ITF Summer School 2008

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Regional Summer School

This summer school was held exclusively for unions in the Asia/Pacific region. It was held in Mumbai, India from 22-26 September. The ITF affiliate the National Union of Seafarers of India (NUSI) hosted the summer school at its facility in Panvel, Mumbai. Other ITF affiliates in India also contributed to the summer school through the National Coordination Committee.

The regional focus of the summer school provided a unique opportunity for the affiliates to learn from each other and evolve a more strategic and targeted approaches to `Organising’, given that many countries of the region have become a major force in driving the global economy.

Further details of the summer school can be found below from two participants' experience. In addition the summer school report will be available to download shortly.

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My experience of the summer school

What do a wharfy, bus driver, cabin crew member, ITF Inspector, air traffic controller have in common? These were some of the people that came together during the first ITF Regional Summer School for unions in the Asia/Pacific region, held in Panvel (India) on 22-26 September 2008.

The theme of the Summer School was ‘Education for Organising’ and the sessions during the week covered different aspects of organising including the changing nature oftransport and challenges faced by unions in the region, as well as how unions can develop strategic organising campaigns in response to these changes and challenges.

“I am very happy that I got the opportunity to attend the Summer School as I shared my experience with the participants throughout the Asian region, particularly those participants from the ports sector. I was able to know more about different working systems, facilities, organising and mapping activities of other unions. The Australian Dockers and the solidarity among them was fantastic and a good thing to learn from them. Regarding the membership strategy adopted by Singapore seafarers of attracting membership by giving workers gift items for joining the union is very interesting.

Also the summer school focused on union strategies to improve our knowledge on organising and empowering unions. We were also able to think about organising strategies for unorganised transport workers and cargo-handling. I will be trying some of these things/strategies to organise and strengthen my union.

I express my thanks whole heartily to ITF on behalf of my union and comrade S. R. Kulkarni chairman Asia pacific ITF dock section. And to the entire ITF family for organising such a fantastic and useful summer camp”. D. Subramaniam., vice president Transport and Dockworkers’ Union, Mumbai

“Restructuring me!” was one of the feedbacks received mid-way through the Summer School and one which I think is apt in describing the experience. The different participants, who were a mixture of union officials, organisers, worker representatives and activists all had different experiences and were faced with different challenges, but were united by the effects of globalisation and the need to organise.

Through discussions and group working we were asked to consider the new challenges that exist as well as possible future ones, for example the changing forms of work from permanent to casual and the increasing use of outsourcing and subcontracting, to the development of transport chains and their increasing importance.

With the ongoing development of globalisation and blurring of boundaries, geographically and between the different transport sectors, working with representatives from all sectors of the ITF during the Summer School provided a practical and important opportunity to consider the experiences and issues of workers and unions in all transport sectors.

We had to think “outside the box” and despite some barriers such as language, participants were not afraid to take on this challenge and look at the wider picture, generate new ideas and challenge the status quo. The exchange of information and experiences between unions and participants as part of this process was vital.

From my perspective of working in one of the ITF Sections, participating in the Summer School has added to my understanding of the global issues through a practical focus on issues and challenges being faced by different transport unions. The Summer School has given me a wider perspective of how local issues are linked to the international platform but also how the international is linked to the local.

The Summer School was a positive experience and two months after, I still feel the same inspiration and motivation that I felt during the week.

Claire Clarke
ITF Inland Transport Sections

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Outras páginas para Summer School:
Summer school 2010 | Summer school 2009 | Summer School 2007 | Summer school 2005 | Summer school 2004

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