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South East Asia action concludes
4 December 2009
The ITF’s South East Asia Week of Action concluded on Monday 30th November. Thanks to the cooperation from all the ITF affiliated unions and ITF Inspectors in South East Asia and East Asia regions, a total of 73 vessels were inspected, seminars and a press conference were held in Thailand, national media attention was received in Malaysia and Indonesia, and solidarity actions were held in the Philippines and Singapore. Together it made a successful Week of Action achieving greater awareness in the region for tackling rogue ship owners and exploitation of seafarers.
“Our coordinated FOC Campaign efforts in these regions have gotten much stronger and more strategic this year because we had clear targets and objections” said Junko Honma, ITF Tokyo Office staff who coordinated this Week of Action.
A great example of hard work and coordination was to get Korean Marine Transport Co., Ltd (KMTC) to sign ITF approved agreements with Federation of Korean Seafarers Unions for three of their FOC vessels. KMTC owned vessel “KMTC Shanghai” was inspected twice during the week, once in Singapore and then again in Indonesia. The ITF Inspectorate team in Indonesia, with local union support, was able to exert pressure on the company to talk with FKSU. “It’s a big step forward as we understand that this is the first time KMTC have entered into ITF agreements with FKSU” said John Wood, ITF FOC Campaign Advisor who led the successful negotiation with the company.
There are other ongoing talks initiated last week that should be concluded with signing of ITF approved agreements. A team of Japanese ITF Inspectorate and ITF affiliated union National Union of Seafarers of Peninsular Malaysia is currently negotiating with Whilemsen Ship Management Sdn Bhd to sign national agreements for three Malaysian flagged vessels. All Japan Seamen’s Union are negotiating for ITF agreements for several Japanese owned FOC vessels.
Hanafi Rustandi, President of Indonesian Seafarers’ Union (KPI) and ITF’s Asia/Pacific Regional Chair commented: “During this South East Asia Week of Action, the ITF message of “No Place to Hide” for FOC vessels was reaffirmed. We do not tolerate any kind of exploitation of seafarers, and what makes our campaign successful is that our efforts are cross-regional and cross-sectional. The seafarers in the regions are reassured that their safety and working conditions are great importance to the ITF and they can contact ITF for assistance in confidence anytime.”
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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