Global daily news 01.02.2014

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***MEPS ADOPT SINGLE EUROPEAN SKY REFORM

With social protests as a backdrop, the European Parliament’s Committee on Transport (TRAN) adopted on 30 January, its reform of the single European sky.
As was to be expected, MEPs did not follow the European Commission in its wish to impose a strict structural separation between the various providers of air navigation services (air traffic controllers, weather information services, etc) – in a bid to boost the entry of new service providers. But MEPs were not turning their back on the idea of opening up the navigation services market – far from it, in fact.
What the Commission wants is for certain air navigation services – so-called support services, such as weather forecasting and aeronautic information services and other technical services – to be separated from air traffic control proper.
Air traffic control and support services would then have to be provided by separate enterprises. The Commission believes it will prove to be a vital factor in opening these services up to competition. Indeed, support services are currently nearly always provided by monopolistic service providers. And in this sector, competition is what it is all about, says the Commission, which feels that it would be a great source of savings. Given that these services are currently the main factor of cost in air traffic management, it is difficult to argue.
The Commission’s preferred approach is unbundling. And on this topic, the TRAN committee’s position will prove disappointing. TRAN withdrew the separation obligation from its first-reading report. However, MEPs are not in the slightest reluctant at the idea of breaking the support services’ monopolies. Under their amendments, when navigation service providers are drawing up their business plans they will have to compare offers made by several enterprises for support services and choose the most beneficial provider both “financially and qualitatively”.
The precise terms for choosing service providers will be listed at a later date by the Commission – via delegated acts. But it is already clear that the principles of Directive 2004/18/EC on specialised public markets will have to be respected.
End of story? Not really, since MEPs also laid down a review clause – 1 January 2016 – with the Commission set to assess the impact of opening up the services to competition – looking at the impact in terms of operational aspects as well as economic, security and social. To be continued… in two years’ time.
SOCIAL PROTEST
The reform also reinforces the required separation and independence between navigation service providers and the national regulators that control them. Currently, a mere functional separation is required, namely due to the fact that certain member states did not want to take things further during the first talks on the single sky, at the start of the noughties. The Commission is now calling for a true institutional separation, and MEPs are 100% behind it.
What is more, the amendments made by MEPs step up the proof of independence required and move the proposed calendar forward (2017 instead of 2020). As such, some member states – such as France, for instance – will be forced to reorganise their services. Or rather, it is quite likely that not much will happen under the Greek EU Presidency, which is reluctant to open up a dossier that rubs several member states the wrong way. The report, penned by Marian-Jean Marinescu (EPP, Romania), was adopted with 26 votes in favour, one vote against and four abstentions.
This all took place against the backdrop of social protests, with the European Transport Workers‘ Federation (ETF) rallying its workers against what it views as a “dogmatic liberalisation” of air traffic management.
EU air traffic was disrupted, on 30 January, by actions in over ten member states.
The vote in the EP’s plenary is scheduled for March.





FROM MATERIALS HANDLING WORLD MAGAZINE:



***UNI and ITF turn page with DHL
30 January 2014
The German National Contact Point for the OECD Guidelines (NCP) today issued a Joint Statement agreed upon by UNI, the ITF and Deutsche Post-DHL. The Joint Statement addresses some key areas in dispute and aims to turns a page in UNI and the ITF’s relationship with this leading multinational in post and logistics.

ITF and UNI filed a case in November 2012 alleging that DHL systematically denied workers their rights to freely join or organise trade unions of their choice.

The case was submitted to the German government and handled by the National Contact Point for the OECD Guidelines, who is based in the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs. The German ministries of Labour and Justice also participated in the case.

After a preliminary investigation, in June 2013, the NCP accepted the case as concerns five critical countries and asked the parties to begin a mediation process.

The results of the mediation have been significant, most notably in Turkey, where over 1,600 workers at DHL Turkey Supply chain won the right to be represented by their union of choice, TUMTIS, after a multi-year campaign was initially met with extreme hostility by the employer.

The process has also led to an assessment of DHL’s industrial relations with unions in India and Colombia, and a path for bargaining with the union in Indonesia. The agreement calls for DHL to meet quarterly with the ITF and UNI and report to the NCP as part of the company’s due diligence process. This provides a foundation for continued dialogue and engagement with DHL and creates an opportunity to resolve disputes, especially those involving the right to organise, in a responsible, direct way.

UNI Global Union general secretary Philip Jennings said: “This agreement is a turning point in our relationship with DHL. Our aim is simple – we urge DHL to respect workers’ rights to organise, to provide decent work conditions and a voice for workers in this growing industry. We have high expectations that DHL, the world’s leader in logistics, will work with us to achieve these goals.”

Steve Cotton, ITF acting general secretary, said, “ITF, UNI and our affiliates are ready to ensure DHL meets its obligations to its workers and respects union rights around the world. We are pleased that this process has been resolved and hopeful that we can continue to work with DHL to ensure that workers have their rights on the job.”





FROM TRADEWINDS:


***Isis owner pays crew to beat arrest threat
Owners of the general cargoship Isis, under the threat of arrest in the UK from unions over unpaid wages, have come up with the cash.
The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) said it would arrest the vessel at the UK port of Tilbury if Greek operator Derna Carriers did not come up with the outstanding wages of $200,000 by noon on Wednesday.
The claim was based on pay owed to the 18 Filipino crew on the 9,700-dwt Isis (built 2006) until the end of January this year.
Speaking to TradeWinds prior to the deadline, local ITF representative Ken Fleming said the full amount had now been paid to a UK-based agent for the company and that he is satisfied the money would make its way to the crew. He added that the ITF no longer intended to arrest the vessel.
However, he said the men’s ordeal is not over. He explained the full complement wanted to return home to the Philippines but so far the owner had only made provision for a few to go.
Fleming said he is unhappy with the way the owners have responded to his attempts to recover wages and Derna only acted when threatened, and at the last minute.
He said: “The company’s litany of broken promises has left them feeling that no future exists for them onboard the Isis and they have decided to seek repatriation on the grounds that Derna have clearly breached their employment contracts.”