Members of the media are invited to attend the opening ceremony and evening reception on Sunday, 14 October. If you wish to attend, you must register by 5 October 2018 via the link: http://www.cvent.com/d/xbqmrw/4W
The ITF Congress will include participants from around 140 countries, representing over 600 transport unions with more than 19 million members. This Congress is set to be the biggest to date, with over 2,000 participants. It aims to give transport workers a collective voice and set the agenda for the transport industry for the next five years.
The guest of honour for the opening ceremony will be the secretary general of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), Singapore, and minister in the prime minister’s office, Ng Chee Meng. In the evening, the Singapore minister for manpower and second minister for home affairs, Josephine Teo will attend a reception hosted by the unions from the Singapore National Coordinating Committee (SNCC).
The opening ceremony will include the announcement of an agreement between the ITF and the NTUC’s training arm, the Ong Teng Cheong Labour Leadership Institute (OTCi). The OTCi will research the future of work in the transport sector and suggest interventions to help workers improve their skills to compete for high-value jobs. It will also provide training to help participants better appreciate the forces of disruption affecting the future of work.
The Congress will also discuss how digitisation is reshaping the global transport industry along with strategic policies.
Five transport unions from Singapore make up the SNCC, which is assisting the ITF in organising the congress: National Transport Workers’ Union (NTWU), Port Officers' Union (POU), Singapore Maritime Officers' Union (SMOU), Singapore Organisation of Seamen (SOS) and the Singapore Port Workers' Union (SPWU).
For those unable to attend, the event can be followed online at https://www.itfcongress2018.org/, on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ITFCongress2018/ and on Twitter https://twitter.com/itfcongress2018.
Further media releases about key announcements will follow before and during Congress.
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Further information:
What is the ITF?
The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) creates borderless solidarity among transport workers in every corner of the globe. We support 670 affiliate trade unions in 140 countries, representing 19.7 million workers.
What is the ITF Congress?
Congress is the ITF’s decision-making event, at which its affiliated trade unions decide the course of the federation for the next five years. It elects the ITF’s executive board, president, vice presidents and general secretary. Nearly 2000 people will attend the 44th ITF Congress in Singapore, 14-20 October 2018.
What is happening at Congress?
Check the Congress website: https://www.itfcongress2018.org/
Who is the media contact?
Andy Khan-Gordon, ITF communications officer. Call / SMS / WhatsApp: +44 7711 356 964. Email: khan-gordon_andy@itf.org.uk
What is the OTCi?
Founded in 1990, the institute is an established centre for labour education and training in Singapore. Programmes ranging from short courses to certificate and up to professional diploma courses are available for trade union leaders, labour-management groups and others interested in the industrial and employment relations field: http://www.otcinstitute.org.sg/
