Representatives of the ITF, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (Teamsters) in the United States, the Fédération Générale des Transports et de l’Environnement (FGTE-CFDT), la Fédération Nationale des Transports et de la Logistique (FO/UNCP) and the Fédération Nationale des Syndicats de Transports (CGT) held fruitful discussions on 5 December.
They discussed ways to improve social dialogue at a global level with XPO in light of concerns by all unions over industrial relations, including job security and union rights. The Teamsters described their continued fight for union recognition in XPO.
Fred Rouaux, road transport officer for CFDT Transports , said: “XPO is a global organisation, so international cooperation between trade unions representing workers’ interests needs to be global. I’m very pleased that we were all able to meet this week. This sends XPO a powerful message that all unions in the company are on the same side in our determination to win justice for its workers.’
Jeff Farmer, Teamsters’ director of organising, added: “This meeting has helped us further strengthen union relationships inside XPO and find common ground on which to tackle the company on both sides of the Atlantic. What we are all focused on is insisting that XPO treat workers with dignity and fairness – and respect their rights to freedom of association worldwide. XPO workers’ voices must be heard, not silenced.”
Noel Coard, ITF head of inland transport sections, commented: “This meeting underlines the fact that XPO is a priority for the ITF, and we are committed to backing our affiliates who work in the company, wherever they are located.”
Thousands of XPO employees are represented by unions in Europe and by the Teamsters in the US. The ITF has been working with its unions who deal with XPO to bring them together to share expertise to build workers’ power within the corporation. In July 2017, it launched an XPO global leadership group to tackle the company’s anti-worker and anti-union stance.
