History of ITF activities

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1994

The ITF adopts a resolution at its 37th Congress titled “Securing of Loads”. It deals with the safe storage of goods in and on cargo carriers of all kinds that are transported on ships and trucks as well as rail cars.

1995-1996

The issue is discussed at ITF Road Transport Workers’ Section meetings (at the Section Committee Meeting in Stockholm in December 1995 and at the Section Conference in Paris in September 1996).

At the Section Committee meeting in 1995, Svenska Transportarebetareförbundet gives a presentation on securing of goods and informs the meeting that the Swedish Transport Research Commission (TFK) had prepared a handbook titled “Loading and Securing Cargo on Load Carriers – Advice and instructions” in 1990. The meeting adopts a resolution on the securing of goods.

The Section Conference in 1996 discusses the ECE Working Party on Combined Transport’s “Guidelines for Packing Cargo in Freight Containers of Vehicles”

2002

The issue is discussed at the Dockers’ Section Conference during the ITF 40th Congress in Vancouver.

2004

The Section revisits the subject, at the request of a Japanese affiliate that represents dockers and road haulage workers. A request for information on security of container cargo is circulated by email in March. The union obtains relevant information, through the ITF, from unions in Canada, New Zealand, USA as well as the ETF.

The issue is included as an agenda item at the Section Conference in Berlin in June. A report on major problems concerning transport of containers by road in Japan by affiliate ZENKOKU-KOWAN, as well as the summary of the responses obtained from organisations to the request for information sent out by email in March are circulated at the meeting as a basis for discussion. Delegates from Sweden, Germany, Australia, USA, India, Honduras, Spain, as well as the secretariat members of the ITF take part in the debate during the meeting.

The ITF Dockers’ Section further discusses this issue at their Conference in July.

The ITF General Secretary sends an official request to Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on 27 July 2004 to take legal and other measures to increase safety for container trailer truck drivers. (At the time it is not required for companies to inform drivers of the contents of containers, or how they are stored, which consequently leads to hazardous accidents, and the drivers are often held responsible for them).

The ITF Asia/Pacific Road Transport Section Committee Meeting held in Jakarta on 3-4 September discusses securing of loads as part of its agenda.

2005

A short questionnaire is circulated to members of the Section in March asking for information on the problems concerning the transport of containers by road. Road transport unions from Belgium, Denmark,Pakistan, Congo DR, Mauritius and Hungary reply to the questionnaire. In consultation with the ITF Dockers’ Section, the same questionnaire is distributed to the ITF’s port workers’ unions.

A seminar on safe transportation of containers by road is held in Tokyo on 27-29 July 2005.

2006

The Steering Committee meeting held in Åkersberga (Sweden) in May hears a report that some progress has been made on the container cargo transportation safety issue in Japan as the Japanese government has drafted a set of guidelines on the issue. It is, however, not legally binding and therefore a request for further pressure from the ITF on this issue is made. On 24 May, the Steering Committee meeting visits a vocational training facility for an activity on safe transportation of containers by road.

The ITF Road Transport Workers' Section and the ITF Dockers' Section Conferences discuss container cargo safety during the ITF 41st Congress held in Durban in August.

2007

The Steering Committee meeting held in London on 26-28 March discusses container cargo safety as part of its agenda.

Representatives from road transport and dockers’ unions in Japan, Canada, Australia, UK, Sweden and the US attend an ITF Container Cargo Safety Seminar held in Oakland on 30-31 May. The meeting, hosted by US affiliate, the Teamsters discusses issues relating to container cargo safety. Mac Urata represents the ITF. The meeting agrees to share information on the issue; lobby international organizations; and carry out awareness raising programmes during ITF International Road Transport Action Week in October. It is agreed that the ITF Road Transport Workers’ Section will continue to coordinate its activities on this issue with the ITF Dockers’ Section.

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