Global daily news 08.06.2014

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***Unions accuse Qatar Airways of sex discrimination

Two global union organizations on Thursday submitted a case against Qatar to the International Labor Organization (ILO) accusing the Gulf country of allowing its state-owned airline, Qatar Airways, to violate conventions against workplace discrimination.

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) accused the Qatari government of allowing Qatar Airways to violate ILO Convention 111, which Qatar signed in 1976.
Both organizations accuse Qatar Airways of workplace sex discrimination and restricting women’s rights, and allege that the Qatari government is in breach of its international obligations by turning a blind eye to these offences.
The case provides evidence that female cabin crew members face gender-based discrimination such as a contractual marriage bar for the first five years of service.
ITF acting General-Secretary Steve Cotton said: “Qatar Airways already has an unenviable reputation for severe employment practices, even among industry professionals, with allegations including harassment and restrictions on visitors and relationships. Its gender discrimination against female cabin crew is equally unacceptable,” according to an ITF press release.
Sharan Burrow, ITUC general-secretary, said: “The corrupt kafala system used in Qatar, including by Qatar Airways, virtually enslaves women and controls their every movement. They live under strict curfews and the smallest details of their lives are controlled by their employers.
In March, after months of scathing reports from labor rights officials, Qatar Airways said controversy over its female cabin crew policy was “not true.”
The airline was blasted last September for forcing its female workers to seek permission from the company when they decide to get married.
In a report released then by the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), the airline was found to also mandate that women tell a supervisor if they become pregnant.
In February, Qatar Airways came under fire from Norway’s anti-discrimination ombudsman after it posted an advert telling women to wear short skirts to a cabin-crew recruitment day in the capital, Oslo.
In the same advert, men were asked to come wearing “business suits,” according to Norwegian news website The Local.
The advert was later changed to state that both men and women to attend wearing “business wear.”
Qatar Airways did not yet respond to a request for comment by Al Arabiya News.
Last Update: Thursday, 5 June 2014 KSA 18:52 – GMT 15:52






FROM AIR TRANSPORT NEWS:


***Unions put Qatar in the dock at UN body
Source: ITF
05/06/2014
Global union organisations the ITF (International Transport Workers’ Federation) and the ITUC (International Trade Union Confederation) today submitted a case against the state of Qatar to the ILO (International Labour Organization) in Geneva. The case – delivered this morning to the United Nations organisation – accuses Qatar of allowing its state-owned airline, Qatar Airways, to violate ILO Convention 111 on Discrimination (Employment and Occupation), which Qatar signed as long ago as 1976.

The ITF and ITUC accuse Qatar Airways (QR) of workplace sex discrimination and restricting women’s rights, and allege that the Qatari government is in breach of its international obligations by turning a blind eye to these offences. The two organisations have provided evidence that female cabin crew members face gender-based discrimination such as a contractual marriage bar for the first five years of service and a provision allowing the company to terminate employment upon a crew member (compulsorily) reporting a pregnancy. They argue that the government of Qatar also fails to enforce the legal protections that currently do exist in its constitution, Law 14 of 2004 (the Labour Law) and Law 11 of 2004 (the Penal Code).

The ITF has repeatedly exposed discriminatory and wholly unacceptable practices – including curfews, surveillance and arbitrary dismissal – at the airline, where workers repeatedly refer to a climate of fear (see http://bit.ly/1jXWWAv). Meanwhile the ITUC has led the way in its challenges to the state of Qatar over its treatment of migrant workers in Qatar, including ahead of the World Cup (see http://bit.ly/1mMW66Z)

ITF acting general secretary Steve Cotton said: “Qatar Airways already has an unenviable reputation for severe employment practices, even among industry professionals, with allegations including harassment and restrictions on visitors and relationships. Its gender discrimination against female cabin crew is equally unacceptable.”

He continued: “We urge the ILO to act on our representation and make the recommendations necessary to bring the Qatar government into compliance with its international commitments as soon as possible and end the disgraceful discriminatory measures against women workers employed by its national carrier.”

Sharan Burrow, ITUC general secretary, said: “The corrupt kafala system used in Qatar, including by Qatar Airways, virtually enslaves women and controls their every movement. They live under strict curfews and the smallest details of their lives are controlled by their employers. They have no right to join a union to have a collective voice and there appear to be no effective grievance procedures concerning sexual harassment. They are being denied their rights and dignity.”

ITF president Paddy Crumlin said: “Qatar is on trial – over its national airline, over kafala, over the World Cup. The truth will out, and we’re going to continue making sure it does. Change has to happen, and until it does the rulers of Qatar and Qatar Airways can be sure that we won’t go away.”


FROM THE IAM:


***Unions Stand Up for Qatar Airways Flight Attendants at ILO

Thu. June 05, 2014

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) today filed a complaint with International Labour Organization (ILO) against the state of Qatar. The complaint accuses Qatar of allowing its state-owned airline, Qatar Airways, to violate ILO Convention 111 on Discrimination (Employment and Occupation), which Qatar signed in 1976.

The ITF and ITUC complaint accuses Qatar Airways of workplace sex discrimination and restricting women’s rights, and alleges that the Qatari government is in breach of international obligations by turning a blind eye to these offenses.

“It’s high time that Qatari officials address the discriminatory treatment of female flight attendants at Qatar Airways,” said IAM General Vice President and ITF Executive Committee member Sito Pantoja. “The IAM, ITF and ITUC will continue this fight until justice is served.”

Both the ITF and ITUC have provided evidence that female flight attendants face gender-based discrimination, such as a contractual marriage bar for the first five years of service, compulsory pregnancy reporting and a provision allowing the airline to terminate flight attendants for reporting such pregnancies. The complaint also alleges that the government of Qatar has continually failed to enforce current legal protections.

The ITF has repeatedly exposed discriminatory practices –including curfews, surveillance and arbitrary dismissals-and flight attendants have repeatedly referred to a climate of fear at the carrier (see http://bit.ly/1jXWWAv).

“The truth will come out, and we’re going to continue making sure it does. Change has to happen, and until it does the rulers of Qatar and Qatar Airways can be sure that we won’t go away,” said ITF President Paddy Crumlin.

“Qatar Airways already has an unenviable reputation for severe employment practices, even among industry professionals, with allegations including harassment and restrictions on visitors and relationships,” said  ITF acting General Secretary Steve Cotton. “We urge the ILO to act on our representation and make the recommendations necessary to bring the Qatar government into compliance with its international commitments as soon as possible and end the disgraceful discriminatory measures against women workers employed by its national carrier.”Â



FROM LLOYD’S LIST:


IMO gives go-ahead to mandatory container weight checks
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Mandatory container weight checks are to be introduced following a landmark IMO agreement.
Final adoption of amended Solas convention expected in November
MANDATORY container weight checks are to be introduced following a landmark agreement at the International Maritime Organization today.
The IMO’s maritime safety committee approved changes to the Safety of Life at Sea Convention that will require verification of container weights as a condition for loading packed export containers aboard ships.
Moves to make container weighing obligatory have the broad support of most shipowners, shippers, port authorities and other stakeholders, and follow several high-profile accidents caused at least partly by cargo misdeclarations.
The extent of inaccurate cargo descriptions first came to light following the MSC Napoli grounding in 2007 when accident investigators were able to compare contents and cargo weights with manifest information.
Efforts to improve safety standards without legal intervention failed to make much progress.
Eventually, though, the IMO stepped in, but not without resistance from some members as well as certain Asian shippers.
The approved changes to the convention will enter into force in July 2016 following final adoption by the maritime safety committee in November 2014.
To assist supply-chain participants’ and Solas contracting governments’ implementation of the container weight verification requirement, the maritime safety committee also issued an MSC Circular with implementation guidelines.
In a statement welcoming the decision, the WSC said misdeclared container weights “have been a long-standing problem for the transportation industry and for governments as they present safety hazards for ships, their crews, and other cargo on board, workers in the port facilities handling containers, and on roads”.
The committee also approved a new Code of Practice for the Packing of Cargo Transport Units, including intermodal shipping containers.
The new CTU Code, which will replace the IMO/ILO/UNECE Guidelines for packing of CTU, has already been approved by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, and will now go to the International Labour Organisation for approval.
The CTU Code provides information and guidance to shippers, packers and other parties in the international supply chains for the safe packing, handling and transport of CTUs.
“In taking these decisions, the IMO has demonstrated its continuing leadership in trying to ensure the safe transportation of cargo by the international shipping industry,” said WSC president and chief Christopher Koch.
“We congratulate the IMO secretary-general and the IMO member governments for developing and approving these measures that, when properly implemented and enforced, should provide for long-needed improvement to maritime safety.
“The Solas amendments and related implementation guidelines regarding container weight verification represent a collaborative effort that we were pleased to be a part of and we look forward to final adoption of the amendments in November 2014.”