Road Transport 2004 Latest News 11/10/04
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Breaking News No.1 10:30 GMT
Western Africa
Road transport workers' unions from Benin, Burkino Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Togo and Niger are heading to the border between Burkina Faso and Ghana, Paga, for two days of activity. On 11 October, the unions will be holding an open forum inviting professional drivers for discussions on health and safety issues as well as trade union representation.The day will conclude with a film on HIV/AIDS. More actions to follow on 12 October.
Ghana
The ITF affiliates in Ghana have gathered on 5 October to observe the ITF's safety campaign under the slogan, "Fatigue kills, correcting the indiscipline on our roads". Senior officials from the government as well as the national labour centre, TUC took part in the meeting. Emmanuel Mensah, General Transport, Petroleum & Chemical Workers' Union, who coordinated the programme emphasised that all stakeholders must be responsible to secure road safety. The Ghanaian unionists will join the cross-border events on 11 and 12 October in Paga.
Hong Kong
The Federation of Hong Kong Transport Workers' Organisation held its press conference on 9 October. Legislators from the Parliament stressed issues related to occupational health and safety for professional drivers. Media coverage is good and positive. More actions will follow on 12 October. see photos here >>
Breaking News No.2 12:30 GMT
ETF
Some 300 activists from unions in Belgium, France, Germany and Luxembourg, together with the ETF representatives have rallied at the Rond-Point Schuman in Brussels this morning, calling on the European Union institutions to improve the 20-year old legislation for professional drivers, which is currently under debate. The manifestation was followed by a press conference
Singapore
The National Transport Workers' Union in Singapore, participating in the ITF Action Day for the first time, has distributed more than 1,000 leaflets on health and safety issues to bus workers at various bus depots including the two main garages. The union action will continue tomorrow
Mauritius
The Transport Corporation Employees' Union in Mauritius is organising a 2-day awareness seminar. 125 transport workers including professional drivers from bus companies and individual owners are attending the meeting today and tomorrow. The meeting's topics include drivers' fatigue, effects and health consequences of drug and alcohol abuse, safety and security at work, HIV/AIDS at work, and road safety. Representatives from the government and employers' organisation are also attending the seminar. The union held a press conference on Friday 8 October
Phone report by Iswarduth Heera, TCEU
Breaking News No.3 14:00 GMT
Nepal
The ITF-affiliated NETWON has just completed an inauguration conference for its taxi workers on 10 October in Kathmandu as part of the ITF's Action Day programme. 350 delegates took part. Mahendra Sharma, ITF Delhi Office, addressed the meeting and congratulated the union for its successful organising campaign which is now part of the Action Day theme. The union has worked over four years to organise nearly 50% of the 7,500 taxi drivers in the capital of Nepal see photos here >>
Sweden
The Swedish Transport Workers' Union is holding road-side meetings with professional drivers throughout the country. All 30 branches of the union are taking part, distributing a questionnaire on drivers' diet. In some locations, medical advice is provided. Local police and drive-in restaurants are cooperating with the union in some areas. Whilst 78% of truck drivers are already organised, the union is approaching foreign drivers working in Sweden, urging them to join the union in their respective countries. "The Action Day has taken its root in the ranks of our union and we can mobilise our members to the event as the campaign is prepared each year with good advance notice" says the union official, Lars Lindgren .
Mauritius
The Government Servants' Association (GSA), the Maritime Transport & Port Employees Union (MTPEU), Artisans General Workers' Union (AGWU), and the Transport Employees Union (TEU) in Mauritius has just completed its joint Action Day events. The unions hosted a half day workshop followed by a rally which culminated in the capital's main streets.Throughout the march, leaflets on fatigue, the ITF Action Day, Safety and Security were distributed to the members of the public and also to transport workers at the main bus terminal. Slogans for the march included Fatigue kills, Call for Safety and Security, Better Working Conditions
see photos here >>
Niger
In Niger, SNCRVN organised a march in the capital, Niamey on 10 October. Road transport workers from trucking, bus and coach industries as well as government officials took part in the event. The union has also sent a delegation to take part in West African cross-border action in Paga.
Breaking News No. 4 16:30 GMT
Namibia
The Namibian Transport and Allied Workers' Union has organised a march at an industrial quarter in the capital, Windhoek. Some 100 workers took part between 13h00 to 14h00 and visited different worksites to deliver the Action Day message, Fatigue Kills. The union is also holding a two-day workshop on health and safety issues for the professional drivers
South Africa
Representatives of the South African Transport and Allied Workers' Union is meeting with the employers' organisation, Road Freight Association in Johannesburg to negotiate reduction of working hours for road haulage workers. Border action is taking place for two days at Beitbridge, together with the Transport and General Workers' Union, Zimbabwe and also at Oshuk with the Swaziland Transport and Allied Workers' Union tomorrow
Côte d'Ivoire
On 11 October, SYNTRAS in Côte d'Ivoire mobilised about 200 of its members to attend a meeting to discuss the issues related to the ITF campaign
ETF
About 30 activists from the ÖGB-L (Onofhängege Gewerkschaftsbond Lëtzebuerg) in Luxembourg attended the ETF rally in Brussels. In Luxembourg, on 8 October, a delegation from the union met with the Transport Minister to discuss the amendment of regulation 3820/85 and inclusion of the ITF, ETF demands on this matter. A press statement was also released by the union. Activists from FNCTTFEL also participated in the ETF rally in Brussels see photos here >>
Breaking News No.5 18:00 GMT
Mexico
The activists from ATM in Mexico have been distributing the campaign leaflets from 04h00 today at the central food market in the capital where more than 4,000 vehicles unload their cargoes daily. More actions will follow tomorrow
Bermuda
The Bermuda Industrial Union organised a meeting at the union square today to discuss the "Fatigue Kills" issues with its members
Brazil
In Brazil, the CNTTT confederation has distributed the campaign materials nationally to its 265 unions and 12 federations for their local debates. The union leadership will take part in a seminar scheduled in the State of Paraná on 14 and 15 October which will focus on working hours and collective bargaining for professional drivers. Dockers' union, Sindicato dos Conferentes de Carga e Descarga has also distributed leaflets at the port of Rio de Janeiro
Honduras
SINAMEQUIPH in Honduras is requesting workplace inspections on 11 and 12 October by the Ministry of Labour at the worksites of Cervecería Hondureña. This is a South African company where many drivers are complaining about long working hours. The union will also distribute leaflets at Amarateca, 15km far from Tegugigalpa. A press statement to the media was also released
Panama
FITTTAMPS in Panama will be approaching the truck drivers who use the port during the Action Day
*All information collected by the ITF Americas Office.
Breaking News No.6 23:30 GMT
New Zealand
Activists from the New Zealand Rail and Maritime Transport Union handed out union literatures and conducted the ITF organising survey with professional drivers at freight and container yards on 11 and 12 October in Auckland and at the Ports of Tauranga and Mount Maunganui. Many non-union drivers responded positively to the survey. The union has already collected more than 100 responses. “This will be valuable information for further contacts” says Kevin Lukas, Road Transport Organiser appointed by the national labour centre, CTU, who is coordinating this joint union organising project. On 13 October, the National Distribution Union and the Dairy Workers Union will be approaching the drivers at warehouses and distribution centres in Auckland. The Maritime Union of New Zealand will further continue their organising efforts onto 14 October at the Ports of Auckland see photos here >>
Switzerland
The Swiss road transport union, VHTL, sent 7 teams of activists to rest facilities on the main motorways to meet with professional drivers and discuss long working hours and fatigue. Colleagues from the German ver.di union joined a team at the Swiss/German customs point. After the union's press conference on 8 October, some detailed reports on drivers' fatigue appeared in the media and the union feels that the ITF campaign has substantially raised the public awareness on this issue see photos here >>
Paraguay
The USTT in Paraguay utilised the ITF day to meet with students and their organisations to discuss the working conditions of professional drivers. Currently, students can travel free of charge but are often unaware of the long and irregular hours that the drivers have to work. A press conference was also held
see photos here >>
Ecuador
In Ecuador, the road transport union, FENATEI, met with the government officials and urged them to control the unfair competition from the workers in the informal economy
*Information collected by the ITF Americas Office.
