Unions demand that investment in ‘Trans-Caspian International Transport Route’ is matched by decent jobs and strong trade union representation.
An alliance of transport unions from across Central Asia and beyond have come together in Kazakhstan to build international solidarity between trade unions brought together by new infrastructural projects linking rail freight, road transport, warehousing, logistics, aviation and maritime transport.
Unions affiliated to the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) committed to building a new solidarity network across the region on 12 August at a meeting of transport trade union leaders in Astana, Kazakhstan.
Trade union leaders discussed the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), collaboration between railway trade unions, and investment in supply chains and intermodal logistics across Eurasia.
"The TITR is becoming an increasingly important, faster transport link connecting Europe and Asia – and as investment and freight volumes grow, we must ensure that railway workers are not left behind,” said ITF General Secretary, Stephen Cotton.
“Strong trade unions, social dialogue and international solidarity are essential to ensuring that this growth delivers safe jobs, decent work and sustainable transport. A network of transport unions across Central Asia can help bring transport workers together across the region, strengthening the collective voice of transport workers and building the cooperation needed to meet the challenges and opportunities ahead."
The meeting was hosted by the Kazakhstan Trade Union of Railway Transport Workers (KAZPROFZHEL) and organised by the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF). It brought together trade union representatives from Australia, Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Georgia, Germany, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, along with representatives from the European Transport Workers' Federation (ETF) and the ITF. Several participants joined the meeting online.
Trade unions leaders discussed how the continued growth of the TITR and the broader ‘middle corridor’ across central Asia present both significant opportunities and challenges for railway workers and all transport workers in supply chains harnessing the TITR. They highlighted the importance of ensuring that investment in transport infrastructure is accompanied by decent work, strong trade union representation, safe working conditions, quality jobs and meaningful social dialogue throughout the transport and logistics supply chain.
“It was an honour to welcome trade union leaders from across Eurasia to Kazakhstan for such an important discussion about the future of the region and the opportunities for great solidarity and cooperation between trade unions,” said Orazgali Akhmetbayev, Chairman of KAZPROFZHEL (Kazakhstan Trade Union of Railway, Air, Road, and Water Transport Workers).
“The network we are building in Central Asia shows that the ITF is a truly global family and helps grow our movement to include more transport workers and trade unions across the region.”
