***ITF defends Honduran union leader after armed attack
ITF defends Honduran union leader after armed attack
20 September 2013 received via email
The ITF (International Transport Workers’ Federation) has acted to defend a Honduran dockers’ trade union leader after armed assailants tried to batter their way into his home and kill him.
The attack was made at the house in Puerto Cortés of Victor Crespo, general secretary of the Sindicato Gremial de Trabajadores del Muelle (SGTM) at 06:50 on 14 September. The attackers only left the scene when they became aware of the number of witnesses they’d awakened in neighbouring premises and on leaving shouted through the door that if Crespo didn’t disappear they’d be back in eight hours to finish the job. The incident follows several anonymous death threats telling Crespo to stop seeking a collective contract at the town’s port. The latest attackers yelled that he should “stop making noise organising stevedores”.
The SGTM, in full accordance with national labour legislation, has requested a collective bargaining agreement with the stevedoring companies of the port.
ICTSI (International Container Terminal Services, Inc) won a concession to operate the port in February.
Following the attack the ITF has moved to ensure Crespo’s safety. He is now being kept in a safe place and the Honduran police, president, the ILO (International Labour Organization) and ICTSI have all been contacted and alerted. The ITF has told the Honduran president that Crespo has made two formal complaints to the police but has been offered no protection and urges the government to intervene toprovide this. The ITF has also stated that its affiliates globally want to see adequate guarantees given so that port workers are assured of the right to legally request and negotiate a collective bargaining agreement to regulate their labour conditions free from intimidation.
Writing to the head of ICTSI, the ITF said: Death threats to a trade unionist on account of their promotion and defence of workers’ rights will not be tolerated by either our organisation or the millions of workers we represent. We have been in touch with the Honduran government over this matter and, as with any case of this gravity, we would be forced to take all possible global action should there be any suggestion of employer involvement in an intimidation campaign of this kind.
We are hopeful of an immediate end to all violence and threats against Mr Crespo and his associates and for guarantees to be givenover the rights of workers in Puerto Cortes to request and negotiate a collective bargaining agreement to regulate their labour conditions, and for that CBA to be respected.
ITF Americas regional secretary Antonio Fritz commented: “This was a shameful and cowardly attack that we believe is linked to the union’s legitimate and lawful request for a collective bargaining contract which, despite being repeatedly refused by the employers, it is certain to secure. We have no doubt that Victor is in danger of his life, and that the members of his union are also at risk. We are doing everything possible to defend him and them, but it is also time for the Honduran government and authorities to fulfil their obligations too.”
The ITF is also being supported by Labourstart, which is launching an online campaign to assist Victor Crespo and his union. For more details see www.labourstartcampaigns.net/show_campaign.cgi?c=1948
***La ITF defiende a dirigente sindical hondureño tras ataque armado
sábado, 21 de septiembre de 2013
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INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORT WORKERS´ FEDERATION (ITF) – REINO UNIDO / Web
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FEDERACIÓN INTERNACIONAL DE LOS TRABAJADORES DEL TRANSPORTE (ITF)
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Rebanadas de Realidad – ITF, Londres, 20/09/13.- La ITF (Federación Internacional de los Trabajadores del Transporte) ha intervenido para defender a un dirigente sindical hondureño de portuarios después de que asaltantes armados intentaron irrumpir en su casa y matarlo. El ataque se realizó en Puerto Cortés, en la casa de Víctor Crespo, Secretario General del Sindicato Gremial de Trabajadores del Muelle (SGTM) a las 6:50am, del 14 de septiembre. |
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***ESC rejects box compromise
BOX WEIGHING plans approved by an IMO panel would do nothing to make box handling safer, the European Shippers’ Council warned today.
The International Maritime Organization’s dangerous goods, solid cargoes and containers subcommittee approved a compromise dual system last week.
This would give shippers a choice between the mandatory weighing of all boxes before they are loaded or an alternative of calculating overall weight through addition of the weights of the constituent parts of a loaded container.
The alternative system was proposed to account for countries that have said they lack the capacity to weigh every container.
But the ESC – which favoured in the first place better information exchange between supply chain operators, rather than mandatory weighing – claimed that the hybrid proposal approved last week would still not improve safety standards in box shipping.
“These measures to enter into force in July 2016 – if approved in 2014 – will only add to extra costs and administrative burden to shippers around the world, with consequences to the global supply chain,” it cautioned.
The only effective way to improve safety was to ensure that shipping companies took account of shippers’ updated information on container weights rather than the original declared ones, said the ESC, whose chairman is Denis Choumert.
Last week, the Global Shippers’ Forum called the hybrid system a “sensible compromise”, but the International Transport Workers’ Federation insisted that mandatory weighing of all boxes before loading was the only way to ensure that workers in the transport chain were not put at risk.
***ITF slams box weighing ‘compromise’
THE ITF today accused the IMO of missing a chance to reduce safety risks by failing to vote for mandatory weighing of all boxes before loading.
The International Transport Workers’ Federation said the International Maritime Organization’s dangerous goods subcommittee chose yesterday a hedge allowing governments to choose between mandatory weighing and an alternative involving “adding together the different constituent parts of a container load at unspecified times and places along the transport route”.
Rather, mandatory weighing of all boxes was the “gold standard” for which it had campaigned, declared the ITF.
“Instead, we have a compromise that in some countries will put in place a process that is likely to be bedevilled by the obvious questions: who will certify, when and how,” said president Paddy Crumlin, who added that the ITF would keep campaigning mandatory weighing and press governments how they would attempt to make the alternative work.
The Global Shippers’ Forum welcomed the panel’s third way, however, calling it a “sensible compromise” taking account of shippers’ reservations about the effectiveness and feasibility of mandatory weighing.
***Employers’ council numbers boom as owners seek help with crew rights
- Friday 20 September 2013, 12:29
Employers recognise the need to protect the interests of their operations and to offer employees a fair deal, says Giles Heimann.
IMEC will meet seafarer unions in October for fresh round of bargaining
THE International Maritime Employers’ Council has grown by 65% in the last five years — a sign, it says, that shipowners, managers and crewing agents are increasingly looking for support when negotiating seafarers’ wages and rights.
IMEC claims to be the only international employers’ organisation dedicated to maritime industrial relations.
In 2003 it co-founded the International Bargaining Forum as a mechanism to allow members to negotiate with seafarer unions over wages and conditions.
Speaking ahead of the latest round of IBF negotiations, which starts next month, IMEC chief executive Giles Heimann said growth in IMEC membership was not a coincidence.
“In the midst of an industry downturn, shipowners, managers and manning agents are increasingly looking to us for support,” he said.
“The benefits of fully negotiated agreements between employers and the trade unions are well understood by participants.”
Mr Heimann said the findings suggested that an increasing number of organisations recognised the benefits to be gained from participating in the International Bargaining Forum.
“These are straitened times and employers recognise the need to protect the interests of their operations and to offer the people they employ a fair deal,” he said.
The International Bargaining Forum process involves central and local negotiations between employer representatives and the International Transport Workers Federation and its affiliates to establish Maritime Labour Convention 2006-compliant collective bargaining agreements on open-registry vessels.
Following the October meeting, three sets of negotiations are scheduled for the first half of 2014 with the resulting agreement due to enter into force on January 1, 2015.
Mr Heimann acknowledged that the negotiations may prove challenging.
“Many operators struggle to cope with the continuing reality of the international financial downturn,” he said.
“However, the process continues to successfully demonstrate its ability to provide a pragmatic and realistic outcome through reasoned negotiation and practical understanding in what is acknowledged to be the only example of international collective bargaining.”
***GSF and WSC welcome IMO box weight compromise
- Friday 20 September 2013, 16:10
- Back to Lloyd’s List Containers
In the second method of verification, the shipper can weigh all packages and cargo items including pallets, dunnage and the box’s tare.
But transport union and shippers group slam the proposed regulations
THE war of words over new container-weighing regulations continued today after the International Maritime Organization decided to support compromise proposals for verifying container weights.
Although the Global Shippers Forum and World Shipping Council welcomed the successful compromise proposal, it drew criticism from the European Shippers’ Council and International Transport Workers’ Federation.
“It’s a good day for maritime safety,” said Global Shippers Forum secretary-general Chris Welsh, who said the IMO had made the “right decision” about tackling misdeclared container cargo weights, considered this week at the sub-committee on dangerous goods, solid cargoes and containers.
The GSF believes the compromise proposal — which includes two methods for verification — is the “best possible outcome” for shippers and the maritime industry, as it provides a “flexible and workable solution, which can be adopted by industry without significant cost or delays in the supply chain”.
The IMO sub-committee accepted the compromise proposals by the GSF and several governments to provide for a second method of verification, which will allow shippers to use a calculated option, the shipper weighing all packages and cargo items including pallets, dunnage and the tare of the container.
Mr Welsh said: “The GSF believes that the outcome is a sensible compromise and we are pleased that the IMO listened carefully to shippers’ arguments regarding appropriate methods for verification.
“GSF has worked constructively with the IMO and maritime stakeholders throughout this process to find a workable solution for all, and will now continue to work with carriers and other stakeholders in the maritime supply chain to implement the weight verification requirements.
“GSF maintains that the majority of shippers act responsibly and comply with their responsibilities to make accurate cargo declarations.”
The WSC, which claims its members operate 90% of global liner capacity, congratulated the sub-committee for approving the proposed changes to the Safety of Life at Sea convention
WSC president and chief executive Chris Koch said: “We have worked with the IMO to address the problem of incorrect container weights for over six years and now, with the input of many governments and industry organisations, including responsible shipper associations, we are pleased that the Solas amendments and related implementation guidelines have been approved by the DSC.
However, he International Transport Workers’ Federation supports container weighing, but believes providing shippers with the option of calculating container weights by adding together the constituent parts of a container load undermines the proposals.
ITF president and dockers’ section chair Paddy Crumlin said: “This was the ideal opportunity to finally bring in a system which would lessen the risk that unweighed and misdeclared containers pose to dockers, seafarers, truck drivers, the general public and the environment.
“Instead, we have a compromise that, in some countries, will put in place a process that is likely to be bedevilled by the obvious questions: who will certify, when, and how?
“We will not step back from the task of getting decent universal weighing accepted as the norm. And we will seek transparency and clarity from the governments that fail to take up the safer method on how they plan to make certification work.
“It must be made a legal requirement that containers are weighed, and weighed accurately, and there must be repercussions for those who misdeclare. That’s what we’re campaigning for because anything less just isn’t good enough.”
The ESC said the measures did not add anything to safety of containers at sea in the immediate or long-term future.
“The only measure that would have helped immediately to improve safety is to ensure shipowners to take into due consideration during the process the shippers’ verified information on weighing to replace the booking one,” it said.
“These measures will only add to extra costs and administrative burden to shippers around the world with consequences to global supply chains.”
The ESC had proposed setting shippers a deadline to provide information about the container weight to ensure the vessel stowage plan is based on the most up-to-date information available and not on the information available during booking.
The proposals will now go before the IMO’s maritime safety committee in May 2014, with final adoption expected in November 2014.
Should they make it through this stage, final measures are expected to take affect in July 2016.
***ESC says shippers excluded from IMO container-weighing talks
- Wednesday 18 September 2013, 11:40
- Back to Lloyd’s List Containers
Proposals for the mandatory weighing of containers were discussed at the IMO in London earlier this week.
No voices raised against the proposal to verify the weight of each container in a certified way
THE European Shippers’ Council has hit out at the lack of shipper representation at the International Maritime Organization discussions on container weighing.
Proposals for the mandatory weighing of containers were discussed at the IMO in London during a plenary session on Monday and by a working group on Tuesday. A decision on whether to adopt the proposals will be made on Friday.
However, the ESC, which opposes the proposals, claimed there was a lack of shipper representation at the discussions.
The ESC said: “The debate seems to be finalised before it began. With the [lack] of shippers’ authorised representatives in the IMO, no voices were raised against the proposed measure to verify the weight of each container in a certified way, even though very big industrial interests had publicly opposed the proposed measures.
“The ESC feels the legitimacy of IMO regulations suffers if not all interests are equally represented and heard.”
The ESC wants shippers to be set a deadline to provide information about the container weight to ensure the vessel stowage plan is based on the most up-to-date information available and not on the information available during booking.
“Although this practical and simple solution would have had an immediate result in reducing mis-declaration, it was disregarded,” the ESC said.
“Besides, the request to address other aspects of the safety of containers at sea like stowing, which is also essential to ensure safety, have not been addressed.
“Therefore the ESC feels the proposal is partial in its approach and has no immediate effect on safety in the maritime supply chain.
“The ESC calls on member states to make up their minds on the matter and discuss this concern with their own business groups, while they still can.
“The measure will be ineffective and costly and it is up to the governments in IMO to take proportional and technically feasible measures.”
Organisations that share the ESC’s opposition to the proposals include the Asian Shippers’ Council, the European and international freight forwarders associations Fiata and Clecat, and Feport, which represents European terminal operators and stevedores.
Meanwhile, the Global Shippers’ Forum, which represents cargo interests from Europe, Asia, North and South America, Australasia and Africa, supports compromise proposals.
This follows a setback last year when several key flag states, including Panama and Cyprus, raised objections to mandatory weighing and verification of a container, although they said they were not opposed to this in principle.
The GSF believes the IMO Correspondence Group proposals are “sensible and proportionate and will lead to improved operational performance and enhanced safety within the maritime supply chain”.
The International Transport Workers’ Federation has also backed calls for a compulsory international system of container weighing.
Yesterday, it was revealed that the Asian Shippers Council had withdrawn from the GSF following a disagreement last year over a membership restructuring and fees.
***Trabajadores de avianca critican protesta de pilotos
El conflicto entre Avianca y sus pilotos, que ayer completó una semana en medio de una operación de ‘Cero trabajo suplementario’, ha generado la reacción de varios actores e incluso de organizaciones internacionales.
A través de cartas los demás trabajadores de la aerolínea, las esposas de los aviadores y la Federación Internacional de Trabajadores del Transporte (ITF, por sus siglas en inglés), han pedido una pronta solución a la disputa entre las dos partes.
En una comunicación formal, los trabajadores de Avianca manifestaron su descontento con la manifestación de los pilotos, y les pidieron recordar que sus condiciones laborales son mucho mejores que las de ellos y que por cuenta de la operación que se adelanta han tenido que incrementar sus actividades en el trabajo y duplicar esfuerzos.
Las primeras en manifestarse fueron las parejas de los pilotos, que a través de una comunicación abierta publicaron su total apoyo a la ‘Operación reglamento’, pues aseguraron que ellas también son afectadas por el “devenir del ambiente laboral de los pilotos”. Además aseguraron que dentro del gremio se presenta una alta tasa de divorcios por cuenta de la carga laboral y los horarios.
Otro que apoyó a los aviadores fue la ITF, que en una misiva dirigida al ministro de Trabajo, Rafael Pardo, le pide que ayude a los trabajadores, pues sus peticiones se sustentan en los sacrificios que tuvieron que hacer para sacar adelanta a la compañía en los momentos de crisis.
EL LUNES SE VOLVERÁN A SENTAR
Al final de la reunión del jueves, en la que se completó el tercer día de negociaciones y que duró cerca de siete horas, las partes manifestaron que regresarán a la mesa el próximo lunes, pues el día de ayer fue dedicado para reunir comités técnicos que evaluaran las propuestas de lado y lado.
Las posiciones desde el comienzo han estado distanciadas. Mientras que los pilotos piden un incremento salarial de la inflación más 25% para ellos y de 27,93% para los copilotos, Avianca propuso un reajuste de la inflación y 0,5%.
***ITF: ‘The struggle for container weights safety continues’
ITF — By admin on September 20, 2013 at 9:01 PM
The ITF HQ’s in London
20 September 2013 – The ITF (International Transport Workers’ Federation) today pledged to continue the struggle for container weight safety after what it described as a missed opportunity to reduce the risk of harm to transport workers and members of the public.
The organisation was speaking out following a decision by the IMO (International Maritime Organization) sub–committee on dangerous goods, solid cargoes and containers to accept an alternative mode of verification to the mandatory weighing of packed shipping containers.
The proposed amendment to the Safety of Life at Sea Convention (SOLAS) by the ITF received its final consideration by the sub-committee this week. Instead, the sub-committee opted for a compromise position, which allows governments to either choose the gold standard of mandatory weighing or the lesser measure of certifying containers based on an unformulated process of verifying the weight by adding together the different constituent parts of a container load at unspecified times and places along the transport route.
ITF president and dockers’ section chair Paddy Crumlin explained the flaws in the compromise: “This was the ideal opportunity to finally bring in a system which would lessen the risk that unweighed and misdeclared containers pose to dockers, seafarers, truck drivers, the general public and the environment. Instead we have a compromise that in some countries will put in place a process that is likely to be bedevilled by the obvious questions: who will certify, when, and how?”
He went on: “We will not step back from the task of getting decent universal weighing accepted as the norm. And we will seek transparency and clarity from the governments that fail to take up the safer method on how they plan to make certification work. The ITF and its affiliates feel passionately about this issue, as do the national governments and industry bodies that supported the amendment. We’re not prepared to walk away from this so we are redoubling our campaigning efforts and planning further lobbying, awareness raising and affiliate action in locations worldwide.”
He concluded “It must be made a legal requirement that containers are weighed and weighed accurately, and there must be repercussions for those who misdeclare. That’s what we’re campaiging for because anything less just isn’t good enough.”
American Shipper
The International Maritime Organization’s Subcommittee on Dangerous Goods, Solid Cargoes and Containers will meet in London this week to consider competing proposals to require verification of container weight prior to loading.
The International Transport Federation, whose members include unions representing longshoremen, merchant mariners and other transport workers, issued a press release Monday morning stating it has proposed “that there should be an international law requiring mandatory weighing of loaded containers, a process in place to address misdeclaration of container weights, and that ships’ masters should be able to refuse to load un- or misdeclared containers.”
“This is a key issue for transport workers worldwide,” said Paddy Crumlin, ITF president and chair of the ITF dockers’ section. “We estimate containers which are declared as one weight but in reality are substantially lighter or heavier, may be in the region of 20 percent of cargo. That presents a major health and safety risk to dockers loading and unloading in ports, to seafarers onboard cargo vessels, and to drivers transporting containers on the roads.
“But this isn’t just a worker issue. When a lorry jackknifes because it can’t handle the burden of the container, if a cargo ship splits in two because it’s been overloaded, when port equipment and infrastructure is prematurely worn down because of overweight containers then you have a major issue for the public, for the environment and for shipping companies,” Crumlin added.
An ITF submission to IMO in July said the loss this summer of the MOL Comfort, a five-year old containership, which broke in half in the Indian Ocean and eventually sank, “once again raises the question of the carriage of containers that have not been weighed and practice of operating on only a declared weight. Whilst unfortunately we can never be sure of all the factors behind this loss, overloading and poor load distribution not consistent with the carriage plan would certainly be a strong possibility based on previous incidents.”
A draft amendment to the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention was prepared for this week’s meeting by a “correspondence group” that included more than a dozen trade organizations including the ITF, the World Shipping Council and 15 countries.
The draft amendment proposes the weight of containers be verified by the shipper either by weighing the packed container or calculating it by “weighing all packages and cargo items, including the mass of pallets, dunnage and other securing material to be packed in the container and adding the tare mass of the container to the sum of the single masses, using a certified method approved by the competent authority of the state in which packing of the container was completed.”
The shipper would have to ensure the verified gross mass is stated in the shipping document and be “submitted to the master or his representative and to the terminal representative sufficiently in advance, as required by the master or his representative, to be used in the preparation of the ship stowage plan.”
The draft amendment said “If the shipping document, with regard to a packed container, does not provide the verified gross mass and the master or his representative and the terminal representative have not obtained the verified gross mass of the packed container, it shall not be loaded on to the ship.”
Offering two methods to comply with the weight regulations—weighing the box, or calculating its weight by adding up the individual elements within it along with the tare weight—is a compromise that “was developed with numerous governments’ and NGOs’ input, through many rounds of give-and-take,” noted Chris Koch, chief executive officer of the World Shipping Council.
But ITF criticized the draft amendment, saying it “does not believe the solution… does much more than retain the ‘status quo’ and ultimately relies on the integrity of the shippers or their agents. With no enforcement internationally ashore and no ability to ensure states have in place oversight and certified approval methods, the process in SOLAS regulation…would be totally unenforceable and be in effect non-mandatory guidance.”
ITF said “any packed container that has not been weighed by calibrated and certified equipment, accompanied by a certificate of proof, should not be loaded on the ship.”
The Global Shippers Forum (GSF), which includes the National Industrial Transportation League in the United States among its members, said earlier this month the draft amendment “is the best possible outcome for shippers and the maritime industry, as it provides a flexible and workable solution which can be adopted by industry without significant cost or delays in the supply chain.”
But two other prominent shippers groups that do not belong to GSF, namely the Asian Shippers’ Council (ASC) and European Shippers’ Council (ESC), called for a rejection of the IMO proposal, saying it would “hamper flows of goods in the global supply chain without addressing the root causes.”
ITF said “as the choke point in the intermodal transit of containers, clearly the entrance to the port is the most appropriate place to check for a certificate of weighing prior to the port or weigh containers. This realistically need only be done once for containers in transit; however in the eventuality a container arrives at the port facility without a certificate of verified weight, the port should be able to fulfill the requirement.
“Considering container terminals are generally high-tech installations with extremely costly machinery, it is not an unrealistic expectation for either weigh bridges or weighing mechanisms attached to lifting appliances to be a prerequisite and can be built into handling costs. These costs have been demonstrated by manufacturers to be minimal relative to the overall costs of machinery and operation,” ITF added.
John Lu, chairman of the Asian Shippers’ Council, said in an interview that he also believes ports “would be the best control point because the shippers are a very vast group and come from all different places” that are in “various kinds of development stages with different governmental capability. So instead of controlling from so vast and various source of so-called shippers, it is easier to control at the bottleneck.”
Lu compared the idea of making every shipper responsible for certifying the weight of containers to proposals for 100 percent scanning of containers: “In theory it is simple and straightforward, but when it comes to implementation it is going to be a very heavy burden for a very big community and the effectiveness is going to be there.”
“This does not mean the shipper has no responsibility,” he said. “It is correct to educate and ask shipper to declare the right weight.”
Lu complained that proposal from the correspondence is “liner centric. The liner habit is always when a problem comes you push it to the logistics provider or the port, or the most easy one is the shipper. There are millions of shippers, they are all over the place, they are not one body.”
The disagreement over the draft amendment between the Global Shippers’ Forum on one hand, and the Asian Shippers’ Council and European Shippers’ Council on the other, is the most recent sign of disagreement among various shipper groups.
The National Industrial Transportation League, European Shippers’ Council and Japan Shippers’ Council had participated in a loose alliance called the Tripartite Shippers Group, that in 2006 was renamed the Global Shippers Forum and expanded to include the ASC and the Canadian International Transportation Association (CITA). The Union African Shippers’ Councils (UASC) later joined the group as did Argentina’s Consejo de Cargadores.
But after the GSF decided to become a legal entity to strengthen the body as an international non-governmental organization, ESC left the group in 2011, though the United Kingdom’s Freight Transportation Association (FTA) remained a member, serving as its secretariat.
Lu was one of four board members of GSF along with Bruce Carlton, the president of the NIT League; Bob Ballantyne, president of CITA; and James Hookham, managing director of policy and communications of the FTA. Chris Welsh from the FTA acts as secretary general of GSF.
Lu resigned from the GSF board in August 2012 and Lu said at their annual general meeting in November AGM members agreed unanimously to leave GSF.
He said while ASC was a “stout believer on the importance of unity amongst shippers,” but that a series of events made the group decide to leave.
These include a decision to allow shipper councils from individual countries to join the GSF, which he said would undercut the importance of the regional councils such as a ASC as well as changes that he said would result in regional councils such as ASC making larger financial contribution to organization and havingonly one vote, equal to any national shipper’s council. – Chris Dupin [http://americanshipper.com/mail]
| ***La ITF defiende a dirigente sindical hondureño tras ataque armado | |||||
Rebanadas de Realidad – ITF, Londres, 20/09/13.- La ITF (Federación Internacional de los Trabajadores del Transporte) ha intervenido para defender a un dirigente sindical hondureño de portuarios después de que asaltantes armados intentaron irrumpir en su casa y matarlo.
El ataque se realizó en Puerto Cortés, en la casa de Víctor Crespo, Secretario General del Sindicato Gremial de Trabajadores del Muelle (SGTM) a las 6:50am, del 14 de septiembre. Los atacantes sólo dejaron el lugar cuando se dieron cuenta del número de testigos que se habían despertado en las casas vecinas y al huir gritaron através de la puerta que si Crespo no desaparecía, estarían de regreso en ocho horas para terminar el trabajo. El incidente acontece después de haber recibido varias amenazas de muerte de forma anónima, ordenándole a Crespo dejar de luchar por un Contrato Colectivo en el puerto de esa ciudad. Los atacantes también gritaron: “¡Deja de estar haciendo ruido organizando a los estibadores!”. El SGTM ha solicitado un Contrato Colectivo de Trabajo a la empresas portuarias en el puerto, con estricto apego a la legislación laboral nacional. La ICTSI (International Container Terminal Services, Inc) ganó la consesión para operar el Puerto en Febrero. Tras el ataque, la ITF ha tomado medidas para garantir la seguridad de Crespo. Actualmente se encuentra un lugar seguro y se ha contactado a la policía hondureña, al Presidente de la nación, a la OIT (Organización Internacional del Trabajo) y a ICTSI para alertarlos sobre está situación. La ITF le ha comunicado al Presidente hondureño que Crespo ha realizado dos denuncias a la policía, sin que se le haya ofrecido protección alguna, por lo que la ITF solicitó al gobierno para intervenir y proporcionarle seguridad. La ITF también ha declarado que sus afiliados a nivel mundial quieren ver que existan las adecuadas garantías para que los trabajadores portuarios tengan asegurado su derecho de solicitar y negociar legalmente un Contrato Colectivo de Trabajo para regular sus condiciones de trabajo sin intimidaciones. En una carta dirigida a la directiva de la ICTSI , la ITF expresó: “Amenazas de muerte a un sindicalista por la organización y defensa de los derechos de los trabajadores no serán toleradas por ninguna de nuestras organizaciones ni por ninguno/a de los/as millones de trabajadores/as que representamos. Hemos estado en contacto con el gobierno de Honduras sobre este asunto y, como en cualquierasunto de esta gravedad, estaremos obligados a tomar todas las posibles acciones a nivel internacional en caso de existir cualquier participación de los empleadores en una campaña de este tipo de intimidación. Tenemos la esperanza de que de inmediato se pondrá fin a estas acciones violentas y a las amenazas contra el Sr. Crespo y a sus compañeros/as, otorgando las garantías a los derechos de los/as trabajadores/as en Puerto Cortés para solicitar y negociar un Contrato Colectivo de Trabajo que regule las condiciones laborales.” El SecretarioRegional de ITF Americas, Antonio Fritz comentó: “Este fue un ataque vergonzoso y cobarde que creemos que está vinculado a la solicitud legítima y apegada a la ley del sindicato para negociar un Contrato Colectivo de Trabajo, el cuál, a pesar de ser rechazado en varias ocasiones por los empleadores, tenemos la certeza que será alcanzado. No tenemos ninguna duda de que la vida de Víctor se encuentra en peligro, y que los miembros de su sindicato también están en riesgo. Estamos haciendo todo lo posible para defenderlos, pero también es hora de que el Gobierno y las autoridades de Honduras cumplan con sus obligaciones.” La ITF también está siendo apoyada por Labourstart, que han comenzado una campaña en líneapara ayudar a Víctor Crespo y a su sindicato. Para más información visite: |
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The ITF is a global union federation that represents around five million transport workers in nearly 700 trade unions in 150 countries worldwide. El presente material se publica en Rebanadas por gentileza de Sam Dawson, Oficial de prensa de la ITF. |
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***Esta semana continúan las negociaciones entre pilotos y directivos de Avianca
Directivos y pilotos volverán hoy a la mesa de negociaciones.Empleados critican a pilotos.
Temas:
La reducción en la oferta de vuelos diarios representa el 3,5% de la operación diaria total de Avianca Colombia.
Archivo de Colprensa.
Luego de once días de ‘operación reglamento’, que ha obligado a cancelar alrededor de 200 vuelos, las directivas y pilotos de Avianca regresan este lunes a la mesa de negociaciones por cuarta ocasión.
Durante el viernes pasado, se reunieron los comités técnicos de ambas partes para evaluar las propuestas salariales, las cuales volverán a ser abordadas este lunes.
Las posiciones desde el comienzo han estado distanciadas. Mientras que los pilotos piden un ajuste salarial del 25% para ellos y de 27,93% para los copilotos, Avianca propuso un alza basada en el Índice de Precios al Consumidor, IPC, más un 0,5%.
A pesar de ello, se confía en que esta semana será clave para buscar una solución definitiva al conflicto laboral en la aerolínea.
La protesta, que ha originado el retraso en los vuelos y la cancelación de otros, consiste en que los pilotos no harán en adelante trabajo suplementario para agilizar los itinerarios.
El capitán José María Jaimes, vocero de la Organización de Aviadores de Avianca, reiteró que “nuestras peticiones no son exageradas, sino ajustadas a la realidad económica del país, y porque estamos salarialmente por debajo de otras aerolíneas nacionales y de América Latina”.
El presidente de Avianca, Fabio Villegas, ha dicho que se espera construir pronto un acuerdo para poner fin a la ‘operación reglamento’.
Reacción de empleados
El conflicto ha generado la reacción de varios actores e incluso de organizaciones internacionales. A través de cartas los demás trabajadores de la aerolínea y la Federación Internacional de Trabajadores del Transporte (ITF, por sus siglas en inglés), han pedido una pronta solución a la disputa.
En una carta, los trabajadores de Avianca manifestaron su descontento con la manifestación de los pilotos, y les pidieron recordar que sus condiciones laborales son mucho mejores que las de ellos y que por cuenta de la ‘operación reglamento’ han tenido que incrementar sus actividades en el trabajo y duplicar esfuerzos.
Otro que apoyó a los aviadores fue la ITF, que en una misiva dirigida al ministro de Trabajo, Rafael Pardo, le pide que ayude a los trabajadores, pues sus peticiones se sustentan en los sacrificios que tuvieron que hacer para sacar adelante a la compañía durante su crisis.
***Solidarity with Victor Crespo
While we play silly buggers with union links and Westminster watching, it is worth remembering that many of our comrades elsewhere risk their lives to defend working people. This fromLabourStart’s Eric Lee via Howie’s Corner. I urge readers to take a moment to send a message of support.
Last Friday, armed men attempted to force their way into the home of Victor Crespo (pictured), the general secretary of a trade union in Honduras. They threatened Crespo’s life — and only fled the scene once neighbors were alerted.
The International Transport Workers Federation believes that the attack is related to Victor’s leadership of port workers who have been demanding the right to bargain collectively with their new employers in Puerto Cortes.
Fearing for Victor’s life, the ITF has taken steps to guarantee his safety, and he’s been moved to a safe location.
They have launched a global campaign to demand that the Honduran president intervene and get proper protection for him.
Please take a moment to send a message supporting this demand – click here.
In yesterday’s mass mailing, we asked you to support the latest two IUF campaigns on Colombia and Honduras. For about two hours yesterday, the IUF website was offline and many of you were unable to gain access. It’s back online and you have another chance to support these campaigns:
The latter campaign has gotten the attention of the Rainforest Alliance, which has responded to thousands of you with their side of the story.
And the IUF has responded to their statement quite forcefully here.
It includes this powerful passage: “The IUF believes that strong, independent unions are the best ‘monitors’ of working conditions. External audits can only provide a snapshot at best of working conditions; a union would be there every day representing workers, bargaining for improvements in pay and conditions and making sure labour legislation and international standards are applied.”
The struggle continues.
PNA (Philippines News Agency)
MANILA, Sept. 22 — The International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) announced that it will contest Panama’s interpretation of the Maritime Labor Convention (MLC) 2006 regarding cadets.
The United Kingdom-based ITF is the organization which oversees and protects the rights of 1.2 million seafarers, 400,000 of whom are Filipinos.
Earlier, the Panama flag sent a note informing shipowners that cadets are not covered by MLC 2006.
In its Merchant Marine Notice 265, the Panama Maritime Authority (PMA) listed cadets among 12 different job descriptions that should not be considered as ‘seafarers’ under MLC 2006.
The PMA defines a cadet as ‘an aspiring merchant marine officer, whose training program includes the improvement of academic and professional skills, as well as the formation of attitudes and behaviors under the observance and strict compliance of rules and regulations and existing orders’.
This definition and decision could mean hundreds of cadets serving under its flag could be denied the protection of internationally agreed minimum working conditions and standards for seafarers.
The ITF stated that this interpretation is deeply troubling, as it not only threatens the very spirit of MLC, but it may well make a career at sea less attractive.
The decision by the ITF to protest this Panamanian decision is set to become the first serious challenge of a state’s interpretation of MLC 2006.
It is already the case that chaos is overtaking MLC with seemingly very few flag agreeing on the definition of seafarers ‘ the decision by some to state that armed guards are not covered by the MLC 2006 has also been proving contentious.