10 October 2006
Mauritius
In Mauritius, 20 members of the Transport Corporation Employees' Union distributed leaflets, whistles, stickers and ITF magazines to more than 450 bus drivers and conductors in the capital. They discussed benefits of joining a union and also raised awareness of HIV/AIDS and its prevention to the drivers. At 9.30 am on the 11 October, the Deputy Minister for Transport with Transport advisor Mr Jonathan Richmond will be meeting with the secretary and 8 members of the union to discuss privatisation issues. Alongside this a workshop will be held to discuss HIV/AIDS. (Phone report by Kreshnadutt Gobin)
Burkina Faso
The Federation National des Taximen et des Travailleurs du Secteur des Transports du Burkina (FNTT/STB) organised a meeting on 9 October at the union headquarters in Ouagadougou. More than 100 people attended the meeting, which raised awareness on several issues related to the campaign including HIV/AIDS and working conditions. (Phone report by Kiema Oumarou)
India
The Roadways Mazdoor Sabha today organised a seminar to highlight various issues affecting the Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation workers. Speakers demanded that working hours for drivers and conductors be reduced, particularly on those routes which have been out-sourced by the state on a contract basis. These contract drivers and conductors work up to 12-14 hours a day as their earnings are dependent on the total collection they achieve at the end of the day. The seminar also highlighted that the accident rate is increasing. The union has also filed a case in the court highlighting violation of workers' rights on working hours. Similar seminars are planned in the state capital Lucknow on 11 October and in Allahabad on 13 October. (Email report by Sangam Tripathy)
Belgium
More than 150 activists from road transport unions gathered at Rond-Point Schuman in Brussels this morning in a rally organised by the European Transport Workers' Federation (ETF). Members from
OGB-L, FNCTTFEL, SYPROLUX (Luxembourg), FNV Bondgenoten (Netherlands), CGT Transports, CFDT (France) and BTB, ACV-Transcom (Belgium), together with Beatrice Hertogs, ETF met with the senior officials in the European Commission to raise their serious concerns over safe and adequate rest facilities in the European states as well as on issues related to social dumping. (Phone report by Beatrice Hertogs)
View the ETF Press Release in English >>
See more photos of the European rally in Brussels >>
Germany / Poland
Members of ver.di, together with their colleagues from the Polish union, Solidarnosc have this morning organised joint leafleting at the Frankfurt / Swiecko border. 40 union members have distributed more than 500 leaflets in 9 different languages to drivers. The unionists have been speaking to the drivers about the ITF's worldwide campaign and the unions' efforts to improve working conditions. (Phone report by Holger Rössler)
See more photos of activities organised on the German / Polish border >>
Pakistan
More than 400 members of the Pakistan Transport Workers' Federation, including 100 women, participated in a rally organised by the union in Lahore on 9 October. Participants wore the ITF yellow decken and the union distributed copies of the campaign poster. Media coverage of the event was good. (Phone report by Haji Muhammad Saeed)
Australia
Delegates and organisers of the Australian Services Union are holding education meetings throughout the country this week and distributing the campaign posters and flyers. These activities are designed to finalise the union's action plans for the forthcoming International Action Day on Integrators, 9 November 2006. The ASU is also using their membership meetings to build-up momentum to the next national campaign day, "Your Rights at Work" which is scheduled on 30 November. (Email report by Jo Justo)
