13 October 2005
(15:10 GMT) Germany / Poland
60 representatives from the German union, ver.di, the Polish union, Solidarnosc and the Czech union, OSD have taken part in activities at Frankfurt an der Oder on the German/Polish border today. The activists distributed leaflets to approximately 1,000 drivers. On 12-13 October, representatives from the three unions discussed their visions for a social Europe from the perspective of workers and heard about the European regulations and system in Brussels at a social dialogue seminar. (Phone report by Boris Kusserow).
See more photos of the activities in Frankfurt an der Oder >>
(13:00 GMT) Kenya
On 12 October, an Action Week celebration was held in Mlolongo Weighbridge, organised by the Kenyan Long Distance Truck Drivers Association. Unions from Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Rwanda attended the event as well as representatives from the Ministry for Transport and Communication, local authorities and community leaders and NGOs including Family Health International. The local primary school and the orphans' school also participated in the event. Speeches were given by the different participants and awareness information on HIV/AIDS was presented. (Fax report by Ben Roxy Udogwu)
(12:30 GMT) Thailand
On 12 October, all four road transport affiliates organised joint activities in the Northern and North-Eastern Bus Terminals. Hosted by TRAN-U, members of BMTA-SWU, LU-ETA and ETOSU as well as ITF unions from other sections took part. Many activities have taken place during the day. They include leafleting passengers and road users in bus depots, terminals and expressway entrances; interviewing road transport workers; information tents with exhibitions; decoration of toll booths with ITF slogans and union demands; media coverage and radio interviews. The unions jointly collected signatures for submission to the Transport Minister demanding better working conditions of road transport workers and in particular on working hours and safety.
A ceremony was held in the presence of a senior official from the Transport Ministry as well as the ITF-Thai and union representatives. The unionists then marched around the bus company's facility. The BMTA will continue to organise their exhibition this week at depots and stations throughout Bangkok. LU-ETA will leaflet the road users for 2 days. (Email report by Su-angcana Tungworachet)
See more photos of activities organised by the Thai affiliates >>
(11:20 GMT) Great Britain
On 10 October, the RMT Parliamentary Group tabled an Early Day Motion demanding that the UK Government ratify ILO Convention 153. (Email report by James Croy)
(09:00 GMT) Japan
On 14 October, ITF affiliates including Shitetsu Soren, Zenjiko, Toshiko, Kotsu-Roren, JRU and Kokuro will organise a mass leafleting at Shinjuku terminal station in central Tokyo. This joint event, for the first time in Japan, is coordinated by the Transport Unions' Council, Koun Rokyo (ITF-JC). A campaign van will be mobilised and 100 unionists will distribute a flyer with messages on safer roads and promotion of public transport as a real alternative. In the meantime, the maritime unions including ITF-affiliated JSU and Zenkoku Kowan are distributing thousands of leaflets at ports throughout the country, calling for improved safety for truck drivers on 12 and 13 October. (Email report by Masako Asaeda)
