Unions welcome FirstGroup pledge

8 August 2006

A coalition of trade union groups who met at the ITF Congress in Durban, South Africa yesterday have released the following statement:

 

Statement on FirstGroup, Durban, South Africa

The International Transport Workers’ Federation, FNV Bondgenoten (The Netherlands), International Brotherhood of Teamsters (USA and Canada), Service Employees International Union (USA and Canada), Services, Industrial, Professional and Technical Union (Ireland) and Transport and General Workers’ Union (Great Britain):

Welcome the commitment made by FirstGroup at its Annual General Meeting on 13 July, 2006 that the company will be neutral to trade unions at all its operations and will eliminate anti-union behaviour at its US subsidiary, First Student.

Call on the company to make good on its promise by immediately ceasing anti-union practices at First Student, including harassment, intimidation and retaliation against trade union supporters, creating and distributing anti trade-union literature, discriminating against trade union supporters in employment and aiding and abetting union de-certification campaigns.

Note that senior officials of FirstGroup have recently met and informed the Dutch transport unions of its intention to participate in the bid for Connexxion, the largest public transport company in the Netherlands.  The company has stated to the unions that they will respect the Dutch labour laws and the existing terms and conditions of employment.

Are aware that often the anti-union stance taken by First Students’ management is an inherited problem in the United States and that this is not typical of the positive relationships that frequently exist between unions and European companies.

Strongly urge that FirstGroup work to create a strong and productive partnership with their trade union counterparts.

Request a meeting between all the unions concerned with FirstGroup no later than 20 August 2006 to discuss, inter-alia, the ways and means to fulfil the commitments that the company has made concerning its employment practices in the USA.

Graham Stevenson Transport & General Workers’ Union		Joe O’Flynn SIPTU
Tim Beaty International Brotherhood of Teamsters		Nicholas Allen SEIU
Egon A. Groen FNV Bondgenoten		Mac Urata ITF

ENDS

ITF Congress 2006, International Convention Centre, Durban, South Africa.

August 2 to 9.

Press Pack

Contents

What is the ITF?

What is the ITF Congress?

Press facilities

Congress timetable

Congress 2006 visitor numbers

Photos

Speaker notes

Congress on the web

How to get there

Practical information

Previous ITF Congresses

 

What is the ITF?

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) is a global organisation representing around four and a half million transport workers worldwide. Unions – currently 624 from 142 countries – affiliate to the ITF, which is able to carry their interests into the global arena.

Founded in London in 1896 the ITF is one of 10 Global Union Federations.

More details: www.itfglobal.org/about-us/moreabout.cfm

 

What is the ITF Congress?

The four yearly Congress is the ITF’s supreme decision making event, at which delegates from its affiliated trade unions are able to vote to determine the course the ITF will take until the next congress.  It elects the ITF’s Executive Board, President, Vice Presidents and General Secretary; approves – or not – the organisation’s last four years’ work; and sets the agenda for the next four years.  It also approves reports from the ITF’s industrial sections, which meet during the congress. The event is open to delegates, observers, press and public.

 

Press facilities

Journalists are welcome to attend Congress. The opening ceremony and plenary sessions are all open to media. Only the internal Section meetings are private. Please register at the entrance when you first arrive. There is a dedicated online press area at www.itfglobal.org/congress/pressarea.cfm

 

Congress timetable

Please see www.itfglobal.org/congress/calendar.cfm

 

Congress 2006 visitor numbers

1,194 participants from 387 unions in 111 countries have registered for the event.

 

Photos

Please contact dawson_sam@itf.org.uk to receive photos gratis. We ask that where possible you use the credit ‘ITF’.

 

Speaker notes

For biographies of speakers please go to www.itfglobal.org/congress/speakerbiogs.cfm

 

Congress on the Web

www.itfglobal.org/congress is being updated continuously for the duration of Congress, and features daily notices, articles and interviews, as well as a complete calendar and list of motions and resolutions. Users can read meeting documents online, download materials, and find other useful information by clicking on a meeting and following the available links. 

 

How to get there: venue information

The website of the International Convention Centre is www.icc.co.za

 

Practical information

For information on hotel bookings, passport requirements etc please see www.itfglobal.org/congress/practical.cfm

Previous ITF Congresses

A full list of the ITF’s previous Congresses, from the first in London in 1896 to the most recent, in Vancouver in 2002, is at www.itfglobal.org/congress/previouscongress.cfm

ENDS

For more information contact ITF press officer, Sam Dawson.
Direct line: + 44 (0)20 7940 9260.
Email: dawson_sam@itf.org.uk

International Transport Workers' Federation - ITF:
HEAD OFFICE
ITF House, 49 - 60 Borough Road, London SE1 1DS
Tel: + 44 (0) 20 7403 2733
Fax: + 44 (0) 20 7375 7871
Email: mail@itf.org.uk
Web: www.itfglobal.org

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