Worldwide Update
Information on planned activities by unions for the ITF International Road Transport Action Week 2007.
On 15 October, the ETF will organise a European rally in Brussels under the slogans, “Transport Unions for Equal Pay when Away!” and “Decent and Affordable Rest Facilities Now!” Some Members of the European Parliament will speak to the demonstration. Later that day, unions will demonstrate in front of the Iranian Embassy demanding the immediate release of Mansour Osanloo.In the afternoon, a delegation will meet with the President of the Transport Council.
Norsk Transportarbeiderforbund will organise various activities across Norway. These activities will include an information campaign on drivers’ working hours, distribution of information about the trade union movement nationally and internationally and discussion meetings for members. One day will be dedicated to activities on the roads, ferries, border controls. Other days will be used for union organising campaigns in terminals, storage depots and bus depots.
ver.di (Germany) will organise various activities to inform members about their rights at work and to raise awareness about current working conditions in the industry. Activities will include demonstrations, workshop meetings and press conferences. At a rest station between Cologne and Dusseldorf, activists will distribute ITF and union materials to drivers. The union also plans to organise an organising campaign in the logistics industry.
In the run-up to the campaign, FNCTTFEL (Luxembourg) has been lobbying the government regarding implementation of the Working Time Directive and Directive 2003/59/CE on driver training. During the Action Week, the union will draw public attention to the difficult working conditions experienced by workers in the private goods and passenger transport sectors.
OGB-L is launching a national information and organising campaign. Teams of activists will visit different locations including air cargo centres and rest areas to talk to lorry, bus and taxi drivers. The union is also hoping to meet with the Ministry of Transport during the Action Week.
On 18 October, members of UNITE (T&G) in Great Britain will participate in a national rally to support the second reading of the Trade Union Rights and Freedom bill, which would significantly strengthen trade union rights. Union leaders and Members of Parliament will address the demonstration, which is taking place between 16:00 and 19:30. Members of the RMT, ASLEF, GMB, TSSA and UNISON will also take part in the event.
Through distribution of ITF campaign materials and worker meetings, ELA Hainbat (Spain) will raise awareness of the need for workers to join a union in order to improve working conditions. The union has been organising training courses on the Action Week for workers in the sector.
CC.OO (Spain) will organise various activities, together with other ITF unions, including distribution of information at border points such as Irun, Ayamonte and Tuy, as well as at ports, airports and bus stations across the country. On 15 October, a presentation on fatigue will be made in Valladolid as part of several road transport information days in different cities.
Federatia Transloc in Romania will use the Action Week to focus on working conditions including reducing working hours for bus drivers and to organise unorganised workers in the bus industry, in particular in the private sector. The union will hold a training programme for its members on the importance of the Action Week and will distribute campaign materials to members of the public. The union will also use the Action Week to launch a campaign against sexual harassment.
La Coordination Nationale des Syndicats et Associations des Chauffeurs et Conducteurs du Mali plans to use the Action Week to raise awareness of the importance of belonging to a union. On 15 October, a parade will take place in Bamako to emphasize the essential role road transport workers play in the economy. Union members, as well as representatives from transport companies and other transport unions will take part. On 16 October, a gathering will be held at a heavy goods vehicle park in the city. The union hopes to organise road transport workers, in particular young workers. On 21 October, the union will participate in a cross-border meeting at Zégoua (Mali), together with unions from Burkina Faso and Côte d’Ivoire.
Awareness of HIV/AIDS will be the focus of activities by SYNCTAXTU in Niger. The union will organise information and awareness meetings at bus stations and taxi ranks, as well as radio and television programmes in order to educate workers about the virus and to inform drivers of the social and economic consequences of HIV/AIDS.
Members of the GSA, AGWU, TCEU and MTPEU will participate in a union workshop on 16 October and a rally on 18 October. These activities are being coordinated by the ITF National Coordinating Committee of Mauritius.
The National Union of Transport & Allied Workers, the Airways Allied Workers Union and the Zambia Bus United Taxis Workers’ Union are organising a joint programme of activities for the Action Week. Activities will start on 12 October with a press conference about the Action Week campaign. Other planned activities include visits to the Chirundu, Livingstone / Kazungula and Mwami border posts; workplace visits; and a demonstration in the capital, Lusaka.
Through activities including discussions with road transport workers; press conferences and media interviews; leafleting the public, road users and drivers; and decoration of buses and taxis, the Communication and Transport Workers' Union of Zanzibar in Tanzania aims to organise workers; raise awareness of health and safety issues, in particular fatigue; and highlight the union’s demand for decent work.
Truck and taxi drivers will be targeted by the ATGWU in Uganda during the Action Week. The union plans to leaflet information in local languages on fatigue, stress, HIV/AIDS, and working hours to truck drivers at the borders and to taxi drivers in Kampala. A union demonstration will march from the union offices to the Ministry of Transport in order to deliver a road safety petition demanding that action be taken to reduce the number of road accidents. The union plans to work together with transport unions in Kenya during the Action Week.
On 16 October, SATAWU (South Africa) will organise rallies in Johannesburg and Ventersburg. Respresentatives from the union, employers and government will participate. Activity will also be held at the Oshoek (Swaziland) and Beitbridge (Zimbabwe) border posts, together with their sister unions in these countries.
The Indian National Transport Workers’ Federation will organise activities across the country in Jabalpur, Cochin, Dehradoon, Asansol, Bolpur and Kullu. Activities will include seminars, press conferences, display of campaign materials, sit-ins, demonstrations, blowing of horns and the submission of a memorandum to government.
On 20 October, the Pakistan Transport Workers’ Federation will organise a national seminar in Lahore, which will be attended by the Federal Minister of Communication and Highways.
NETWON (Nepal) has distributed the ITF poster and union produced leaflets to all district committees. These materials will be distributed at local bus depots on 14 October. Rallies will also be organised at workplaces on this day. In Kathmandu an interaction programme will be held with representatives from the Transport Department, the Traffic Police, and government. On 15 October, union activists will distribute leaflets at several workplaces in Kathmandu including the international airport and central bus park.
ITF road transport unions in Thailand - BMTA-SWU, TRAN-U, LU-ETA and KSLU - will organise a joint campaign to raise awareness of employers, workers and the public to the importance of road transport safety. On 15-16 October, the unions will launch activities at the Transport Company Ltd head office (Northern Terminal) with an opening ceremony. Transport Ministry representatives are expected to attend. An exhibition, leafleting, theatrical plays and panel discussion will be held. On 17 October, leafleting will take place at the LU-ETA expressway station (gateway to Suvarnbhumi airport). On 19 October, leafleting will be organised at several BMTA depots. Banners and posters will be displayed. On 21 October, the unions will leaflet and interview drivers at the Tesco Lotus Company distribution centre.
The Associated Labor Unions (ALU) in the Philippines is organising a programme of activities to raise awareness on issues related to fatigue. The campaign will start on 15 October with motorcades in Butuan, Davao, Iligan, Dipolog, Zamboanga and Cagayan de Oro followed by a solidarity meal with drivers and dockers. Throughout the week, union activists will distribute posters and leaflets in the bus, jeepney, taxi and port terminals in the Northern and Southern Mindanao regions. At selected transport companies the union will organise a slogan and poster competition and in Bulua, Davao and Butuan a sports festival will be held for drivers and dockers. Activities will culminate with a press conference on 21 October.
The National Transport Workers’ Union (Philippines) is holding a national meeting of its Council of Leaders. The meeting will discuss urban transport issues and the ITF HIV/AIDS Campaign.
The Korean Automobile & Transport Workers’ Federation will organise a street campaign on 15 October. Union leaders and bus and taxi drivers will wear the “Free Osanloo!” badge.
Activists from CAW (Canada) will visit roadside locations and distribute campaign material across the country. The union is targeting specific companies as part of an organising campaign.
The US Teamsters union plans to organise joint activities together with the ILWU as a part of their on-going organising campaign targeting port drivers.
UNATROPYT (Costa Rica) plans to use the Action Week to develop its activities for lorry drivers and extend activities to include taxi and bus drivers in San José. The union will work together with the ITF dockers’ union SINTRAJAP on activities for port workers.
FETTRAMAP (Panama) will focus its activities on work health and safety issues such as accidents and HIV/AIDS.
In Brazil, CNTTT will organise several activities including union meetings and lectures at road and urban terminals and transport workers’ clubs in Sao Paulo during the Action Week. On 19 October, a special programme for women will be organised. Sindicato dos Trabalhadores Rod. Maringa-Pr,a member of CNTTT, will carry out awareness activities through distribution of information to drivers on fatigue and HIV/AIDS. Activity at the border is also planned.
8 October 2007
