ensuring supply chains function every day.

“Sadly, we are seeing Indian seafarers get hit hard by abuses of their rights. That’s precisely why the Expo is so important. Seafarers will be able to speak directly to experts from across the maritime industry and learn about issues ranging from seafarer abandonment to dealing with crewing agents, through to how the industry is navigating rapid changes linked to sustainability and a just transition.”

Alongside enabling Indian seafarers to learn more about their rights and how to find the support and advice they need, the Expo is also geared toward fun, with games, free food and refreshments.

All three of the ITF’s affiliated maritime unions in India – the National Union of Seafarers of India (NUSI), the Maritime Union of India (MUI), the Forward Seamen's Union of India (FSUI) – have co-organised the Expo. Alongside the unions, the Government of India’s Directorate General of Shipping (DG Shipping) will be in attendance, with India’s Director General of Shipping, Shri Shyam Jagannathan, due to speak at the opening of the Expo on Thursday 29 January.

The Expo comes shortly after the ITF released its 2025 seafarer abandonment statistics, which showed Indian seafarers are the worst affected nationality, as they also were in 2024.

However, the Indian Government is taking pioneering action to protect seafarers: at the end of 2025, DG Shipping took the globally unprecedented step of blacklisting 86 vessels involved in abuses of seafarers’ rights, including ensuring Indian seafarers are not placed on blacklisted ships. This kind of decisive intervention demonstrates that abuse is not inevitable – it is the result of choices, and governments can choose to enforce accountability. The ITF welcomes the move and encourages other national governments to follow suit.

Call for Seafarers to Attend

The ITF is calling on seafarers and their families across India to register and attend the Expo. Attendance is free, and advance registration will ensure your place. Seafarers, click here to register.

Media Invitation – Day One

Media are invited to attend the Expo, particularly on Day 1 (Thursday 29 January) where opening speeches are scheduled for midday from the ITF General Secretary, India’s Director General of Shipping, and union leaders from across the maritime sector. The opening session will be followed by opportunities for interviews with speakers and union representatives.

Media wishing to attend should email media@itf.org.uk to register for a press pass.

ENDS

Notes to Editor

The last Seafarers’ Expo was held in Manila, Philippines, in 2023. It was attended by more than 4,000 seafarers over a three-day period.
Organisations hosting stalls for seafarers at the event include: the ITF; the National Union of Seafarers of India (NUSI); the Maritime Union of India (MUI); the Forward Seamen's Union of India (FSUI); the Norwegian Seafarers' Union (NSU); the All-Japan Seamen's Union (JSU); German union, Vereinte Dienstleistungsgewerkschaft (ver.di); the Mission to Seafarers; the Foreign Owners’ Representatives and Ship Managers Association (FOSMA); International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN); Indian National Shipowners' Association (INSA); Directorate General of Shipping, India.
In September 2025, India’s Directorate General of Shipping announced it would take action against 86 vessels linked to recurrent occurrences of seafarer abandonment. These include: “... recruiting and placement agencies cease the recruitment of Indian seafarers for the identified blacklisted vessels. They are also instructed to facilitate the prompt sign-off of Indian crew members at the nearest port and ensure their safe repatriation to India, along with the fulfilment of entitled wages and welfare provisions. The agencies must submit reports within 14 days, detailing the status and wages of seafarers on the affected vessels, as well as any outstanding payments. Failure to comply could lead to the suspension or revocation of their licenses." See here.

barton_linda 26 Jan 2026

Seafarer abandonment crisis: thousands left behind in shipping’s worst year on record

barton_linda — Thu, 22 Jan 2026 15:08:27 +0000

Seafarer abandonment crisis: thousands left behind in shipping’s worst year on record

ITF data shows spiralling ship and seafarer abandonment at worst ever levels - Indian seafarers worst affected with more than 1,000 abandoned out of a total of more than 6,000 abandoned seafarers in 2025.

Seafarer abandonment hit record levels in 2025, according to new data compiled by the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), with 6,223 seafarers abandoned across 410 ships.

Seafarer abandonment is in crisis, with the data marking the sixth year in a row that the number of vessels on which abandonments occurred has broken records and the fourth year in a row that the total number of seafarers abandoned has broken records: the numbers represent a 31% increase in such ship abandonments compared to 2024, and a 32% increase in seafarer abandonment.

ITF data, which will be submitted in a report to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) ahead of its discussion at a legal committee meeting this year, also shows that seafarers were owed a total of USD25.8 million in 2025 as a consequence of the abandonments. From this total, the ITF has recovered and returned USD16.5 million to seafarers.

It’s nothing short of a disgrace that, yet again, we are seeing record numbers of seafarers abandoned by unscrupulous ship owners,” said David Heindel, Chair of the ITF Seafarers’ Section.

"Every day, all around the world, seafarers face horrific violations of their human and labour rights, all so that bottom-feeding companies can make a quick buck at their expense. It’s very clear that this is a systemic issue in the industry – and that means we need the entire industry to come together with seafarers and their unions to say, ‘enough is enough’, and take action together to end this crisis."

Seafarer abandonment is defined by the IMO under three criteria: failing to cover the cost of a seafarer’s repatriation; leaving a seafarer without necessary maintenance and support; unilaterally severing ties with a seafarer, including failure to pay contractual wages for a period of at least two months. The IMO and the International Labour Organization (ILO) run a joint seafarer abandonment database: of 410 abandonments last year, the ITF reported 400 (98 percent).

Seafarer nationalities, abandonment locations

Indian seafarers were the worst affected national group in 2025, as in 2024, with 1,125 seafarers abandoned – at the end of 2025, the Indian Government announced that ‘blacklisting’ measures would be taken to protect seafarers from ships with a record of repeat abandonments and other bad practices.

Filipino seafarers were the second worst affected, with 539 abandoned, followed by Syrians with 309 abandoned.

The worst region for abandonment was the Middle East, followed by Europe. The two countries where most ship abandonments took place – the countries with the highest number of vessels on which abandonments occurred – both of which have significantly higher abandonments than any other country, were Türkiye (61) and the United Arab Emirates (54).

Flags of Convenience

Flag of Convenience (FOCs) vessels feature prominently in abandonment: 337 vessels abandoned in 2025 – 82% of the total – were flying FOC flags. The ITF estimates that around 30% of the entire 100,000-strong global fleet of merchant vessels fly FOCs.

As in 2024, Panama, an FOC, remains the Flag State with the most abandonments (68, up from 43), while the number of abandonments under an unknown flag have more than doubled (46, up from 20).

The ITF has run a campaign on FOCs for more than 75 years and has long warned of the threat to seafarers’ rights and the illegal and illicit activities enabled by the FOC system. This has become more widely understood in recent weeks through operations undertaken against flag-switching shadow fleet tankers.

ITF General Secretary Stephen Cotton said: “How many more seafarers have to be put through the misery of abandonment until we see the changes that we know are needed to end this disgraceful practice?

“In 2025, we’ve yet again seen the worst year on record for seafarer abandonment. But this isn’t just a story about numbers, these are the people – the workers – who keep our economy moving forward being forced into absolutely desperate situations, far from home and often without any clear resolution in sight.

“As we’ve long said, the solutions to abandonment lie in accountability in the shipping industry ensuring that ship owners can’t dodge their responsibilities. The International Maritime Organization must be given more power to play a coordinating role in eradicating abandonment.”

The ITF is calling for the following steps to be taken to tackle seafarer abandonment:

Flag States to be compelled to log a ship’s beneficial owner, including contact details, as a pre-condition for registration
National blacklisting of ships to protect seafarers from ships with repeated involvement in abandonment cases, following the lead of India’s DG Shipping
Government investigations into the use of Flags of Convenience, as is currently underway in the USA

Case study: the Eleen Armonia

One Indian seafarer who is currently abandoned alongside three other Indian crew spoke to the ITF about his ongoing ordeal. The seafarer and three of his crew mates have been aboard the ship, the Eleen Armonia, off the coast of Nigeria, since June without receiving pay – the ITF filed the ship as abandoned in August 2025. Despite repeated appeals and the expiration of contracts, they have not been repatriated by the ship owner – Eleen Marine – despite seeing other crew members ‘signing off’ to go home.

“Every month we’ve asked the company to pay our wages and send us home, but they don’t care. We’re in touch with many authorities, including the ITF, who are trying to help us, but right now it feels like we will only go home when the company decides,” the seafarer said.

“The situation here is worse than hell. We keep hearing false promises from the company, it’s maybe 10 times that they’ve promised us we can go home, then nothing. The ship’s insurer contacted us in December and said that since our wages have been pending for more than two months they would get involved and help us sign off. But then they said they are still waiting for company permission, and the company hasn’t replied for a week.”

He added: “It’s become a daily routine for me that I can’t sleep from stress, and if this continues, I honestly don’t know how it will affect my health. I joined this vessel quickly because the assignment meant I could spend Christmas and New Year with my new daughter and family - I have now missed Christmas, New Year and an important family event. As seafarers, it feels really shameful that we’re treated this way.”

Earlier in 2025, an ITF report detailed Eleen Marine’s relationship with the Slovenia-registered sham union, the ‘International Seafarers’ Union’ (ISU). ISU was established alongside and operates in tandem with the company, Lanibra, which sells anti-union services to ship owners. This means ISU violates international and national laws that forbid ‘interference’ by employers in a union.

Agreements Eleen Marine purchased from ISU-Lanibra are believed to have expired in June and have not been renewed.

The seafarer’s name has not been used to protect his identity. Seafarers fear reprisals and blacklisting by employers for speaking out.

ENDS

Notes to Editor

The ITF abandonment report 2025 will be submitted to the IMO ahead of 6 February 2026. It will subsequently be discussed at the 113th session of the IMO’s Legal Committee in April 2026.
The ILO/IMO joint abandonment database is available here. There is a lag time between the filing of abandonment reports and their appearance on the database.
In September 2025, India’s Directorate General of Shipping announced it would take action against 86 vessels linked to recurrent occurrences of seafarer abandonment. These include: “... recruiting and placement agencies cease the recruitment of Indian seafarers for the identified blacklisted vessels. They are also instructed to facilitate the prompt sign-off of Indian crew members at the nearest port and ensure their safe repatriation to India, along with the fulfilment of entitled wages and welfare provisions. The agencies must submit reports within 14 days, detailing the status and wages of seafarers on the affected vessels, as well as any outstanding payments. Failure to comply could lead to the suspension or revocation of their licenses." See here.
As the Times newspaper reported on the shadow fleet tanker, the Marinera, “... the ship has had six names since 2020 and sailed under five different country flags. Most of these are classified as “flags of convenience” — countries which allow ships to register with minimal oversight.”
A ‘ship abandonment’ refers to a ship on which a seafarer or seafarers have been abandoned.
The ITF report, A Sham Trade Union Undermining the Maritime Industry, is available here.
A translated edit of Slovenian national public broadcaster RTV’s new coverage of ISU-Lanibra is available here, with the Slovenian language original available here.

Legal definition of abandonment:

The Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (MLC) states that abandonment occurs when a shipowner:

fails to cover the cost of the seafarer’s repatriation; or
has left the seafarer without the necessary maintenance and support; or
has otherwise unilaterally severed their ties with the seafarer including failure to pay contractual wages for a period of at least two months’

Abandonment statistics 2025:

The following tables show: seafarers abandoned by nationality in 2025; ship abandonments by Flag State in 2025; insurers covering abandoned ships in 2025.

Seafarers	Flag State	Insurer
India: 1,125	Panama: 68	Unknown: 192
Philippines: 539	Unknown: 46	Hydor: 23
Syria: 309	Tanzania: 41	Maritime Mutual: 20
Indonesia: 274	St Kitts: 40	The Shipowners’ Club: 19
Ukraine: 248	Comoros: 34	Turk P&I: 14
Azerbaijan: 203	Palau: 21	Al-Bahriah: 13
Pakistan: 179	Iran: 18	American Club: 11
Venezuela: 144	Liberia: 17	London P&I: 9
Egypt: 130	Cameroon: 12	AMT Insurance: 8
Russia: 123	Sierra Leone: 11	RO Marine: 8

Seafarers:

A total of 4,595 seafarers requested assistance from the ITF in 2025 – noting that not all abandoned seafarers request assistance, and that not all requests for assistance are about abandonment
Seafarers were owed a total of USD25.8 million from abandonments in 2025.
The ITF has recovered USD16.5 million, leaving USD9.3 million to be recovered.
The ITF has tracked the total number of abandoned seafarers since 2022 – every year since then, the number has increased:

Year	Number of abandoned seafarers
2025	6,223
2024	4,726
2023	1,983
2022	1,835

Ships:

400 ship abandonments out of the 410 total (98 percent) in 2025 were reported by the ITF. Of these, as of 1 January 2026: 163 are resolved; 67 are disputed; 5 are inactive; 176 are unresolved.
337 ship abandonments were on vessels sailing under Flags of Convenience
General cargo ships are the most abandoned vessel type, accounting for 164 out of 410 (40 percent)

Year	Number of abandoned ships
2025	410
2024	312
2023	132
2022	118
2021	95
2020	85
2019	42
2018	38
2017	64
2016	20

Geographical spread:

Region	Total abandonments	Worst country for number of abandoned ships
Europe	122	Türkiye, 61
Middle East	152	UAE, 54
Asia-Pacific	70	India, 16
Africa	39	Senegal, 6
North America	0	n/a
Latin America and Caribbean	20	Venezuela, 6
Reported at sea	7	n/a

Country	Number of ship abandonments in 2025
Türkiye	61
UAE	54
Saudi Arabia	21
Egypt	20
Iran	20
India	16
China	13
Oman	10
Greece	8
Indonesia	8

Flags of Convenience:

337 vessels abandoned in 2025 – 82 percent of the total – were flying Flags of Convenience.
The ITF’s Flags of Convenience list can be found here. For more information on the ITFs’ campaign on this issue – first launched in Oslo in 1948 – see here .
Under international law, ships must be registered with a single country, even though they often operate in international waters. The  United Nations (UN) Convention on the Law of the Sea states that there must be a “genuine link” between the ship and the flag state. In reality, ‘genuine links’ between ships and flags often fail to exist. 
A ‘Flag of Convenience’ vessel is one that flies the flag of a country other than the country of ownership, at the same time adopting the regulations set down by that flag. The origins of the system lie in the United America Line using the Panama flag to circumvent prohibition in the 1920s.
Flags of convenience offer countries without their own shipping industry a way to make easy money. The country can set up ship a registry and charge fees to shipowners, while having reduced standards for crew safety and welfare and often failing to live up to the responsibilities of a genuine flag state. The real ship owner (what the ITF calls the ‘beneficial owner’) benefits from having their identity hidden and adopting the often poor regulatory standards of the flag. which can also include no restriction on the nationality of a crew. In many cases, these flags are not even run from the country concerned.
In 2025, the ITF’s 130 inspectors in more than 109 ports in 55 countries carried out over 9,000 inspections of FOC vessels. They recovered more than USD45.2 million in owed wages. Of these inspections, 4,074 were on vessels not covered by an ITF agreement: these were responsible for the bulk of the recovered wages, more than USD31.8 million.

Media contact

Mark Dearn +44 7738 832 413
media@itf.org.uk

barton_linda 22 Jan 2026

abandonment

Statement of the Council of Global Unions on the trial of Lee Cheuk-yan

barton_linda — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 15:10:55 +0000

Statement of the Council of Global Unions on the trial of Lee Cheuk-yan

Today, Brother Lee Cheuk-yan, General-Secretary of the defunct Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions (HKCTU) is facing yet another trial in court for exercising freedom of association rights as a trade union leader. He is facing a charge of inciting subversion of the state power of China and a sentence of 10 years in prison on conviction. The Council of Global Unions (CGU) representing the global trade union movement stands in unwavering solidarity with Brother Lee. Trade unionists are human rights defenders not criminals. We express our support to Brother Lee who has stood by his faith in democracy, human rights and non-violent struggles. We stand with the other trade unionists, civil society actors and human rights defenders under oppression in Hong Kong.

Brother Lee Cheuk-yan is a prominent trade unionist well-respected by the international trade union movement. He has dedicated himself to defending workers’ rights and building the independent trade union movement in Hong Kong. It is his lifelong commitment to bear witness to the brutal crackdown of the pro-democracy movement at Tiananmen in China in 1989, and to call for the right to freedom of association and democratic reforms in China.

In 2021, Lee was convicted on politically motivated charges of organising public rallies during the wave of mass- public protests in 2019 demanding universal suffrage to elect the Chief Executive in Hong Kong. Today, Brother Lee is in court again after 4 years of pre-trial detention prior to which he had served a sentence of 20 months in prison on a separate charge.

The offence of subversion is stipulated under the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in Hong Kong (the NSL) which was adopted by China in 2020 to suppress the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong.

The CGU strongly condemns the prosecution of Lee and any other pro-democracy activist and human rights defender on trial and call for their immediate release. . Exercising the right to freedom of association and assembly in pursuit of democracy and fundamental human rights promotes peace, social progress and larger freedom. It is in line with the UN Charter and other international human rights instruments. It is not a crime. What is happening to Lee and others is a travesty and no one should be subjected to arbitrary detention and penal sanction for exercising these internationally protected rights.

We reiterate our deep concerns regarding the NSL and the rapidly deteriorating human rights conditions in Hong Kong in the wake of its adoption. Trade unionists, activists, journalists and human rights defenders have been subjected to broadly framed offences of subversion, collusion and sedition, leading to the conviction of 8 independent trade unionists on lengthy imprisonment sentences from 19 to 81 months.

More than 200 trade unions, civil society organisations and independent press outlets have been forced to disband themselves as a result of systematic state orchestrated smearing and defamation, threats and criminalisations.

The NSL is being applied beyond the borders of Hong Kong further instilling fear in those forced into exile as a result of their legitimate activities and creating an environment resulting in self-censorship and a chilling effect for those continuing their human rights and pro-democracy activities abroad.

The Hong Kong government must stop using the national security law and criminal persecution against individuals exercising their fundamental rights and civil liberties. The government should repeal the NSL, the National Security Ordinance and all laws that infringe and restrict on the fundamental human rights of the people of Hong Kong.

We call on our global affiliates to stand in solidarity with Hong Kong trade unionists, workers under oppression, and demand the immediate and unconditional release of all those being prosecuted or imprisoned for the human rights and pro-democracy activities.

[END]

This is a Council of Global Unions (CGU) Statement jointly signed by:

Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI)

Education International (EI)

International Arts and Entertainment Alliance (IAEA)

IndustriALL Global Union

International Federation of Journalists (IFJ)

International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF)

International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)

International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers' Associations (IUF)

Public Services International (PSI)

Trade Union Advisory Committee to the OECD (TUAC)

UNI Global Union

International Domestic Workers’ Federation (IDWF)

barton_linda 21 Jan 2026

ITF, ASA: Schiphol tendering sets pioneering example others must follow

barton_linda — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 15:01:23 +0000

ITF, ASA: Schiphol tendering sets pioneering example others must follow

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) and the Aviation Services Association (ASA World) congratulate the Royal Schiphol Group for its new tendering procedure to select three ground handling companies to operate at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.

The move to reduce the six companies currently carrying out ground handling to three includes new requirements that improve working conditions for ground handling employees. In so doing, Schiphol is taking a vital step forward in raising standards and ensuring fairer competition in the aviation supply chain at one of the world’s biggest airports – we urge other airports to follow suit in order to secure an economically, socially and environmentally sustainable civil aviation industry.

"Schiphol Group is setting a template for the right way forward for ground handling at airports around the world,” said ITF Civil Aviation and Tourism Services Director, Bilal Malkawi. “We recognise that this will be a period of uncertainty for ground handling workers at the airport, but we warmly welcome Schiphol Group’s acknowledgement of this through the introduction of additional labour agreement protections for the transition phase, in addition to its stated intention to retain existing jobs.

"We also congratulate our affiliate union FNV for the organising and campaigning work it has undertaken over many years which has played a key role in this important outcome.”

Under the new tendering process, which was published on 4 December 2025, ground handling companies are required to make more joint use of handling equipment, creating more space on the apron and locking in more efficient use of resources.

ASA Director General, Dr. Waleed Youssef added: “ASA World supports Schiphol’s reforms and calls on all airports to go further by embedding commercial safeguards in their conditions of use in order to ensure that airlines shall adhere to norms set out in industry standards such as the IATA Standard Ground Handling Agreement – SGHA- – which are jointly developed and approved by airlines and ground handling organizations.

Timely payments and fair terms are critical for economic resilience, safety, employee welfare and passenger satisfaction.”

The ITF and ASA World call on airports worldwide to follow the lead set by Schiphol.

barton_linda 21 Jan 2026

Download Platform English

Indonesian fishers launch national policy platform demanding rights, safety, and justice

barton_linda — Tue, 13 Jan 2026 09:51:30 +0000

Indonesian fishers launch national policy platform demanding rights, safety, and justice

Jakarta, Indonesia

Indonesian fishers today launched a new Fishers’ Rights Network (FRN) Policy Platform, issuing a direct challenge to the Government of the Republic of Indonesia and the Indonesian House of Representatives to take immediate, concrete action to deliver justice, protection, and decent livelihoods across Indonesia’s fisheries sector.

The platform was officially launched at a public policy dialogue in Jakarta, bringing together fishers, trade unions, and representatives of the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP). The event was organised by Indonesian fishers’ unions Serikat Pekerja Perikanan Indonesia (SPPI) and Kesatuan Pelaut Indonesia (KPI), with support from the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF).

The Policy Platform calls for urgent action to address persistent exploitation, unsafe working conditions, weak enforcement of labour protections, and barriers to justice faced by fishing vessel crew members. It makes clear that all fishers – regardless of location, flag, or employment status – are entitled to a safe and healthy workplace, full legal protection, fair wages, and the right to organise and bargain collectively.

The FRN Policy Platform was endorsed by fishers’ unions at the ITF Fishers’ Rights Network Policy and Advocacy Symposium in Bali in December 2025, and represents a unified position from fishers’ organisations across Indonesia demanding accountability from government, employers, and supply-chain actors.

The platform makes three clear demands:

That the Indonesian Government takes concrete, enforceable steps to realise justice, protection, and a decent livelihood for all fishers, including fishing vessel crew members.
That employers are held fully responsible for guaranteeing and fulfilling fishers’ rights, including safety, contracts, wages, and social protection.
That community leaders, religious leaders, seafaring communities, and the wider public actively support and demand strong policies to protect fishers and hold decision-makers to account.

The platform further calls for full occupational safety and health protections for all fishers; the guaranteed right to organise, unionise, and enter into collective bargaining agreements; and the ratification, effective implementation, and enforcement of ILO Convention 188. It also calls for mandatory pre-departure training for all fishers, full access to justice, legal assistance, and effective remedies, and the serious enforcement of existing laws – backed by regular monitoring and the active involvement of unions and civil society to end impunity in the fisheries sector.

Speaking at the launch, Ilyas Pangestu of SPPI said the policy platform is not just a statement of principles, but a call for concrete action.

“Fishers are essential to Indonesia’s economy, yet many still work without contracts, without safety guarantees, and without access to justice,” Pangestu said.

This platform makes it clear what must change, and it makes clear who is responsible. Fishers and their unions must be at the table in every decision that affects our lives and our work.”

Dewa Budiasa, General Secretary of KPI, said the platform reflects the lived reality of fishers across Indonesia.

“For too long, fishers have paid the price for weak enforcement, unsafe vessels, and a system that treats them as disposable labour,” Budiasa said. “This platform is a clear message to government and employers: fishers deserve protection, dignity, and a real voice – and we will continue to organise until these rights are delivered.”

The unions called on the Government of Indonesia, employers, and supply-chain actors to engage directly with fishers and their unions to implement the platform’s demands and ensure meaningful protection for all fishing vessel crew members, regardless of location or employment status.

ENDS

Notes to editors

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) will also be holding a Flags of Non-Complaint policy meeting in Bali on 19–20 January 2026, bringing together unions to address flag-state accountability and enforcement gaps affecting fishers worldwide.

About the ITF

About the FRN
Set up by the ITF, the Fishers’ Rights Network (FRN) is a democratic, representative union of fishers in Thailand and Indonesia which campaigns to improve the wages, working conditions and labour rights of all fishers in the fishing industry.

_{Image credit - ITF/FRN}

barton_linda 13 Jan 2026

Download Platform Bahasa

Fisheries

ITF condemns US military aggression against Venezuela

CommsLondon — Sun, 04 Jan 2026 13:09:07 +0000

ITF condemns US military aggression against Venezuela

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) firmly and unequivocally oppose the US military invasion carried out against Venezuela which represents a grave escalation and constitutes a blatant violation of national sovereignty, international law, and the fundamental principles of peace and self-determination.

The attacks have resulted in the deaths of military personnel and civilians, underscoring the urgent need to halt further violence and loss of life.

“This act threatens Venezuela’s political and social stability, endangers regional and international peace, and places the lives and human rights of millions of innocent people at risk, said Paddy Crumlin, President of the ITF. “There is no justification for armed intervention. These actions impede on international law and set a destabilising precedent for the world in undermining democracy and along with that trade union rights and freedoms. The future of Venezuela must be decided exclusively by Venezuelans.”

Crumlin continued: “The ITF calls for the immediate cessation of hostilities and reinstatement of respect for Venezuelan sovereignty. In particular, these actions directly threaten the rights and safety of Venezuelan transport workers and the critical role they play in delivering the essential services and supply chain to support the ongoing function of the economy and public welfare. As seen in many other conflicts around the world, transport workers are on the front line of this kind of violent intervention. Differences between states must be resolved through dialogue, diplomacy, and international cooperation. We call on governments and international institutions to act now to prevent further escalation. We also call for a full and independent investigation into this military operation and the circumstances used to justify it, to ensure accountability and justice, and the prevention of future violence.”

The ITF stands in solidarity with its Venezuelan affiliated union, the Federación Bolivariana de Trabajadores y Trabajadoras del sector Transporte, Afines y Conexos, backing its calls for an immediate halt to hostilities, the activation of ILO protections for affected workers, and the immediate release of President Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores.

The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and the Trade Union Confederation of the Americas (TUCA) have issued an absolute and unequivocal rejection of the US military attack on Venezuela condemning it as a violation of international law, rejecting any attempt at regime change by force or foreign interference, demanding full guarantees for the life and immediate release of President Maduro and Cilia Flores, and calling for an urgent return to dialogue so that peace, sovereignty, and self-determination are upheld in the region.

Echoing these calls, ITF Latin Americas Vice President Pablo Moyano expressed solidarity with the Venezuelan people.

“We express our deepest solidarity with the Venezuelan people and their workers, who are today facing moments of uncertainty and pain, and we demand the release of President Maduro. We join their legitimate aspiration to live in peace, with respect for their sovereignty and fundamental rights. We reaffirm our commitment to accompany them in this struggle for justice and self-determination.”.

“Sovereignty is not negotiable; peace is not imposed with weapons. Today we raise our voices for Venezuela and for the right of peoples to decide their own destiny, because every invasion threatens not only one nation, but our entire region and its democratic stability,” Moyano concluded.

CommsLondon 04 Jan 2026

NORTH AMERICA

Glenton “Glen” Wood

CommsLondon — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 10:49:51 +0000

Glenton “Glen” Wood

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) mourns the passing of Glenton “Glen” Wood, a towering figure of the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) and a deeply respected trade unionist across the maritime trade union movement.

Glen devoted his life to defending maritime workers, their dignity, and their right to collective power. He served the MUA with distinction for decades, including in national leadership roles and most recently as National Secretary of the MUA Veterans. He was uncompromising in his defence of members, and deeply committed to passing on the history, values and hard-won lessons of past struggles to new generations of union leaders.

Beyond Australia, Glen was a committed internationalist and a good friend of the ITF. He understood the importance of international trade unionism and consistently offered solidarity to transport workers wherever and whenever they were in struggle. He believed deeply that only by workers uniting globally, across borders, could unions confront global capital and multinational corporations determined to undermine the livelihoods and rights of working people.

After more than half a century fighting for justice for maritime workers, Glen’s determination never waned. In fact, he seemed more energised than ever for the struggles ahead. This leadership and courage will be sorely missed not only by MUA members, but by ITF affiliates in every region who were inspired by his example.

“Glen Wood represented the very best of our movement – principled, fearless and deeply committed to international solidarity,” said ITF General Secretary Stephen Cotton said today. “He understood that the power of workers lies in standing together across borders, and he lived those values throughout his life. On behalf of the ITF, I extend our deepest condolences to Glen’s family, friends and comrades in the MUA. His contribution to the union movement in Australia and internationally will not be forgotten.”

“When I first started at the ITF in the early 1990s, I had the privilege to work with Glen. The world was a very different place, but he took me to one of my first meetings with Australian dockers who were determined to support their comrades from the Pacific Islands. Those discussions were seriously robust – they led to ship delays and tough negotiations – but ultimately, we built relationships where unions from the traditional maritime countries and those from the new labour supply countries agreed that we could all help and support each other."

“Glen, as a delegate in Botany Bay, shared with me the rich history of defending transport workers, in particular seafarers. It was a long time ago, but throughout his career, and after his retirement, Glen was always ready to assist seafarers. He was a man of his time, but he led for the ITF and for the world’s maritime workers.”

ITF President and MUA National Secretary Paddy Crumlin said Glen’s loss would be felt deeply across the union:

“The union is deeply saddened by the shock loss of Glenton Wood – a towering figure in the maritime industry and a prominent, energetic and vital leader of the MUA Veterans. The union in particular extends our deepest sympathies and heartfelt condolences to his much-loved extended Wood family, who stood by Glen as he stood by them, and by our union, throughout his long, loyal and greatly respected leadership of our union.”

“A wharfie and Sydney Branch official for many decades, Glen’s life was defined by his love of his workmates, his union, and his wholehearted commitment to the camaraderie of the working waterfront. Glen was proud to carry on the legacy of leadership for the MUA Veterans after Jimmy Donovan stepped down and spent every day working on behalf of his fellow retired members and towards the industrial ambitions of our working members. Like Jimmy and Fred Krausert, Glen was the embodiment of the adage that while they might be retired from the job they were still utterly committed to the struggle every day of their lives in retirement.”

He will be remembered as a fierce defender of workers, a custodian of union history, and a comrade whose life embodied the principles of solidarity and collective strength.

The ITF, together with transport unions around the world, extends its deepest condolences to Glen’s family, friends and colleagues in the Maritime Union of Australia. His loss will be felt across the global union movement.

CommsLondon 13 Dec 2025

Stephen Abima

etheridge_rennie@itf.org.uk — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 16:57:24 +0000

Stephen Abima

It is with deep sadness and fond memories that the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) has learned of the passing of Stephen Abima, former General Secretary of the Amalgamated Transport and General Workers’ Union of Uganda (ATGWU). He passed away on 12 December 2025.

Stephen’s journey in the labour movement began in the early 2000s as a shop steward and later chief shop steward at Uganda Airlines’ Newrest Inflight Services. He went on to join the union full time, working in the accounts department before serving as Civil Aviation Section Secretary and Youth Projects Officer.

After returning from Germany, where he obtained a postgraduate degree in labour studies, Stephen was elected General Secretary of ATGWU in 2017. In 2022, he was re-elected for a second term. He also served as Deputy Secretary General of the national trade union centre, the National Organisation of Trade Unions (NOTU).

Within the ITF, Stephen was elected to the Executive Board at the 44th ITF Congress in Singapore in 2018, where he was a committed and respected voice for African transport workers.

Stephen’s activism and leadership were instrumental in strengthening his union and expanding the recognition and organisation of transport workers in the informal sector, ensuring that some of the most marginalised workers had a collective voice.

ITF General Secretary Stephen Cotton said: “Abima was a principled, committed trade unionist who never lost sight of who unions exist for. He believed deeply in organising, in youth leadership, and in building strong, democratic unions. His contribution to the ITF and to the Ugandan trade union movement will be remembered with respect and gratitude.”

After spending time in both ITF and our sister federation the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) for personal development, he was a firm believer in union solidarity and was personally committed to a delivery-based model. In Uganda he built alliances with groups of precarious workers to strengthen their voice nationally and internationally. Nobody worked harder or understood the importance of the collective better, irrespective of your individual perspective in the Global North or South.

The ITF Africa Regional Secretary, Mohammed Dauda Safiyanu, added: “We have lost a jovial but firm leader whose passion for inclusivity was truly inspiring. With his strong support, his union organised youth camps annually, and we hope this unique initiative continues to flourish in his memory.”

The ITF expresses its deepest condolences to Stephen’s family, colleagues, and friends. He will be remembered as a dedicated leader, a mentor to young workers, and a steadfast advocate for justice and solidarity.

etheridge_renn… 12 Dec 2025

in memory

ITF condemns Black Sea vessel attacks and calls for protection of seafarers

CommsLondon — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 16:30:05 +0000

ITF condemns Black Sea vessel attacks and calls for protection of seafarers

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) has condemned the latest attack on vessels operating in the Black Sea, warning that seafarers must never be treated as targets in conflict and that their safety and rights must be protected at all times.

Reports indicate that a tanker transiting Ukraine’s exclusive economic zone en route to Novorossiysk was struck and disabled by Ukrainian sea drones, in what is believed to be the third such incident in recent weeks involving vessels described as part of Russia’s “shadow fleet”.

While the ships involved may be linked to sanctions evasion or wider geopolitical tensions, the ITF stressed that the civilian crews onboard are not participants in conflict. Many are multinational seafarers working under difficult conditions, often with poor pay and weak protections. None of that justifies exposing them to violence. Civilian seafarers must be protected at all times under international law.

“Seafarers are not a weapon of war,” said Mark Dickinson, Vice Chair of the ITF Seafarers’ Section and General Secretary of Nautilus International. “They are civilians simply doing their jobs, often in extremely difficult and precarious conditions.

“Under the Flag of Convenience system – where shipowners register vessels in countries without a genuine link and therefore weak oversight – many seafarers are recruited from nations where decent job opportunities are scarce. That leaves them with little real power to refuse dangerous voyages, and often without clear information about where a ship is bound or the risks involved.

“Regardless of the flag a vessel flies, the cargo it carries, or the politics surrounding a conflict, targeting seafarers or placing them in harm’s way is completely unacceptable.”

The ITF warned that crews working on vessels without strong regulatory frameworks are often among the most vulnerable in the global shipping industry. Many face heightened exposure to exploitation and unsafe working conditions – risks that are only compounded when conflict spills into commercial shipping routes.

“Many of these seafarers are already working at the sharp end of an industry that too often fails them,” Dickinson said. “That vulnerability cannot be used to excuse violence. No political or military objective justifies endangering civilian crews.”

Since the start of the Russia–Ukraine war, the Black Sea has been transformed into an active danger zone for merchant shipping, where civilian seafarers face the real and ongoing threat of mines, drones, and missile strikes.

The ITF reiterated its call on all parties to conflicts to uphold international humanitarian and maritime law, to de-escalate tensions, and to take all necessary steps to safeguard civilian seafarers.

“Seafarers keep global trade moving, even during times of war and crisis,” Dickinson said. “They must not be treated as expendable or as collateral damage. The ITF condemns any attack that harms or endangers seafarers anywhere in the world, and we will continue to speak out until their safety is fully respected.”

The ITF continues to monitor the situation closely and stands ready to support any seafarers affected by incidents in the Black Sea or other conflict-affected waters.

Image credit: REUTERS

CommsLondon 12 Dec 2025

Hong Kong Should Immediately Release Chow Hang-tung and Lee Cheuk-yan

CommsLondon — Wed, 10 Dec 2025 09:08:42 +0000

Hong Kong Should Immediately Release Chow Hang-tung and Lee Cheuk-yan

Joint NGO World Human Rights Day statement

We, the undersigned legal and civil society organisations, urgently call upon the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government to release Chow Hang-tung and Lee Cheuk-yan without delay, to withdraw all outstanding criminal charges against them, and to quash their previous convictions. We further urge the authorities to cease bringing criminal proceedings against individuals exercising their human rights, particularly the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly.

We express our deep regret regarding the HKSAR Government's decision to further postpone the trial of Chow and Lee from 11 November 2025 to 22 January 2026. The two co-defendants are charged with “inciting subversion of state power” under the National Security Law (NSL) in connection with their involvement with the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China (HK Alliance); they face conviction and a maximum sentence up to ten years’ imprisonment.

Both Chow and Lee have been repeatedly denied bail and their trial has been postponed not once but twice in the last year. The newly scheduled trial date of 22 January 2026 will come a painfully long 52 months after their initial arrest. This duration, according to Amnesty International research, is more than four times longer than the average pre-trial detention period for national security-related prosecutions in Hong Kong, underscoring the punitive approach adopted by national security authorities.

Pursuant to applicable international law and standards, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) - incorporated into the HKSAR Basic Law - it is incumbent upon the authorities to ensure that individuals held in pre-trial detention are brought promptly before a judicial authority and tried without undue delay. They are entitled to expeditious judicial proceedings and, if they are not adjudicated within a reasonable period of time, authorities must release them.

In 2023, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention determined that Chow’s detention was arbitrary.2 By extension, this determination should also include Lee; both have been deprived of their liberty solely for exercising their rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly. Both Chow and Lee have consistently maintained their innocence in the lead-up to their trial. Their legitimate calls to Chinese authorities to disclose the truth about the Tiananmen crackdown and their roles in the HK Alliance should never have been used as grounds for prosecution. Yet, they remain arbitrarily detained under the pretext of upholding “national security”.

Chow’s and Lee’s cases are a clear illustration of how the HKSAR Government uses the NSL, together with other vague and overly broad laws, as a mechanism of repression.

On the occasion of the World Human Rights Day, we call upon the HKSAR Government to uphold its human rights obligations. We urge that the human rights of Chow and Lee and all others detained and prosecuted in Hong Kong under national security provisions are fully respected in accordance with international law and standards, and that the HKSAR Government:

Immediately and unconditionally drop all national security charges against and release Chow Hang-tung and Lee Cheuk-yan, and additionally quash their previous convictions.
Cease the use of any criminal charge against individuals exercising their human rights, particularly the rights to freedom of expression and other fundamental freedoms.
Allow and facilitate the peaceful commemoration of the Tiananmen crackdown in 1989, ensuring that everyone is free to honour the survivors, remember the deceased, and hold authorities to account without retaliation or obstructions to the free exercise of freedom of expression, association or peaceful assembly.
Repeal without delay all laws that infringe on human rights, particularly those that restrict the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association, including the National Security Law and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance.

Initiated by:

Amnesty International
International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI)
International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)

Co-signed by:

ARTICLE 19
Building and Wood Workers International (BWI)
CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation
Education International (EI)
Fortify Rights
Front Line Defenders (FLD)
Human Rights Foundation (HRF)
Human Rights Watch (HRW)
IndustriALL
International Association of People’s Lawyers, Monitoring Committee on Attacks on Lawyers (IAPL)
International Domestic Workers' Federation (IDWF)
International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), within the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders
International Federation of Journalists (IFJ)
International Observatory of Lawyers at Risk (OIAD)
International Service for Human Rights (ISHR)
International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF)
Lawyers' Rights Watch Canada (LRWC)
Public Services International (PSI)
Safeguard Defenders
Solidar
Trade Union Solidarity Center of Finland (SASK)
World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), within the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders
UNI Global Union
Union Aid Abroad – APHEDA

CommsLondon 10 Dec 2025

DOWNLOAD STATEMENT

Victory for Kiwi seafarers as New Zealand Government rejects foreign shipping exemption

CommsLondon — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 14:15:48 +0000

Victory for Kiwi seafarers as New Zealand Government rejects foreign shipping exemption

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) has welcomed the Aotearoa New Zealand Government’s decision to uphold domestic cabotage protections and reject an attempt by a foreign-flagged vessel to take over a key coastal shipping route – a move that safeguards local maritime jobs and strengthens the country’s supply chain resilience.

Associate Transport Minister James Meager has declined NovaAlgoma Cement Carriers’ (NACC) bid for an exemption under Section 198 of the Maritime Transport Act. The application would have allowed the Panamanian-flagged, internationally crewed NACC Vega to replace the New Zealand-flagged and crewed MV Buffalo.

A clear message: New Zealand jobs and laws matter

Maritime Union of New Zealand (MUNZ) National Secretary Carl Findlay said the Minister had “made the right decision” and sent a firm message that multinational companies cannot bypass New Zealand’s laws or undermine domestic jobs.

This is a win for local jobs and New Zealand shipping.”

“Holcim must now accept that its plan to replace experienced New Zealand crews with foreign labour has failed. The highly skilled crew of the MV Buffalo is ready, willing, and able to continue serving New Zealand's coastal distribution network,” said Findlay.

ITF: A victory for cabotage and supply chain resilience

The outcome reflects growing global recognition of the importance of strong maritime cabotage laws – supported by recent ITF research showing that national-flag fleets and domestic crewing are essential for national security and supply chain resilience.

ITF Cabotage Task Force Chair Chris Given said the ruling shows how robust cabotage policies deliver positive outcomes for workers and their communities.

“This decision reinforces what our international research makes clear: foreign-flag shipping cannot be treated as a cheap substitute for a national maritime workforce. Holcim’s attempt to sidestep New Zealand’s cabotage framework would have set a dangerous precedent – and the government was right to shut the door.”

A turning point for coastal shipping

MUNZ said that this attempt to flag-out the MV Buffalo has underscored the need to rebuild a dedicated domestic fleet:

“New Zealand requires a robust and permanent policy framework to rebuild its coastal shipping industry. A strong national fleet, crewed by New Zealanders, is essential for keeping communities connected and supply chains functioning – especially during national emergencies like the Christchurch and Kaikōura earthquakes and Cyclone Gabrielle,” said Findlay.

As nations confront geopolitical tensions and fragile supply chains, New Zealand’s decision shows what is possible when governments put seafarers and national interests first.

CommsLondon 09 Dec 2025

The Gender Divide In Transport

barton_linda — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 10:32:40 +0000

The Gender Divide In Transport

The Gender Divide In Transport: Understanding The Barriers And Impacts For Women’s Exclusion From Decent Jobs In Ghana And Senegal

Women are an important part of the transport workforce globally. But evidence suggest that there is major inequality in access to jobs and decent working opportunities in the transport sector. Growing visibility of women’s exclusion from transport has resulted in the ITF transforming a demand from ‘ending gender- based occupational segregation in transport’ to ‘ending the systemic exclusion of women from decent jobs in transport.’

barton_linda 09 Dec 2025

New research exposes the systemic exclusion is holding back women transport workers in Ghana and Senegal

barton_linda — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 10:24:13 +0000

New research exposes the systemic exclusion is holding back women transport workers in Ghana and Senegal

A new ITF report, The Gender Divide in Transport, shows how discrimination, unsafe conditions and structural inequalities are systematically excluding women from decent transport jobs in Ghana and Senegal.

Drawing on surveys, focus groups and interviews with over 100 women transport workers, the research shows that:

Nearly 80% of respondents say women face greater barriers to getting work or progressing in the sector.
71% believe women experience violence and harassment disproportionately, often during commutes, in customer-facing roles, and in male-dominated operational areas.
60% report a lack of safe, gender-responsive workplace facilities such as safe toilets, changing rooms or rest spaces – a major deterrent for women entering or staying in the industry.
Women remain concentrated in lower-paid administrative roles, while men dominate technical, operational and leadership positions.
Unequal unpaid care responsibilities and inadequate maternity provisions further limit women’s ability to stay and progress in the sector.

Natalie Swan, ITF Women Transport Workers’ and Gender Equality Officer, said:

This research shows that women’s exclusion is built into the structures and daily realities of transport work. Ending it means redesigning workplaces so women can enter, stay and thrive – with safety, training and equality treated as non-negotiable.”

Meryem Halouani, Chair of the ITF Women Transport Workers’ Committee from Morocco’s UMT union, said the report sends a powerful message not only for West Africa, but for women transport workers everywhere.

“The experiences of our sisters in Ghana and Senegal reflect what too many women across the industry face every day: discrimination, insecurity and being pushed into the lowest-paid work. Women are already holding the transport system together – now they must have equal rights, equal opportunities and workplaces that respect their dignity.”

Halouani added that unions are ready to use the findings to push for stronger organising and employer accountability.

A roadmap for change

Based on the evidence, the report identifies clear principles to address systemic exclusion, including:

Addressing the full employment cycle fro tm access and recruitment to progression and leadership.
Recognising and responding to the link between violence and harassment and women’s exclusion.
Creating workplaces that recognise the reality of women’s caring rights and responsibilities.
Integrating a gender transformative approach into formalisation processes, especially in the informal economy.
Strengthening women’s organising and leadership in unions.

Marian Atuguba, Assistant General Secretary of the Maritime and Dockworkers' Union (MDU) in Ghana, said: “For years, women transport workers were told unsafe conditions and lack of opportunities were ‘just the job.’ We knew these were systemic barriers. Now we have proof: what was normalised as industry practice is gender-based discrimination. Together, we’re making it visible, undeniable, and political.”

The ITF will use these findings to drive stronger advocacy, organising and engagement with employers and governments as part of its global priority to end the systemic exclusion of women from decent jobs in transport.

barton_linda 09 Dec 2025

Equality

New ITF report exposes a global fatigue crisis in aviation

CommsLondon — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 13:07:06 +0000

New ITF report exposes a global fatigue crisis in aviation

Only one in five cabin crew representatives believes their airline takes fatigue seriously, according to a new report released today by the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF).

Published on International Civil Aviation Day, the ITF report reveals an alarming truth: cabin crew are being pushed to – and beyond – human limits. Ten-hour-plus shifts without proper breaks, chaotic scheduling, pressure to work on days off, and widespread under-reporting of fatigue have created what the ITF calls “a systemic and dangerous safety failure in global aviation.”

Sara Nelson, ITF Civil Aviation Chair and International President of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA delivered a stark warning to the industry.

“Fatigue in aviation is a safety crisis. Full stop. Airlines know this, regulators know this, and the science is undeniable – yet crew are still being worked past the point of basic human functioning. It’s happening to crew – and it’s happening across every other job that keeps this industry moving and safe.”

“This report confirms what crew have been saying for years: corporations are normalising exhaustion as a business model. That’s dangerous. Fatigue is just as lethal as any mechanical failure, and when airlines ignore it, they are gambling with human lives.”

Key findings

The ITF survey of 114 union representatives across 45 airlines reveals a consistent global pattern of serious fatigue conditions:

Airlines are failing on fatigue management
Only 19% of respondents believe their airline takes fatigue seriously.
Many fear reporting fatigue because safety cultures are weak or punitive.
Long duties with inadequate breaks
90% of cabin crew work 10-hour-plus duties frequently or always.
Over half say they receive occasional, rare, or no meaningful rest breaks.
At low-cost carriers, the situation is worse, with 73% saying they do not receive reasonable rest breaks frequently or always.
Chaotic and destabilising scheduling
31% say planned flights are frequently or always changed at short notice.
27% report regular start-time changes of over one hour.
Inconsistent application of fatigue mitigation systems
Significant variation in fatigue experiences even within the same airline.

Aviation’s safety foundation is cracking under fatigue

“Aviation prides itself on being the gold standard for safety,” said Nelson. “But you cannot run a safe operation when crew are too tired to react quickly or think clearly. Safety culture is collapsing under commercial pressure, and that should terrify anyone who gets on an aircraft.”

“Fatigue is fixable – but only if airlines and regulators take action now. The evidence is clear, and the risk is real.”

Industry must act now

On International Civil Aviation Day, the ITF is calling for urgent action from regulators and airlines:

Legally enforce stronger maximum duty hours and minimum rest periods, based on independent scientific evidence.
Strengthen and enforce FRMS, ensuring they cannot be used to justify excessive hours.
Create a positive safety culture so crew can report fatigue without fear.

Image credit: REUTERS

CommsLondon 05 Dec 2025

It's time to get serious about fatigue - Cabin Crew Survey 2025

etheridge_rennie@itf.org.uk — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 12:35:52 +0000

It's time to get serious about fatigue - Cabin Crew Survey 2025

Cabin crew from around the world report that fatigue is a serious issue – but it is not being treated seriously by airlines. That is the core finding of a survey of over 100 cabin crew representatives from 45 airlines carried out by the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF).

etheridge_renn… 05 Dec 2025

Ole Philipsen

CommsLondon — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 15:53:33 +0000

Ole Philipsen

It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Ole Philipsen, Chair of the ITF Offshore Task Force and a long-standing member of the ITF’s Fair Practices Committee. Ole passed away after a short and sudden illness.

Ole served for almost 30 years as a respected leader within Dansk Metal, where he held the position of Head of the Seafaring Section (Metal Maritime). He was known for his deep commitment to improving the lives of seafarers, and he brought that same commitment, integrity, and sense of justice to his work across the ITF.

As Chair of the Offshore Task Force, Ole played a pivotal role in reshaping the ITF Offshore Programme. He ensured it was equipped to respond to the rapid global expansion of offshore wind development, and he was instrumental in securing decent wages, fair terms and strong protections for workers in the growing sustainable energy sector. His strategic foresight helped place offshore wind firmly within the trade union movement’s global priorities – ensuring that the transition to green energy must also mean a transition to good, union jobs.

Colleagues across the maritime world remember Ole not only for his leadership, but for his humanity, his calm strength, and his unwavering belief that workers’ rights must always come first.

Reflecting on his passing, Dansk Metal’s Christian Petersen said: “It is a huge loss for Metal Maritime and CO-Søfart, but also for the entire shipping industry, where Ole has left a huge mark throughout his long career.”

ITF President and Dockers’ Section Chair Paddy Crumlin paid tribute to Ole’s decades of service:

“Ole Philipsen has left a huge mark on our movement. He was a seafarer, an organiser, and a leader who understood that fairness for workers does not happen by accident – it is won through solidarity and persistence. The entire ITF family extends our heartfelt condolences to his loved ones, to his colleagues at Dansk Metal, and to all who had the privilege of working alongside him.”

ITF Seafarers’ Section Chair David Heindel highlighted Ole’s unwavering commitment to maritime workers:

“Ole was a tireless champion for all seafarers, whether they were officers or ratings, and no matter where in the world they came from. His contribution to the Offshore Task Force and the Fair Practices Committee was invaluable. He never lost sight of the human beings behind every policy and every negotiation. His absence will be deeply felt in the Seafarers’ Section and throughout the global maritime community.”

ITF General Secretary Stephen Cotton added:

“Ole Philipsen was a true professional. As Chair of the ITF Offshore Task Force, he was determined to do his best for every seafarer operating in the offshore sector. It didn’t matter to him whether you were from a traditional maritime nation or from the Global South. He was deeply involved in defending the rights of seafarers serving on Danish-controlled ships in all aspects caring for officers and ratings alike. Ole will be profoundly missed by all in the ITF for his passion, his commitment, and his relentless hard work.”

We extend our deepest sympathies and condolences to Ole’s family of comrades, friends and trade union sisters and brothers in the hope it may ease in some way this great and sudden loss. Ole enjoyed the respect and great affection of all throughout the ITF for his warm and thoughtful personality, tireless work ethic, and pragmatic and consistent leadership particularly for seafarers and maritime workers in the offshore industry internationally, including the emerging offshore wind and transitional energy sector.

We mourn the loss of a dedicated leader and a true friend of the ITF. May he rest in peace.

CommsLondon 04 Dec 2025

Dockers

Young Transport Workers' Committee

event_editor@website.co.uk — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 14:54:26 +0000

Young Transport Workers' Committee

Virtual

event_editor@w… 03 Dec 2025

Thursday 04 December

ITF urges Dutch Court to uphold collective bargaining principles across Europe

CommsLondon — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 13:21:43 +0000

ITF urges Dutch Court to uphold collective bargaining principles across Europe

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), together with Nautilus NL and FNV, has submitted a formal request to the Court of Appeal in the Netherlands to reconsider and correct key preliminary considerations in its recent interim ruling concerning the Non-Seafarers’ Work Clause (NSWC).

The NSWC is a long-standing provision designed to protect seafarers’ rights, safety, and wellbeing, and forms an integral part of ITF collective bargaining agreements.

ITF believes these preliminary considerations – although not forming the Court’s final judgment – must be clarified to ensure the fundamental right to collective bargaining is fully upheld and to strengthen the role of social dialogue across the European Union.

In its submission, the ITF argues that the Court’s interim judgment makes a number of incorrect suggestions and assumptions. The ITF and its affiliates argue that:

The NSWC does not violate the principle of free competition within the EU, the clause exists within a freely negotiated collective agreement.
ITF cannot be considered an ‘undertaking’ as meant in EU competition law, on the basis that it is a trade union federation and does not provide “services” to employers.
The NSWC does not constitute an unjustifiable breach to the freedom to provide services within the EU, established EU case law protects collective action and the autonomy of social partners.

Although the Court of Appeal has not ruled on the validity of the NSWC itself and is awaiting guidance from the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), the ITF maintains that these preliminary considerations are contrary to well-established EU case law and risk undermining workers’ fundamental rights as well as the European model of social partnership.

The ITF has formally requested that the Court reconsider these preliminary considerations and rephrase the preliminary questions it intends to send to the CJEU, ensuring they accurately reflect both the purpose of the NSWC and the legal principles governing collective bargaining.

“The right to organise and to bargain collectively is at the core of the European social model,” said Stephen Cotton, ITF General Secretary. “We will use every legal avenue necessary to ensure that seafarers’ rights are upheld and that social dialogue remains a cornerstone of EU democracy.”

Livia Spera, General Secretary of the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) said:

“When a court questions well-established principles of collective bargaining, even in one sector, it risks weakening it everywhere. Europe’s transport systems rely on skilled, organised workers, and those workers rely on strong collective agreements. We expect the Dutch Court to uphold the European model of social dialogue, not to undermine it.”

Should the Court decline to make these corrections, the ITF has also requested approval to lodge an interim appeal with the Dutch Supreme Court.

Given the far-reaching implications of the interim ruling for all unions within the European Union—not just in the maritime sector—the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) has also requested permission to intervene in the appeal proceedings.

“Collective bargaining is not a distortion of competition, it is a fundamental right,” said Esther Lynch, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC). “We stand with the ITF in insisting that courts across the EU respect and protect the autonomy of social partners. If they fail to do so, the consequences will reach far beyond the maritime sector and strike at the very heart of all workers’ rights in Europe.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors

Cargo handling and lashing – securing containers to the deck of a vessel, using heavy lashing bars and bottle screws – is dangerous work that should be undertaken by trained dock workers, who work in pairs to mitigate safety risks.
Forcing seafarers to undertake cargo handling exposes them to danger in the task itself, while also elevating the risk of accidents at sea on vessels made unsafe by badly lashed containers and other cargo. For seafarers, such tasks add to fatigue at the end of voyages when they should be resting or taking shore leave. For dockers, forcing seafarers to undertake cargo handling takes jobs away from qualified workers.

About the ITF: The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) is a democratic, affiliate-led federation of transport workers’ unions recognised as the world’s leading transport authority. We fight passionately to improve working lives, connecting trade unions and workers’ networks from 147 countries to secure rights, equality and justice for their members. We are the voice of 16.5 million transport workers who move the world.

Media contact: Luke Menzies, media@itf.org.uk

CommsLondon 02 Dec 2025

ITF Sri Lanka Disaster Fund

etheridge_rennie@itf.org.uk — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 12:20:12 +0000

ITF Sri Lanka Disaster Fund etheridge_renn… 02 Dec 2025

Support transport workers and their families affected by the devastating floods in Sri Lanka

Severe floods and landslides have swept across Sri Lanka following Cyclone Ditwah and days of relentless rainfall. Entire neighbourhoods have been destroyed, homes buried under mud, and communities cut off as rivers overflow and critical transport routes collapse.

Transport workers are on the frontlines of this disaster.

Many have lost their homes, their livelihoods, or access to their workplaces. Roads, bridges, ports, and rail lines have suffered extensive damage. Power and water systems have been disrupted, leaving tens of thousands without basic services.

As rescue and relief efforts continue, workers and their families need support.

The ITF has launched the Sri Lanka Disaster Fund to support affected workers through our Sri Lankan affiliates. Every donation – no matter the size – helps transport workers rebuild their lives and their communities.

Donors will receive no direct benefit.

solidarity fund

Twelve Fishers Abandoned Aboard Portuguese Vessel

Mark_D — Fri, 28 Nov 2025 13:59:48 +0000

Twelve Fishers Abandoned Aboard Portuguese Vessel

Fishers from Indonesia and Angola working on the Novo Ruivo left without pay for eight months

Twelve fishers working aboard the Portuguese-flagged fishing vessel Novo Ruivo (IMO 8734671) have been abandoned and left without pay for the past eight months.

The fishers, six from Indonesia and six from Angola, are owed USD68,420. They are currently aboard the vessel in Mindelo, Cape Verde, where they are stranded with no clear timeline for payment or repatriation.

“This is a horrific situation being faced by this innocent crew of fishers,” said Gonzalo Galan, ITF Inspector, Fishers' Support Coordination, at the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF).

“After eight months without pay, the fishers have been left completely unable to support themselves and their families back home. They are desperately calling for the only just solution possible: for them to finally receive their wages and to be repatriated home safely and without delay.”

The vessel is owned by Somar – Produtos do Mar Lda, a Portuguese company with Spanish funding. The shipowner, who cites financial hardship, has repeatedly promised the crew that their long-overdue wages would be paid, but these assurances have proven false.

The ITF has added the case to the IMO/ILO Abandonment of Seafarers Database.

The case constitutes a serious breach of the ILO Work in Fishing Convention, C188, which Portugal ratified in 2019, making its provisions fully applicable to Portuguese-flagged fishing vessels. Under C188, fishing vessel owners are required to provide regular payment of wages, ensure decent living and working conditions, and guarantee the safe repatriation of fishers.

Galan added: “It is extremely concerning that these situations continue to occur on European-owned vessels. Despite national and international regulations, European ships are repeatedly involved in cases where we see abuses against fishers from outside Europe – often from the Global South – who are left completely defenceless with no effective mechanisms to protect their rights.”

The ITF is urging European fishing industry employers to sit down at the bargaining table to negotiate a collective agreement that provides real protection for foreign crews working on vessels owned by European capital.

ENDS

If you are a fisher in need of support, contact the ITF via our Facebook Fishers' Support page or email: fishsupport@itf.org.uk

Notes to Editors

About the ITF:  The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) is a democratic, affiliate-led federation recognised as the world’s leading transport authority. We fight passionately to improve workers’ lives, connecting more than 730 affiliated trade unions from over 150 countries to secure rights, equality and justice for workers globally. We are the voice for more than 16.5 million transport workers across the world.

Media contact: Mark Dearn +44 7738 832 413 media@itf.org.uk

Mark_D 28 Nov 2025

Fisheries

English: Executive Summary

ITF condemns assault on ITF Inspector onboard vessel

Mark_D — Fri, 28 Nov 2025 10:41:49 +0000

ITF condemns assault on ITF Inspector onboard vessel

Ship’s master reacts with violence as inspector defends seafarers’ rights in Le Havre, France

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) strongly condemns the assault of ITF Inspector Corine Archambaud while carrying out her official duties onboard the MV BF CARP at MSC Terminal, Le Havre.

During a scheduled inspection to verify crew complaints under the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC 2006) and ILO Conventions 87 and 98, the vessel’s Master physically confronted Archambaud, attempting to forcibly seize her documents.

The inspector was left shaken, with her documents torn, and had to call for immediate assistance from the French maritime police.

The assault took place on 6 September after the Master responded aggressively to legitimate questions about concerns over inadequate food and water provisions onboard, and seafarers being compelled to carry out dockers’ work – lashing and unlashing of cargo, and plugging and unplugging of ‘reefers’ (refrigerated containers) – without compensation.

“I faced a frightening physical confrontation with this Master simply for standing up for seafarers’ rights – as it is my job to do,” said Archambaud of the assault.

“The pure aggression he showed in standing over me as I sat and aggressively seizing my documents from my hands was shocking – he was so forceful in seizing the documents that my fingernails ripped as I tried to hold on to them. I’ve never encountered this kind of behaviour, and it’s left me shaken. It was clearly meant to intimidate and stop me from standing up for the crew, but it didn’t work.”

ITF Inspectorate Coordinator Steve Trowsdale said: “This unacceptable act of violence not only obstructed a lawful ITF inspection, but it also raises serious concerns about the treatment of the crew at this Master’s hands.”

The ITF calls on BF Foroohi, the shipowner, Marlow Navigation, the crewing manager, and the flag state, Antigua and Barbuda, to take urgent and decisive action.

“Violence and intimidation have no place in international shipping. All seafarers and Inspectors must be guaranteed safe conditions, free from harassment and retaliation,” added Trowsdale.

The ITF reaffirms its solidarity with the crew of the BF CARP and with all seafarers and Inspectors who courageously raise their voices against seafarer exploitation.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

Find out more about the ITF’s FOC campaign here.

About the ITF:  The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) is a democratic, affiliate-led federation recognised as the world’s leading transport authority. We fight passionately to improve workers’ lives, connecting more than 730 affiliated trade unions from over 150 countries to secure rights, equality and justice for workers globally. We are the voice for more than 16.5 million transport workers across the world.

Media contact: Mark Dearn +44 7738 832 413 media@itf.org.uk 

Mark_D 28 Nov 2025

New Flags of Convenience: Dominica, The Gambia, Niue

Mark_D — Tue, 25 Nov 2025 12:11:42 +0000

New Flags of Convenience: Dominica, The Gambia, Niue

ITF adds three new flags to long-standing open registry list

Dominica, The Gambia and Niue are the latest flags added to the International Transport Workers’ Federation’s (ITF) long-standing ‘Flags of Convenience’ list.

The three flags were added to the FOC list at a meeting of the ITF’s Fair Practices Committee – bringing together seafarers' and dockers’ unions from around the world – in Athens, Greece, last week.

The additions bring the total number of FOC flags to 48 countries.

“We’ve been monitoring ships sailing under these three flags this year, and after carrying out the necessary due diligence we can confirm their designation as new Flags of Convenience,” said Steve Trowsdale, ITF Inspectorate Coordinator.

“If you are a flag state and you take registration fees, then you have an obligation to ensure the rights of seafarers on vessels under your flag are respected – let there be no doubt that the ITF is watching and that our global network of inspectors will do everything in their power to protect the seafarers on these vessels.”

The ITF defines an FOC ship as one flying the flag of a country other than its actual ownership.

The Gambia: from having zero tankers in 2023 to more than 35 by early this year, the registry is strongly associated with the ‘dark fleet’. Research showed that 99% of its tankers were under sanctions or believed to be carrying sanctioned commodities, although Gambia now claims to be vetting the registry.
Niue: the registry opened in 2012, but as of this year ITF data shows that where ownership of its 59 vessels can be confirmed it is spread across Asian states including Singapore (16), Malaysia (2), Japan (2), Indonesia (7), India (1), Hong Kong (1) and Thailand (1), in addition to the Netherlands (1).
Dominica: of the registry’s 43 ships, 30 ships have ownership in the UAE (7), India (7), Kazakhstan (3), Saudi Arabia (2), USA (2), Barbados (2) and Norway (2), in addition to Australia (1), Cyprus (1), Finland (1), Great Britain (1) and Guinea-Conakry (1).

The ITF's maritime unions have developed a set of policies that seek to establish minimum acceptable standards for seafarers working on FOC vessels, which account for around 30% of the more than 100,000 merchant vessels operating worldwide.

These standards form the basis of the ITF’s CBAs, which set the wages and working conditions for crews on FOC vessels irrespective of nationality – just over 47% of all FOC vessels are covered by ITF collective bargaining agreements. Compliance with ITF agreements is monitored by a network of 130 ITF inspectors and contacts in more than 125 ports throughout the world.

The ITF Fair Practices Committee governs the ITF’s FOC campaign – first launched in Oslo in 1948 – including the addition and removal of flag states from the FOC list.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

Find out more about the ITF’s FOC campaign here.

About the ITF:  The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) is a democratic, affiliate-led federation recognised as the world’s leading transport authority. We fight passionately to improve workers’ lives, connecting more than 730 affiliated trade unions from over 150 countries to secure rights, equality and justice for workers globally. We are the voice for more than 16.5 million transport workers across the world.

Media contact: Mark Dearn +44 7738 832 413 media@itf.org.uk  

Mark_D 25 Nov 2025

No-one Left Behind

barton_linda — Tue, 25 Nov 2025 08:00:58 +0000

No-one Left Behind

The Commute: Safe Transport to and From Work For Transport Workers

The ITF believes that when transport workers are commuting, they should always be treated as being “at work”. They should not have to rely only on voluntary agreements with employers but should be specifically protected by OSH law.

A key development is the ILO Violence and Harassment Convention (C190) which includes commuting in the definition of the “world of work” for the purposes of preventing violence and harassment.

At present, though, commuting is not widely or consistently recognised as being “at work” in national laws across the world.

As a result, workers when they are commuting may not be covered by occupational health and safety law.

barton_linda 25 Nov 2025

English: Full report

French: Executive Summary

Spanish: Executive Summary

Historic victory for Uber workers in Aotearoa New Zealand

CommsLondon — Fri, 21 Nov 2025 00:40:15 +0000

Historic victory for Uber workers in Aotearoa New Zealand

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) congratulates affiliates Workers First Union and E tū on a landmark, unanimous victory in the Supreme Court of Aotearoa New Zealand – a ruling that confirms Uber drivers are employees, not contractors, under New Zealand law.

After years of legal challenges and following rulings in the drivers’ favour at every stage, the country’s highest court has now issued a final, definitive judgement: these workers were misclassified, and Uber must treat them as employees with full employment rights.

What the Supreme Court decided

The case was filed in July 2021 by Workers First Union and E tū on behalf of four Uber drivers. For years, the drivers and unions argued that Uber’s model deliberately denied protections including minimum wage, holiday pay, sick leave, and the right to challenge unfair treatment.

And after a lengthy legal battle, the Supreme Court agreed. Its judgment found clearly that the drivers were working “for and under the control of Uber” and were therefore entitled to the same rights as any other employee. This ruling is far more than a victory for four workers, as it opens the door for thousands of drivers to claim minimum entitlements, backpay, and restitution for years of underpayment and unpaid leave.

It also removes the final barrier to collective bargaining. Workers First Union first initiated bargaining in 2022, but Uber repeatedly resisted on the grounds that drivers were not employees. The Supreme Court has now shut that argument down. Collective bargaining can now move ahead – bringing New Zealand into alignment with the UK, France, Germany, and other countries where collective agreements for platform workers exist.

Unions and workers: “This is justice served after a long fight”

Workers First Union and E tū have hailed the decision as a watershed moment – not only for Uber drivers, but for all platform workers fighting exploitation and misclassification.

Workers First Union Deputy Secretary Anita Rosentreter said the ruling vindicates years of organising and leadership from platform workers: "The four drivers who first took Uber to court in 2021 over their misclassification have endured a four-year saga but stayed strong and united throughout. It hasn’t been easy, but it has absolutely been worth it."

"I’m delighted that we’ve joined the growing list of countries who’ve seen through the ‘contractor scam’ and will have proper judicial guidelines in place to regulate the gig economy and ensure New Zealanders aren’t exploited by predatory multinationals like Uber."

One of the original claimants, former Uber driver Nureddin Abdurahman, said the decision sends a clear message to both gig companies and government: “It’s such a relief. We always knew what was right and it has finally been confirmed by the Court. This is justice served after a long fight! We won not only in the Courts but in the community, too. The only ones left to convince are the politicians in Government who have not been listening to New Zealanders.”

Unions warn: the fight is not over

Despite the ruling, Workers First Union and E tū warn the government is proposing reforms that risk entrenching misclassification, not ending it.

The proposed Employment Relations Amendment Bill would exclude many contractors from being able to challenge their employment status in court — effectively locking in the very injustice the Supreme Court has now overturned.

Workers argue the government must now choose to uphold workers’ rights, or side with gig corporations seeking to avoid accountability.

Global significance

The New Zealand Supreme Court ruling is among the most authoritative judicial decisions anywhere in the world on platform workers’ employment status. It confirms what workers and unions worldwide have long argued: misclassification cannot be used as a loophole for gig-economy companies to bypass labour law and deny workers their rights.

ITF Asia Pacific Regional Secretary Scott McDine said: “This judgement is a major victory for workers in Aotearoa, and a powerful signal to the gig economy that labour rights cannot be sidestepped. The ITF stands in full solidarity with Workers First Union, E tū, and the thousands of workers now positioned to claim the rights and dignity they have been denied.”

ITF Future of Work Lead Baker Khundakji added: “This case shows that platform workers are not outside the protections of labour law – they are entitled to the same rights as everyone else, including the right to join a union and bargain collectively. We must ensure this momentum carries through sectors and regions, so no worker is left behind.”

Part of a global fight for a Platform Workers Convention

This victory in Aotearoa New Zealand is also a powerful step in the global fight to secure binding international standards for platform workers. Around the world, millions of app-based workers face the same tactics of misclassification, algorithmic control, low pay and exclusion from basic rights.

The ITF, alongside unions worldwide, is calling for a new Platform Workers Convention to guarantee universal rights for all workers in the gig economy including the right to organise, to bargain collectively, to fair pay, social protection, transparency in algorithmic management, and protection from unfair deactivation.

Find out more about the global campaign for a Platform Workers Convention here.

CommsLondon 21 Nov 2025

YOUTH

Future

Defending trans people in the workplace

CommsLondon — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 02:17:45 +0000

Defending trans people in the workplace

Statement by the Council of Global Unions LGBTI Committee to mark Transgender Day of Remembrance

November 20 is the International Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDoR) when we mourn our lost siblings and call for justice. It is also an opportunity to remember that an injury to one is an injury to all; trade unions have a duty to defend trans workers.

The rise of the far right in many countries has had a catastrophic effect on the rights of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) community. Make no mistake, they will not stop at attacking the LGBTI community. Migrant workers are already in the firing line, and other marginalised groups will follow.

Figures just released by the Trans Murder Monitoring (TMM) project for TDoR reveal that:

281 trans and gender diverse people were reported murdered between 1 October 2024 and 30 September 2025.
Sex workers (34%) remain the most targeted group of all known occupations.
There was a notable rise in murders of activists and trans-rights leaders, who are the second most targeted group by occupation this year, accounting for 14% of cases (up from 9% in 2024 and 6% in 2023).
68% of murders occurred in Latin America and the Caribbean; Brazil leads the list for the 18th consecutive year with 30% of total cases.
Echoing the pattern of previous years, 90% of reported murders were feminicides (victims were trans women or transfeminine people).

The update from TTM notes that while the number of 281 trans and gender diverse people murdered has declined since the 2024 update (350), this decline does not necessarily signal increased safety. More likely it reflects growing invisibility of these murders in media reporting - a trend that may be shaped by changes in search engine and social media algorithms or widespread media disinterest, which can make murders harder to identify and verify.

Solidarity is needed now more than ever - trade unions must continue to advocate for safe, inclusive workplaces for all workers.

Concerns about the attacks on the trans community should not be limited to LGBTI spaces. These attacks impact everyone and represent the initial front in broader assaults on civil liberties and workers’ rights. It is the responsibility of the trade union movement across the world to ensure that it is understood that transphobic rhetoric is a way of attacking other protections and rights. Deeming certain groups undeserving of fundamental rights sets dangerous precedents which can be weaponised in other areas, such as collective bargaining, freedom of association, and workplace health and safety.

“History has taught us that we cannot remain silent. We call on everyone in society to take action in whatever capacity they can, to protect the lives of transgender and gender diverse people, to demand a better world where all lives are valued and respected," said Michele Kessler, Chair of the Council of Global Unions' LGBTI Committee.

Trans rights are LGBTI rights, LGBTI rights are trade union rights, trade union rights are human rights.

Photo credit: Vuk Valcic / SOPA Images/Sipa US via Reuters Connect

CommsLondon 19 Nov 2025

World Toilet Day: real action needed now to turn rights into reality

Mark_D — Tue, 18 Nov 2025 16:34:09 +0000

World Toilet Day: real action needed now to turn rights into reality

Ensuring transport workers, especially women, have safe access to decent sanitation is critical for ensuring health, safety and dignity at work.

Real action is needed now to end the crisis of a continuing lack of safe access to decent sanitation facilities – that is the message from transport trade unionists from around the world marking World Toilet Day today (November 19).

The ongoing failure to ensure safe access to decent sanitary facilities, sanitation systems, and most importantly the ability to use those facilities when needed, is an affront to human dignity that is widely and deeply felt by all transport workers. 

However, it causes particular problems for women transport workers, putting them at risk of violence, harassment, stigma and ill health – it denies women of dignity and is effectively a barrier to employment. For maritime workers, a number of specific issues are consistently highlighted, all of which can and must be urgently resolved.

“Women seafarers are accustomed to a reality where we can’t find the menstrual products we need on board a ship, what we need to dispose of those products, or even the access to a toilet near where we are stationed – and, sadly, too often these issues just aren’t taken seriously,” said Lorena Pintor Silva, International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) Seafarers’ Section Women’s Representative, and member of SINDMAR, Brazil.

The continuing lack of safe access to sanitation threatens the seafaring industry as a whole as it faces an entrenched recruitment and retention crisis.

Pintor Silva added: “Women seafarers know these experiences well, how we have to pack supplies of sanitation products to last months at sea, how we fear asking for what we need onboard because of how we know some of our male crew members will respond. It creates stigma for women – and that means women seafarers being turned away from a life at sea.”

A crucial recent win for maritime workers was a Maritime Labour Convention amendment won after a joint International Labour Organization-International Maritime Organization Tripartite meeting in April 2025. Guideline B3.1.10, due to come into force in December 2027, states that “appropriate and sufficient menstrual hygiene products and means of disposal should be available for seafarers”. 

While legislative wins like the MLC amendment are vital steps forward, safe access to sanitation remains a profound challenge for maritime workers globally.

“We’ve seen some improvements for women dockers, but far too few and only in particular locations,” said Jessica Isbister, ITF Dockers’ Section Women’s Representative, and member of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU), Canada.

“So, while we’ve seen some real change in Canada, for many women dockers around the world, the struggle to turn legal rights into lived reality is real and goes on every day. This is precisely why we must use World Toilet Day as an opportunity to remind governments, companies and investors that we urgently need change that meets the specific needs of women, transgender and non-binary workers.”

This need for change extends beyond ports to other maritime sectors, highlighting that this is a systemic issue across the maritime industry.

“Women working on tugboats and on our inland waterways face precisely the same problems as women working at sea – what we are demanding are not luxuries, they should be ours by right,” said Olga Losinskaya, ITF Inland Navigation Section Women’s Representative, and member of ver.di, Germany.

“This is about respect for women’s rights and the provision of a safe and healthy workplace – how many more times must we come out and demand that our basic human dignity is respected?”

Tools to win: the ITF Sanitation Charter and Toolkit

To ensure that these demands of dignity and safety become a reality for maritime workers – and transport workers across all sectors – the ITF has produced essential resources for unions and activists on the ground.

On World Toilet Day 2019, the ITF launched its Transport Workers Sanitation Charter to outline its key demands.  These include:

Access to secure and clean toilets for women and men, which are well lit inside and outside
Ventilated, lockable cubicles
Appropriate hygiene (washing) facilities with clean water
Affordable and appropriate menstrual hygiene products provided
Paid rest breaks for transport workers who should be able to access toilets when they need them during working hours - without delay, and with no loss of income

The ITF's Sanitation Toolkit provides trade unionists, activists, and transport workers with the practical resources, research and campaign materials needed to turn the demands of the Charter into reality. It is a vital, living resource to help unions negotiate for and win sanitation rights in workplaces globally.

Find the full ITF Sanitation Toolkit here: sanitation.itfglobal.org

Mark_D 18 Nov 2025

Migrant Fishers to be Protected During Recruitment Under Landmark ILO Guidelines

Mark_D — Tue, 18 Nov 2025 09:28:45 +0000

Migrant Fishers to be Protected During Recruitment Under Landmark ILO Guidelines

ITF and ETF demand action from governments and industry to ensure “crucial step forward” for fishers

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) and the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) welcome the adoption of the new ‘Guidelines for Fair Labour Market Services for Migrant Fishers’ by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Geneva last week, calling the move a “crucial step forward” for the protection of migrant fishers worldwide,

The new Guidelines, jointly developed by representatives of governments, fishing vessel owners and fishers’ organisations, set minimum global standards for how migrant fishers should be recruited, employed and protected at sea. They draw extensively on previous work carried out by the European Fisheries Social Partners.

“For too long, migrant fishers have been invisible in the global seafood industry – facing abuse and exploitation in their vital job of putting seafood on our plates. These are key workers that have been left without crucial rights,” said Johnny Hansen, Chair of the ITF Fisheries Section.

“This can be a crucial step forward for the protection of migrant fishers – but only if governments and employers act now, as they must.”

The Guidelines make clear that:

Migrant fisher recruitment must be free, fair and transparent
Contracts must be written and made available in languages migrant fishers understand
Migrant fishers must have decent working and living conditions
Migrant fishers must have access to justice

Once approved, the ITF and ETF are urging flag, port and labour-providing states to immediately begin implementing the Guidelines through national law and practice. This must include licensing and monitoring recruitment agencies, strengthening inspection systems, collecting data and ensuring access to grievance and redress mechanisms for fishers.

The ITF and ETF congratulate the UK for supporting the adoption of the Guidelines and noted the UK Government’s plan to establish a Fair Work Agency for the fisheries sector in April 2026.

“The UK’s planned Fair Work Agency can definitely be a game-changer on these issues, but only if it enforces the standards set out in the new Guidelines and has a remit in the fishing sector,” said Chris Williams, ITF Fisheries Section Coordinator. “That means fair recruitment, fair contracts, and genuine accountability for a sector reliant on migrant workers.”

The ITF and ETF are also calling on retailers, brands and seafood buyers to embed the Guidelines in their responsible sourcing frameworks.

“If your business profits from fish caught by migrant workers, you have an obligation to ensure those workers are recruited and treated fairly,” said Juan Manuel Trujillo, ETF Fisheries Section Chair. “The ITF and ETF will call out any company claiming to sell sustainable seafood if its supply chain relies on exploitation.”

The ITF and ETF stress that implementation must not remain voluntary or symbolic. Governments, vessel owners, and multinational buyers must all be held accountable for ensuring that migrant fishers are treated with dignity and fairness.

“These Guidelines are more than words on paper: they are a promise to the people who feed the world. It’s time for governments and employers to step up to make that promise real,” said Williams.

ENDS

If you are a fisher in need of support, contact the ITF via our Facebook Fishers Support page or email: fishsupport@itf.org.uk

Notes to Editor

Find the ILO Guidelines here.
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (UN FAO) estimates that there are 33.6 million people working in fisheries worldwide.
While precise numbers are unknown, it is widely believed that there are significant numbers of migrant fishers working across global fleets, with those numbers varying across specific fisheries, e.g., small-scale domestic fisheries in coastal waters, where numbers are thought to be lower, as opposed to distant water fleets, where numbers are believed to be far higher.
In 2021, the ILO estimated that that there are at least 128,000 victims of forced labour in the commercial fishing industry worldwide. Many of these are likely to be migrant fishers.

About the ITF:  The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) is a democratic, affiliate-led federation recognised as the world’s leading transport authority. We fight passionately to improve workers’ lives, connecting more than 730 affiliated trade unions from over 150 countries to secure rights, equality and justice for workers globally. We are the voice for more than 16.5 million transport workers across the world.

Media contact: Mark Dearn +44 7738 832 413 media@itf.org.uk

Mark_D 18 Nov 2025

Dockers' AI Toolkit Future of Work Series

barton_linda — Tue, 18 Nov 2025 08:59:25 +0000

Dockers' AI Toolkit Future of Work Series

Dockworkers’ unions are no strangers to negotiating technological change. From the container revolution to the spread of remote- controlled cranes, workers have seen how so-called ‘innovation’ on the docks can transform jobs, often reducing crews and reshaping work in ways that weaken collective power.

barton_linda 18 Nov 2025

ATSEP Day: Time to Thank the Aviation Experts Keeping Us Safe

Mark_D — Tue, 11 Nov 2025 17:42:42 +0000

ATSEP Day: Time to Thank the Aviation Experts Keeping Us Safe

On Air Traffic Safety Electronics Personnel Day, the ITF thanks the dedicated community at the heart of global aviation.

Today, the ITF Civil Aviation Section proudly celebrates Air Traffic Safety Electronics Personnel Day (ATSEP) Day and the thousands of aviation professionals worldwide who ensure the safety and reliability of air navigation services.

ATSEPs are the skilled experts behind the systems, surveillance networks, communications infrastructure, and data flows that keep aircraft safely separated and operations running smoothly. ATSEPs are essential to the modern aviation ecosystem.

Their technical expertise, rapid problem-solving, and unwavering commitment to system integrity support every controller, every airport, and every flight.

From highly complex hub operations to remote and regional airspace, aviation simply doesn’t function without them.

"The ITF Civil Aviation Section extends sincere and deep thanks to the ATSEP community worldwide for their dedication, professionalism, and service to global aviation,” said Bilal Malkawi, ITF Acting Civil Aviation Secretary.

“As the industry continues to evolve with automation, digitalisation, remote operations, and new entrants, ATSEPs will remain critical in ensuring that innovation strengthens safety, not compromises it.”

Mark_D 11 Nov 2025

Abandoned Ethiopian fishers held in Iran subjected to modern slavery and abuse

Mark_D — Tue, 11 Nov 2025 13:03:10 +0000

Abandoned Ethiopian fishers held in Iran subjected to modern slavery and abuse

ITF condemns forced disembarkation of fishers being held in Bushehr, Iran.

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) demands immediate action to resolve the abandonment of two Ethiopian fishers who faced modern slavery on board the Iran-flagged FV Dargahan 13 (IMO 7105299).

The fishers were forcibly removed from the vessel – currently in Bandar Abbas Port, Iran – after joining it in December 2024 and working 11 months on board – nine of which they received no pay for. They are owed a total of USD 1,800 each – based off a wage of only USD 200 per month, far below the expected minimum monthly wage for seafarers.

“This is a severe case of abandonment and modern slavery,” said Mohamed Arrachedi, ITF Flag of Convenience (FOC) Network Coordinator for the Arab World and Iran.

“The owners are acting with complete impunity under the Iranian flag, exploiting these innocent migrant fishers and denying them their most basic human rights — to fair pay, safety and repatriation.”

The ITF reported the FV Dargahan 13 as an abandonment case on the joint International Maritime Organization/International Labour Organization abandonment database.

Since their forced removal from the vessel, the two fishers have been held in Bushehr city, reportedly in a facility linked to the vessel’s local agents.

Videos obtained by the ITF show the moment of their forced disembarkation. Since then, the fishers have described facing severe intimidation and abuse. The men are depressed, fearful and have no clear path to resolve their abandonment.

Despite repeated ITF interventions with the shipowner, vessel managers, Iranian maritime authorities and the local agents, there has been no settlement or payment.

“The ITF strongly condemns this treatment and we demand that the Iranian maritime authorities and all parties involved ensure the immediate payment of wages and the safe repatriation of these innocent seafarers,” said Arrachedi.

“All responsible parties — including the owners, local agents, and relevant authorities — must immediately guarantee the safety and security of these men.”

ENDS

About the ITF:  The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) is a democratic, affiliate-led federation recognised as the world’s leading transport authority. We fight passionately to improve workers’ lives, connecting more than 730 affiliated trade unions from over 150 countries to secure rights, equality and justice for workers globally. We are the voice for more than 16.5 million transport workers across the world.

Media contact: Mark Dearn +44 7738 832 413 media@itf.org.uk

Mark_D 11 Nov 2025

ITF Leads Wellbeing Events for Indian Workers Across Transport Sectors

Mark_D — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 10:45:11 +0000

ITF Leads Wellbeing Events for Indian Workers Across Transport Sectors

Seafarers, dockers, railway and warehouse workers benefit from ITF wellbeing sessions in India.

Mental health and wellbeing were top of the agenda for transport workers from across India’s maritime and land sectors this month, as the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) and ITF-affiliated unions in India led a series of sessions to build workers’ and trainers’ awareness and skills.

Across the weekend around World Mental Health Day (10 October), the ITF joined affiliates including the National Union of Seafarers India (NUSI), the National Federation of Indian Railwaymen (NFIR), the Madras Port Trust Employees Union (MPTEU), the Italian Transport Federation (FITCISL), the Norwegian Seafarers’ Union (NSU) and German trade union, Ver.di, in organising the sessions – with support also coming from the Indian Government’s Directorate General of Shipping (DG Shipping).

“For the ITF, improving the mental health and wellbeing of transport workers goes far beyond a celebratory day, as important as that is – it’s an ongoing process which we are constantly looking to strengthen so that we can reach, support and protect as many transport workers as we can,” said Dr Asif Altaf, the ITF’s Wellbeing Coordinator.

“Transport workers and their trainers must be more aware of wellbeing and any risks to it, and we must also continue to advocate with governments and international institutions so that they do much more to protect workers. Transport workers can’t flourish and transport won’t work without good mental health and wellbeing.”

A marker of how severe mental health challenges can be for seafarers – who are left isolated far from their friends and families while at sea – is that 2025 insurer research shows that deaths from suicide now outnumber those from accidents. Notably, at a joint event with the ITF in April this year, DG Shipping committed to the groundbreaking move of ensuring compensation for all seafarer suicides onboard Indian-flagged ships under both new and existing agreements.

Dr Altaf with NUSI members

In a session for more than 200 NUSI members in Mumbai, Dr Altaf led training for the seafarers, including on how to recognise the signs of poor wellbeing, what to do and what support services are available.

In a separate event, the ITF joined DG Shipping and the Port of Chennai to organise education sessions for seafarers, dockers and warehouse workers. This was accompanied by a stakeholder meeting to strengthen collaboration and plan activities to take place over the next year.

Stakeholder meeting on wellbeing at the Seafarers’ Club, Chennai

Joining with affiliate partners, the FIT-CISL, the NSU and Ver.di, the ITF then co-hosted an expansive four-day seminar for 45 Indian seafarers – all NUSI members – working on cruise ships.

The sessions covered collective bargaining agreements, seafarer protections under the Maritime Labour Convention 2006 and awareness of harassment and bullying at work. A full day of interactive sessions was dedicated to seafarer mental health and wellbeing.

Interactive sessions for NUSI members working on cruise ships

In 2020 and 2022, ITF research undertaken with the NFIR and the All India Railwaymen’s Federation (AIRF) showed that 60 percent of Indian railway workers experience stress at work, with 9 percent reporting physical harm due to stress and poor mental health, and 8 percent reporting suicidal thoughts – the surveys highlighted a clear demand from respondents that unions begin counselling services.

With that stark reality in mind, the ITF joined NFIR in hosting education sessions for railway workers and their families – with NFIR committing to join the Indian Government in starting 24/7 counselling services for workers and their families.

Wellbeing for the railway workers of the NFIR

The series of events build on two years of notable successes in the ITF’s rapidly expanding wellbeing programme, from signing landmark agreements with the governments of the Philippines and Indonesia – and beginning training alongside ITF affiliates in each country – through to training trainers from 10 maritime universities across seven Black Sea countries.

“The challenges of poor mental health are increasingly understood across societies right around the world – we have to take advantage of that and what it can mean for transport workers,” explained Dr Altaf.

“A big part of that is helping transport workers to have the skills to recognise when their wellbeing is at risk and to feel no shame in being able to share that – and that starts with ensuring that this is taught when workers receive their training, which is exactly why it’s imperative for the ITF that we expand our ‘training of the trainers’ on mental health and wellbeing.”

Mark_D 05 Nov 2025

ITF mourns victims of Uganda bus crash and calls for urgent action to protect drivers and the public

etheridge_rennie@itf.org.uk — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 09:45:06 +0000

ITF mourns victims of Uganda bus crash and calls for urgent action to protect drivers and the public

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) has expressed its shock and deep sadness at the tragic bus crash in Uganda that has claimed more than 40 lives.

According to reports, two long-distance passenger buses collided with a lorry and another vehicle on a major highway north of Kampala on 22 October 2025, killing dozens and injuring many more. The ITF extends its heartfelt condolences to all families, friends and colleagues affected.

ITF General Secretary Stephen Cotton said the tragedy highlights the human cost of unsafe working conditions and inadequate road safety standards.

“We are devastated by this terrible loss of life,” said Cotton. “Behind most crashes like this are professional drivers working long hours, under enormous pressure, on roads that are often unsafe. Drivers deserve safe working conditions not just for their own protection, but for the safety of everyone who shares the road with them.”

The ITF said that long-distance coach drivers across Africa often face excessive hours, short rest breaks, low pay, poorly maintained vehicles, irregular schedules, lack of rest and sanitation facilities and weak enforcement of safety standards. These systemic problems, combined with inadequate road infrastructure and limited regulation, create a dangerous environment for both drivers and passengers. The ITF affiliate Amalgamated Transport and General Workers' Union (ATGWU) has memorandum of understanding with the bus association, which has the aim of unionising the drivers.

ITF Africa Regional Secretary Mohammed Dauda Safiyanu said the crash must serve as a wake-up call for governments, employers and regulators across the continent.

“We cannot treat these tragedies as isolated incidents,” he said. “They reflect a wider failure to protect transport workers and the travelling public. Unions must be at the centre of building safer transport systems – ensuring that drivers have fair pay, good jobs, adequate rest, and vehicles that meet safety standards.”

Safiyanu stressed that fatigue and mechanical failures are common causes of crashes, and that road safety must be built on safe jobs. When drivers are forced to work excessive hours or operate unsafe vehicles, the consequences are felt by the entire community.

The ITF is campaigning globally for Safe Rates to tackle the systemic causes of unsafe road transport. The campaign recognises that road safety begins with fair pay, good jobs and safe roads for drivers.

“This devastating loss reminds us that safety on the roads starts with respect for those who work on them,” said Cotton. “Every life lost is one too many. Together with our affiliates across Africa, we will continue fighting for decent and safe standards that every transport worker deserves.”

The ITF is urging Ugandan authorities to conduct a full investigation into the causes of the crash and take immediate steps to strengthen vehicle inspections, driver welfare protections and union engagement in road-safety policy.

etheridge_renn… 27 Oct 2025

Transport workers call for peace, justice and disarmament

CommsLondon — Fri, 24 Oct 2025 11:33:49 +0000

Transport workers call for peace, justice and disarmament

24–30 October marks United Nations Disarmament Week — a moment for the global trade union movement to renew its call for peace, justice and the elimination of weapons of mass destruction.

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) stands with the ITUC’s Trade Unions for Peace global mobilisation, calling on governments and intergovernmental institutions to put disarmament, diplomacy, and social justice at the centre of global security.

At its recent 46th Congress in Marrakech, the ITF adopted a powerful motion on peace and security, reaffirming that “peace is not only the absence of war, but the principle of human relations based on the free cooperation of all for the common good.”

The motion underscores that workers are always the first victims of war, displacement, and the poverty that conflict breeds. It highlights that the fight for peace and the fight for workers’ rights are inseparable: social justice is a building block in the search for and maintenance of peace.

Disarmament is a trade union issue

UN Disarmament Week reminds us that lasting peace demands action to reduce and ultimately eliminate the tools of war. The ITF fully supports the United Nations disarmament agenda, Securing Our Common Future, which calls on states to strengthen trust, rebuild international norms, and reduce reliance on weapons and military force.

The ITF joins the UN in calling for global disarmament, including the complete elimination of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction.

Military occupation, collective punishment, and unilateral interventions violate international law and undermine the foundations of peace. The ITF condemns all such acts and reiterates its belief that the collective action of the UN, not unilateral militarism, must guide international responses to threats to peace.

“Transport workers move the world – but we will not be moved by the machinery of war,” said ITF President Paddy Crumlin. “We stand for solidarity, for peace, and for the right of every human being to live free from fear and violence. The trade union movement knows that real security comes from equality, decent work, and justice – not from an arms race.”

Building a culture of peace

Trade unions have a unique role to play in building peace – from defending democratic institutions and international law, to tackling poverty, inequality, and unemployment that fuel conflict.

As the ITF Congress motion states, “sustainable conflict prevention requires engagement in cultures of peace and institutions and structures dedicated to non-violent conflict resolution.”

“Peace and justice are two sides of the same coin,” said ITF President-elect Frank Moreels. “When workers are exploited, when poverty deepens, and when inequality widens, peace cannot last. That’s why unions everywhere are part of the peace movement – building fairness, democracy, and solidarity in our workplaces and our societies.”

This Disarmament Week, the ITF calls on affiliates and allies to:

Engage in the ITUC's Trade Unions for Peace campaign.
Educate and mobilise workers around the importance of disarmament and international solidarity.
Stand firm against militarism, occupation, and all forms of violence.

Because there can be no lasting peace without justice – and no justice without the power of organised workers.

Photo credit: REUTERS

CommsLondon 24 Oct 2025

Seafarers must be at the heart of shipping’s climate transition, says ITF

CommsLondon — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 12:39:57 +0000

Seafarers must be at the heart of shipping’s climate transition, says ITF

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) has urged governments to use the coming year to rebuild trust and reach agreement on a fair and practical path to decarbonising shipping — one that puts seafarers at its core.

The call follows the decision by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) on 17 October to postpone the vote on its Net-Zero Framework for one year. The framework was expected to outline measures for implementing the IMO’s 2023 greenhouse gas (GHG) strategy, including timelines and obligations for industry actors.

ITF Seafarers’ Section Coordinator, Fabrizio Barcellona, said the decision reflects the complexity and importance of the task ahead – but warned that the industry cannot afford to stand still.

“While this delay reflects the complexity and importance of the decisions ahead, the process of decarbonising shipping cannot wait – and it cannot succeed without seafarers,” Barcellona said.

“Seafarers and the industry are already moving ahead, operating new and cleaner vessels and developing the skills that will power the maritime transition. This work cannot and will not stop.”

Barcellona said the ITF hopes the year ahead will be used to strengthen trust and rebuild consensus at the IMO, ensuring that future decisions support both the industry’s transition and the professional seafarers who will deliver it.

“We urge IMO Member States to continue working collaboratively with industry partners to take the necessary measures toward a safe, just and fair maritime future,” he said.

The ITF represents over 700 transport unions worldwide, including hundreds of thousands of seafarers. The Federation continues to advocate for a just transition in shipping – one that prioritises safety, skills, and decent work as the industry shifts to new fuels and technologies.

Image credit: REUTERS

CommsLondon 20 Oct 2025

Sustainability

Urban Transport Steering Committee

event_editor@website.co.uk — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 12:28:32 +0000

Urban Transport Steering Committee

Toronto

event_editor@w… 20 Oct 2025

Tuesday 25 November

Event title

event_editor@website.co.uk — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 11:54:02 +0000

Event title

Online meeting or Place of meeting

event_editor@w… 20 Oct 2025

Monday 21 February

Body copy

Rotterdam lashers’ strike wins new agreement

Mark_D — Fri, 17 Oct 2025 16:01:58 +0000

Rotterdam lashers’ strike wins new agreement

Dockworkers from FNV Havens win improved pay and conditions after bringing Port of Rotterdam to standstill with biggest ever strike.

Concerted strike action by lashers from International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) affiliate, FNV Havens, has won a new agreement which will guarantee the safety, health and pay of lashers now and in the future.

The lashers’ organising and action, the biggest ever seen in the Port of Rotterdam – Europe’s busiest and largest port – brought the port to a standstill last week.

After 10 companies sought to ban the strike in the Dutch courts, it was instead ruled that lashers were to return to work for four days this week while negotiations for an agreement were renewed.

By last night – Thursday – an agreement in principle was reached with employers International Lashing Services B.V. and Matrans B.V.. FNV members approved the agreement today, bringing the strike to a successful end: the lashers’ won a 17 to 20 percent pay rise over the next three years, in addition to agreements on safe work and making lashing more attractive for young people.

“With this new agreement, won through our workers’ collective organising and strength, FNV Havens members have made lashing in the Netherlands a safer industry now and in the future,” said Niek Stam, FNV Havens leader and ITF Dockers’ Section First Vice Chair.

“The job of a lasher is tough, physical work that can impact on health – that’s why it’s crucial that this essential work is attractive for the young people we need to come into the industry.

“It’s only right that companies ensure that lashers’ work is balanced to ensure that they can retire in good health and receive the wages they deserve. And we’ve won that outcome thanks to our members, our colleagues in the Port of Rotterdam and everyone who stayed in solidarity behind our members’ cause.”

In Rotterdam, a container is handled every three seconds, meaning that on every day of the strike some 25,000 containers could neither be loaded or unloaded. At the peak of the strike last week, there were thirty container ships unable to unload and left waiting in the Rotterdam anchorage area.

The failed appeal to the courts by port companies argued that the strike was irresponsible due to the impacts it would have on supplies of goods throughout Western Europe.

Enrico Tortolano, ITF Dockers’ Section Coordinator, said: “This powerful win from the lashers at FNV Havens sends a strong message right across the world: dockworkers won’t be taken for granted in the Netherlands or anywhere else. And if they are, they will organise, fight for their rights and win.

“The work done by lashers is crucial to all of us. It keeps the world’s supply chains moving, meaning that we depend on lashers for everything from food to medicines – their demanding work deserves fair reward.”

Mark_D 17 Oct 2025

Liberian dockers win significant new deal

Mark_D — Fri, 17 Oct 2025 13:12:26 +0000

Liberian dockers win significant new deal

After months of intense negotiations, the Dock Workers’ Union of Liberia records historic win.

Dockers at the Freeport of Monrovia have stood firm in negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with APM Terminals Liberia, resulting in a landmark win.

Members of the Dock Workers’ Union of Liberia (DOWUL) at the APM terminal have been locked in intense negotiations and undertaken short bursts of industrial action for months – and their collective determination and unity has paid off with a range of improvements to their pay and conditions.

“This is an historic win for DOWUL and for all Liberian workers who continue to demand fairness, justice, and respect in the workplace – I would like to thank the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) Dockers’ Section for their unwavering support and solidarity right through the negotiations and strike,” said Ballah Kpadeh, DOWUL General Secretary.

“We are proud to be part of the ITF, and the ITF-APMT Dockers West Africa Network is critical in our struggle for workers' rights in our region.”

Dockers at the ITF affiliate have been central to huge improvements made at the terminal in recent years, which has seen a notable boost in efficiency and profitability, making it one of the most productive terminals in West Africa.

Paddy Crumlin, ITF Dockers’ Section Chair and ITF President, said: “This is an outstanding achievement by our sisters and brothers in Liberia. Africa is a continent torn apart by decades of imperialism, but despite the many challenges, the ITF under my leadership remains firmly committed to advancing workers' rights in the region.” 

Improvements won by DOWUL include a 100 percent increase in educational assistance, 50 percent increases to transportation and food allowances, bonuses based on years of service and an early retirement offer for those aged 50 years old who have more than 10 years of service.

“This is a crucial win not only for DOWUL, but for the entire international dockers’ movement,” said ITF Dockers’ Section Coordinator, Enrico Tortolano.

“As multinational companies record astronomical profits and achieve increased productivity levels, it's essential this translates into better pay, pensions and conditions for the workers. This new CBA shows the power the ITF and its affiliates have when we act collectively and refuse to yield to corporate pressure.”

ENDS

About the ITF:  The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) is a democratic, affiliate-led federation recognised as the world’s leading transport authority. We fight passionately to improve workers’ lives, connecting more than 730 affiliated trade unions from over 150 countries to secure rights, equality and justice for workers globally. We are the voice for more than 16.5 million transport workers across the world.

Media contact: Mark Dearn +44 7738 832 413 media@itf.org.uk

Mark_D 17 Oct 2025

bargaining agreements

ITF and Brazil Government sign landmark agreement for a Just Transition in Transport

Mark_D — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 14:22:11 +0000

ITF and Brazil Government sign landmark agreement for a Just Transition in Transport

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) and Brazil’s leading transport trade union confederations – ITF-affiliated Confederação Nacional dos Trabalhadores em Transportes Aquaviário e Aéreo, na Pesca e nos Portos (CONTTMAF), Confederação Nacional dos Trabalhadores em Transportes Terrestres (CNTTT), and Confederação Nacional dos Trabalhadores em Transportes e Logística (CNTTL) – signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) today with the Federal Government of Brazil to establish strategic cooperation aimed at promoting a just transition for transport workers.

The ground-breaking agreement struck a month before Brazil hosts COP30 seeks to align public policies, training initiatives and climate adaptation strategies to technological and environmental changes. It has a focus on improving working conditions, protecting workers’ rights and advancing Brazil’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), and will be run through Brazil’s Ministries of Ports and Airports, Transport, and Labor and Employment.

“This agreement marks a turning point for transport workers in Brazil,” said Stephen Cotton, ITF General Secretary.

“By prioritising decent work, safety, equality and training, it ensures that transport workers are not left behind in the face of climate and technological transitions. It’s a powerful commitment to protect rights while preparing workers for the future."

The agreement outlines shared goals including promoting equality and combatting discrimination, ensuring health and safety in the workplace, preparing for the future of work in light of emerging technologies, engaging with contractors to improve labour conditions, and fostering continuous workforce training.

Its implementation will be coordinated through permanent and sectoral forums covering maritime transport, ports, civil aviation, inland navigation, offshore wind maritime support, public transport, and road transport, as well as new transport modalities driven by technological evolution. These forums will include active participation from Government ministry and trade union representatives, who will meet regularly to monitor progress and propose necessary adjustments.

Edgar Díaz, ITF Latin America and the Caribbean Regional Secretary, said: “This agreement sets a precedent for all the transport sectors in the region. It shows how governments, unions and international organisations can collaborate to build inclusive, sustainable transport systems.

“Brazil’s leadership in promoting a just transition could inspire similar frameworks across the region.”

Among the commitments is the organisation of an international seminar on “Just Transition for Transport Workers” in preparation for COP30, bringing together government, unions and transport companies.

The MoU will remain in effect for five years, with the possibility of extension by mutual agreement. All actions will be carried out under mutual cooperation, respecting the institutional autonomy of each signatory.

ENDS

About the ITF:  The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) is a democratic, affiliate-led federation recognised as the world’s leading transport authority. We fight passionately to improve workers’ lives, connecting more than 730 affiliated trade unions from over 150 countries to secure rights, equality and justice for workers globally. We are the voice for more than 16.5 million transport workers across the world.

Media contact: Mark Dearn +44 7738 832 413 media@itf.org.uk

Mark_D 16 Oct 2025

Court intervenes in Rotterdam’s biggest ever lasher strike

Mark_D — Wed, 15 Oct 2025 16:07:05 +0000

Court intervenes in Rotterdam’s biggest ever lasher strike

A week of strike action by 700 FNV dockworkers brought major Dutch port to standstill –strike action set to resume on Friday without progress.

The biggest ever strike of lashers in the Netherlands is on hold for a week after concerted industrial action by the FNV Havens dockworkers brought the largest and busiest port in Europe to a standstill.

Rotterdam lashers - who work to lash and unlash containers – at International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) affiliate, FNV Havens, have been in negotiations for a new collective labour agreement with two companies, International Lashing Services B.V. and Matrans Marine Service B.V., since April 2025.

However, with no agreement reached on wage increases – which are directly tied to the rates container transshipment companies pay lashing companies – the dockworkers started a 48-hour strike , on the morning of Wednesday 8 October.

Then, on Friday morning 300 lashers – ‘sjorders’ – held a special members’ meeting at which offers from the companies were unanimously rejected by the FNV Havens lashers.

FNV had initially demanded a 7 percent pay increase, on top of automatic inflation compensation but, acting in good faith to find a resolution, lowered that demand to 6.5 percent. The dockers were frustrated that the offer from Matrans Marine Services only arrived that morning – while neither offer matched the union’s reasonable demands for pay and conditions that reflect their hard work in demanding roles allowing them to retire in good health. As a result, all 700 lashers working out of Rotterdam moved into an indefinite strike.

The strike is the biggest in Rotterdam since 1991, when all lashers – a smaller number than those employed today – went on strike. It represents a crucial fight for fair wages, safe working conditions and the recognition of the essential role that dockers play in container operations.

On Friday morning last week, in a sign of their reasonable approach to the strike and negotiations, FNV’s lashers responded to a special request from a cargo owner pleading for nine refrigerated containers of fresh fish to be unloaded before they spoiled. In line with safety agreements, dockers considered this to be an emergency situation and duly dispatched an emergency team to enter the port to un-lash the specific containers.

However, on Saturday morning, the two companies filed an emergency lawsuit against FNV, stating that the strike is disproportionate and threatens supply chains – points rejected by FNV. The court ordered the strike to be suspended from 0700 on Monday until 0700 this Friday, with the strike permitted to resume in the absence of any agreement, and the companies also able to ask the court for a ruling on the strike itself.

The Port of Rotterdam Authority acknowledged the impact of the strike, which meant no container ship was able to unload at the port, leading to some 25 container ships waiting off the Dutch coast. A Port spokesperson explained that: “Even if the lashers now [Monday] return to work without further interruptions, it will take until the end of October to clear the backlog.”

Both FNV Havens and the ITF want a quick and fair resolution to this dispute.

Mark_D 15 Oct 2025

collective agreements

National flag ships vital for national security

Mark_D — Wed, 15 Oct 2025 08:45:43 +0000

National flag ships vital for national security

ITF report shows maritime cabotage policies are a necessary safeguard for national security and supply chain resilience

National security and strong national maritime policies go hand in hand – that is the message of the International Transport Workers’ Federation’s (ITF) new briefing on domestic maritime policies.

Drawing on examples from Australia, Brazil, Canada and the USA, Domestic Maritime Policies: a Focus on National Security outlines that national flag shipping and ‘cabotage’ – the reservation of a country’s domestic maritime commerce for its own citizens – is vital for maintaining supply chain resilience and, in turn, national security.

The importance of maritime cabotage policies is reflected in their wide uptake around the world. Seafarers’ Rights International research published this month shows that 105 states, approximately 85% of the world’s countries, currently have cabotage laws or policies in place – an increase on 91 countries in 2018.

Chris Given, President of the Seafarers’ International Union of Canada and the ITF Cabotage Task Force Chair, said: “Cabotage policies promote fair market competition, help ensure the retention of a qualified workforce, and create thousands of direct and indirect employment opportunities.

“Simply put, it is in our national interest to ensure that we can transport goods and people without reliance on a non-national carrier or a non-national workforce.”

The ITF briefing outlines that in periods of crisis or conflict, maritime states must maintain a national fleet of vessels and trained seafarers to enable and support transportation operations.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, reliance on non-national carriers impacted by changed shipping schedules, delays and freight rates only worsened severe supply chain disruption: national fleet capacity could have enabled impacted states to effectively operate autonomously.

“Autonomy over supply chains forms an integral part of any successful national economic and national security policy,” said David Heindel, President of the Seafarers’ International Union USA and Chair of the ITF Seafarers’ Section.

“We have always had a safeguard in both the USA and Canada in that our national shipping industries are bolstered through the Jones Act in the United States and the Coasting Trade Act in Canada: cabotage ensures that we are better equipped to weather these storms in times of disruption. And, because they are a common-sense approach to ensuring that coastal nations retain the capacity to move their own goods and people, these policies are now the norm and not the exception.”

The briefing makes a number of recommendations to governments. These include considering cabotage and national flag fleets as critical to national security; ensuring that critical cargoes such as fuel, food and medical supplies can be transported by national flag vessels; ensuring that sufficient domestic tonnage and qualified labour is available for national flag ships to operate in periods of crisis; and a call to NATO members to strengthen their merchant navies.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

Domestic Maritime Policies: a Focus on National Security is available here.
Seafarers’ Rights International’s 2025 Cabotage Laws of the World report is available here.

Mark_D 15 Oct 2025

Domestic Maritime Policies: A Focus on National Security

barton_linda — Mon, 13 Oct 2025 12:25:31 +0000

Domestic Maritime Policies: A Focus on National Security

Cabotage is the principle of reserving a nation’s domestic maritime commerce for its own citizens. It typically applies to transport of cargo and passengers, as well as marine industrial applications – such as off-shore drilling, wind farms, the exploitation of seabed mineral resources, dredging, fisheries and marine construction in a nation’s territorial waters – and feeder services linked to the liner trades.

Maritime cabotage policies are now in place 105 countries around the world, covering 85% of the world’s coastlines. They form a common-sense approach to ensuring coastal nations retain the capacity to move their own goods and people, a vital element of national security. At the same time, these policies promote fair market competition, help to ensure the retention of a qualified workforce, and create thousands of direct and indirect employment opportunities.

barton_linda 13 Oct 2025

Global shipping industry reaffirms support for the IMO Net Zero Framework

Mark_D — Thu, 09 Oct 2025 09:33:32 +0000

Global shipping industry reaffirms support for the IMO Net Zero Framework

Leading international maritime associations and organisations reiterate our strong support for adoption by the world’s governments at the UN International Maritime Organization (IMO) of the “Net-Zero Framework” at the critical Extraordinary Session of the IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee next week (14-17 October).

The global industry remains fully committed to working collaboratively with IMO Member States to implement successfully this carefully balanced regulatory package for achieving net zero GHG emissions by or close to 2050, with necessary incentives to de-risk investment in new green marine fuels to accelerate the total decarbonisation of international shipping and to implement a just transition for the maritime workforce.

Only global rules will decarbonise a global industry. Without the Framework, shipping would risk a growing patchwork of unilateral regulations, increasing costs without effectively contributing to decarbonisation.

With the support of the industry, this is a unique and historic opportunity for governments to put in place a comprehensive global framework, which will be strictly enforced worldwide, to incentivise the shipping industry’s transition to net zero emissions whilst ensuring a level playing field.

The maritime transport sector, which moves 90% of global trade, is ready to play its important part in delivering a sustainable future.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

About ASA

The ASA is a voluntary organisation of the shipowners’ associations from ASEAN*, China, Cook Islands, Hong Kong, Japan and Korea, representing around 50% of the world merchant fleet.

*The Federation of ASEAN Shipowners’ Associations (FASA) consists of associations from Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

The ASA provides a major platform for Asian shipowners to build consensus on issues of concern to both the Asian and global maritime industries, which is also crucial to world trade, its supply chains and the prosperity of major Asian trading partners, including the U.S.

About European Shipowners | ECSA

European Shipowners | ECSA represents 22 national shipowners’ associations based in the EU and Norway. European shipowners control 35 % of the global commercial fleet, contribute 127.8 billion euros per year to the EU GDP and provide 1.4 million people with careers both on board and ashore. ECSA strives for a regulatory environment that fosters the international competitiveness of European shipping, to the benefit of the EU – www.ecsa.eu

About IAPH

Founded in 1955, the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) has developed into a global alliance of 201 port authorities as well as 175 port-related businesses. Comprised of over 94 different nationalities across the world’s continents, member ports handle over one third of the world’s sea-borne trade and well over 60% of the world container traffic. IAPH leads global port industry initiatives on decarbonisation and energy transition, risk and resilience management, and accelerating digitalisation in the maritime transport chain. The IAPH’s World Ports Sustainability Program has grown into the reference database of best practices of ports applying the UN Sustainable Development Goals and integrating them into their businesses - iaphworldports.org.

About IBIA

IBIA – The International Bunker Industry Association is the voice of the global bunker industry and represents all stakeholders across the industry value chain. Our membership includes ship owners and operators, bunker suppliers, traders, brokers, barging companies, storage companies, surveyors, port authorities, credit reporting companies, lawyers, P&I clubs, equipment manufacturers, shipping journalists and marine consultants. Formed in 1992, today we have members in more than 70 countries. www.ibia.net

About ITF

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) is a democratic, affiliate-led federation recognised as the world’s leading transport authority. We fight passionately to improve workers' lives, connecting more than 700 affiliated trade unions from 150 countries to secure rights, equality and justice for workers' globally. We are the voice for nearly 16.5 million transport workers across the world. https://www.itfglobal.org/en

About ICS

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) is the principal international trade association for merchant shipowners and operators, representing all sectors and trades and over 80% of the world merchant fleet – www.ics-shipping.org

About WSC

The World Shipping Council is the united voice of liner shipping, working with policymakers and stakeholder groups to shape the future growth of a socially responsible, environmentally sustainable, safe, and secure shipping industry. We are a non-profit trade association with offices in Brussels, London, Singapore and Washington, D.C. Read more at www.worldshipping.org.

Mark_D 09 Oct 2025

Statement to Members Year End 2024

barton_linda — Thu, 09 Oct 2025 09:06:10 +0000

Statement to Members Year End 2024

Statement to members following the annual return of the International Transport Workers Federation for the year ended 31st December 2024, in accordance with Section 32A of the UK Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992

barton_linda 09 Oct 2025

BTB’s Black Book exposes unsafe and inadequate parking for drivers in Belgium

barton_linda — Mon, 06 Oct 2025 13:18:11 +0000

BTB’s Black Book exposes unsafe and inadequate parking for drivers in Belgium

ITF calls for urgent investment in safe, secure and dignified rest areas as part of Safe Rates

The Belgian Transport Workers’ Union (BTB-ABVV) has released the 11th edition of its Black Book on motorway parking areas in Belgium, once again sounding the alarm on unsafe, overcrowded and inadequate conditions for professional lorry, bus and coach drivers.

The Black Book was launched yesterday (5 October) at four motorway parking areas across Belgium. The report is based on visits to more than 50 parking areas in Belgium and abroad, and on a survey of over 400 drivers, highlights the same recurring failures: a lack of spaces, a lack of safety, and a lack of comfort.

“This new black book is yet another cry for help to policymakers,” said Tom Peeters, Deputy Federal Secretary BTB Road Transport and Logistics. “But at the same time, it is also a guide for anyone who wants to build a fair and humane parking policy, because our heroes of the road deserve better.”

Parking and Safe Rates: the missing link

The Black Book makes clear that poor parking conditions are not just a question of convenience but of health and safety. Fatigued drivers are more likely to be involved in accidents, while insecure sites expose them to theft, harassment and even violence.

“Drivers can only work safely if they can rest safely,” said Flemming Overgaard, ITF Road Transport Section Chair. “Drivers who are underpaid and squeezed by unfair contracts are forced to cut corners on rest and safety. When clients pay a fair price for transport, companies can afford to invest in proper rest and safety infrastructure.”

Belgium is a crossroads of Europe’s transport network, but its parking conditions remain substandard. Policymakers must invest in secure, well-equipped parking – this is a matter of dignity, respect and road safety.”

Drivers demand action

Survey results show that:

80% of drivers feel unsafe at Belgian parking areas at least sometimes, with theft and crime common.
Toilets and showers are often dirty, broken or non-existent.
Healthy, affordable food is scarce; drivers are left with overpriced fast food.
A shortage of spaces forces drivers into unsafe or illegal parking, including on hard shoulders.
Digital tools like real-time occupancy apps remain underdeveloped compared to neighbouring countries

BTB’s Black Book includes key policy demands, including:

A federal masterplan for HGV parking areas.
Certification of Belgian sites under European Safe & Secure Parking Area (SSPA) standards.
Provide basic amenities at every motorway parking area.
Implement real-time parking information across the whole of Belgium.
Provide a safe environment with social controls.
Make the parking policy part of a national Safe Rates model.
Create an inter-federal consultation platform with all stakeholders.
Ensure that drivers can comply with European rules on long rest periods including ensuring that hotel facilities are provided.
This all must be supported in terms of regulations, specifications and financially.

Enough excuses – time to invest

Belgium’s drivers and BTB are calling for urgent action. The union says that despite billions in revenue following into government coffers from lorry kilometre charges, that the Flemish Government has failed to channel this funding into decent parking infrastructure.

Frank Moreels, President of BTB: "It is high time that the government used this money to provide the necessary infrastructure for the sector. This means not only road maintenance, but also the construction and maintenance of parking facilities and the necessary amenities. The Flemish government has just implemented yet another increase in this kilometre charge, so it is time to use this budget for what it is intended: better infrastructure and facilities for the transport sector."

The ITF stands in full solidarity with BTB-ABVV and transport unions across Europe fighting for safe and fair conditions on the road. A safe transport system requires Safe Rates, safe rest, and safe parking.

Read the full Black Book here and learn more about the ITF Safe Rates campaign here.

barton_linda 06 Oct 2025

End the US Government shutdown – put workers and safety first

barton_linda — Mon, 06 Oct 2025 12:36:39 +0000

End the US Government shutdown – put workers and safety first

The ITF Civil Aviation Section, representing aviation workers across the globe, stands in full solidarity with our affiliates in the United States and the millions of federal workers impacted by the government shutdown that began at 12:01am on October 1.

This lockout is hitting aviation especially hard: safety-critical workers like air traffic controllers and aviation security staff are being forced to report for duty without pay while others are on furlough without pay and locked out of doing their jobs. Such conditions are unacceptable in an industry where the highest levels of concentration and professionalism are required at all times.

This Republican-led lockout will have a drastic impact on working people across the country. Services that communities, including thousands of aviation workers, rely on – from healthcare to retirement, from affordable housing to essential government programmes – are being dismantled. Millions of federal employees are placed on furlough without pay, with growing threats of mass layoffs in an effort to move functions of government to privatisation. Millions more working under government contracts are being thrown out of work without warning and without pay while infrastructure projects get put on indefinite hold.

Some workers, however, are legally required to continue reporting for duty even though they are not being paid. This includes some of aviation’s most safety-critical workers – air traffic controllers and airport security screeners. Aviation is a sector where safety depends on every system, every role, and every person working without distraction. What could be more distracting – and more dangerous – than forcing workers to do their jobs without being paid?

Workers should never be used as pawns in political conflict. The ITF echoes the voices of our aviation affiliates in calling for a bipartisan agreement that immediately ends this shutdown and maintains affordable healthcare for tens of millions of working people.

The US Congress must act now to restore services, guarantee workers are paid and end this reckless shutdown. The safety of the world’s aviation system cannot wait.

_{Image credit: Reuters}

barton_linda 06 Oct 2025

NORTH AMERICA

ITF demands immediate release of Global Sumud Flotilla crew members

CommsLondon — Sun, 05 Oct 2025 09:04:43 +0000

ITF demands immediate release of Global Sumud Flotilla crew members

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) condemns the unlawful Israeli naval interception and detention of the Global Sumud Flotilla. We demand the immediate and unconditional release of all activists seized while undertaking this peaceful humanitarian mission.

The flotilla comprised more than forty vessels carrying around 500 civilian volunteers from over 40 countries. Their mission was to deliver life-saving aid and to break the ongoing blockade of Gaza, which has deliberately deprived Palestinians of food, medicine, and dignity.

The interception of this humanitarian mission is not only a blatant violation of international law, but also a grave assault on the very principles of human rights and solidarity.

The interception took place in international waters and has led to the detention of more than 450 crew members. This is not the first time Israel has unlawfully intercepted humanitarian missions in international waters. Previous missions, including the Madleen and Handala, were also intercepted. UN Special Rapporteurs have reaffirmed that the people of Gaza have the right to receive humanitarian assistance through their territorial waters, and that Israel has no authority to obstruct the freedom of navigation enshrined in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

International humanitarian law – including the Geneva Conventions – guarantees the unhindered passage of humanitarian aid and forbids the obstruction of relief efforts. UN Security Council resolutions on Gaza adopted since 2023 have reiterated the urgent requirement for safe and unimpeded humanitarian access. The International Court of Justice, under the Genocide Convention, has issued binding provisional measures obliging Israel to prevent acts of genocide, prosecute incitement, and enable humanitarian assistance. The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court is also equally clear: the deliberate starvation of civilians and the obstruction of aid delivery constitute war crimes and must be prosecuted as such.

Those detained are being held in prison in Israel’s Negev desert. Reports from lawyers and human rights monitors indicate that activists have been bound, forced to kneel for long periods, denied access to food, water, medical treatment, and legal counsel. Latest reports indicate that 137 activists have been deported, but hundreds remain in detention. Reports of degrading and inhumane treatment must be urgently and independently investigated, and Israel held to account for violations of the rights of those detained.

Among those imprisoned are trade unionists from ITF affiliate unions, including Maritime Union of Australia seafarer Hamish Paterson, as well as representatives of allied global organisations such as Progressive International, underlining the unity of the global labour movement with the wider struggle for justice, peace, and human rights.

The ITF therefore demands:

The immediate release of all detained flotilla activists and crew members and a guarantee of their safe return home.
Governments whose nationals are among the detainees to intervene decisively and press Israel to comply with international law.
International institutions, including the United Nations, to investigate the illegality of the interception and the treatment of detainees, and to pursue accountability.
Trade unions and civil society across the world to mobilise solidarity and demand the release of all detained flotilla activists, writing to governments through the Global Sumud Flotilla campaign.

The ITF extends its full solidarity to the Global Sumud Flotilla activists. The forced detention of peace activists is an assault on the rights of all working people. No unionist, no humanitarian, and no peace activist should ever be criminalised for standing up for justice, dignity, and human rights.

On the eve of October 7, the ITF also reiterate our demands for peace, justice and accountability: an immediate and permanent ceasefire; the unconditional release of all hostages and prisoners held without due judicial process; an end to the illegal occupation of Palestinian; implementation of UN Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338 and a two-state solution based on justice and peace; full accountability for all international crimes, including through the International Criminal Court; states to implement the International Court of Justice decisions without any delays; an end to the impunity of companies profiting from the occupation and war; and an immediate opening of all borders to enable convoys of food and humanitarian aid to all parts of Gaza.

Image credit: REUTERS

CommsLondon 05 Oct 2025

Arab World

Dutch court rules that ‘preliminary questions’ on ‘Non-Seafarers’ Work Clause’ to be put to EU Court of Justice

Mark_D — Tue, 30 Sep 2025 12:27:56 +0000

Dutch court rules that ‘preliminary questions’ on ‘Non-Seafarers’ Work Clause’ to be put to EU Court of Justice

Today, the Dutch Court of Appeal ruled that preliminary questions will be brought before the European Union (EU) Court of Justice on the Non-Seafarers’ Work Clause (NSWC).

The EU Court of Justice will be requested to shed light on whether the NSWC forms a breach on the freedom of free competition and, if so, whether the NSWC is justified considering the fundamental freedom of collective bargaining.

As a result, at this moment, the initial positive ruling of the Rotterdam Court confirming the validity of the NSWC still stands.

The ITF and its affiliated unions uphold the principle that social partners, through collective bargaining, can jointly decide what best serves the interests of workers. The purpose of the NSWC is to safeguard the work and rest hours of seafarers by ensuring dock workers perform port tasks, such as lashing.

The ITF and its affiliated unions will defend the NSWC before the EU Court of Justice.

“We remain steadfast in defending the NSWC, because seafarers’ safety and rest hours are non-negotiable. Therefore, the ITF will continue to campaign strongly and continuously on an agreed clause negotiated with the employers that is central and fundamental to the health safety and protection of both the seafarers and dockers involved,” said ITF President and Dockers’ Section Chair, Paddy Crumlin.

The ITF and its affiliated unions stand by the NSWC and the goal it aims to achieve: protecting seafarers’ rights, safety, and wellbeing.

END

Notes to Editors

Cargo handling and lashing – securing containers to the deck of a vessel, using heavy lashing bars and bottle screws – is dangerous work that should be undertaken by trained dock workers to mitigate safety risks.
Forcing seafarers to undertake cargo handling exposes them to danger in the task itself, while also elevating the risk of accidents at sea on vessels made unsafe by poorly lashed containers and other cargo. For seafarers, such tasks add to fatigue at the end of voyages when they should be resting or taking shore leave.

Mark_D 30 Sep 2025

ITF brings workers’ voice to ICAO General Assembly in Montreal

CommsLondon — Tue, 30 Sep 2025 12:01:54 +0000

ITF brings workers’ voice to ICAO General Assembly in Montreal

A delegation from the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) is on the ground in Montreal, Canada, at the 42nd International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Assembly.

The Assembly – which takes place every three years – brings together all 193 ICAO Member States from 23 September to 3 October 2025. Across two weeks of discussions, ICAO – the United Nations specialized agency that governs civil aviation – will adopt resolutions and set an agenda that will shape the future of global aviation industry.

This year’s event opened with ICAO Secretary General Juan Carlos Salazar stressing the importance of the Assembly as a turning point:

“This year’s Assembly serves as a crucial moment to shape the state of global aviation and drive real change for the benefit of all nations and people. ICAO is uniting the global aviation community around a shared commitment to a safe, secure and sustainable global aviation system that connects the world.”

Welcoming this ambition, ITF General Secretary Stephen Cotton said:
“Real change in aviation cannot happen without putting workers at the centre. Millions of aviation workers keep this industry moving every single day – on the ground and in the sky. A truly safe, sustainable and connected global aviation system must be socially, environmentally and economically sustainable for the people who make it possible.”

Workers’ agenda for a sustainable aviation future

Together with sister federations – the International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations (IFALPA) and the International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers’ Associations (IFATCA) – the ITF has submitted a package of Working Papers and Information Papers to the Assembly. These set out a clear path for reform, strengthening safety, and embedding social sustainability into the work going-forward on international aviation policy. All were presented on Thursday 25 September and Saturday 27 September.

Across the board, the Working Papers received broad support from the Assembly, demonstrating a growing recognition among Member States that workers’ voices and priorities must shape the future of aviation.

The agenda comes at a crucial moment. The industry is grappling with technological transformation – from automation and Extended Minimum-Crew Operations to the rise of drones – while simultaneously facing pressure to deliver on ICAO’s ambitious environmental and safety targets. For workers, these shifts bring both risks and opportunities – but they must not come at the expense of decent work, strong labour standards, or safe operations.

The ITF and IFALPA also had to respond quickly when IATA unexpectedly tabled WP/349, calling for an increase in the pilot age limit to 67. Together, we prepared and delivered a clear position: ICAO has already reviewed this matter in recent years, the scientific evidence remains inconclusive, and ICAO’s limited resources would be better spent on improving safety standards in more meaningful ways. The intervention was successful, with a number of states voicing opposition reflecting our arguments.

ITF’s spokesperson for the Assembly, Gabriel Mocho Rodriguez said:

“Our agenda at the Assembly, our Working Papers, come directly from the daily reality of aviation workers. Fatigue in the cockpit, cabin or control tower, fear of reporting safety concerns, or barriers to mental health support are not just workplace issues, they are threats to the safety of passengers and crew alike. By adopting workers’ reforms, governments can send a clear signal that the safety, dignity and wellbeing of workers are inseparable from the safety of aviation itself.”

“We are here to build relationships and alliances, and over the course of the Assembly we will be working directly with governments, regulators and industry partners to secure their backing for these reforms. If ICAO Member States take these proposals seriously, they will be strengthening not just aviation safety, but the resilience and sustainability of the industry as a whole.”

ITF and partners’ Working Papers

Summaries of the ITF and partners’ Working Papers are below.

Social sustainability in civil aviation to enhance safety and enable the success of ICAO’s economic development agenda (WP/205) – Presented with Austria, IFALPA and IFATCA, this paper reaffirms that aviation can only grow on a foundation of decent work. It calls on ICAO to deepen collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO), embed social sustainability in its economic agenda, and ensure that workers are not left behind.
Fatigue management (WP/258) – Co-sponsored by multiple states and industry groups, this paper recognises fatigue as one of the most persistent threats to safety. It urges ICAO to update its fatigue management guidance, strengthen oversight, and ensure proper resources are available so that regulators, service providers and frontline workers can effectively manage fatigue risks.
Positive safety culture (WP/259) – This paper stresses that safety must be rooted in a culture where workers can report risks and errors without fear of punishment. It calls on ICAO to develop global guidance to harmonise how positive safety culture is defined, implemented and assessed, ensuring trust between workers, regulators and employers.
Promote the development of peer support programmes in aviation (WP/334) – Addressing mental health and wellbeing, this paper calls for the development of confidential peer support systems across aviation. These programmes encourage early help-seeking, reduce stigma, and strengthen safety by ensuring professionals in safety-sensitive roles can access the support they need.
Crew identification and the framework provided by Annex 9 (WP/285) – With IFALPA, IATA and TIACA, ITF is urging ICAO to modernize outdated provisions on Crew Member Certificates (CMC). The paper highlights the need to align ICAO rules with real-world practices and technological advances, including digital credentials, to ensure crew can move safely and efficiently across borders.

CommsLondon 30 Sep 2025

Women transport workers unite for gender-transformative climate action

Rosalyn Smith — Tue, 30 Sep 2025 09:36:13 +0000

Women transport workers unite for gender-transformative climate action

Over 80 women union leaders, activists and organisers from across the transport sector gathered online for the ITF webinar ‘A gender-transformative approach to climate action for women transport workers.’

The event marked the launch of the ITF position paper and implementation plan on gender-transformative climate action, which explores the additional impacts for women of the climate crisis. It sets out key issues, principles, strategies and a 2025–2029 action plan to protect and empower women transport workers during the transition to zero-carbon; ensuring that gender equality is always at the heart of the just transition debate in transport.

The webinar was chaired by Mich-Elle Myers (MUA, Australia), Vice-Chair of the ITF Women Transport Workers’ Committee, with a keynote by Zazi Nsibayoni (NUMSA, South Africa). Both are members of the ITF Sustainable Transport Working Group.

Climate change hits women transport workers hard

Speakers from South Africa, Tanzania, Argentina, India, Kenya, Uganda, the Philippines and beyond, shared how climate change is intensifying the daily challenges faced by women transport workers.

“Women transport workers face a new layer of triple oppression as climate change deepens existing inequalities,” said Zazi Nsibayoni, describing how women in South Africa face extreme heat while waiting for transport, disrupted services during storms, and increased exposure to violence and harassment. “As NUMSA, we insist that a just transition must also be a gender-just transition, one that builds resilient infrastructure, protects jobs and gives women real access to skills and safety in a changing transport sector.”

From severe floods in Argentina and India that shut down rail lines to bushfire smoke in Australia threatening health and fertility, and drought-driven transport disruptions in the DRC, women workers are on the frontline of the crisis.

Participants also highlighted that climate measures themselves are not gender-neutral: electrification, automation and decarbonisation risk excluding women if they are not properly consulted, reskilled and supported.

A call for a just and feminist transition

Discussions focused on union strategies for a gender-transformative just transition, including:

Building women’s voices and leadership in climate and energy transition negotiations, where they are often underrepresented.
Embedding women’s needs into national climate plans and workplace agreements: from access to PPE and safe sanitation to childcare provisions and work environments that are free from violence and harassment.
Ensuring good quality training and re-skilling opportunities are accessible to women as new technologies and fuels are introduced.
Holding governments and companies accountable for meeting climate targets and protecting workers’ livelihoods.

“Just transition must not only protect women workers but ensure they are decision-makers shaping climate solutions,” said Mich-Elle Myers.

Next steps

Through its action plan, ITF will support unions worldwide to:

Campaign for gender-transformative climate action
Engage industry to ensure women benefit from the transition
Strengthen women’s voices and leadership at all levels
Influence international policy to put gender equality at the heart of climate action

The webinar marked the start of this collective journey, uniting women transport workers worldwide to turn their lived experiences into action and advocacy.

Notes

The webinar was held on Monday 8 September 2025

Read the position paper

Rosalyn Smith 30 Sep 2025

Worldwide Inspectors unite in Cyprus to defend seafarers’ rights

CommsLondon — Thu, 25 Sep 2025 08:01:32 +0000

Worldwide Inspectors unite in Cyprus to defend seafarers’ rights

More than 130 ITF inspectors from across the globe have come together in Limassol, Cyprus, for the ITF’s Worldwide Inspectors Seminar (22–25 September 2025) this week.

The seminar, held once every five years, is the single most important gathering of ITF inspectors – the frontline defenders of seafarers’ rights in ports around the world who police agreements struck by the ITF and its affiliated maritime trade unions around the world.

ITF inspectors are vital to defending and advancing the rights of some of the most marginalised and isolated workers in the world. From enforcing collective agreements to rescuing crew abandoned without pay or food, their daily work is critical to protecting seafarers – now acknowledged as ‘key workers’ by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and ensuring that their rights are more than just words on paper.

But the maritime world is changing fast – with new technologies, environmental standards, and shifting global trade routes reshaping the industry. At this year’s seminar, the focus is on ensuring inspectors are ready to adapt and meet these challenges head-on – making sure that, no matter how the industry evolves, seafarers’ rights are properly upheld and enforced. This includes strengthening collaboration with port state control authorities and flag states.

Sessions throughout the week covered a wide range of pressing issues, including:

Closer cooperation with port state control regimes such as the Paris MOU, whose secretariat presented to inspectors;
Dialogue with flag states, through presentations by recognised organisations;
The role of ESG (environmental, social, and governance) standards and human rights due diligence (HRDD) in the maritime sector – with inspectors deepening their understanding of how these frameworks can be leveraged to protect seafarers, as highlighted in the latest ISU report;
Addressing violence and harassment at sea, with renewed calls for full ratification and enforcement of ILO Convention 190 (C190);
Tackling abandonment, with updated reporting processes and strategies to ensure no seafarer is left stranded without pay, provisions, or a way home;
Under the theme “It’s OK not to be OK”, equipping inspectors with tools to support seafarers’ mental health and wellbeing.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) itself has acknowledged that frameworks such as the International Safety Management (ISM) Code and the ILO Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) are not sufficient unless properly implemented and enforced by regulators – particularly flag and port states.

On World Maritime Day (25 September), ITF General Secretary Stephen Cotton praised the work of the inspectorate and underlined the importance of the seminar:

“The ITF Inspectorate is nothing short of incredible. Every day, in every port, our inspectors stand up for seafarers who are too often left abandoned, exploited, or denied their most basic rights. This seminar is about focusing – and refocusing – our efforts, especially in the Flag of Convenience campaign, which remains the backbone of our fight for justice at sea.

“Seafarers deliver 90% of the world’s trade. They deserve more than empty promises. ITF inspectors will not take no for an answer when it comes to dignity, respect, and rights. On World Maritime Day, it’s time for the global industry to do better for the seafarers who keep our world moving forward.”

ITF President Paddy Crumlin highlighted the Inspectorate’s central role in the ITF’s history and future:

“For more than half a century, the ITF Inspectorate has been the beating heart of our global union – the living embodiment of solidarity. Inspectors are the ones who make sure that our agreements and our words translate into real change for seafarers.

“This seminar is about renewing our commitment to seafarers everywhere and ensuring that the Flag of Convenience campaign continues to deliver dignity, fairness, and justice on every ship, under every flag.”

The Worldwide Inspectors Seminar reaffirms the ITF’s commitment to ensuring that seafarers are protected – in every port, under every flag, every single day.

CommsLondon 25 Sep 2025

Strong unions need women: Sheela's story

etheridge_rennie@itf.org.uk — Wed, 24 Sep 2025 14:55:12 +0000

Strong unions need women: Sheela's story etheridge_renn… 24 Sep 2025

Worker stories

When Sheela Naikwade joined Maharashtra State Transport Kamgar Sanghatana (MSTKS) in 1995, she was one of very few women members. Women were sidelined, their concerns unheard, their participation discouraged. Unions reflected the male-dominated structures of our society.

Sheela refused to accept this and started listening to the experiences of women working in public transport. She found that women workers lacked the most basic rights - no toilets, no restrooms, no secure or dignified working hours.

She began organising and built a collective. They demanded a voice.

Strong unions need women. Women must have spaces to organise. Women’s issues must be part of the bargaining agenda. Women must be in leadership.

Together, they organised protests, mobilised women across depots, divisions and regions and pushed for change.

In 2006, Sheela led a long campaign demanding structural reform. In 2015, they won a historic resolution to reserve two leadership positions for women at every level—from the depot to the central office.

Now in Maharashtra, there are over 500 women leaders at depot level, 65 women leader at the regional level, and 3 women leaders in positions of highest central leadership.

This leadership has achieved victories against undignified uniforms, sexual harassment, and discriminatory practices that penalised women for maternity, childcare and miscarriage leave.

They surveyed women workers and found that almost 60% of women conductors suffer miscarriages due to harsh road conditions and work duties carried out during pregnancy. This research led to the transport minister granting 3 months additional maternity leave and introducing lighter workloads during pregnancy.

This is what real union power looks like.

ITF solidarity statement with the Global Sumud Flotilla

Rosalyn Smith — Tue, 23 Sep 2025 13:25:34 +0000

ITF solidarity statement with the Global Sumud Flotilla

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), representing over 16.5 million transport workers across 150 countries, stands in unwavering solidarity with the Global Sumud Flotilla and all those sailing with the sole, humanitarian objective of delivering lifesaving aid to Gaza.

Like so many other international initiatives, the Global Sumud Flotilla is a lawful, peaceful act of civil society mobilisation opposing state-imposed collective punishment of more than two million Palestinians – a clear and recognised violation of international law.

Paddy Crumlin, ITF President, said: “The Global Sumud Flotilla comes at an extraordinarily important moment for the international community to support the beleaguered and oppressed people of Palestine.

“The flotilla embodies courage and determination to support and help ease the horrific, ongoing consequences of military action. Among those on board are members of the ITF – including my own union, the Maritime Union of Australia – taking action where governments have failed to meet their human rights responsibilities.

“We recognise the vital importance of this action, and many others like it, in advancing the cause of lasting peace. International crimes must end, international law and human rights must be upheld, and the Palestinian people must see justice and peace, including the recognition of their own State. We send all of those determined to realise that outcome, our full strength, support and solidarity.”

Civil society convoys such as the Madleen and Handala have already been forcibly intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters, unlawful acts that contravened international law. UN Special Rapporteurs have been clear: the people of Gaza have the right to receive aid through their territorial waters, and Israel must not interfere with the freedom of navigation guaranteed under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

International Humanitarian Law, including the Geneva Conventions, requires the free passage of humanitarian aid and prohibits interference with relief operations. UN Security Council resolutions on Gaza since 2023 have reiterated the need for unimpeded humanitarian access. Under the Genocide Convention, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has issued binding provisional measures requiring Israel to prevent acts of genocide, punish direct and public incitement to genocide and ensure humanitarian assistance. The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) is clear that starvation of civilians and wilfully impeding aid delivery are prosecutable as war crimes.

Stephen Cotton, ITF General Secretary, said: “Any attempt to block, attack, or criminalise the Global Sumud Flotilla is illegal, immoral and indefensible. The ITF stands with those risking their lives, freedom and safety to deliver aid to civilians facing starvation. International law is clear: the people of Gaza must have unimpeded access to humanitarian relief. Governments, institutions, and industry must step up now to ensure that aid is delivered and lives are saved.”

The ITF strongly condemns the recent drone attacks on the Global Sumud Flotilla – including the overnight strikes reported in international media and earlier attacks near Tunisia – which put the lives of crew and volunteers at risk and threaten the safe delivery of humanitarian aid. These attacks are a direct assault on international law, freedom of navigation and maritime safety.

We call on Israel to respect international law by allowing the Global Sumud Flotilla safe passage and by ending the criminalisation of crew, volunteers and humanitarian activists. We affirm Palestinian self-determination and reject the criminalisation of solidarity. Our movement stands with Palestinian workers and civil society members asserting their right to life, dignity and freedom of movement.

Our calls for the Global Sumud Flotilla:

Respect for international law – UNCLOS, Geneva Conventions, UN Security Council resolutions, and the binding orders of the International Court of Justice.
Unimpeded humanitarian access – the free and safe delivery of vital aid to Gaza’s besieged population.

We also reiterate our earlier calls for peace, justice and accountability:

An immediate and permanent ceasefire.
The unconditional release of all hostages and prisoners held without due judicial process.
An end to the illegal occupation of Palestinian and Arab territories, occupied since 1967.
Implementation of UN Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338 and a two-state solution based on justice and peace.
Full accountability for all international crimes, including through the International Criminal Court.
An end to the impunity of companies profiting from the occupation and war.
An immediate opening of all borders to enable convoys of food and humanitarian aid to all parts of Gaza.
Call for all states to implement the ICJ decisions without any delays.

Rosalyn Smith 23 Sep 2025

Young dockers and seafarers unite in Cyprus to build skills and solidarity

CommsLondon — Tue, 23 Sep 2025 07:45:23 +0000

Young dockers and seafarers unite in Cyprus to build skills and solidarity

Last week, young dockers and seafarers from across the globe came together in Cyprus for the ITF Maritime Roundtable – a space for young maritime trade unionists to learn, share and grow as leaders in our movement.

Across a packed programme of workshops, participants tackled the pressing issues facing maritime workers today — from data and AI, equality and the role of women in maritime, and safety and sustainability, to ITF’s Flags of Convenience and Flags of Non-Compliance campaigns, supply chain accountability, digital organising and campaigning, organising young workers, negotiating skills, and mental health and wellbeing.

The Roundtable was hosted by the Federation of Transport, Petroleum, and Agriculture Workers in Cyprus (FTPAW SEK) and brought together 178 delegates from 64 countries. For many, the highlight was the chance to connect with peers from every corner of the world. The bonds of solidarity forged in Cyprus will carry forward into unions, worksites, and communities worldwide.

“The Maritime Roundtable proves the power of bringing young workers together,” said Lorena Pintor Silva, ITF Seafarers’ Section Women Transport Workers’ Representative and member of SINDMAR, Brazil.

“We don’t just learn skills like campaigning, organising and negotiating – we build a collective spirit that makes us stronger as a movement.”

Pintor Silva underlined the importance of giving young workers the tools to lead change: “The challenges we face — from unsafe conditions to digital disruption — are global. That means our solidarity must be global too. Young workers are not waiting for tomorrow to lead. We are already leading today.”

As the next generation of maritime leaders return home, they bring back new knowledge, strategies, and determination to strengthen their unions.

“The message coming out of MRT was clear – young workers must be heard and empowered in our unions,” said Nick Loridan, ITF Young Transport Workers’ Committee Co-Chair and ITF Dockers’ Section Youth Co-Representative from Belgian dockers’ union BTB ABVV. “That means demanding seats at negotiation tables, shaping how AI, automation and decarbonisation affect us, and building unions that truly work for young workers.”

“We know that strong youth structures – formal committees, leadership roles, decision-making bodies in their unions – are essential not just as training grounds, but as engines that drive real change on the issues young workers face, as well as in next generation to lead on campaigning and collective bargaining.”

The ITF Maritime Roundtable is part of the federation’s commitment to empower young transport workers across all sectors, ensuring they have the skills, confidence and connections to carry the movement forward.

CommsLondon 23 Sep 2025

Maritime Just Transition Task Force launches first interim seafarer training frameworks for the use of ammonia, methanol and hydrogen as fuel

Mark_D — Wed, 17 Sep 2025 08:30:48 +0000

Maritime Just Transition Task Force launches first interim seafarer training frameworks for the use of ammonia, methanol and hydrogen as fuel

17 September 2025, London – The frameworks provide essential guidance to support harmonised training standards for alternative fuels.

The Maritime Just Transition Task Force (MJTTF) has today (17 September) released industry-first training frameworks designed to facilitate the development of training programmes for seafarers for working on ships powered by ammonia, methanol and hydrogen.

The training frameworks address the needs of seafarers in entry-level or operational roles and senior officers. They are accompanied by comprehensive instructor handbooks.

All material is accessible here: mjttf.org

The MJTTF will also release guidelines for general familiarisation programmes, aimed at seafarers and key shore-based personnel, who are not specifically covered by the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978 (1978 STCW Convention).

The publicly available MJTTF training frameworks will help regulators and maritime administrations set the criteria for the development of training programmes and the establishment of certification schemes and competency validation mechanisms for seafarers, including classroom education, simulation-based performance assessments and sea-time training.

Maritime education and training institutions will be able to adapt curricula and upgrade delivery models. Shipping companies will also receive support in personnel onboarding and safety management system updates to address the unique risks associated with the new molecules.

Both the frameworks and the familiarisation guidelines stem from ‘The Baseline Training Frameworks for Seafarers in Decarbonisation’ Project; a joint project between the MJTTF and the IMO Secretariat, in collaboration with Lloyd's Register (LR), delivering work through the Lloyd's Register Maritime Decarbonisation Hub (The Decarb Hub) and the World Maritime University (WMU), who acted as technical and academic leads respectively. The project is co-funded by the IMO through its integrated Technical Cooperation Programme, and Lloyd’s Register Foundation.

The project has worked in parallel with IMO’s ongoing comprehensive review of the 1978 STCW Convention and Code. Its outcomes, in particular in defining the knowledge, understanding and proficiency required for seafarers in decarbonisation, serve as input to the review process, including through submissions to the IMO’s Sub-Committee on Human Element, Training and Watchkeeping.

The MJTTF and project partners collectively acknowledge IMO’s work in shaping a harmonised global training regime for seafarers on ships powered by alternative fuels and new technologies. The development of the MJTTF Training frameworks has been made possible through invaluable contributions from industry partners and experts.

Today’s launch is celebrated as part of LR’s Maritime Human Capital Management Forum, in conjunction with London International Shipping Week 2025, which will highlight the human element, safety, training, and just transition principles for shipping’s energy transition towards net-zero.

Publication of the training frameworks is not only a launch, but an invitation to use the frameworks, to build on them, to share them widely, and to ensure they become part of how our industry trains and prepares for the fuels of the future.

END

About the Maritime Just Transition Task Force

The Maritime Just Transition Task Force (MJTTF) was formed at COP26 by the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), the United Nations Global Compact, the International Labour Organization (ILO), and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to ensure that seafarers are at the heart of the shipping industry’s climate response. The Task Force promotes coordinated collaboration between industry, workers, governments, and academia to support a safe, equitable, and human-centred transition to a decarbonised shipping sector.

UN Global Compact

The ambition of the UN Global Compact is to accelerate and scale the global collective impact of business by upholding the Ten Principles and delivering the SDGs through accountable companies and ecosystems that enable change. With more than 20,000 participating companies, 5 Regional Hubs, 64 Country Networks covering 85 countries and 9 Country Managers establishing Networks in 16 other countries, the UN Global Compact is the world's largest corporate sustainability initiative – one Global Compact uniting business for a better world. For more information, follow @globalcompact on social media and visit our website at unglobalcompact.org.

International Chamber of Shipping

International Transport Workers’ Federation

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) is a democratic, affiliate-led federation of transport workers’ unions recognised as the world’s leading transport authority. We fight passionately to improve workers’ lives, connecting more than 730 affiliated trade unions from over 150 countries to secure rights, equality and justice for workers globally. We are the voice for more than 16.5 million transport workers across the world. www.itfglobal.org

International Maritime Organization

United Nations specialized agency with responsibility for the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of marine and atmospheric pollution by ships. IMO's work supports the UN SDGs. www.imo.org

World Maritime University

The World Maritime University (WMU) in Malmö, Sweden is established within the framework of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), a specialized agency of the United Nations. The mission of WMU is to be the world centre of excellence in postgraduate maritime and oceans education, professional training and research, while building global capacity and promoting sustainable development. WMU’s vision is to inspire leadership and innovation for a sustainable maritime and oceans future. WMU is an organization by and for the international maritime community and is committed to the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. www.wmu.se

Lloyd’s Register

Lloyd’s Register Group Limited (LR) is a global professional services group specialising in marine engineering and technology. We are a leading provider of classification and compliance services to the marine and offshore industries, we also provide advice, support and solutions to enhance our clients’ digital capability, and our research, technical expertise and industry-firsts are supporting a safe, sustainable maritime energy transition. www.lr.org

Lloyd’s Register Maritime Decarbonisation Hub

The Lloyd’s Register Maritime Decarbonisation Hub (commonly known as the Decarb Hub) is an independent, non-profit initiative established through a partnership between Lloyd’s Register Foundation and Lloyd’s Register Group. Positioned at the intersection of these two organisations, the Hub is uniquely equipped to accelerate the safe, sustainable, and human-centric decarbonisation of global shipping — combining neutrality with influence, and research with real-world application. www.thedecarbhub.org

Lloyd’s Register Foundation

Lloyd’s Register Foundation is an independent global safety charity that supports research, innovation, and education to make the world a safer place. Its mission is to use the best evidence and insight to help the global community focus on tackling the world’s most pressing safety and risk challenges. To find out more about Lloyd’s Register Foundation, visit lrfoundation.org.uk.

Mark_D 17 Sep 2025

sustainability

Women transport leaders in Francophone Africa unite for change

Rosalyn Smith — Thu, 11 Sep 2025 15:06:29 +0000

Women transport leaders in Francophone Africa unite for change

Women union leaders from across Francophone Africa came together in Lomé last month for a powerful three-day leadership seminar organised by the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF).

The gathering brought together 23 women from 12 countries, representing sectors from ports to public transport, aviation to road freight. These women play key roles in their unions and within ITF structures; as members of ITF’s National Coordinating Committees, ITF’s National Women’s Committee and ITF’s governance bodies.

For many, this was more than a workshop. It was a space to build power, share experiences and shape the future of the transport workers’ movement in Francophone Africa.

Breaking barriers, building leadership

Sessions focused on equipping women with the tools to grow their leadership and build union power: tackling obstacles such as underrepresentation and the challenges of organising women transport workers in male-dominated sectors.

A highlight was the candid discussion with Anika Manavi (Vice-Chair of the ITF Women Transport Workers’ Committee and union SYNTRAPAL), Mariama Diallo (member of the ITF Executive Board and union FT/UDTS) and Joelle Mputu (member of the ITF Executive Board and union SSTCC), who shared their own journeys from rank-and-file activists to union leaders at the global level.

For Mputu and Diallo, their election to the ITF Executive Board in 2024 marked a historic breakthrough: for the first time, women now hold half of the region’s seats on the Board. Nowhere else in the ITF has women’s representation reached this level.

“Our presence on the Board is not symbolic, it’s transformative,” said Mputu. “It means decisions will be made with women transport workers’ voices front and centre.”

Linking local struggles to global demands

The seminar also connected local action to ITF’s global vision, agreed at Congress in 2024, under the banner Transport Workers Moving the World Forward.

The workshop explored the ITF’s six global demands for change and the ITF’s global priorities for women transport workers and how they translate into national action plans – from addressing precarious work to securing climate justice and ensuring women’s equality in every campaign.

A special session on the ILO Convention 190 (C190), the landmark treaty against violence and harassment in the world of work, sparked lively debate. Representatives from government (Ms Galley Agbessi Maceline, Director of Standards and Relations in charge of developing and submitting ratified or unratified conventions to the ILO on behalf of the government) and one of the national trade union centres from Togo (Lawson Oloukounle Nadou, General Coordinator of STT) joined participants to discuss how to push for ratification and implementation across the region.

“C190 is a tool for change, but it will only make a difference if unions fight for it to be respected in workplaces,” said Assita Ouedraogo, ITF Africa Regional Women and Project Coordinator.

Honouring past struggles, inspiring future action

The opening ceremony drew support from across different stakeholders – with ITF leaders, union centre representatives and government officials all taking the floor.

The seminar also paid tribute to Sis. Rafa Gbadamassi, former Vice-Chair of the ITF Africa Dockers’ Section Committee and former Chair of the ITF Togo National Women’s Committee, who passed away just days before the meeting. A committed leader in Togo and across the region, her legacy was honoured by participants as they recommitted to continuing her work for equality and justice.

Momentum for change

For the ITF, the message is clear: without women transport workers at the decision-making table – in unions, with employers and governments – strategies will never reflect the realities of the workforce and progress towards equal access to safe and decent work for all will remain inadequate.

Workshops like Lomé are part of a broader push to ensure that women have the tools and networks to amplify their voices and collective power, and to make sure unions across Africa and beyond are stronger, more inclusive and ready for the challenges ahead.

“This is about building stronger unions and a fairer transport system,” said Manavi. “Women transport workers are not just participants in the industry: we are shaping its future.”

Opening ceremony attendees:

Anika Manavi – ITF Togo National Women’s Committee Chair and global ITF Women Transport Workers’ Committee Vice-Chair
Aziawor Yawo – ITF Togo National Coordinating Committee Chair
Assita Ouedraogo – ITF Africa Regional Women and Project Coordinator
Agbenou Komlan – General Secretary CSTT national centre and ITF Africa Regional Committee member
Bayla Sow – ITF Africa Deputy Regional Secretary
Claire Clarke – ITF Acting Women Transport Workers and Gender Equality Officer
Dr. Ghislaine Saizonou Broohm – Coordinator of the Department of Equality and Social Protection, ITUC Africa
General Secretaries from Togo national centres
General Secretaries from the nine ITF affiliated unions in Togo
Representative of the Minister in charge of Social Protection, Solidarity and Child Protection
Representative of the Minister in charge of Maritime Economy & Coastal Protection
The ceremony was officially opened by Dr. TINDANO, Secretary General of the Ministry of Road Transport, Civil Aviation and Maritime

Rosalyn Smith 11 Sep 2025

Dockers' Future of Work Campaign Toolkit

barton_linda — Thu, 11 Sep 2025 14:55:09 +0000

Dockers' Future of Work Campaign Toolkit

The introduction of new digital technologies, including those that enable the automation or remote operation of port equipment, is a challenge increasingly experienced by dockworkers around the world.

Even though only some 7% of global container ports worldwide are highly automated, this percentage is growing. And beyond container terminals, we are also witnessing the introduction of new technologies in break bulk and general cargo, as well as in the administrative processes of terminal operators.

barton_linda 11 Sep 2025

Peter McEwen

barton_linda — Tue, 09 Sep 2025 10:52:31 +0000

Peter McEwen

It is with deep sadness that the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) marks the passing of Peter McEwen (MBE MNM) a tireless advocate for seafarers around the world. Throughout his career, Peter made significant contributions both within Nautilus International and the wider international maritime community.

Peter passed away peacefully on 6 September 2025, aged 76, surrounded by his family.

Peter’s journey began when he joined the union’s staff in 1978, and moved up to serve as Deputy General Secretary of Nautilus International, where his leadership shaped union strategy and steered numerous impactful initiatives. Upon his retirement in 2014, colleagues paid tribute to a modernising force within the union and a trusted mentor – one remembered as both visionary and collaborative. Among his most impactful achievements was the creation of Mariners’ Park, Nautilus’s flagship welfare facility.

He played an instrumental role in the development of the Maritime Labour Convention, a landmark achievement that continues to protect and uplift seafarers and mariners worldwide.

Beyond union leadership, Peter continued his service as Chair of the Seafarers Hospital Society until 2022. He then remained active as a Trustee of the MNAOA Supplementary Pension Scheme until early 2025.

In recognition of his service to the maritime community, Peter was honoured with an MBE in 2010. Ever modest, he attributed the award to the strength of the collective:

“I believe that this award is a real recognition for the team we have at Nautilus International – the staff, our Committee, and their commitment to the membership and the people we care for.”

Stephen Cotton, General Secretary of the ITF, said today: “Peter McEwen was more than a colleague – he was a friend, a steadfast steward of seafarers’ rights, and a guiding light in the global campaign for decent work at sea. His leadership helped shape not only Nautilus International and the ITF, but also the broader maritime welfare community. The ITF family mourns his loss and extends heartfelt condolences to his loved ones and our Nautilus colleagues and maritime community.”

David Heindel, Chair of the ITF Seafarers’ Section, reflected :“We are all deeply saddened to learn of the passing of our friend and colleague Peter McEwen. Peter was a gentle soul and a steadfast advocate for seafarers everywhere. I had the pleasure of working alongside him for many years before his retirement, and I will always remember his wisdom, kindness, and commitment to our shared cause. On behalf of all of us at SIU and the ITF Seafarers’ Section, I extend heartfelt condolences to Peter's family, friends, and the Nautilus International community. His legacy will endure in the lives of the countless seafarers whose rights and dignity he helped to secure.”

barton_linda 09 Sep 2025

ILO Technical Meeting on Decent Work in the Railways Sector: First since 1994

barton_linda — Tue, 09 Sep 2025 08:55:29 +0000

ILO Technical Meeting on Decent Work in the Railways Sector: First since 1994

The International Labour Organization (ILO) convened its first railway sector meeting since 1994, the Technical Meeting on Decent Work in the Railways Sector, from 1–5 September 2025, marking a significant milestone in tripartite engagement at the global level. This was the first time in 30 years that governments, employers, and workers came together at the ILO to address the challenges and opportunities facing the global rail sector.

The meeting adopted a set of recommendations and conclusions that will serve as the foundation for future action. The outcome document that will be adopted by the ILO’ Governing Body will see major wins for workers, including possible future ILO action on occupational safety and health. A concerted and focused approach on railway labour by the ILO will be essential for guaranteeing consistent protections across borders and recognising railways as a public good and a cornerstone of sustainable, safe, and decent transport.

During the week-long discussions and negotiations, the Workers’ Group made important gains on health and safety, equality and gender, and the need for gender-responsive personal protective equipment (PPE), and uniforms. These areas directly impact the everyday realities of rail workers and will guide future discussions on strengthening international labour standards in the sector.

The Workers’ Group was chaired by Julio Sosa (Sindicato La Fraternidad, Argentina), Chair of the ITF Railway Workers’ Section Steering Committee, with Joel Kennedy (Unifor, Canada), Co-Chair of the ITF North America Railways Workers’ Section Steering Committee, serving as spokesperson. During the working party negotiations, Preeti Singh (All India Railwaymen’s Federation, AIRF, India) and Judith Nafula Sikhila (Railway and Allied Workers’ Union, RAWU, Kenya) were also nominated alongside Julio and Joel to represent workers in the negotiation process.

Stephen Cotton, ITF General Secretary, said: “The railway sector is developing at a rapid pace, and global action at the ILO has never been more important. These discussions are vital to ensure that the voice of workers is heard, that their rights are respected, and that the rail industry develops on a foundation of safety, equality, and decent work.”

Julio Sosa, Chair of the ITF Railway Workers’ Section Steering Committee, said: “This meeting has opened the door to a global experts’ meeting and, ultimately, the possibility of new ILO conventions that will deliver real protections for rail workers and strengthen this essential industry. Thanks to the dedication of the Workers’ Group with the strong backing of the ITF secretariat, we secured recommendations that bring us closer to safe, sustainable railways – and to, binding rights for rail workers everywhere.”

Ruwan Subasinghe, ITF Legal Director, said: “For too long, the railway sector has lacked the kind of binding international standards that exist in other transport industries. There are no dedicated International Labour Standards on railway labour. The recommendations adopted this week will give the ILO a clear mandate to move forward in this space. This is vital for protecting workers, ensuring fair competition, and embedding rail as a safe, sustainable backbone of transport systems worldwide.”

As soon as the ILO publishes the official conclusions, the ITF Rail Section will share them with affiliates, together with an analysis of the next steps for union action.

See the full list of participants on the ILO website.

barton_linda 09 Sep 2025

Railways