The ITF women’s committee is elected at ITF congress, our top decision-making body, and supported by the ITF women’s department. It leads on the following areas of work:
- ensuring the ITF executive board is fully informed on issues relating to women transport workers
- setting the ITF global women’s work programme
- supporting campaigns and activities run by ITF-affiliated unions as they organise and represent women transport workers around the world
- encouraging affiliates to find, develop and enable more women leaders at all levels
Women transport workers, supported by their transport union, are a powerful force for justice and equality around the world. Diana Holland, chair of the ITF women’s committee
Members of the ITF women’s committee
Always democratic, the women’s committee has 35 members from 27 countries. It includes a chairperson and sectional and regional representatives, with seats reserved for the ITF vice-president and women executive board members.
The committee consists of:
Chair |
Diana Holland (Unite the Union, Great Britain) |
Vice Chair |
Kalthoum Barkallah (FNCT, Tunisia) |
Vice Chair |
Mich-Elle Myers (MUA, Australia) |
Vice Chair |
Wilma Clement (BWU, Barbados) |
Africa |
|
Regional representative |
Anika Manavi (SYNTRAPAL, Togo) |
Regional representative |
Maryam Jummai Bello Yassin (NURTW, Nigeria) |
Regional representative |
Wendy Mwaonanji Kavolo (RWUM, Malawi) |
Arab World |
|
Regional representative |
Kalthoum Barkallah (FNCT, Tunisia) |
Asia/Pacific |
|
Regional representative |
Mich-Elle Myers (MUA, Australia) |
Regional representative |
Heity Ariaty (until retirement 2019 end) then Tina Agustien 2020-Congress (both from SPKA, Indonesia) |
Regional representative |
Enktugs Bat-Erdene (FMRWU, Mongolia) |
Regional representative |
Sheela Naikwade (MSTKS, India) |
Europe |
|
Regional representative |
Nuria Belenguer (UGT, Spain) |
Regional representative |
Susanne Gallhagen (Kommunal, Sweden) |
Regional representative |
Diana Holland (Unite the Union, UK) |
Regional representative |
Maya Schwiegershausen-Güth (ver.di, Germany) |
Regional representative |
Olga Vakulenko (ROSPROFZHEL, Russia) |
Regional representative |
Madlen Yordanova (FTTUB, Bulgaria) |
Latin America/Caribbean |
|
Regional representative |
Alma Teresa Gonzalez (ATM, Mexico) |
Regional representative |
Laura Cordoba (FNTCOTAC, Argentina) |
Regional representative |
Dionne Howard (BWU, Barbados) |
North America |
|
Regional representative |
Sara Gonzalez (IAM, USA) |
Regional representative |
Joy Thomson (CMSG, Canada) |
Regional representative |
Leslie Dias (Unifor, Canada) |
Section representatives |
|
Civil Aviation |
Dorsaf Saihi (FNT, Tunisia) |
Dockers |
Monique Verbeeck (BTB, Belgium) |
Fisheries |
Sylvie Roux (FGTE-CFDT, France) |
Inland Navigation |
Valérie Latron (FGTE-CFDT, France) |
Railway Workers |
Simi Lalsingh (NFIR, India) |
Road Transport Workers |
Wilma Clement (BWU, Barbados) |
Seafarers |
Lena Dyring (NSU, Norway) |
Tourism Services |
Praveena Singh (AIRF, India) |
Executive Board women regional representatives |
|
Africa |
Juliana Mpanduji (COTWU (T), Tanzania) |
Arab World |
Meryem Halouani (UMT, Morocco) |
Asia/Pacific |
Mary Liew (SMOU, Singapore) |
Europe |
Valérie Latron (FGTE-CFDT, France) |
Latin America/Caribbean |
Janaina Fernandes (FNTF, Brazil) |
North America |
Terri Mast (ILWU, US) |
Young women transport workers’ representative |
|
|
Jasmin Labarda (AMOSUP, Philippines) |
The ITF women’s network
This network offers women transport trade unionists an informal way to exchange materials, information and experiences. Unions nominate a main contact and, in some regions, a countrywide network representative.
It’s important for women in transport unions to share their experience and expertise, and explore how they can play a bigger role in their unions to achieve better pay and conditions for all women transport workers in the country.
Samar Youssif Safan, ITF Arab World women’s organiser
To join or get in touch with the women’s network, email us at women@itf.org.uk
Do you have a story from the ITF women’s networks?
We’re looking for news stories to feature on the ITF website, e.g. pieces on union initiatives and disputes, or women’s successes in the transport industry.
Email your stories to women@itf.org.uk.