16 October 2008

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Page context: International Road Transport Action Week 2008 > 16 October 2008

Iran
Mansour Osanloo and the ITF-affiliated Tehran Bus Workers' Union were awarded with the Silver Rose Award by SOLIDAR last night in Brussels. SOLIDAR is a European network of labour and social organisations recognised by the ILO and its annual Silver Rose Award recognises individuals and organisations whose struggle contributes greatly to social justice and equality throughout the world. As part of the joint ITF/ITUC campaign to promote workers' rights in Iran, the two organisations nominated the bus workers' union and its imprisoned leader for the award. Yussuf Mollaie, who is the lawyer for the union, attended the ceremony held at the European Parliament. In his speech, on behalf of the union, Mollaie said "the unprecedented growth of the workers’ movement and the escalation of struggles over the last three years show that Iranian workers are aware of the solid support of the international community. When we raise our fists, we know that we are not alone. This award will strengthen our determination to continue and to broaden our struggles". Eduardo Chagas, ETF General Secretary, attended the event. (Phone report by Mehdi Kouhestaninejad)

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Mexico
The Alianza de Tranviriarios de México (ATM) are visiting truck drivers of the principal central market in Mexico City. They are talking with them about labour rights and the importance of days off in order to prevent accidents by fatigue. Other groups are talking with bus drivers at one of the central stations in Mexico City. Leaflets are being distributed to drivers. At the union’s head office, the union is having talks with workers about the importance of labour rights and security.

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Paraguay
The Unión de Sindicatos de Trabajadores de Transporte – USTT has organised an HIV seminar during the Action Week. The union has also produced a leaflet on security which it will distribute during the Action Week.

Colombia
The workers of the Board of Asociación Nacional de Servidores Públicos del Instituto Nacional de Vias – ANSEINVIAS are organising a campaign of organisation and prevention of fatigue: one group of activists is on the Bogota – Villavicencio Road, another group is on the Loma Bosconia – Cienaga Road. This highway is known as the highway of death due to the high rate of accidents. This highway is very important because it connects the interior and south of the country to the Colombian Caribbean and as such is often busy with trucks loaded with coal as well as general cargo and other vehicles transporting passengers.

View photos of activities organised by ANSEINVIAS >>

SINCONTAXCAR started their campaign activities on 6 October, in conjunction with the international campaign for decent work. Union representatives met with taxi cab drivers and workers of all sectors at the Royal Hotel in Barranquilla between 14h00 and 18h00 with the assistance of 189 union leaders. Posters and stickers were distributed as well as a document titled "There is Decent Work ... in the Taxi Cab Union". On 14 October, union representatives attended a large meeting of the Taxi Cab Drivers' Union of Barranquilla and distributed a document on fatigue and the negative impact to taxi drivers. The union explained the role of the ITF and the background to the ITF Road Transport Action Week. On 16 October, the union was given a half hour slot on the most listened to radio news in Cartagena City, RCN Noticiero Popular. They talked about the everyday problems that taxi drivers face and possible solutions, as well as the ITF 'Fatigue Kills' Campaign.

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Chile
The Federación Nacional de Sindicatos de Conductores de Buses, Camiones, Actividades Afines y Conexas de Chile - FENASICOCH has expanded the geographical area where it has been developing the campaign in recent years. This year, the union campaign is primarily being developed in the north of the country, where there are large numbers of unorganised workers due to fear on the part of the workers to join a union and the lack of organisations that truly represent the interests of road transport workers.

(Email reports by Alfonso Bahena)

Switzerland and Germany
Unia and Gewerkschaft Kommunikation (postal workers union) from Switzerland and ver.di from Germany had a stand at the motorway's border crossing point between the two countries on 15 October where the unionists handed out leaflets and spoke to the truck drivers. (Email report by Nick Bramley)

Norway
Activists at Norsk Transportarbeiderforbund are out visiting workplaces during the Action Week as part of a week of national organising activities. Every year, the union organises two 'weeks of organising' - one in Spring and one to coincide with the ITF Action Week. Activities include visiting transport companies to talk to members and potential members about issues such as the Working Time Directive and fatigue, and talking to drivers and distributing union and ITF materials at truck stops. At a few locations, union representatives are working alongside road authority officials and distributing union information to drivers. The union feels that these activities are important as part of its organising campaign in making the union more visible. (Report by Per Ostvold)

Latvia
The Latvian trade union of public services and transport workers, LAKRS, set their organising campaigns in the regions of Vidzeme and Kurzeme on 13 and 15 October. A union seminar for transport workers on "job security in the transport sector" was held on 14 October. LAKRS also actively participated in the Decent Work Day the previous week. In the run-up to the Action Week, the union has been in negotiations with the Ministry of Transport over improvement of wages where the union is demanding a 17% wage hike to meet the rising costs due to inflation. Swedish LO interviewed the transport sector of LAKRS and visited the workplaces on 9 October.

View photos of activities in Latvia >>

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