***Russian pilots raise alarm over safety at Aeroflot
A union of Russian pilots at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo International Airport on Tuesday accused the country’s flagship carrier Aeroflot of endangering passengers’ lives by overworking staff in search for profit.
The Sheremetyevo Cockpit Personnel Association said that Russia’s main airline was employing “tired pilots who can fall asleep at any moment.”
“Because of Aeroflot’s greed, the safety of citizens is in grave doubt,” the association said in a statement.
The company did not address the union’s complaint directly when contacted by AFP. But its press service said by email that “our passengers’ and flight safety are top priorities of Aeroflot”.
Russia’s small regional airlines are notorious for their poor flight safety record.
The airlineratings.com flight tracker said Russia witnessed the world’s worst crash of 2013 when 50 died in a Tatarstan Airlines Boeing 737 that exploded on landing in November in the Volga River city of Kazan.
Yet state-controlled Aeroflot is believed to have the best record in the country.
The planecrashinfo.com site said Aeroflot has had only one deadly accident in more than a decade — a 2008 crash that killed 88 and was later blamed on a drunken pilot — and the carrier has recently taken huge steps to improve its often mocked image.
The company has in fact been flying high since adopting improved standards once it joined the SkyTeam alliance in 2006.
It has scooped up several awards for eastern European service in the process and SkyTeam now calls Aeroflot’s fleet “one of the most modern, youngest and fastest-growing … in Europe.”
The national flag carrier this year also burnished its image by becoming the official carrier of the Manchester United football club.
Yet its share of the Russian market has been eroded by cheaper local rivals and now stands at just 40 percent — a far cry from the days in the Soviet era when it proclaimed itself the world’s largest airline.
The airline’s statement noted that “Aeroflot was the first Russian carrier to enter the (International Air Transport Association’s) Operational Safety Audit Registry, and has confirmed the certificate for the fifth time in 2013.”
But the pilots accuse it of failing to compensate them fairly for night flights and thousands of hours of overtime.
The dispute stretches back several years and has resulted in a July Moscow City Court ruling for Aeroflot to pay out debts owed to pilots over 17 months.
The airline has contested the ruling, and the union has since seen three of its leaders jailed on disputed and still unproven embezzlement charges.
The pilots blame the arrest on Aeroflot management’s attempts to discredit their cause.
The dispute has even seen the pilots send a letter of complaint to Russian President Vladimir Putin that has thus far gone unanswered.
Their cause has also been picked up by the London-based International Transport Workers’ Federation and the International Trade Union Confederation — the world’s largest labour organisation.
“While aviation companies in Russia have posted record profits, flight crews have been reduced and aviation infrastructure continues to decay,” the International Transport Workers’ Federation said in a letter of support for the Russian pilots last month.
“That is why the safety standards and infrastructure are still in a very poor situation,” the letter said.
Aeroflot reported a 15 percent year-on-year jump in passenger numbers and an 84 percent increase in profit to $545 million (400 million euros) for the first nine months of 2013.
zak/as/gd
FROM REBANADAS DE REALIDAD (ARGENTINA):
| ***Fue asesinado el padre del líder portuario hondureño amenazado | |||||||
Rebanadas de Realidad – ITF, Londres, 28/01/14.- Con gran pesar, la Federación Internacional de Trabajadores del Transporte (ITF) comunica que el padre de Víctor Crespo (el dirigente sindical hondureño amenazado de muerte por su activismo sindical en Puerto Cortés), ha muerto tras un atentado hacia él y otros miembros de la familia por un asaltante armado que les impactó con un coche robado.
Después de un intento de asesinato en septiembre de 2013, Víctor Crespo fue protegido en otro país para que fuera posible continuar su trabajo como presidente del Sindicato Gremial de Trabajadores del Muelle (SGTM), afiliado a la ITF. Al parecer, las mismas fuerzas que lo querían muerto, dirigieron sus planes hacia su padre, Víctor Manuel Crespo Puerto, quien fue declarado con muerte cerebral tras el ataque. El equipo médico de soporte vital fue desconectado el día de hoy.
Las amenazas de muerte también han recomenzado en contra los demás líderes del SGTM. La ITF y SGTM creen que estos hechos están asociados a la solicitud legal del sindicato por tener Contrato Colectivo de Trabajo en el puerto y el reconocimiento de los beneficios que no se les han pagado, a pesar de que la ley ampara el derecho de ambos. La concesión de explotación del puerto ha sido recientemente adquirida por ICTSI, que ha contratado a una sola empresa de estibadores. Cuando el SGTM presentó argumentos legales para presionar en favor de los derechos de sus miembros para la consecución de un convenio colectivo con condiciones económicas y sociales justas, las amenazas de muerte se reanudaron de inmediato.
Durante el primer ataque, el 14 de septiembre, tres hombres armados intentaron entrar por la fuerza en la casa de Víctor Crespo. Al no poder entrar y después de haber despertado a los vecinos cercanos, salieron gritando que ellos estarían de vuelta en ocho horas “para terminar el trabajo”, y que Crespo debería “dejar de hacer ruido organizando estibadores”. El ataque fue después de meses de amenazas de muerte para que Crespo detuviera su lucha por un Contrato Colectivo en el puerto de la ciudad.
Antonio Rodríguez Fritz, Secretario Regional de ITF Americas, comentó: “Después del primer ataque actuamos rápidamente para proteger a Víctor, exigiendo también a las autoridades de Honduras para que fuera protegido por policías armados. Rápidamente, se hizo evidente que el gobierno decidió ignorar el gran peligro en el que estaba, así que tuvimos que sacarlo del país y para un lugar de seguridad”.
“A pesar de nuestros contactos con el Presidente de Honduras, con el Secretario del Trabajo y con la policía local; no han proporcionado ningún tipo de protección para Víctor o su familia, quizás no es sorprendente en un país donde a menudo se afirma que las autoridades están detrás de los ataques en contra de activistas y los derechos humanos y sindicales. Sabemos que el peligro para Víctor no ha disminuido y estamos tomando las medidas necesarias para protegerlo. Lo que ninguno de nosotros había esperado era que los atacantes serían tan cobardes y con tanta sangre fría como para asesinar en su casa a un hombre inocente y anciano”.
Paddy Crumlin, Presidente de la ITF y Presidente de la Sección Portuaria agregó: “El envío de un matón para acabar con la vida de un hombre anciano fue un acto vil. No hay duda de que este asesinato fue una mezcla de odio y política. Al no poderle hacer daño a Víctor, se aprovecharon con lo más cercano y más querido. La ITF está poniendo al gobierno de Honduras a prueba: o resuelve esta situación y se asegura de que habrá justicia, o se atendrá a las consecuencias”.
Tras el ataque de septiembre pasado, la ITF alertó al Presidente de Honduras, a la policía del país, a la OIT (Organización Internacional del Trabajo) y al operador entrante que concesionaria el puerto. Antonio Rodríguez Fritz se reunió con el ex-Secretario de Trabajo y Seguridad Social de Honduras, Jorge Bográn Perdomo, quien estuvo de acuerdo con la necesidad de utilizar la protección de la policía. Rodríguez Fritz también planteó la cuestión de la falta de respuesta de la Secretaria desde enero de 2013 sobre las solicitudes del SGTM de un Contrato Colectivo en el puerto, y la situación de los empleo de los trabajadores y trabajadoras una vez que ICTSI comenzara sus operaciones, que había ganado la concesión para operar el puerto a partir febrero de 2013. Hasta el momento no hay ninguna acción formal que haya sido tomada por el gobierno.
|
|||||||
|
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.
|
|||||||
FROM HANDY SHIPPING GUIDE (UK):
***Callous Murder as Container and Cargo Terminal Stevedore Row Continues
29 January 2014
29 January 2014
HONDURAS – Last September we described in detail how a gang of men tried to break into the home of trade union leader Victor Crespo in a concerted attempt to kill him. Mr Crespo was threatened with death after holding discussions with stevedores as part of his duties as General Secretary of the Sindicato Gremial de Trabajadores del Muelle (SGTM) to try and reach a collective bargaining agreement for work at the ICTSI managed Puerto Cortes container and cargo terminal. Yesterday Mr Crespo’s father died after he and other family members were attacked by an armed assailant who ran them down in a stolen car.
This horrendous incident is the last and latest in a catalogue of crimes on the personnel and families of the International Transport Workers Union (ITF) affiliated SGTM including multiple death threats against Mr Crespo’s colleagues. The ITF and SGTM believe these are connected to the union’s lawful request for a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) at the port and the recognition that benefits have not been paid, despite the law requiring them. The port operating concession was taken over by ICTSI in February 2013 and which appointed a single stevedoring company to work at the port. When the SGTM presented legal cases to press for its members’ rights the death threats apparently immediately resumed.
Following the murder attempt in September 2013 Victor Crespo was evacuated to a third country to allow him to continue his work as President of the Union. Mr Crespo senior was hospitalised after the attack but was declared brain dead and his life support machine was switched off yesterday afternoon (January 28).
ICTSI runs a vast network of global container terminals and is run by Filipino billionaire Enrique Razon. The company prides itself on ‘having the experience in handling the intricacies of port labour management throughout the world, and in growing our workforce into active contributors to the company’s growth’.
Photo: Initially established as La Natividad by Hernán Cortés, the Spanish conquistador, Puerto Cortes now claims to be the most important port in Central America.
FROM HONDURAS RESISTS, ALSO WASA.LIVE:
***Fue asesinado el padre del líder portuario hondureño amenazado
 |
| Víctor Manuel Crespo Puerto, padre de Víctor Crespo, antes del ataque. |
|
INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORT WORKERS´ FEDERATION (ITF) – REINO UNIDO / Web
|
28/01/14
|
| FEDERACIÓN INTERNACIONAL DE LOS TRABAJADORES DEL TRANSPORTE (ITF) | |||||||
Rebanadas de Realidad – ITF, Londres, 28/01/14.- Con gran pesar, la Federación Internacional de Trabajadores del Transporte (ITF) comunica que el padre de Víctor Crespo (el dirigente sindical hondureño amenazado de muerte por su activismo sindical en Puerto Cortés), ha muerto tras un atentado hacia él y otros miembros de la familia por un asaltante armado que les impactó con un coche robado.
Después de un intento de asesinato en septiembre de 2013, Víctor Crespo fue protegido en otro país para que fuera posible continuar su trabajo como presidente del Sindicato Gremial de Trabajadores del Muelle (SGTM), afiliado a la ITF. Al parecer, las mismas fuerzas que lo querían muerto, dirigieron sus planes hacia su padre, Víctor Manuel Crespo Puerto, quien fue declarado con muerte cerebral tras el ataque. El equipo médico de soporte vital fue desconectado el día de hoy. |
|||||||
FROM SHIPPING TRIBUNE (INDIA):
***Father of threatened dockers’ leader murdered
Posted on January 29, 2014 by admin
The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) is sad to announce that the father of Victor Crespo – the Honduran trade union leader threatened with death for his work in Puerto Cortés – has died following an attack on him and other family members by an armed assailant who ran them down in a stolen car.Following a murder attempt in September 2013 Victor Crespo was evacuated to a third country to allow him to continue his work as president of the ITF-affiliated Sindicato Gremial de Trabajadores del Muelle (SGTM). It appears that the same forces that wanted him dead then have now targeted his father, Victor Manuel Crespo Puerto, who was declared brain-dead following the attack. His life support was switched off this afternoon.
![Victor Crespo[2]](https://mail.twfederation.org/owa/redir.aspx?C=wsh7wrivS0-uCsBRCAPBKHEKOOgw-9AIzFLbd5b_UNKODT6PLM94ceRb5j7bctY7Q6uLREUKieY.&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.shippingtribune.com%2fwp-content%2fuploads%2f2014%2f01%2fVictor-Crespo2.jpg)
Death threats have also begun again against Crespo’s colleagues in the SGTM leadership. The ITF and SGTM believe these are connected to the union’s lawful request for a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) at the port and the recognition that benefits have not been paid, despite the law requiring them. The port operating concession has recently been taken over by ICTSI, which has hired a single stevedoring company. When the SGTM presented legal cases to press for its members’ rights the death threats immediately resumed.During the first attack, on 14 September, three armed assailants tried to force their way into Victor Crespo’s home. When they failed to break in, and having woken nearby residents, they left shouting that they’d be back in eight hours “to finish the job” and that Crespo should “stop making noise organising stevedores”. The incident followed months of death threats telling Crespo to stop seeking a collective contract at the town’s port.
Antonio Rodriquez Fritz, ITF Americas regional secretary, commented: “After the first attack we moved quickly to protect Victor, and demanded that the Honduran authorities provide an armed police guard for him. It quickly became evident they had decided to ignore the obvious danger he was in, and so we had to get him out of the country and to a place of safety.
“Despite our briefing them all, the president of Honduras, the labour minister and the local police have failed to provide any protection for Victor or his family – perhaps not surprisingly in a country where it is often claimed that the authorities are behind attacks against human and trade union rights activists. We know that the danger to Victor has not diminished and are taking the necessary steps to protect him. What none of us had expected was that the attackers would be so cowardly and cold blooded as to murder an innocent and elderly man in his place.”
ITF president and dockers’ section chair Paddy Crumlin added: “This was a vile act, sending a thug to wipe out an old man. There is no doubt that this murder was a mixture of spite and political act. They couldn’t get to Victor so they punished his nearest and dearest instead. The ITF is putting the Honduran government on trial: sort this out and ensure justice is done, or face the consequences.”
Following the September attack the ITF alerted the Honduran police, president, the ILO (International Labour Organization) and the port’s incoming concessionary operator. Antonio Rodriquez Fritz met with the Honduran minister of labour and social security, Jorge Bográn Perdomo, who agreed with the need for police protection. Fritz also raised the matter of the ministry’s lack of response since January 2013 to the SGTM’s requests for a CBA at the port, and on the issue of job security of stevedores once ICTSI – which won the concession to operate the port in February 2013 – began operations. So far no serious actions have been taken by the government.
Source: Press Release
FROM BUDAPEST BUSINESS JOURNAL:
***Hungarian unions to join European air traffic controllers’ labor action
David Landry
Wednesday, January 29, 2014, 10:00 AM CET
Four Hungarian air traffic controllers’ unions will join a European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) labor action called for Thursday, January 30. ETF has called on air traffic controllers to mobilize for a “European Action Day” and press the European Parliament “to stop a never ending process of liberalization and cost cutting” in the air traffic management industry.
The action will involve “parallel walkouts, rallies, meetings and strikes across Europe,” the air traffic controllers’ federation HungaroControl announced. Control will hold a two-hour strike action from 9am to 11am to involve reduced air control services for flights in Hungarian airspace.
The unions IDFSz and LIFSz will also join the two-hour labor action, providing minimum services, while the union LIGOSz will express solidarity at a workers’ forum.
The labor action may cause disruptions and delays, according to the aformentioned unions.
FROM ALL ABOUT SHIPPING, ALSO AFRICA OIL AND GAS NEWS:
***Father of threatened dockers’ leader murdered
ITF, Labour Disputes, News — By admin on January 28, 2014 at 8:12 PM
The ITF HQ’s in London
28 January 2014 – The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) is sad to announce that the father of Victor Crespo – the Honduran trade union leader threatened with death for his work in Puerto Cortés – has died following an attack on him and other family members by an armed assailant who ran them down in a stolen car.
Following a murder attempt in September 2013 Victor Crespo was evacuated to a third country to allow him to continue his work as president of the ITF-affiliated Sindicato Gremial de Trabajadores del Muelle (SGTM). It appears that the same forces that wanted him dead then have now targeted his father, Victor Manuel Crespo Puerto, who was declared brain-dead following the attack. His life support was switched off this afternoon.
Death threats have also begun again against Crespo’s colleagues in the SGTM leadership. The ITF and SGTM believe these are connected to the union’s lawful request for a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) at the port and the recognition that benefits have not been paid, despite the law requiring them. The port operating concession has recently been taken over by ICTSI, which has hired a single stevedoring company. When the SGTM presented legal cases to press for its members’ rights the death threats immediately resumed.
During the first attack, on 14 September, three armed assailants tried to force their way into Victor Crespo’s home. When they failed to break in, and having woken nearby residents, they left shouting that they’d be back in eight hours “to finish the job” and that Crespo should “stop making noise organising stevedores”. The incident followed months of death threats telling Crespo to stop seeking a collective contract at the town’s port.
Antonio Rodriquez Fritz, ITF Americas regional secretary, commented: “After the first attack we moved quickly to protect Victor, and demanded that the Honduran authorities provide an armed police guard for him. It quickly became evident they had decided to ignore the obvious danger he was in, and so we had to get him out of the country and to a place of safety.
“Despite our briefing them all, the president of Honduras, the labour minister and the local police have failed to provide any protection for Victor or his family – perhaps not surprisingly in a country where it is often claimed that the authorities are behind attacks against human and trade union rights activists. We know that the danger to Victor has not diminished and are taking the necessary steps to protect him. What none of us had expected was that the attackers would be so cowardly and cold blooded as to murder an innocent and elderly man in his place.”
ITF president and dockers’ section chair Paddy Crumlin added: “This was a vile act, sending a thug to wipe out an old man. There is no doubt that this murder was a mixture of spite and political act. They couldn’t get to Victor so they punished his nearest and dearest instead. The ITF is putting the Honduran government on trial: sort this out and ensure justice is done, or face the consequences.”
Following the September attack the ITF alerted the Honduran police, president, the ILO (International Labour Organization) and the port’s incoming concessionary operator. Antonio Rodriquez Fritz met with the Honduran minister of labour and social security, Jorge Bográn Perdomo, who agreed with the need for police protection. Fritz also raised the matter of the ministry’s lack of response since January 2013 to the SGTM’s requests for a CBA at the port, and on the issue of job security of stevedores once ICTSI – which won the concession to operate the port in February 2013 – began operations. So far no serious actions have been taken by the government.
FROM YOUR THURROCK.COM (UK):
***Arrest proceedings underway on ship in Tilbury
Date posted: 24-01-2014
THE INTERNATIONAL TRADE Federation (ITF) has initiated arrest proceedings on behalf of the crew of the Marshall Islands-flagged M/S Isis, which is moored at Tilbury and whose crew are owed at least USD130,000 in pay. The decision to arrest the vessel follows the delivery of a written warning to Athens-based company Derna Carriers over its negligence and evasion of its responsibilities reports Hellenicshipping.com
ITF UK and Ireland coordinator Ken Fleming explained: “A visit to the Isis by myself and my colleague Darren Procter revealed that crew members had been unpaid for months. On the 3rd January Derna had sent an email to the ship stating clearly that all money would be paid to the full crew by the 7th January. This did not happen.
“Since then, the company has utterly failed to abide by its responsibilities. A few crew members have received paltry payments since our visit on the 7th January – which I am sure was done to confuse the ITF and make it look like the crew were not telling the truth. The situation remains that most of what is owed dates back to the 1st November – some two months and three weeks, and is clearly not forthcoming. This is totally unacceptable.”
He concluded: “I have been advised from the ship that all crew want to go home. The company’s litany of broken promises has left them feeling that no future exists for them on board the Isis, and they have decided to seek repatriation on the grounds that Derna have clearly breached their employment contracts. Given that the situation is deteriorating by the minute we have now moved to have the vessel arrested on behalf of the crew – quite simply no other course of action can now be taken, and the company will have to live with the costs and consequences of its own actions.”