10 October 2005

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Page context: International Road Transport Action Week 2005 > 10 October 2005

(16:20 GMT) Netherlands / Belgium / Germany
Unionists from the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany met in Venlo today to organise outdoor meetings with professional drivers. Representatives of FNV Bondgenoten, BTB, ACV Transcom and ver.di as well as members of the European Parliament and journalists spent one full day at the key Dutch border parking area facing Germany. Two 90-minute sessions have already been held with altogether 100 drivers and another session is due to start tonight. In these meetings, the unionists discussed the current European regulation for the road transport industry. Professional drivers attending the sessions have expressed their view that the "laws are complicated" and that "an European-wide rule is necessary to penalise the trucking firms who break the laws. Don't just blame the drivers". (Phone report by Peter Baranowski)

(16:00 GMT) Sweden
The popular ITF campaign was kicked off today by the Swedish Transport Workers' Union. As always, all 30 branches of the union are fully engaged. It was planned to coincide with the FOC Week of Action for Baltic States to maximise the unions' outputs. It is the week where all unionists are asked to recruit new members to the union. Some branches are hiring interpreters so that they can talk to international drivers. In the Port of Gavle, Northern Sweden, Polish truck drivers have reportedly said to the local unionists that their working conditions were "like slavery". More details will follow during the week. (Phone report by Lars Lindgren)

(14:30 GMT) Czech Republic / Germany
Activists from the Transport Workers' Union (OSD) in the Czech Republic have met their colleagues from the German union, ver.di at the Cínovec-Zinnwald border point today. Activists from the two unions have spoken to approximately 300 Czech and German lorry drivers at the border. OSD is planning similar activities at the Czech-Polish border on 11-12 October and actions with bus drivers in the capital, Prague on 12 October. (Phone report by Papy Jindrich)

(11:45 GMT) Spain / Portugal / France
The Spanish union, CC.OO is organising border actions at five locations; namely La Junquera-Perthus, Irún-Beriatou (Spain-France), Tuy, Fuentes de Oñoro, and Ayamonte (Spain-Portugal). Whilst the blockades are organised intermittently, unionists are continuously distributing leaflets to the drivers. An excellent cooperation is received from the Portuguese union, CGTP. The Spanish union UGT is also taking part in some actions. CC.OO reports a very good press coverage from both national and local media. Many press conferences are taking place around Spain today. The union says there is no problem with the police whilst some owner-drivers are also organising protests today on the rising cost of petrol.

In other places such as the Canary Islands, Castilla, Cantabria, Andalucía, Valencia, thousands of leaflets and pamphlets are being distributed by the unionists at bus stations, industrial estates, truck stops and at ports with support from dockers.

The union programme will continue for the rest of the week. (Email report by Juan Luis Garcia Revuelta)

See more photos of activities organised by CC.OO >>

(10:30 GMT) Sri Lanka
The SLNSS will organise a variety of actions throughout the week. The union plans to organise the transport workers at a large petroleum company in Colombo. Under the slogan "Fatigue Kills", the SLNSS will hold seminars and display the campaign banners and posters. ITF stickers will also be distributed at the site. (Email report by Athula Siri)

See more photos of the activities organised by SLNSS, Sri Lanka >>

(10:20 GMT) Thailand
The ITF-Thai Committee has translated some campaign materials into Thai for their events throughout the week. All four road transport affiliates met in their third preparatory meeting today to finalise their week full of events. On 12 October, the unions and ITF-Thai will rally at the Northern Bus Terminal together. On the other four days, each union will unfold their own activities. (Email report by Su-angcana Tungworachet)

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