Press release: Workers speak out on World AIDS Day

Please find this release attached and below.

Yours,

Sam Dawson

28 November 2014

Workers speak out on World AIDS Day

HIV positive workers from ITF (International Transport Workers' Federation) trade unions are among those speaking out on World AIDS Day on Monday 1 December. All are involved in ITF programmes to challenge HIV/AIDS – and the stigma that surrounds it – in the workplace and the home.

 

ITF unions will be taking part in the day with a variety of activities, including prevention, education and voluntary counselling and testing events, marches and rallies. Find out more here: www.itfglobal.org/en/campaigns-solidarity/campaigns/world-AIDS-day-2014.

 

ITF HIV/AIDS programme co-ordinator Dr Asif Altaf explained: "The ITF has worked tirelessly to tackle the effects of HIV/AIDS, especially among transport workers, who are particularly vulnerable to its effects. The often ground-breaking programmes and activities developed with our unions are vastly strengthened by the experience of those personally touched by the disease, and World AIDS Day is providing a platform through which they can make their stories available to their fellow workers."

 

These are some of the experiences that trade unionists will be sharing with their fellow workers on World AIDS Day (WAD):

 

Liton Saha, a seafarer from India, who is also the coordinator of a network of HIV positive transport workers: "HIV positive workers still face huge challenges in terms of discrimination in the workplace and even at home. Me and the network of HIV positive transport workers will work hand in hand with ITF affiliates to mark World AIDS Day and challenge HIV/AIDS-related stigma and discrimination not only on WAD but all year round."

 

Veronica Mwavula, a clinic attendant in a Kenya port authority clinic and treasurer of the USAFIRI network of HIV positive transport workers: "I was tested voluntarily and the result was positive. Obviously, my mission is not easy but I am glad to be involved in advocacy programmes with the union against HIV. I am so happy when I see transport workers change their behaviour. It is essential to involve HIV positive transport workers in prevention programmes."

 

Davison Samuel Kambudzi, general secretary of the Malawi railway workers' union and chair of the Malawi network of HIV positive transport workers: "Being HIV positive is just the beginning of another life. Knowing your status is a big step towards the fight against the pandemic. Union leaders and their members are there to carry the mantle of the Getting to Zero campaign."

 

Mike, a port worker from the Caribbean island of Guyana, : "When I was tested positive for HIV, I decided to join the fight against the stigma associated with it by sharing personal testimonies in the workplace. Transport workers feel comfortable being able to speak with their peers. We must have frank discussions about sex, HIV and machismo, and also about the stigma and discrimination faced by workers in the workplace".

 

The ITF works to:

• establish HIV/AIDS as part of trade unions' core programmes and activities
• encourage unions to lobby for HIV to become a workplace issue
• support programmes and activities to prevent future infections
• provide care and support to infected members and their families

 

For more about this work see www.itfglobal.org/en/cross-sectoral-work/hiv-AIDS

 

ENDS

 

ITF communications: getting the message out - when and where it matters

www.itfglobal.org 

www.facebook.com/ITFglobal 

Twitter: @itfglobalunion

This email is confidential and may be privileged. If you have received it in error, please notify the sender and then delete it immediately. You should not copy it or use it for any purpose nor disclose its contents to any other person. Any views or opinions expressed within the email are solely those of the sender and do not necessarily represent those of the ITF.

Press release: Workers speak out on World AIDS Day

Please find this release attached and below.

Yours,

Sam Dawson

28 November 2014

Workers speak out on World AIDS Day

HIV positive workers from ITF (International Transport Workers' Federation) trade unions are among those speaking out on World AIDS Day on Monday 1 December. All are involved in ITF programmes to challenge HIV/AIDS – and the stigma that surrounds it – in the workplace and the home.

 

ITF unions will be taking part in the day with a variety of activities, including prevention, education and voluntary counselling and testing events, marches and rallies. Find out more here: www.itfglobal.org/en/campaigns-solidarity/campaigns/world-AIDS-day-2014.

 

ITF HIV/AIDS programme co-ordinator Dr Asif Altaf explained: "The ITF has worked tirelessly to tackle the effects of HIV/AIDS, especially among transport workers, who are particularly vulnerable to its effects. The often ground-breaking programmes and activities developed with our unions are vastly strengthened by the experience of those personally touched by the disease, and World AIDS Day is providing a platform through which they can make their stories available to their fellow workers."

 

These are some of the experiences that trade unionists will be sharing with their fellow workers on World AIDS Day (WAD):

 

Liton Saha, a seafarer from India, who is also the coordinator of a network of HIV positive transport workers: "HIV positive workers still face huge challenges in terms of discrimination in the workplace and even at home. Me and the network of HIV positive transport workers will work hand in hand with ITF affiliates to mark World AIDS Day and challenge HIV/AIDS-related stigma and discrimination not only on WAD but all year round."

 

Veronica Mwavula, a clinic attendant in a Kenya port authority clinic and treasurer of the USAFIRI network of HIV positive transport workers: "I was tested voluntarily and the result was positive. Obviously, my mission is not easy but I am glad to be involved in advocacy programmes with the union against HIV. I am so happy when I see transport workers change their behaviour. It is essential to involve HIV positive transport workers in prevention programmes."

 

Davison Samuel Kambudzi, general secretary of the Malawi railway workers' union and chair of the Malawi network of HIV positive transport workers: "Being HIV positive is just the beginning of another life. Knowing your status is a big step towards the fight against the pandemic. Union leaders and their members are there to carry the mantle of the Getting to Zero campaign."

 

Mike, a port worker from the Caribbean island of Guyana, : "When I was tested positive for HIV, I decided to join the fight against the stigma associated with it by sharing personal testimonies in the workplace. Transport workers feel comfortable being able to speak with their peers. We must have frank discussions about sex, HIV and machismo, and also about the stigma and discrimination faced by workers in the workplace".

 

The ITF works to:

• establish HIV/AIDS as part of trade unions' core programmes and activities
• encourage unions to lobby for HIV to become a workplace issue
• support programmes and activities to prevent future infections
• provide care and support to infected members and their families

 

For more about this work see www.itfglobal.org/en/cross-sectoral-work/hiv-AIDS

 

ENDS

 

ITF communications: getting the message out - when and where it matters

www.itfglobal.org 

www.facebook.com/ITFglobal 

Twitter: @itfglobalunion

This email is confidential and may be privileged. If you have received it in error, please notify the sender and then delete it immediately. You should not copy it or use it for any purpose nor disclose its contents to any other person. Any views or opinions expressed within the email are solely those of the sender and do not necessarily represent those of the ITF.

ASSOBIOPLASTICHE ABOUT THE SHOPPER DIRECTIVE

THE EUROPEAN LIGHTWEIGHT CARRIER BAGS DIRECTIVE IS A STEP TOWARDS THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY

Rome, Italy 25 November 2014 - "An important step towards the implementation of the circular economy throughout Europe". This was the verdict of Marco Versari, president of Assobioplastiche, the association representing manufacturers and processors of compostable bioplastics, on the vote of the European Council.

 

"The text of the directive that has emerged from the negotiations between the European Council, Commission and Parliament pursues clear, sound objectives, namely the reduction of lightweight carrier bags, the recognition of models such as the Italian model based on marketing restrictions, the adoption of unified labelling for compostable products, and the validity of European standards allowing the development of a compostable bioplastics industry.

"These measures will contribute greatly to the development of an industry that can provide a major opportunity to revitalize a segment like that of traditional chemicals that is undergoing difficulties all across Europe," Versari continued.

 

Implementing the principle of waste prevention, the directive sets the goal of reducing the quantity of lightweight plastic carrier bags in circulation. The European Parliament, headed by Speaker Margrete Auken, had already taken a similar stance in April.

 

Each European citizen consumes an average of 200 plastic bags a year but, among its various other measures, the EU has now established a clear limit: reducing consumption to 90 bags per person by 2019 and 40 bags per person by 2025. In order to achieve these reduction objectives, Member States may use marketing restrictions, taxes or other pricing instruments, as already envisaged in Italian legislation, which thus represented a pilot model paving the way for the European lawmakers. EN 13432:2000 has been declared to be the standard for biodegradable, compostable products, recognised as having lesser environmental impact owing to their organic recovery properties. The bags will have to be appropriately labelled so as to be clearly recognizable by consumers. The Commission has also been tasked to produce a specific standard for domestic composting.

Within two years of the Directive coming into force, the Commission will submit a report to the Parliament and the Council regarding OXO-biodegradable bags in order to monitor their environmental impact (plastic microparticles) and, if applicable, come up with additional environmental protection measures.

 

Following yesterday's vote in Strasbourg, where the ENVI Committee definitively approved the text with 60 votes in favour, three abstaining and zero against, the measure is expected to be finally signed on 17 December.

***

Assobioplastiche – the Italian Bioplastic and Biodegradable and Compostable Materials Association – was formed in 2011 and represents businesses operating in Italy and abroad in the production of biodegradable polymers and finished products, as well as end-of-life management of articles made from bioplastics. Assobioplastiche is based in Rome and its current president is Marco Versari.

www.assobioplastiche.org

 

 

Contact information:

press@assobioplastiche.org

tel.: +39.06.4740589 

 

Press release: East Coast India & Sri Lanka Seafarers & Dockers Unions target FOC ships during ITF Action Week

Please find attached (and below) a press release from the ITF Asia Pacific regional office in Delhi.

Yours,

Sam Dawson

ITF

For Favour of Publication / New Delhi, 24 November 2014

East Coast India & Sri Lanka Seafarers & Dockers Unions target FOC ships during ITF Action Week

 

Seafarers and dock workers unions in designated ports of Chennai, Tuticorin, Paradip, Kolkata & Haldia along the east coast of India and neighboring Colombo in Sri Lanka, launched a week long industrial campaign (24-28 November 2014), against `Flags of Convenience' (FOC) shipping. ITF Inspectors and union activists inspected a total of 16 ships on the first day of action week - checking crew contracts and working and living conditions on board FOC vessels  notorious for employing seafarers on exploitative conditions.

 

In Visakhapatnam out of 4 ships inspected, three of the FOC ships were found covered by IBF framework agreements and no issues were raised by the crew. The non covered vessel  Lilian Z  (MHL) IMO 9207326 was inspected and the ITF Inspector is in discussion with the owners/operators to have the vessel covered.

 

In Chennai, The ITF Inspector inspected m.v Marikana (BLZ) IMO 9041772 and found the ship did not have an ITF approved wage agreement covering its crew and officers. The matter has been taken up with the Greek owners of the company and negotiations are on.

 

In Kolkata, ITF Inspector boarded Mount Bokor (ATG) IMO 9301550 and discovered that the Myanmar crew members were receiving very low wages. The AB was found to be getting USD 346. The crew wages do not even comply with the ILO recommended minimum wages for seafarers working on board FOC vessels. This was pointed out as a violation of the Maritime Labour Convention 2006. Talks have begun with the German owners of the vessel to cover the crew with an ITF approved collective agreement.  Another vessel Klara (MDA) IMO 9399117 was also inspected and a number of issues were found with regard to clarification of the vessel flag status. Contact has been established with ITF affiliates in Portugal and their advise is being solicited.

 

Chembulk Jakarta (PAN) IMO 9400370 a vessel which was targeted in Tuticorin but subsequently left the port is going to be inspected again at its next port Visakhapatnam and action is being  coordinated with the Japanese Seafarers Union to have the vessel covered. In addition three other vessels were inspected of which two were covered by Singaporean national agreements.

 

Also 4 vessels were inspected in the port of Colombo and 1 vessel each in Haldia & Paradip port. Detailed reports are awaited. 

 

Staggered Weeks of Action are being organized this year by ITF Unions in the sub continent ports in November and December.

 

 

The ITF is a global organization of transport workers' unions. It brings together over 779 unions in more than 145 countries in every part of the world and represents nearly five million trade union members in every branch of transport.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For more information contact Sangam Tripathy at ITF Delhi Office : Tel: +91-11- 23354408/23357423

 

ITF communications: getting the message out - when and where it matters

www.itfglobal.org 

www.facebook.com/ITFglobal 

Twitter: @itfglobalunion

This email is confidential and may be privileged. If you have received it in error, please notify the sender and then delete it immediately. You should not copy it or use it for any purpose nor disclose its contents to any other person. Any views or opinions expressed within the email are solely those of the sender and do not necessarily represent those of the ITF.