conflict

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

ITF condemns killing of seafarers in Russian missile attack

Mark_D — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 12:17:07 +0000

ITF condemns killing of seafarers in Russian missile attack

Four Syrian seafarers have been killed after a Russian cruise missile hit a vessel in the Black Sea port of Odessa last Tuesday.

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) condemns the killing of seafarers and reiterates its call for an immediate and sustained ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, urging a halt to all attacks on commercial ships.

Four Syrian seafarers were killed in the attack and two Ukrainians (one seafarer and one watchman) were injured when a missile hit the vessel MJ Pinar, a Greek-managed bulk carrier. This is the latest attack on the port's infrastructure by Russia.

“We are outraged and deeply saddened by these killings. Seafarers operating in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov have been forced to endure unacceptable risks for far too long,” said David Heindel, ITF Seafarers’ Section Chair.

The seafarers were loading wheat for Algeria when the attack happened. Ukraine is the world's ninth largest producer and fifth largest exporter of wheat, and ships over five million tonnes of grain a month.

The Port of Odessa has been repeatedly targeted by Russian military over the past three years.

Heindel stated: “Seafarers are the world’s key workers – they are absolutely crucial to the global economy and they must be protected. It is simply unconscionable that they have been killed while carrying out their work.”

Although Ukraine signed a 30-day ceasefire proposal  after discussions with the US in Jeddah this week, there is no explanation of how this might be enforced.

“These killings underscore the grim reality of the dangers seafarers face day in, day out. The repeated targeting of civilian vessels, workers and people must end, and it must end now,” added Heindel.

END

Image credit: Reuters

Mark_D 17 Mar 2025

conflict

Seafarers

Europe

ITF calls on Houthis to halt all attacks in Red Sea, release kidnapped seafarers, warns shipping industry against risking lives

Mark_D — Mon, 20 Jan 2025 11:33:33 +0000

ITF calls on Houthis to halt all attacks in Red Sea, release kidnapped seafarers, warns shipping industry against risking lives

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) calls on Yemen’s Houthis to halt attacks all on commercial ships in the Red Sea, to de-escalate threats to shipping and release seafarers who continue to be held hostage.

On Sunday, the Houthis declared they would suspend attacks on non-Israeli vessels following the new Gaza ceasefire—while maintaining threats to Israeli-owned or -flagged ships until all phases of the ceasefire agreement are implemented. The group also announced a conditional lifting of 'sanctions' against ships linked to Israel, the United States, and Britain, depending on how the ceasefire progresses.

This announcement follows hundreds of Houthi missile and drone attacks on ships transiting the Red Sea, the sinking of two vessels, killing at least four seafarers, and destabilising one of the world’s most critical shipping lanes.

“For too long, seafarers operating in these waters have been forced to endure unacceptable risks,” said Stephen Cotton, ITF General Secretary.

“The missile attack on the True Confidence is perhaps the most sobering reminder that promises alone do not protect lives. We need a permanent de-escalation to be confirmed now.

“We call on the Houthis to immediately end all hostilities, to release all crews currently being held captive and provide concrete guarantees that no other seafarer will suffer the same fate. Until that happens, shipping companies and charterers must take every possible step to avoid putting seafarers’ lives at risk in this region.”

Immediate release of seafarer hostages

Despite the announcement, the ITF remains deeply concerned that the Houthis continue to detain the crew of the Galaxy Leader, seized on 19 November 2023 - the ITF calls for their immediate, unconditional release.

“The wellbeing of the seafarer hostages must remain a priority amid these evolving developments,” said David Heindel, ITF Seafarers’ Section Chair and President of the Seafarers International Union (SIU). “We urge the Houthi leadership to take immediate steps toward the release of all captive seafarers—this is an urgent and essential matter.”

Industry warned: ‘Do not risk more lives’

Despite the Houthi statements, many in the industry warn that the Red Sea trade route remains “too risky” for the foreseeable future. The ITF urges shipping companies and charterers to divert vessels away from the danger zone until seafarers’ security can be assured.

“The ITF remains committed to collaborating with governments, industry stakeholders, and all relevant parties to achieve a lasting solution,” said Heindel. “However, until clear and verifiable assurances are in place to ensure the safe passage of ships through the Red Sea, we urge the industry to prioritise the safety of seafarers above all else. Their wellbeing should never be compromised for commercial considerations.”

Renewed call for permanent peace and stability

Earlier today, the ITF welcomed the ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel, stressing the need for full compliance from both parties, immediate humanitarian relief for Gaza, and the release of all hostages.

The region’s fragile security cannot withstand more broken promises—this pivotal moment should pave the way for long-term stability and protection of civilians, including transport workers, throughout the broader region.

END

Notes to editors

The ITF statement welcoming the ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel is available here.

Mark_D 20 Jan 2025

conflict

Seafarers

Arab World

ITF reaffirms commitment to peace and justice on International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian people

Sian Manaz — Thu, 28 Nov 2024 16:54:45 +0000

ITF reaffirms commitment to peace and justice on International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian people

Today, on the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) reiterates its unwavering commitment to advocating for peace, justice, and the protection of human rights, dignity, and self-determination of the Palestinian people.

A call for immediate action

The ITF renews its urgent calls for:

An immediate and permanent ceasefire with full respect for international humanitarian law.
Unhindered humanitarian access including the establishment and continuation of humanitarian corridors.
The immediate and unconditional release of all hostages and those held without due judicial process.
The safe and swift return of transport workers and other civilians trapped by the conflict.

Speaking on the ongoing crisis, ITF President Paddy Crumlin stated: “The ongoing atrocities in Palestine are a damning indictment of governments who have failed to uphold international law.

“The systemic targeting of civilians, the destruction of homes, schools, and hospitals, and the mass displacement of millions is not collateral damage. Congress has mandated us to escalate our support for the Palestinian people, including pressuring governments to halt arms sales and hold perpetrators accountable for international crimes.”

The ITF also reiterates its calls on all States Parties to the Genocide Convention to fulfil their common obligation to prevent genocide, following the binding provisional measures issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in January 2024.

The human toll of war

The conflict has exacted a horrifying toll. The United Nations Human Rights Office has reported that nearly 70% of fatalities in Gaza are women and children. Since October 7, 2023, at least 43,972 Palestinians have been killed, over 104,008 injured, and 1.9 million displaced – 85% of Gaza’s population – facing critical shortages of food, water, and medical care.

"These numbers reflect inhumanity on a massive scale," said Crumlin. “But this is not just about statistics — these are the lives of children, women and men who deserve safety, dignity, and the chance to live in peace — and every state failing to act is complicit.”

ITF General Secretary Stephen Cotton said: "The immense suffering in Palestine is a scar on world leaders’ collective conscience. Thousands of lives have been lost, and countless children, women, and men have been left to endure unimaginable trauma. The ITF stands united with our affiliates in demanding an immediate ceasefire, humanitarian relief, and a path to lasting peace.”

Strengthened mandate for ITF affiliates

At the ITF’s 46th Congress in Marrakech in October 2024, affiliates passed a historic resolution mandating global action to address the escalating crisis in Palestine. The resolution calls for:

An end to arms sales: Pressure governments to halt the sale and transfer of arms and military equipment that contribute to further violations of international humanitarian law.
Support for international legal institutions: Urge governments to bolster trust in the international legal order and international legal institutions such as the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in ensuring accountability and justice.
Humanitarian and reconstruction efforts: Encourage governments to increase funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and reconstruction efforts in Gaza, focusing on decent work, resilience, and rebuilding lives.

Arrest Warrants from the ICC

In a significant development, on 21 November 2024, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defence Minister, Yoav Gallant, and Hamas military commander, Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri. They are charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The ITF welcomed this step as a crucial step towards justice.

ITF President Paddy Crumlin said: “This decision by the ICC is a vital step in the fight for accountability and the rule of law. The ICC’s actions remind us that no one is above the law, and those responsible for atrocities, must face justice. Signatories to the Rome Statute must now uphold their obligations under the Treaty.”

Progress on ILO Complaint

The ITF welcomes progress on the ILO complaint filed by global unions concerning the obligations of Israeli authorities to redress and remedy a range of abuses, including unpaid wages and withheld benefits for more than 200,000 Palestinian workers employed in Israel.

The case has been deemed receivable, and an ad hoc tripartite body is being established to examine the systemic exploitation of workers’ wages. This marks a critical step towards justice for Palestinian workers.

Global transport workers solidarity

Transport workers worldwide have stepped up, organising fundraisers, staging protests and raising awareness to support Palestinian communities. From dockworkers taking action to protest arms shipments to unions amplifying calls for ceasefire, these acts exemplify transport workers’ commitment to solidarity and justice.

The ITF Palestine Solidarity Fund remains a source of financial support for unions and workers impacted by the conflict. Contributions have helped provide immediate humanitarian aid, supported reconstruction efforts and promoted long-term projects for democracy and human rights. Affiliates are encouraged to continue donating generously to strengthen these vital efforts.

The ITF remains steadfast in its commitment to the Palestinian people and to all civilians affected by this devastating conflict.

"Peace cannot be a distant hope — it is an urgent necessity," said Cotton. "The world must act now to uphold international law, defend humanity and end the atrocities in Palestine. If we fail to act, we betray every principle of justice and decency."

“Transport workers worldwide will not falter in their solidarity,” concluded Crumlin. “Governments may fail in their duty, but our movement will continue to fight for justice, dignity, and peace for the Palestinian people."

For more information on how to support the ITF Palestine Solidarity Fund or to join our campaigns, visit ITF’s website.

Sian Manaz 28 Nov 2024

Rage in the Red Sea

Mark_D — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 10:50:28 +0000

Rage in the Red Sea

While shipping companies profit from the Red Sea crisis, seafarers are paying the price.

When the Houthis of Yemen announced that they would target Israeli-linked international shipping in the Red Sea in November last year, few would have believed that the turmoil of their attacks would be continuing eight months on.

The Iran-backed Houthis have always been adamant that their attacks – which have targeted the ships of many nations – will continue until Israel’s invasion of the Gaza Strip ends. That is why the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) demands a solution which tackles the root cause of this problem head-on.

“All those who care about the lives of seafarers – or a global supply chain that keeps its workers safe – must call for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. Peace is the best way to end the attacks on ships in the Red Sea,” ITF general secretary Stephen Cotton said in February this year.

Outside of reaching peace in Israel and Palestine, there remains a simple and immediate solution to protect seafarers from a conflict not of their making: stop transiting the Red Sea. But while major companies may have stopped transiting the Red Sea, far too many ships still do – which means seafarers’ lives are being put at risk.

To date, there have been more than 70 attacks on ships by the Houthis since November, with two vessels sunk and one seized. The human cost includes three seafarers killed aboard the True Confidence in March, one killed on the Tutor in June, 17 crew from the Galaxy Leader seized in November and still being held hostage in Yemen eight months on, and 25 crew taken hostage when the MSC Aries was seized by Iranian Revolutionary Guards in the Straits of Hormuz in April.

But what is left largely unrecognised is the daily trauma faced by the many seafarers – and their families back home – who still embark on perilous journeys through the Red Sea, fearful that they will not return home to their loved ones unharmed.

The response from governments has included a mixture of international resolutions and statements from the UN, NATO and EU states, among others; US and UK attacks on Houthi soil in Yemen; the levying of sanctions; and the launch of the US-led and more than 20-country strong ‘Operation Prosperity’ maritime coalition. Yet, still, attacks on Red Sea shipping continue.

Since the start of this crisis, the ITF has worked tirelessly to protect seafarers. Notably, the ‘Warlike Operations Area’ in the Red Sea was expanded in April as a direct result of our demand made via the International Bargaining Forum, a group that brings together ship owners and unions to negotiate collective bargaining agreements.

This means that any seafarer covered by an ITF agreement – a total of nearly 360,000 seafarers worldwide on flag of convenience ships – have the contractual right to refuse to sail in the Area, alongside the right to request repatriation at the ship owner’s expense. And similar policies have now been adopted by governments, including the Philippines, one of the world’s largest suppliers of seafarers, and India.

But while these efforts give many seafarers a means to avoid the Red Sea, many are still confronted by their fundamental need to work – and, more often than not, send money back home to their families.

The ITF position on what needs to be done by governments, shipping companies and flag states is clear: Shipping companies must demonstrate their commitment to their seafarers by diverting their ships.

Flag states, which are responsible for assuring a safe working environment for seafarers on their vessels, must instruct companies to divert their ships.

Governments must strengthen naval forces protecting any merchant ships that do still transit and do much more to co-ordinate their efforts to protect seafarers sailing in or through the Area.

Flag of convenience states must not rely solely on US, UK, or European navies for protection.

As Lloyd’s List rightly noted on the International Maritime Organization’s Day of the Seafarer this year, “expressions of solidarity and condemnation don’t save lives. Actions do.”

Indeed, if we are to treat seafarers as the ‘key workers’ of the global economy that they truly are, no less than concerted, co-ordinated action to protect them will suffice.

If safe transit through the Red Sea cannot be guaranteed, companies have a duty to act: delivery windows are not worth seafarers’ lives, and civilian seafarers must not be put in the line of fire by transiting the Red Sea.

Steve Yandell is the Assistant Co-ordinator for Seafarers and Inland Navigation at the International Transport Workers’ Federation.

This article was first published here in The Sea magazine.

Mark_D 04 Sep 2024

Seafarers pay the price for the murky business of ship nationality

jessica_s — Thu, 16 May 2024 07:42:03 +0000

Seafarers pay the price for the murky business of ship nationality

Incidents in the Red Sea illustrate the dangers of allowing ‘flags of convenience’ to proliferate.

Jacqueline Smith, Maritime Coordinator at the International Transport Workers’ Federation – originally published by Al Jazeera.

On April 13, the naval forces of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps seized a Portuguese-flagged container ship, the MSC Aries, in the Strait of Hormuz and detained its crew. The vessel is operated by Swiss-based Mediterranean Shipping Company, which is leasing it from London-headquartered Zodiac Maritime, owned by Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer. The 25 crew members are citizens of the Philippines, Pakistan, India, Estonia and Russia.

The incident was the latest escalation of tensions in waterways around the Middle East. Over the past few months, the Houthis of Yemen have been attacking ships they deem to be linked to Israel and its allies.

On March 6, one such attack killed three seafarers on the True Confidence ship. Two of them were nationals of the Philippines and the third was Vietnamese; the rest of the crew, who are from the Philippines, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Nepal and India, were saved by an Indian naval ship. The Houthis claimed True Confidence was an “American ship”, but the vessel is Barbados-flagged, owned by a Liberia-registered company and operated by a Greek one.

These incidents illustrate how vulnerable seafarers can be due to unsafe waterways, but also due to the lack of global regulation on the shipping industry. The reason why so many different jurisdictions are involved in a single vessel is because the current rules allow shipping companies and operators to register in different countries and hire crew of any nationality.

Naturally, many companies choose jurisdictions which offer few labour and tax regulations and therefore little responsibility for the wellbeing and safety of crews on board ships registered with their flags. Companies also hire crew from countries where well-paid jobs aren’t easy to find, which can mean seafarers are more reluctant to speak out for fear of losing their income.

This practice, which is called “flags of convenience”, began in the United States in the 1920s when the government banned the production, transportation and sale of alcohol, pushing some ship owners to register their vessels in Panama to avoid these restrictions.

After prohibition was lifted, this practice persisted as American shipping companies realised its benefits of lax regulation. In 1948, the former US Secretary of State Edward Stettinius worked with the Liberian government to open its registry as a joint venture. To this day, the Liberian registry is operated out of Virginia, US.

My organisation, the International Transport Workers’ Federation, started its campaign against flags of convenience in 1948 in response to the establishment of the Liberian register – since it had so few restrictions for shipowners.

The shipping industry is reaping the benefits from the ease of low-cost, low-bureaucracy services provided by “rent-a-flag” states. This means minimal regulation, cheap registration fees, low or no taxes, and freedom to employ cheap labour on the global labour market. We call them flags of convenience because it is convenient for ship owners that there is no genuine link between that flag and the owners of the ship. This takes place despite the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea stating that a “genuine link” must exist.

The heart of the problem for seafarers is that ship owners select flag states they know will take little or no interest in enforcing labour protection standards. It’s a huge money-making operation. Ship owners pay to register their ships with their chosen flag registries. In turn, it’s bad business for registries to demand rigorous safety and welfare standards as they eat into profits.

For seafarers, this can mean very low wages, poor on-board conditions, inadequate food and clean drinking water and long periods of work without proper rest.

As an international trade union federation, we work tirelessly alongside our affiliates to advance and uphold transport workers’ rights through collective bargaining and strengthening international and national regulation.

Our global inspectorate of more than 130 dedicated inspectors – many of whom are former seafarers themselves – check ships calling into more than 120 ports across 59 countries, to ensure the seafarers have decent pay, working and living conditions. And yet, abusive practices persist. We receive distress calls from seafarers on a daily basis and we see time and time again, the rotten core of the shipping industry.

We have heard countless stories of seafarers abandoned, unpaid for months or even years, and their rights abused with complete impunity.

Just last week, we heard from a distressed Indian crew member still stranded: “My salary hasn’t been paid for more than three months – but there are some crew members unpaid for as long as seven months. The company did not supply provisions and fresh water – sometimes we were just fishing for survival. All crew members are getting depressed, and our families are getting into debt to survive.”

“Until now I didn’t receive any salary [for five months] and I would like to inform you we have shortages of food and fuel all the time, we are suffering all the time … Please I need your support,” an Indonesian seafarer told us last month.

Many seafarers are struggling due to wage theft and underpayment. The minimum wage for seafarers on flag of convenience ships covered by collective agreements is about $1,700 a month. Seafarers on flags of convenience ships without a collective agreement sometimes sail for $400 to $600. It doesn’t bear to think about the hourly wage this equates to. And even with such low pay, companies still regularly delay or withhold salaries.

Last year ITF Inspectors recovered more than $54m in unpaid wages stolen from the seafarers by ship owners operating predominantly under flags of convenience. We recover them through routine inspections that examine wage accounts and employment contracts – where it’s all too common to find discrepancies. Most ship owners will honour crew contracts when pushed – but we can, if need be, coordinate with port state control and dockers’ unions to ensure that ships cannot sail until seafarers are paid.

What we are seeing play out on the Red Sea exposes how the flags of convenience system can even mean seafarers risk their lives by sailing through unsafe areas – without the power to push back. Who will come to the rescue to protect crew on Panamanian, Liberian and Marshall Islands ships?

One Filipino seafarer told us: “Our company is still transiting the Red Sea even if it’s too dangerous. We just past [sic] the Red Sea … [and] during that time we heard a lot of vessels asking for assistance on a warship that they’re being attacked … People here are so worried … We cannot sleep very well thinking of our lives.”

Reports have shown that diverting from the Red Sea has led to greater profits for some in the shipping industry. This is due to higher costs associated with longer routes and as a result, an increased shipping demand because fewer ships are available. Yet we are still seeing companies willing to continue risking seafarers’ lives.

To suggest it’s just the way business is done is disingenuous. It is a choice.

This can only change if there is more transparency in the shipping industry and – as international law stipulates – there is a “genuine link” between the real owner of a vessel and the flag the vessel flies. The United Nations and its relevant bodies, the International Maritime Organization and International Labour Organization, must also provide more clarity around what a genuine link entails. Only then can unions and authorities truly hold ship owners and flag states to account.

There will never be a real level playing field as long as flags of convenience can continue to operate on lower standards than traditional national registers. Flag registers should not be allowed to operate as businesses.

Until then, seafarers’ rights will continue to be abused with impunity. It’s time to close the jurisdictional vacuum that exists at sea.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial stance.

jessica_s 16 May 2024

Seafarers’ lives matter

Sian Manaz — Mon, 18 Mar 2024 16:36:37 +0000

Seafarers’ lives matter

The International Bargaining Forum’s (IBF) Warlike Operations Area Committee (WOAC) has unanimously agreed to designate the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden ‘Warlike’ to emphasise the seriousness of the situation.

This decision taken at a meeting on 12 March 2024 follows the Houthi attack on M/V True Confidence which resulted in the death of three seafarers.

Our first priority is the safety of seafarers.

Ships transiting the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden are Houthi missile targets, putting seafarers’ lives in grave danger. We strongly urge charterers, operators and shipowners to avoid passage through the area until there is no risk to the safety of seafarers from further attacks.

In the meantime, this body is calling for the diversion of vessels, avoiding the sailing through the Newly Established Warlike Area.

The IBF will be asking all employers and union affiliates to lobby their respective governments to intervene and act in the safety of seafarers.

The IBF Warlike Operations Area had been 12 nautical miles off the mainland Yemeni Coast. Today’s decision expands the Warlike area to cover the previous declared High Risk Area, which included the Southern Section of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, stretching across to the Eritrea coast. The Area encompasses the Bab El Mandeb Strait including the Maritime Security Transit Corridor (MSTC) in its entirety within the Gulf of Aden.

Notes:

The IBF was set up as a process in which maritime employers, represented by the Joint Negotiating Group (JNG), and seafarers unions, represented by the International Transport-Workers’ Federation (ITF) could negotiate over the wages and conditions of employment of seafarers serving on ships to which ITF Special Agreements apply.
The last meeting of the IBF WOAC on 7 February agreed to expand the High Risk Area to include the Gulf of Aden.

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.

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 the almost-20 million women and men who move the world.

Sian Manaz 18 Mar 2024

The targeting of Gaza’s essential workers and civilian infrastructure is an attack on us all

Zeyn_M — Wed, 13 Mar 2024 13:34:45 +0000

The targeting of Gaza’s essential workers and civilian infrastructure is an attack on us all

As the war in Gaza continues, Global Union Federations are shining a light on the crisis workers face across all economic sectors. Through a series of shared essays and articles on our websites, we aim to expose the conflict's devastating impact on livelihoods, safety and well-being for working people while emphasizing the urgent need for a ceasefire. This article was written by Daniel Bertossa. General Secretary of Public Services International.

Across Gaza, public service workers face scenes of unimaginable devastation: 392 educational facilities destroyed; 132 water wells out of service; 24 hospitals knocked out with the remaining 11 only partially functional. The entire energy grid remains offline due to fuel import restrictions and the severing of external lines. Lack of electricity has forced desalination and water treatment plants to close with wastewater openly flowing in the streets. Lack of washing facilities is forcing many women to take pills to delay their menstruation.

Yet amid the rubble and the ruins, they persist. Water workers scramble to prevent dehydration after the destruction of pipes and aquifers. Doctors and nurses save lives while fearing for their own. Aid workers face the impossible task of feeding and housing a displaced population the size of Barcelona, within a ‘safe zone’ of a few square kilometres.

Gaza is now the most dangerous place on Earth to practice medicine with over 340 health professionals lost. More than 150 United Nations staff have been killed; the largest death toll in a conflict in the organisation’s 78-year history. As World Health Organization (WHO) director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus puts it: “What type of world do we live in when people cannot get food and water, when health workers are at risk of being bombed as they carry out their life saving work?”

Civilian casualties have been exacerbated by attacks on locations such as legal associations, universities, union headquarters, telecommunications, roads, high-rise residential blocks and even UN buildings. One Israeli intelligence source has been reported as saying the primary motivation for such attacks is to cause “damage to civil society”. Another says: “Nothing happens by accident. When a three-year-old girl is killed in a home in Gaza, it’s because someone in the army decided it wasn’t a big deal for her to be killed — that it was a price worth paying in order to hit [another] target.”

It should not need to be repeated that attacks on civilians and non-military infrastructure are illegal under international human rights law. All governments and actors have an obligation under the Geneva Conventions to protect civilians, especially those providing lifesaving services in conflict zones. Making human rights law optional or context-dependent sends a dangerous message, endangers public service workers and undermines the rights of us all.

At our 31st World Congress, which was held in Geneva between 14-18 October 2023, Public Services International (PSI) condemned the 7 October terrorist attacks by Hamas, which killed over a thousand people, and called for the release of all hostages. We also noted that the reaction by Israel to collectively punish the entire population of Gaza for the actions of Hamas was not justifiable and called for an immediate ceasefire and an end to the unlawful blockade.

“It’s dire and getting worse”

In January, the International Court of Justice determined it is plausible that genocide is occurring in Gaza and ordered Israel to take action. Yet senior Western officials lament that there have been little to no improvements, with one reported in The Guardian as saying, “it’s dire and getting worse.” The UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food says “Israel is destroying civilian infrastructure, the food system, humanitarian workers, and allowing this degree of malnutrition and hunger.”

Testimony from our colleagues in Gaza reflects this assessment. In December PSI brought the voice of Ilias Al-Jalda, vice president of Gaza’s General Union of Health Workers to an Emergency Meeting of the WHO to ensure health workers were heard in this debate at the highest level. At the time he was unable to leave Gaza and was sheltering with his family and ageing mother in a church under bombardment. He described for global leaders how “the Gaza Strip has become a scene where human rights are routinely violated”.

Currently 90 per cent of Gaza’s children and pregnant women face severe food and water shortages. Health professionals report children dying from dehydration, malnutrition and disease with hundreds of thousands more at risk. Dr Salama Abu Zaiter tells us: “Even before the war, our union was pushing for a much-needed hospital in Rafah. Now 1.5 million people are here, including many children with severe injuries and diseases which we are simply unable to treat.”

Yet 16 countries which provide funding for UNRWA, the major UN aid agency in Gaza, have suspended payments following Israeli claims that 12 individuals among the organisation’s 30,000 staff had links to the 7 October attack. These individuals were immediately dismissed and, while Israel is yet to provide evidence to the UN to support the claims, investigations are ongoing.

As many public service workers will tell you, it is a common tactic of the reactionary right to scandalise public services when individuals working within them commit, or are alleged to have committed, a crime. It is a tactic repeatedly used and manipulated for political purposes by those who want to undermine the provision of vital public services and cut funding. It is not acceptable in our own countries, and it is not acceptable in Gaza.

The Council of Global Unions has made clear: “The people of Gaza and our members depend on the lifesaving support UNRWA provides.” UNRWA coordinates 98.5 per cent of all UN aid workers in Gaza. Shutting it down would be catastrophic for the five million refugees it helps support across Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan and Syria and risks fueling a regional crisis. In Australia, the Australian Council of Trade Unions called on the Labour government to urgently reinstate funding to the UNRWA. The EU has already resumed UNRWA contributions, and other countries must follow suit.

In times of war, essential workers and public services are often all that stands between life and death. This conflict is demonstrating the humanitarian catastrophe caused by their destruction. Our global labour movement will never accept the killing of civilians, the bombing of vital infrastructure or the targeting of our comrades as valid methods of warfare – not in Gaza, nor anywhere else.

Unions can:

1. Advocate for an end to restrictions on aid supplies to restore essential services and to meet the needs of the civilians in Gaza to restore human dignity and rights:
2. Call for unimpeded import of medicines, vaccines, and vital medical equipment to address the healthcare crisis.
3. Demand access to care in medical centers outside of Gaza and free movement for patients including through the opening of the Rafah crossing,
4. Pressure your government to fund provision of public services to alleviate the humanitarian crisis, including funding for UNRWA.
5. Call for your government to support an immediate ceasefire.

You can donate to PSI’s Gaza Solidarity Fund to provide humanitarian assistance and support to public service workers.

Zeyn_M 13 Mar 2024

conflict

rights

Arab World

Seafarer safety in the Red Sea must come first

Sian Manaz — Fri, 08 Mar 2024 16:44:16 +0000

Seafarer safety in the Red Sea must come first

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) says not enough has been done to guarantee the safety of seafarers in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, and the loss of life following the Houthi attack on M/V True Confidence is a tragedy because of that.

The ITF are calling on governments to address the very real issue of what must happen now, and implementing meaningful and immediate safety measures to ensure the safety of seafarers.

The attack on the True Confidence is evidence that armed guards on vessels cannot protect seafarers from missiles, and that urgent and immediate action needs to be put in place by governments, shipping companies on an international level to ensure that no further seafarer lives are lost.

ITF affiliate the Associated Marine Officers’ and Seamen’s Union of the Philippines (AMOSUP) has said in its statement: “We call on all the maritime stakeholders and concerned United Nations organizations and government agencies to work together with the end in mind of providing not only immediate assistance to the surviving families, but also taking necessary measures to ensure the safety and security of our seafarers working onboard ships in the warlike and high-risk areas of international waters. Concerted efforts must also be made by the industry so that this kind of tragedy will not happen again.”

The ITF supports AMOSUP’s immediate demands in calling for:

The urgent repatriation of the remains of the seafarers killed
For those seafarers injured in the attack to be awarded financial compensation in line with the International Bargaining Forum agreement
For the seafarers affected to be given access to mental health services.

ITF General Secretary Stephen Cotton said: “All too often it is transport workers that suffer the consequence of companies that want to squeeze every penny of profits they can. All too frequently we see seafarers exposed to unacceptable exploitation and abuse, and that must stop now.

“We believe that this recent tragedy brings into sharp focus the need for Flags of Convenience system to be reevaluated and preferably abolished because who will protect Panamanian, Liberian and Marshall Islands ships?”

“It is time that shipowners, managers, charterers and insurers join with us and say: ‘We will not put our seafarers in harm’s way’.”

ITF has called for an urgent meeting with partners in the Joint Negotiating Group of international maritime employers, where ITF representatives will be calling for acknowledgement that the Red Sea is not safe and action taken to suspend all transit.

END

About the ITF: The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) is a global, democratic, affiliate-led movement of 740 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 153 countries to secure rights, equality and justice for their members. We are the voice of the 20 million transport workers who move the world.

Media contact: media@itf.org.uk

Sian Manaz 08 Mar 2024

conflict

Global

Safety

conflict

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