***ITF Congress Elects IAM, TCU Reps to Key Leadership Positions

The 43rd International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) Congress in Sofia, Bulgaria featured a week of strategizing to protect transportation workers globally.

IAM delegates included Transportation General Vice President Sito Pantoja, Canadian General Vice President Dave Ritchie, Transportation Chief of Staff Joseph Tiberi, Canadian Air Transport Coordinator Carlos DaCosta, Chief of Staff to the International President Owen Herrnstadt, and Airline Coordinator Tim Klima.

The more than 1,700 ITF delegates re-elected Pantoja and TCU National President Robert Scardelletti to new four-year terms on the ITF Executive Board. Tiberi was re-elected as the Committee’s Vice-Chair.

Joseph Condo, TCU Assistant to the President, was re-elected as the Railways Section Committee’s North American Co-Chair. District Lodge 142 General Chair Sara Gonzales was elected as the North American Representative to the ITF’s Women’s Committee. Herrnstadt was elected as the North American Representative to the Civil Aviation Section.

“The strength of the IAM’s delegation and the ITF elections are evidence of the Machinists Union’s dominant role as a leader in the global labor movement,” said Pantoja. “We are known and respected worldwide because of the successes we have for our members at home.”

The London-based ITF is a global confederation of approximately 700 unions representing more than 4.5 million transport workers in 150 countries.

Click here to visit the 2014 ITF Congress website for more information on the quadrennial event.

FROM BALITA PINOY:

***ITF/IUF delegation meets ‘disdainful’ treatment in Philippines tuna dispute

An international ITF (International Transport Workers’ Federation) and IUF (International Union of Food, Agricultural and Hospitality Workers) delegation to the Philippines has expressed deep disappointment after it was met with hostile treatment during a mediation session with seafood giant Citra Mina over the dismissal of workers to prevent them forming a union.

Members of the ITF/IUF Catcher to counter team – a joint programme between the two global unions – are in General Santos to coincide with the tuna festival, which celebrates the massive contribution the industry makes to the Philippines economy.

They planned to use the festival as an opportunity to engage with employers, including Citra Mina, over labour rights in Philippines fishing and working together to promote a productive and profitable way forward for the industry.

A campaign to reinstate United Workers of Citra Mina Group of Companies Union (UWCMGCU) members dismissed in September 2013 has attracted widespread support from the church and community in the Philippines. Hundreds of people turned out to a solidarity rally on Sunday with a further workers’ event planned for Wednesday.

The issue has been a matter of national interest in the country, and has been reflected in national and international press coverage. Some 8,000 support messages were also sent in a global online action

Liz Blackshaw is programme leader for the joint ITF/IUF Catcher to counter initiative, which works with fishers to build worker representation and improve conditions across the fishing industry. She stated: “The fishing industry is crucial to the Philippines. At the moment the violations of workers’ rights which are going on mean that the country is in potential danger of being sanctioned by the European Union over illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. No-one wants that to happen; it’s bad for business and it’s bad for workers.

“We want positive productive relationships with fishing employers in the Philippines. What we’ve experienced so far with regards Citra Mina is nothing short of outrageous. There is just no willingness to negotiate and we’ve been left with no confidence in the national conciliation and mediation board (NCMB), which has been handling the process between the union and the employer.”

“We’ll still be using the GenSan tuna festival to highlight that we want to work with employers not against them, and we hope that Citra Mina will come back to the table in good faith.”

Catcher to counter is a joint programme by both the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) and the International Union of Food Workers (IUF). It seeks to address the lack of regulation, union activity and illegal fishing that is rife in the sector today.

The programme seeks to address the fishing industry as whole – from ‘catcher to counter’ – and to achieve the following objectives:

Increase union membership

Increase union power

Standardise conditions across multinational companies

Work to improve terms and conditions

Guarantee conditions of workforce

Put workers at the centre of the campaign

Establish processes to assure that fishing is not illegal, unregulated and unreported  — Balita Pinoy

- See more at: http://balitapinoy.net/itfiuf-delegation-meets-disdainful-treatment-in-philippines-tuna-dispute-p325-103.htm#sthash.HvEoL09A.dpuf

ITF/IUF delegation meets ‘disdainful’ treatment in Philippines tuna dispute

An international ITF (International Transport Workers’ Federation) and IUF (International Union of Food, Agricultural and Hospitality Workers) delegation to the Philippines has expressed deep disappointment after it was met with hostile treatment during a mediation session with seafood giant Citra Mina over the dismissal of workers to prevent them forming a union.

Members of the ITF/IUF Catcher to counter team – a joint programme between the two global unions – are in General Santos to coincide with the tuna festival, which celebrates the massive contribution the industry makes to the Philippines economy.

They planned to use the festival as an opportunity to engage with employers, including Citra Mina, over labour rights in Philippines fishing and working together to promote a productive and profitable way forward for the industry.

A campaign to reinstate United Workers of Citra Mina Group of Companies Union (UWCMGCU) members dismissed in September 2013 has attracted widespread support from the church and community in the Philippines. Hundreds of people turned out to a solidarity rally on Sunday with a further workers’ event planned for Wednesday.

The issue has been a matter of national interest in the country, and has been reflected in national and international press coverage. Some 8,000 support messages were also sent in a global online action

Liz Blackshaw is programme leader for the joint ITF/IUF Catcher to counter initiative, which works with fishers to build worker representation and improve conditions across the fishing industry. She stated: “The fishing industry is crucial to the Philippines. At the moment the violations of workers’ rights which are going on mean that the country is in potential danger of being sanctioned by the European Union over illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. No-one wants that to happen; it’s bad for business and it’s bad for workers.

“We want positive productive relationships with fishing employers in the Philippines. What we’ve experienced so far with regards Citra Mina is nothing short of outrageous. There is just no willingness to negotiate and we’ve been left with no confidence in the national conciliation and mediation board (NCMB), which has been handling the process between the union and the employer.”

“We’ll still be using the GenSan tuna festival to highlight that we want to work with employers not against them, and we hope that Citra Mina will come back to the table in good faith.”

Catcher to counter is a joint programme by both the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) and the International Union of Food Workers (IUF). It seeks to address the lack of regulation, union activity and illegal fishing that is rife in the sector today.

The programme seeks to address the fishing industry as whole – from ‘catcher to counter’ – and to achieve the following objectives:

Increase union membership

Increase union power

Standardise conditions across multinational companies

Work to improve terms and conditions

Guarantee conditions of workforce

Put workers at the centre of the campaign

Establish processes to assure that fishing is not illegal, unregulated and unreported  — Balita Pinoy

- See more at: http://balitapinoy.net/itfiuf-delegation-meets-disdainful-treatment-in-philippines-tuna-dispute-p325-103.htm#sthash.HvEoL09A.dpuf

FROM THE SIU:

***Federation Condemns Hall Trial (9/3)

Back to News

The International Transport Workers’ Federation, to which the SIU is affiliated, has issued the following news release:

3 September 2014

Thai trial of British researcher is ‘blatant victimization’

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) has condemned the trial of British human rights defender Andy Hall, which opened in Thailand yesterday, as a clear example of victimization and cover up.

Andy Hall is facing criminal and civil cases of criminal defamation, which have been brought against him by Thailand’s Natural Fruit Company following his research into the company for the report Cheap Has a High Price, published by the Finnwatch NGO (www.finnwatch.org). The report exposed smuggling of migrant workers along with the use of child labor, forced overtime and violence against workers. The ITF has stated that Thailand itself is on trial over these abuses.

ITF President Paddy Crumlin commented, “This trial is indefensible and should be halted immediately. Thailand should be acting against the appalling treatment of workers and for freedom of opinion, not victimizing one of the people who rightly brought this awful state of affairs to wider attention.”

ITF General Secretary Steve Cotton today appealed directly to the Thai Pineapple to disassociate itself from the case brought by its member company against Andy Hall. He told the association, “Mr Hall’s investigations into the fruit and fish industries in Thailand helped expose shocking abuses there to a worldwide audience. Therefore, this matter has now become of relevance to constituents across global food supply chains and international civil society at large.

“The ITF believes that the prosecution of Mr Hall is a misuse of the law to punish public interest whistleblowing,” he continued. “We urge you once again to use your good offices to persuade the Natural Fruit Company and its CEO to withdraw the charges and enter into constructive dialogue with Thai unions and workers’ rights defenders to address the serious allegations raised by Mr Hall.”

Andy Hall is detailing the case against him at the website http://andyjhall.wordpress.com, through which he can be contacted, as well as via the @atomicalandy twitter account. His case has attracted widespread support from across the trade union movement, including the IUF (International Union of Food, Agricultural and Hospitality Workers), which is partnered with the ITF in the Catcher to Counter Initiative, and a spectrum of trade unions, union organizations and NGOs (see http://business-humanrights.org/en/thailand-public-support-for-activist-andy-hall-grows-trial-for-case-filed-by-natural-fruit-begins-2-sept). A LabourStart appeal supporting him is at www.labourstartcampaigns.net/show_campaign.cgi?c=2467

FROM SHIPPING TRIBUNE, ALSO MARITIME SUN.COM:

***ITF/IUF delegation meets ‘disdainful’ treatment in Philippines tuna dispute

An international ITF (International Transport Workers’ Federation) and IUF (International Union of Food, Agricultural and Hospitality Workers) delegation to the Philippines has expressed deep disappointment after it was met with hostile treatment during a mediation session with seafood giant Citra Mina over the dismissal of workers to prevent them forming a union.

Members of the ITF/IUF Catcher to counter team – a joint programme between the two global unions – are in General Santos to coincide with the tuna festival, which celebrates the massive contribution the industry makes to the Philippines economy.

They planned to use the festival as an opportunity to engage with employers, including Citra Mina, over labour rights in Philippines fishing and working together to promote a productive and profitable way forward for the industry.

A campaign to reinstate United Workers of Citra Mina Group of Companies Union (UWCMGCU) members dismissed in September 2013 has attracted widespread support from the church and community in the Philippines. Hundreds of people turned out to a solidarity rally on Sunday with a further workers’ event planned for Wednesday.

The issue has been a matter of national interest in the country, and has been reflected in national and international press coverage. Some 8,000 support messages were also sent in a global online action

Liz Blackshaw is programme leader for the joint ITF/IUF Catcher to counter initiative, which works with fishers to build worker representation and improve conditions across the fishing industry. She stated: “The fishing industry is crucial to the Philippines. At the moment the violations of workers’ rights which are going on mean that the country is in potential danger of being sanctioned by the European Union over illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. No-one wants that to happen; it’s bad for business and it’s bad for workers.

“We want positive productive relationships with fishing employers in the Philippines. What we’ve experienced so far with regards Citra Mina is nothing short of outrageous. There is just no willingness to negotiate and we’ve been left with no confidence in the national conciliation and mediation board (NCMB), which has been handling the process between the union and the employer.”

“We’ll still be using the GenSan tuna festival to highlight that we want to work with employers not against them, and we hope that Citra Mina will come back to the table in good faith.”