International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF)

As part of a week of action, ver.di joined the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) in inspecting nearly 50 ships at eight German ports, with most inspections revealing worrying levels of staffing and crew fatigue on board. Susana Ventura of Ver.di: "As we expected, violations in the recording of working hours, rest periods and overtime were found in almost all inspections." Almost two thirds of seafarers indicated that their working and rest periods were manipulated in order to give the appearance of compliance with regulations. "These practices are life-threatening. The fatigue of seafarers not only threatens their health, but also endangers the safety of ship traffic.” Most ships were found to be running at the prescribed minimum crew level, which should only be used to move a ship, not as it's general operating standard. Ver.di and the ITF call for a revision of international labour and occupation regulations as well as increased monitoring and enforcement. Story (German with English translation available): https://lnkd.in/ejPQm_ed

“In the beginning, there was a lot of disrespect. A passenger would refuse to enter the taxi because it’s a woman driving." As part of our ‘Remarkable Women Who Move the World’ project in association with Women Mobilize Women, Transformative Urban Mobility Initiative, funded by the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ), we made a documentary highlighting the experiences of women in urban transport across Uganda. You can watch the documentary here ➡ https://bit.ly/3TeduJW #WomenMobilize #ThisIsOurWorldToo

These are the shocking pictures of the ship MV GROTON which was struck by a Houthi missile in the Red Sea on August 3rd. The vessel is now anchored at Djibouti. ITF Inspector Nathan Smith: "I was in close contact with the Filipino crew onboard M/V GROTON at this time, working with my colleagues from France, Greece, London, and the Philippines to provide them with as much support as we could, given the fact that the vessel is not covered under an ITF agreement. First, while the vessel was in Iraq, the crew faced severe heat exhaustion due to a malfunctioning air conditioning system onboard. The extreme heat forced them to sleep on deck just to get some air, and they decided to reach out to the ITF for help. Although the Greek owners, Conbulk—who as a company decided to try and remove their vessels from ITF agreements—acknowledged the issue, they only stated that they were trying to rectify the situation, leaving the crew to continue suffering onboard. The vessel was then struck by a missile while passing by Yemen, leaving the crew devastated and suffering from PTSD. Thankfully, nobody was injured or killed. Despite their trauma, they had to continue working, trying to extinguish the fire that was festering in hold number 4. It was a journey from hell, with their wages at the bare minimum and no choice or compensation offered for working in a war zone. They had to go. While the crew felt fortunate to have survived without any injuries, they were exhausted and desperately wanted to be sent home before the end of their contract. The owners became unresponsive, so we contacted the charterers of the vessel, CMA CGM from France, who were very helpful. However, the local Harbour Master in Djibouti would not allow any crew disembarkation while the matter was under investigation. A Ukrainian crew finally took over the vessel on August 29th, and the Filipino crew returned home, where they then had to face flooded streets and homes due to severe typhoons. But this hell was better than the one they had endured at sea. Not to mention, the vessel was struck by another missile two days after they disembarked. Thankfully, again, nobody was reported dead or injured. The issues continue. The Filipino crew are now looking for their wages for August and were promise war zone compensation; this is yet to be seen, but Philippine government agencies, such as the DMW and OWWA, are also advocating for them to receive their entitlements. We continue to fight." #HelpingAllSeafarers #WeAreITF

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) label is failing to ensure fair and safe working conditions for fishers on certified vessels, research backed up by International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) Inspectorate cases reveals.   In-depth research published Tuesday – undertaken by Dr Katrina Nakamura, of the Sustainability Incubator, demonstrates that a number of MSC-certified tuna fishing vessels – some of which are also under investigation by the ITF’s inspectorate – are reported to have been implicated in a range of labour rights abuses. Story ➡ https://lnkd.in/e77ATsnN

Vote for your favourite photo now! 📸 https://lnkd.in/efkaWbPs The ITF Photography Prize People’s Vote is now live! We received amazing entries from transport workers across the world and have selected a shortlist of 35 photographs for the People’s Vote. They capture the incredible daily life of transport workers and show how important they are to keeping the world moving. Now, it is up to you to decide who wins! Anyone can vote so visit the link above and select your favourite! The competition runs until 16 October. Which photo is your favourite?

Four seafarers from Colombia, Panama, and Peru have been abandoned without pay on a 60-year-old tugboat in an alarming case of maritime exploitation in the USA. The vessel, Wycliffe, recently changed its flag to Vanuatu, enabling it to evade more stringent US labour and safety regulations, with its crew subsequently left stranded in Puget Sound, Washington State. The crew members faced dire conditions, including inadequate food, limited access to medical care, and insufficient water supplies during their onboard contract. The situation reflects a troubling pattern of labour rights abuses within the global maritime industry.

Remarkable Women who Move the World – Uganda In a country where urban transport is largely informal, many women transport workers face very low pay, long hours and bad working conditions.     After the collapse of public transport companies in Uganda, informal minibuses (taxis) and motor-cycle taxis (boda-bodas) became the backbone of public transport in Uganda. Only in recent years has it been more common to see women working as drivers.   There are inspiring stories of how women workers in these fields have organised through their associations affiliated the Amalgamated Transport & General Workers Union (ATGWU).  ATGWU have engaged with women workers in educational workshops, more informal education work on the streets, in major transport hubs and within the union itself which, according to women workers, has helped improve their working conditions. Over the next few weeks, we will be highlighting the experiences of just some of the inspirational women who keep Uganda moving, as part of our project with Women Mobilize Women and Transformative Urban Mobility Initiative #WomenMobilize #ThisIsOurWorldToo

The International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) reached an agreement with UK fashion brand New Look to advance freedom of association for the company's supply chain transport workers. It also improves access to remediation 🎉 Agreements like these cannot remain the exception to the rule. The UK Government urgently needs to introduce a Business, Human Rights and Environment Act to force businesses to prevent human and labour rights abuses and environmental destruction in their operations and value chains. A new law is wanted by: ✅167 businesses and investors ✅ 39 civil society organisations ✅ 126,021 petition signers ✅ 4 in 5 Brits according to YouGov polling https://lnkd.in/dcxPDhNV

Leading UK apparel brand, New Look, and global trade union federation, the International Transport Workers’ Federation are now working together to ensure that transport workers’ human and labour rights are protected in New Look’s supply chain. ITF General Secretary, Stephen Cotton, said: “New Look is clearly a company that wants to go above and beyond in its efforts to protect transport workers in its supply chain. “Transport workers play a central role in ensuring our clothing, often produced far away, reaches the shops on UK high streets. They are key workers in our global economy, and like all workers, they deserve to have their rights respected. “A responsible business taking the initiative to work with trade unions to promote decent work in its supply chain is an example of how things should be done – and we applaud New Look for this.” https://lnkd.in/eY6y-s_H

20,000 Indian dockers are set to strike across 12 major ports tomorrow - after being denied a pay deal for three years. ITF affiliate, the All India Port and Dockworkers’ Federation, is one of five major trade union federations planning action which will affect regional and global trade. https://lnkd.in/eH_CXjrQ