Press release: World AIDS Day: ITF working for zero new infections

Please find this release attached and below.

Yours,

Sam Dawson

ITF

30 November 2015

World AIDS Day: ITF working for zero new infections

The ITF (International Transport Workers' Federation) is putting prevention at the centre of its HIV/AIDS education work as it marks World AIDS Day on Tuesday 1 December. It has entered partnerships with organisations globally as it aims for no new HIV infections.

 

Across the world ITF unions will mark the day with activities including voluntary counselling and testing events, and prevention education. Find out more at the ITF campaign page.

 

ITF HIV/AIDS programme co-ordinator Dr Asif Altaf explained: "There were two million new HIV infections in 2014: our goal is zero new infections. Prevention, education and partnership are key. For example we are facilitating the formation of a network of HIV positive seafarers in the Philippines. We already have a small group, and plan to cover the entire country. The Philippines has the highest number of seafarers in the world, so success here will have a big effect globally."

 

In October a major Philippines manning agent, Magsaysay Maritime Corporation, agreed to collaborate with the ITF to promote awareness and boost job opportunities for HIV-positive Filipino seafarers. Magsaysay provides employment to 40,000 seafarers.

 

In Sir Lanka, Bangladesh, Ukraine and the Philippines the ITF is working with maritime academies. The aim is to reduce new infections by educating cadets about HIV before they board ships. Eighty per cent of new graduate seafarers in the Philippines already receive in-depth training in HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) through the ITF module.

 

The ITF global initiative is to incorporate the HIV module in maritime academies in all the major seafarer supplying countries by 2018.

 

Transport workers are particularly vulnerable to HIV/AIDS. The ITF is dedicated to raising awareness of this, and ending the stigma around HIV/AIDS.

 

Read more about the ITF's work on HIVAIDS.

 

ENDS

 

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 or the Seafarers' Trust.

Press release: ITF Seafarers' Trust launches Shore Leave 2.0

Please find this press release from the ITF Seafarers' Trust attached and below.

Yours,

Sam Dawson

ITF

 

23 November 2015

 

ITF Seafarers' Trust launches Shore Leave 2.0

The ITF Seafarers' Trust is launching an enhanced version of its free Shore Leave app – the first app designed to help seafarers looking for reliable transport when in port. Shore Leave only needs to be downloaded once, and after that all the contact details of seafarers' centres all over the world are stored in the user's smartphone and accessible offline, anywhere, anytime. It also includes all the contact details for ISWAN Seafarers Help, the 24/7 helpline for seafarers.

Luca Tommasi, Seafarers' Trust Project Manager explained: "The idea of the original app was to transform the ISWAN seafarers' centres directory into an interactive app that could be used offline. The response from seafarers was very positive and the app was downloaded over 10,000 times. That was a good result but we would like to reach 50,000 downloads; the aim is to have at least one seafarer on every vessel using Shore Leave, and getting the most out of their free time."

The new version includes additional features, for example there is now the possibility for seafarers to leave reviews of seafarers' centres.  Kimberly Karlshoej, Head of the Trust said: "The new version of Shore Leave allows seafarers to rate the centres and to leave comments, so that other seafarers will be informed about the quality of facilities and services and know what to expect before visiting."

Dave Heindel, Chair of the Seafarers' Trust Board of Trustees added: "Seafarers face all sorts of difficulty in going ashore. Having an app to get in touch with the right people all over the world will be helpful. Shore Leave is designed to give them the chance to get in touch with the local welfare providers and be just a couple of clicks away from a bus ride to the city, the shopping centre or a seafarers' centre where they can relax and enjoy their free time."

Peter Hinchliffe, Secretary General of the International Chamber of Shipping stated: "ICS always welcomes new tools to help seafarers have a proper and refreshing break. This new Shore Leave app will allow them to make the most of their limited free time."

Shore Leave is available for free for Android and IPhone.

Android: Search for Shore Leave in the Google Play Store or follow this link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.seafarers&hl=en

IPhone: Search for Shore Leave in the Apple App Store or follow this link: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/shore-leave/id604337849?mt

 

         

 

Ends

For more details please contact Luca Tommasi

Luca@seafarerstrust.org

The ITF Seafarers' Trust

ITF House, 49-60 Borough Road, London SE1 1DR, United Kingdom

Direct Line:  +44 (0)20 7940 9211

 

 

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 or the Seafarers' Trust.

Press release: ITF launches new resource in bid to stamp out bullying and harassment on the docks

Please find attached a press release from the International Transport Workers' Federation: ITF launches new resource in bid to stamp out bullying and harassment on the docks

Many thanks, 

Gemma Walker 

Gemma Walker

POC communications 

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 or the Seafarers' Trust.

Press release: International seafarers and dockers oppose withdrawal of MV Portland by Alcoa

Please find this release attached and below.

Yours,

Sam Dawson

ITF

18 November 2015

International seafarers and dockers oppose withdrawal of MV Portland by Alcoa

The ITF (International Transport Workers' Federation) fair practices committee (FPC), along with its cabotage taskforce today condemned a decision to scrap the MV Portland – an Australian-flagged and crewed ship dedicated to Australian coastal routes – and outsource the work to a flag of convenience vessel.

The ITF cabotage taskforce was launched last month to support cabotage protection laws that help maintain nations' skills, shipping and security, and to challenge the threat of liberalisation posed by international trade talks. (See http://goo.gl/ycZ53F for more about the new taskforce.) The FPC represents the world's most powerful docker and seafarer unions around the world

Today's meeting stated that: 'The decision by Alcoa to jettison this ship, these workers and 50 years of marine history is indefensible, and we strongly urge the company, even at this late stage, to abandon its plans. Until now this vessel and crew have been helping to defend vital national maritime skills and shipping. Its loss is not just a blow to the crew, their families and the local community, but also to Australia itself and the wider principle that countries have a role to play in protecting their vital trade resources.

Protecting maritime cabotage is a legitimate domestic policy – not protectionism. Forty-seven countries have some form of cabotage law, and this is because it is good for their economies. With a thriving maritime industry, people are working in good quality jobs and they are consuming goods and boosting the economy.

 

Failing to protect cabotage undermines sovereignty and has national security implications. It also has serious economic implications for maritime regions and communities.

 

Failing to protect cabotage will mean lost maritime skills and resources – and will remove the supply of qualified personnel from critical shore-based industries. Businesses whose livelihoods depend on local industry can be ruined, while job josses reduce government income from taxes.'

 

Chair of the ITF's seafarer section and FPC co-chair Dave Heindel is also the secretary treasurer of the Seafarers International Union (SIU) of the United States of America. He stated: "Alcoa's decision is a failure of responsibility by a US-owned company who should know better. What they are doing would be a legal and moral violation of our cabotage and shipping laws in the USA. They need to urgently review their decision."

 

For more about how cabotage laws protect skills see (http://goo.gl/hzqkgE)

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 or the Seafarers' Trust.