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South East Asia week of action begins today
23 November 2009
Trade unions in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines and Singapore today launched a South East Asia week of action (23 to 27 November, with the campaign week beginning one day earlier in Malaysia). Organised by seafarers' and dockers' unions working together with the ITF, the action week’s stated aim is to prevent exploitation of seafarers.
South East Asia is the largest source of seafarers in the world shipping trade and there will be particular efforts to make seafarers more aware of bad manning practices and to ensure that ship managers and owners stop using bad manning agents.
The plight of Burmese seafarers is one of the greatest concerns to the region as they are particularly vulnerable to abuse. ITF affiliated unions in South East Asia are working together to ensure their human rights are protected. In Thailand, the Seafarers’ Union of Burma has gained support from Thai unions - including many with workers in the road and rail industries - to help protect Burmese seafarers and workers in fishery industries in Thailand.
There are two important aspects to the South East Asia Week of Action. One is the strong mix of seafarer, docker and other transport trade unions, and the other is the coordination with East Asia unions to target vessels without any ITF approved agreements.
There was a success in Taiwan even before the week began, when one of the targeted companies agreed to sign an agreement for one of their vessels with the Taiwan-based National Chinese Seamen’s Union. As a result the company has now been taken off the target list during this week.
The ITF Tokyo Office and ITF Inspectors from Japan and South Korea will help coordinate vessel inspections in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines and Singapore during this week of action.
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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