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Inland Navigation

Improving working lives on the waterways.

The ITF represents crew on inland waterways vessels throughout the world, in both trade and passenger tourism. We campaign for better working conditions on canals, rivers and lakes, and in ports and harbours. From timber to tourists, coffee to commuters, our crews carry cargo and passengers in a growing and increasingly challenging industry.

ISSUES

Workers on the world’s waterways are seeing a decline in their working conditions and a reduction in their pay and training. This is due to globalisation, market consolidation and increasing deregulation in the sector. The role of the ITF and its affiliated inland navigation unions has never been more crucial in fighting for sustainable jobs and workers’ rights in the sector and in the wider global supply chains.

OUR PRIORITIES

  • RAISING INDUSTRY STANDARDS

  • SUPPLY CHAIN ACCOUNTABILITY

  • REGULATION & ENFORCEMENT

  • ORGANISING

Contact us

Email

 

WHAT WE DO

The ITF inland navigation section consists of 114 affiliated unions from 64 countries worldwide, representing around 115,000 members.

We fight for a safe workplace and fair treatment of all inland navigation workers, including their right to join a union to protect them at work.

The main issues ITF’s Inland Navigation Section works on are:

  • The fight for international core principles
  • Organising workers to defend their rights 
  • Stopping the race to the bottom for tug workers

 

To ensure that governments and authorities maintain and enforce high working standards, the ITF launched our ‘Stopping the race to the bottom’ campaign for tug and towage workers to raise awareness of their vital role in the global supply chain.

WHERE WE FOCUS

Our objectives across all our work include:

  • Establishing and improving minimum standards across the industry - nationally, regionally and internationally.
  • Developing and promoting regulations and codes of conduct governing the industry.
  • Safeguarding the jobs of members in the face of ownership changes, and the use of non-domiciled workers.
  • Promoting inland navigation as a mode of public transport and an sustainable way to transport goods.
  • Promoting decent working conditions and health and safety on board tug vessels.
  • Building union density and increasing diversity among our affiliated unions’ membership.

 

Our democratic committee decides on the issues we focus on.

 

ON THE GROUND
On the ground
The latest news on the issues affecting us all, and the actions we’re taking to improve our workers' lives and futures.
news 21 May 2021

放弃疫苗专利权将能拯救数百万生命,政府必需立刻行动

世界各地的运输工会今日要求各国政府在世界贸易组织(WTO)支持放弃知识产权,以对抗新冠肺炎(Covid-19)。 随着新冠疫情席卷全球各国的心脏地带,尤其是印度,人们正极力敦促各国政府支持印度和南非向世贸组织提出的建议。 该提案呼吁根据《与贸易有关的知识产权协定》(TRIPS)中特别涉及到新冠病毒的“预防、遏制和治疗”条款,紧急放弃知识产权。一些强大的国家和集团正在阻止这一提议。
news 13 May 2021

停止对巴勒斯坦平民的暴力

ITF谴责在巴勒斯坦针对儿童和平民的一切暴力。过去几天中,阿克萨清真寺内、圣殿山/圣城沙里夫附近以及以色列和巴勒斯坦之间的暴力行为是世界良知的污点。 ITF强烈谴责以色列部队将维持和平示威和抗议的行动军事化。和平集会是一项基本人权。我们呼吁各方尊重《公民权利及政治权利国际公约》第二十一条,保护我们和平集会的权利。 我们同样谴责对巴勒斯坦总工会秘书阿什拉夫·阿瓦尔(Ashraf Al-A’war
news 05 May 2021

必须立即停止压迫,尊重工人公民自由

“ 劳动节 ” 是全世界工人反思的日子。我们看到这么多侵犯人权的行为 - 工人被剥夺了自由结社的权利,言论自由受到压制。捍卫基本人权是我们所有人的责任。 罢工的权利。抗议的权利。自由结社的权利。这些流淌在全球工会主义者血液里的公民自由正受到攻击。我们需要团结起来,肩并肩地说: “停止压迫” 。 今天是劳动节, ITF 及其 2,000 万运输工人呼吁政府、雇主和民间社会尊重我们的权利
news 07 Apr 2021

“永赐号”事件展示了拖轮和牵引船工人的重要性,但该行业仍在投机取巧

苏伊士运河在堵塞六天后重新疏通 , 令人松了一口气 , 也再次突出了拖轮和牵引船工人所从事的重要工作。但是,除非该行业停止目前 的 “竞相压价” ,并解决工人的安全顾虑,否则世界可能很快再次发生类似“永赐号”这样的危机。 多年来,国际运输工人联盟( ITF )一直警告说,由于工人数量大幅度减少,造成人员短缺, 工人加班时间过多, 巴拿马运河可能即将发生重大事故 。
OUR PEOPLE

The ITF Inland Navigation Section Committee brings together trade unions representing workers who move passengers and cargo on the world’s canals, rivers and lakes, and ports and harbours. The Section is run on a democratic basis, with representation from all world regions as well as women and youth leaders.

Contact us

 

SECTION COORDINATOR

Fabrizio Barcellona

---

ASSISTANT COORDINATOR

Steve Yandell

 
SECTION COMMITTEE

Ashiqul Alam Chowdhury

BNSF
,
Bangladesh
Member

Joris Kerkhofs

ACV Transcom
,
Belgium
Chair

Julio Gonzalez Insfran

CPOFPCM
,
Argentina
Chair

Ivan De la Guardia

UCOC
,
Panama
Vice Chair (Latin America/Caribbean)

Terri Mast

ILWU
,
United States of America
Chair

Valerie Latron

CFDT
,
France
Inland Navigation

Cinthia Diaz

CPOFPCM
,
Argentina
Young Transport Workers’ Representative
AFRICA/ARAB WORLD

Vacant

Chair
ASIA/PACIFIC

Ashiqul Alam Chowdhury

BNSF
,
Bangladesh
Member

Manoj Yadav

FSUI
,
India
Ordinary Member
ETF Inland Waterways Section

Joris Kerkhofs

ACV Transcom
,
Belgium
Chair

Valerie Latron

CFDT
,
France
Inland Navigation

Kenny Courtois

BTB
,
Belgium
Vice Chair & Youth Representative

Jacques Kerkhof

BTB
,
Belgium
Vice Chair & Social Dialogue Chair
Latin America/ Caribbean

Julio Gonzalez Insfran

CPOFPCM
,
Argentina
Chair

Alfredo Santamaria

FBTTT
,
Venezuela
Vice Chair

Bruno Herrera

SITPETRANSO
,
Peru
Vice Chair

Ivan de la Guardia

UCOC
,
Panama
Vice Chair

Jorge Alejandro Vargas

SOMU
,
Argentina
Vice Chair (Youth)
North America

Terri Mast

ILWU
,
United States of America
Chair

Vacant

OUR AFFILIATES

The ITF Inland Navigation Section has 114 affiliated unions from 64 countries representing 115,000 workers worldwide.