health and safety

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

public transport

health and safety

rights

gender inequality

Urban Transport

Global

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

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

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

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

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

Review of Qatar Transport Roundtable

Sian Manaz — Wed, 07 May 2025 08:57:03 +0000

Review of Qatar Transport Roundtable

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) and the Ministry of Labour of the State of Qatar held a roundtable meeting with the participation of the International Labour Organization (ILO), local and international transport and logistics companies, to discuss the application of domestic labour laws and international labour standards in the country’s transport sector.

Taking place at the end of April in Doha, there was an understanding that the increasing economic, climate and health uncertainties require the development of crisis protocols for the transport industry to ensure its resilience and sustainability.

As accelerating economic development and investment are increasing skills shortages, discussions identified some key requirements:

Enhancement of recruitment and retention standards and processes.
Benchmarking of local conditions and processes with international standards, such as ILO instruments and occupational standards, and models across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.
Development of an action plan to narrow the gap between private and public sector recruitment. This could include conducting a study into skills anticipations in the transport sector, following the approach of the ILO study of the finance sector.

There was a recognition that government can play a critical role responding to non-compliance with recruitment regulations by coordinating the response with agencies and embassies.

Stephen Cotton, General Secretary of the International Transport Workers’ Federation, commended the fruitful cooperation with the Ministry of Labor and its efforts to strengthen social dialogue, enhance the working environment in the transport sector, and ensure protection of workers in this field. In his remarks at the conclusion of the roundtable discussions, Mr. Cotton noted that the State of Qatar “stands as a model in the region for its commitment to wholesale labour reforms and their effective implementation”. He also expressed appreciation for their participation in this meaningful dialogue, which places workers and joint committees at the centre of its priorities.

Actions coming out of the roundtable include:

The joint development of crisis protocols for the transport industry.
The scheduling of tripartite seminars on international occupational standards to facilitate benchmarking, aligned with standards across the GCC region.
The expansion of Joint Committees in aviation, land transport, maritime transport and the platform economy to enhance worker voice in the workplace.
Pilot interventions for fair recruitment in road transport, ride-hailing and food delivery.
An ILO study into skills anticipations in the transport sector to be conducted, following the approach of the ILO study of the finance sector.
Focusing, in collaboration with the ITF, on the mechanisms of occupational health and safety.

Sian Manaz 07 May 2025

Trailblazing app to protect dockers’ occupational health and safety launched in Bahrain

Rosalyn Smith — Mon, 17 Feb 2025 10:14:39 +0000

Trailblazing app to protect dockers’ occupational health and safety launched in Bahrain

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) and The ITF Seafarers’ Trust have re-launched their groundbreaking dockers’ safety app ‘OSH Ports’ in Bahrain this week, with plans for a wider roll-out across the Arab World later this year.

The app, ‘OSH Ports’, which is available in multiple languages including Arabic, English, Spanish and Portuguese, helps teach workers how to identify and reduce hazards in ports. It is the first of its kind and available in two regional versions for the Arab World and Latin America and the Caribbean.

OSH Ports was officially relaunched by ITF-affiliated unions Asry and Foulath during a two-day training workshop for dock workers in Bahrain this week.

“Ports are dangerous environments and dockers face deadly risks every day due to a lack of adequate investment in safety, and safety and health education,” said Steve Biggs, ITF’s Dockers Section Senior Assistant. “Typical hazards include noise, heavy lifting, working at height, handling toxic chemicals and falling cargo, and working conditions are compounded by long working hours, intense-paced work and inadequate equipment.”

“OSH Ports is our response to concerns over the frequency of accidents in ports. We recognise that it’s a particularly dangerous environment and wanted to design a training specifically tailored for dock workers. We were delighted to see such a positive response from the members of Asry and Foulath unions to the relaunch of the app in Bahrain this week,” said Katie Higginbottom, Head of the ITF Seafarers’ Trust. “It’s great to see companies also supporting and facilitating the roll-out and hope that this will lead to more awareness and fewer incidents in the workplace.”

“As part of the ALU's ongoing efforts to prioritise health and safety in the workplace, we are proud to be part of the official launch of the OSH Ports safety app, in the Kingdom of Bahrain in conjunction with the ITF and its Seafarers’ Trust,” said Abdulla Hassan Mashakheel, Head of the Asry Labour Union (ALU).

“This is a great achievement for the Kingdom of Bahrain and would not have been possible without the ongoing support of the union members.”

OSH Ports comprises five modules covering how and why things go wrong in ports, identifying hazards and risks that may affect workers and their workmates, and best-practice guidance on how they can contribute to accident investigations.

After completing a short course and passing an assessment, dockers receive an official completion certificate. OSH ports is supported by the International Labour Organization’s International Training Centre (ILO-ITC). The content and curriculum of the app were developed by industry professionals with strong input from dockworkers themselves through ITF-affiliated unions. More training workshops are planned in Jordan, Egypt and North Africa later this year.

“It’s the responsibility of ports, governments, and global operators to invest in control measures and safer equipment, but the ultimate goal of the OSH App is to increase worker participation in all aspects of health and safety in ports and reduce serious injuries and fatalities in our industry” added Biggs.

OSH Ports is available on the Apple app store, as an android app on the Play Store, and online via the OSH Ports website.

Rosalyn Smith 17 Feb 2025

ITF Sanitation Charter

barton_linda — Thu, 07 Nov 2019 11:41:21 +0000

ITF Sanitation Charter

Safe access to decent sanitary facilities, sanitation systems, and most importantly the ability to use them when needed, is truly a global issue that is widely and deeply felt by all transport workers. Lack of access to sanitary facilities is an affront to human dignity for all transport workers.

barton_linda 07 Nov 2019

health and safety

women

English - Sanitation Charter

English - Health Risks

English - International Law

English - Employers Check List

Español-Carta por el derecho de los trabajadores y las trabajadoras del transporte al saneamiento

Español-Riesgos para la salud

Español - Lista de control del empleador

Español -El derecho al saneamiento en la legislación internacional

Français - Charte pour le droit des travailleuses et travailleurs des transports à l’assainissement

Français - Risques pour la santé

Français- Liste de vérification de l’employeur

Français-Le droit à l’assainissement dans les textes internationaux

Русский- Хартия по Улучшению Санитарных Условий Транспортников

Русский-Риски для здоровья

Русский - Контрольный список работодателя

Русский - Право на санитарные услуги по международным законам

Dockers will deliver ITF’s six demands

Mark_D — Wed, 16 Oct 2024 11:44:16 +0000

Dockers will deliver ITF’s six demands

Dockers come together in Marrakech to renew struggle for rights, safety, labour standards.

The six demands being debated at the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) Congress are the core work and focus of the ITF Dockers’ Section – this is the central message agreed and delivered by dockers today at the ITF Congress in Marrakech.

The challenges faced by dockers around the world mirror the ITF’s emerging focus on accountability, equality, rights, safety, sustainability and the future of work – vital, interlinking work areas that can help deliver real change to the lives and livelihoods of all transport workers.

Dockers’ Section Chair, Paddy Crumlin, said: “It was dockworkers and seafarers who founded the ITF. Dockworkers know that we’ve always been on the receiving end – they use anything they can to divide us.

“Dockers expect to have the decency and dignity we deserve for the work we do, whether it’s our rights, our dignity, not living in poverty, or not having to face injury and death on the job.”

The Section’s focus on the six demands is often overlapping and includes specific challenges faced by dockers in automation, occupational safety and health, and equality.

As with many ITF sections, supply chain accountability – holding corporations at the top of supply chains to account for rights abuses within them – is a cross-cutting area of work as the corporate giants of transport and logistics increasingly integrate their supply chains and operations as they buy up various modes of transport. And with their long track record of solidarity and struggle everywhere, dockers are braced for the vital role they will play over the next five years.

“We have a five-year plan, but we cannot do this without everybody’s participation,” said newly elected Section Women’s Representative, Jessica Isbister.

“It is our unity and our solidarity that will guide us through this next five years. It’s going to be a challenging five years, we know that our fights are not getting easier, but the stronger we stick together, the more we’ll get through it.

“Promoting women and young workers is vital. The Dockers’ Section has been leading the way with that - we have 40% women on our health and safety committee, so we’re very proud of that.”

The ‘future of work’, seen through the lens of automation and digitalisation in ports, is repeatedly dressed up by profiteering companies as ‘progress’ – but the reality, as the ITF’s work in New Zealand demonstrates, is that inflated claims of productivity boosts can often be false, with dockers’ jobs on the line and their safety on the job jeopardised as a result.

“Investments are getting bigger and bigger because of automation, and they won’t have a return for 20 years – that’s why we are worried because it means there will be more pressure on working conditions,” said newly elected Dockers Section First Vice Chair, Niek Stam.

“We can be against automation, but we have to understand it. What does it mean about productivity? Because dockworkers don’t go to work to get poorer. What does it mean for the safety of jobs?

“You have to know why the employer wants to automate – and we’ve built up all the experiences we’ve had, in German ports, in the Port of Rotterdam, in other ports around the world, so we can get stronger and wiser.”

The Dockers’ Section conference comes against a backdrop of ongoing struggles against corporate profiteering faced by ITF affiliates. These include the International Longshoremen Association’s (ILA) strike action against USMX on the US East Coast, the Maritime Union of Australia’s (MUA) industrial action across Australia against Qube Ports, and the battle for respecting the basic right of freedom of association being fought by Turkish union Liman-İş against Borusan port employer, Borusan Lojistik AS.

“Being in the struggle, being on the picket lines – that’s where it happens,” said outgoing Dockers’ Section 1st Vice Chair, Willie Adams.

“You go to ground zero, you lock arms with your brothers and sisters, they look you in the eye – brother to brother, sister to sister – and you know what it’s all about. That scares our employers when they see us together.

“The power and strength that is the backbone of the ITF is in this room: dockers.

“We’re militant, strong, we have a different type of swagger. We control the supply chain, we have enormous power and our employers know it.”

Delegates also elected the ITF Dockers’ Section Committee which will drive forward the Section’s workplan over the next five years. It will be led by Paddy Crumlin, who was reelected as Chair, alongside Niek Stam as 1st Vice-Chair and Bobby Olvera Jr as 2nd Vice Chair.

Mark_D 16 Oct 2024