15 October 2008

Change low graphic options | Change language | Skip content to navigation

Page context: International Road Transport Action Week 2008 > 15 October 2008

Côte d'Ivoire
On 13 October, the Syndicat des Conducteurs de Taxis de Côte d'Ivoire distributed approximately 200 materials to taxi drivers at the airport. Activity is also planned today and on 17 October when a training workshop will be held for members on organising. (Phone report by Haidara Assetou)

Hong Kong
The Federation of Hong Kong Transport Workers' Organizations held a protest with over 100 workers outside the Legislative Council today, as the Chief Executive of the Legislative Council, Donald Tsang delivered his policy address. They handed a petition to each of the Council members which was signed by around 500 workers demanding a statutory minimum wage for all workers. The union also distributed copies of the ITF Action Week poster to professional drivers who cross Hong Kong and Mainland China. Drivers will place the posters on their vehicles this week to promote awareness of the Action Week.
(Phone report by Yu-Loy Wong and Tsang Ping Fat)

Canada
Three teams of activists from CAW Local 4268 in southern Ontario have visited truck stops and rest areas with campaign material. The union representatives have explained to the drivers the importance of the campaign, which they believe fosters solidarity amongst transport workers and which is essential when the economy is globalised. The activists also stressed that good jobs create a better community and society for all. The Local is also targeting various terminals of trucking and bus companies that have unorganised workers. Activists also spent some time on 14 October at the Peace Bridge, which is an international bridge between Canada and the United States. (Email report by Len Poirier)

Sweden
In the 30 local areas and offices of Svenska Transportarbetareförbundet, union officials and members held meetings with police, local councillors and transport workers to discuss issues such as health and safety. They also visited truck stops to speak to international truck drivers and stress the need for trade union representation and explain what the unions can do to help them. (Phone report by Lars Lindgren)

Finland
The Auto- ja Kuljetusalan Työntekijäliitto - AKT r.y. sent 6-8 members and union officials to five of the main truck rest stations in Finland, from Lapland in the north to just outside Helsinki in the south. They spoke to around 500 drivers handing them leaflets explaining the importance of being in a union and how to join a union. They also handed out ice scrapers and coupons for a free coffee. The union representatives were well received and all of the drivers were very interested in what the union had to say. (Phone report by Hlkka Ahde)

Germany and Switzerland
At the border between Germany and Switzerland (Weill am Rhein), ver.di worked together with their Swiss colleagues from UNIA and reached many foreign drivers with their joint leaflets. In the eastern part of Germany actions are taking place at the motorway restplaces. In Bayern, unionists collected more than 1,000 signatures from drivers to support their demand to improve the rest facilities. More activities are planned this week with action at the Polish border set for tomorrow.
(Email report by Detlef Dreyer)

Great Britain
Representatives from the T&G Section of UNITE, RMT and GMB, together with the TUC, met with Deptartment of Transport officials on 14 October in London to lobby for protection of local passenger transport workers when they transfer to a new employer. This meeting follows on from the success of the trade unions' long campaign to reverse the deregulation of bus services in Britain. As a result of that campaign, the Labour Government is presenting new legislation, the Local Transport Bill, which will give Local Authorities new powers to control local bus and tram services. The trade unions are particularly pleased that one of these new powers is for Local Authorities to create Quality Contracts, whereby an area network is defined by the Local Authority, timetables and even fares are set, and then it is contracted out to a single operator. This "controlled competition" model is far more typical of the manner in which privatisation of local passenger transport has taken place in mainland Europe.

The aim of yesterday's meeting was to amend the proposed legislation to ensure that local passenger transport workers employed in the area to be covered by a Quality Contract are fully protected in terms of job security, terms and conditions and pension rights. Yesterday's meeting focused on the pensions issue to ensure that the workers will not be disadvantaged by rogue employers misbehaving in the period leading up to a Quality Contract. The legislation is expected to complete its passage through Parliament by the end of 2008. Present in the meeting were Martin Mayer (T&G Section of Unite, ITF Road Transport Section Chair) as well as Roger Sealey, John Ushers (T&G Section of UNITE), James Croy (RMT), Charlie King (GMB) and Phil Pearson (TUC). (Email report by Martin Mayer)

Section home:
International Road Transport Action Week 2008

Transport International Magazine

Full graphics version

accessibility | site help | site map

ITF House, 49-60 Borough Road, London SE1 1DR | +44 20 7403 2733 | mail@itf.org.uk