Press release: Brazil sea strike on hold as Superior Labour Court upholds right to strike

Please find this release attached and below.

Yours,

Sam Dawson

ITF

18 May 2016

Brazil sea strike on hold as Superior Labour Court upholds right to strike

Brazilian seafarers have decided to suspend their strike action while they vote on a possible agreement worked out at conciliatory hearings at the country's Superior Labour Court.

 

The court acted after the seafarers' confederation, CONTTMAF, alerted it to threats to crew and anti-union actions by oil carrier Transpetro aimed at  breaking the strike, and after the company tried and failed to block the legal strike action. Meanwhile the ITF (International Transport Workers' Federation) intervened with the Brazilian government and the ILO (International Labour Organization) – see http://goo.gl/eE4cWk.

 

The strike began on 14 May over health and safety standards and discriminatory practices that potentially undermined the national flag identity of Brazil's offshore and cabotage fleet (http://goo.gl/eE4cWk). On the eve of the action Petrobras/Transpetro sent a highly inflammatory manual to ship's masters requiring them to adopt 'contingency measures' to obstruct the strike and at the same time tried to persuade the Superior Labour Court to declare the – entirely lawful – industrial action illegal.

 

The manual incited masters to take actions that were a clear attack on the seafarers' union rights, including: disembarking legally striking seafarers; forbidding trade union representatives from visiting their members; prohibiting seafarers from contacting their union; and even suggesting masters detain strikers in the ship's engine room casing.

 

Some masters followed these suggestions, creating confusion, minor injuries and some cases of reported physical violence. Despite all the company's efforts, the strike continued, using an escalating scale of industrial action that impacted ships' speeds and cargo handling.

 

The company also failed on the legal front. The court ruled that the legal request made by Petrobras/Transpetro could not be granted. It also stated that the right to strike is protected by the National Constitution. The judge called both parties to a conciliatory hearing on 17 May. 

 

Severino Almeida, CONTTMAF president, commented: "Not only has the company instructed their masters and managers to illegally attack, punish and detain workers exercising their right to strike, but they are so blatant that they even did it in writing. Fortunately, the judge helped to generate understanding. Our members will now vote on this agreement."

 

CONTTMAF agreed that the strike would be suspended until 23:59 local time, the time required to inform all members working on vessels. Consultation on the final, pending clauses will take place over the next 15 days. If approved, they will then be taken to the labour ministry for validation. Should the company not respect the agreement, a mandatory ruling would be likely to be made by the court.

 

Speaking from the conciliatory hearing, ITF Americas regional secretary Antonio Fritz commented: "We've seen the written and video evidence and the company has acted shamefully. Fortunately the points raised by the unions have been recognised and a proposed agreement reached. Brazilian seafarers are now being consulted on this in the correct and democratic manner."

 

ITF general secretary Steve Cotton commented: "The ITF and its unions have committed ourselves to offering our colleagues in Brazil all the support they need. These illegal attacks on workers' rights cannot be tolerated and we need to ensure that they are never repeated. We congratulate all the seafarers who, despite the intimidation stood up to be counted. We are happy that an apparently acceptable agreement is being reached that gives the seafarers what they deserve. 

 

"Good faith, fair and honest collective bargaining is essential and we congratulate the judge, Minister of the Superior Labour Court Katia Arruda, for having mediated this conflict."

 

Paddy Crumlin, ITF president, concluded: "Governments have a clear obligation. They have to enforce respect for the law and establish the appropriate environment for unions and employers to negotiate decent working conditions."

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.

Comunicado de imprensa : ITF pede intervenção imediata para defender direitos de trabalhadores brasileiros

Junto este comunicado - que recebeu anteriormente em inglês - em português

Atentamente,   

Sam Dawson,

ITF

Please find the Portuguese translation of this release, which you have previously received in English (the English version can be seen at http://www.itfglobal.org/en/news-events/press-releases/2016/may/itf-calls-for-immediate-intervention-to-defend-the-rights-of-brazilian-workers/)

Yours,

Sam Dawson

ITF 

13 de maio de 2016

ITF pede intervenção imediata para defender direitos de trabalhadores brasileiros

A Federação Internacional dos Trabalhadores em Transportes reagiu fortemente à medidas tomadas pela Petrobrás, empresa nacional de petróleo, para intimidar e ameaçar trabalhadores marítimos que começarão uma greve amanhã. A Federação condenou as ações da empresa em resposta à ação grevista, como uma violação da lei brasileira e do princípio de liberdade de associação da Organização Internacional do Trabalho – OIT, já que a greve é legítima e legal,.

 

Em 4 de maio de 2016, sindicatos marítimos afiliados à CONTTMAF (Confederação Nacional dos Trabalhadores em Transporte Aquaviários e Aéreos, na Pesca e nos Portos) votaram pelo início da greve que irá impactar navios operados pela Transpetro, uma subsidiária da Petrobras.

 

Em vez de dialogar com os sindicatos, a Petrobras está se utilizando da situação política incerta do Brasil para enfraquecer a lei que defende o direito à greve. Representantes da companhia têm informado membros da tripulação que forças militares podem ser utilizadas para desembarcar trabalhadores em greve. Além disso, capitães têm recebido ordens para negar o acesso de líderes sindicais que vão aos navios visitar os trabalhadores em greve.

 

A ITF comunicou-se com Guy Ryder, Diretor Geral da Organização Internacional do Trabalho – OIT, para solicitar uma intervenção urgente junto ao governo do Brasil.  

 

Severino Almeida, presidente da CONTTMAF e do SINDMAR (Sindicato Nacional dos Oficiais da Marinha Mercante) afirmou: "Eu sou líder sindical por 30 anos e nunca havia testemunhado ameaças tão agressivas e ilegais aos direitos dos trabalhadores. Isto viola tanto as nossas leis quanto as internacionais".

 

Paddy Crumlin, Presidente da ITF, disse: "É negligente ao extremo que a Petrobras esteja tentando e usando a situação política do Brasil para atacar direitos de trabalhadores. O Brasil foi contruido por meio de serviços nacionais marítimos seguros, profissionais e altamente qualificados com base no comprometimento, na coragem e desejo dos trabalhadores marítimos de contruir o país. Os trabalhadores estão pedindo apenas a justa distribuição do bem estar e garantias face a distorções provenientes de um possível processo de privatização. Nós queremos um acordo justo. É responsabilidade de todos nós intervir e parar este tipo de ameaça pelo bem de todos os trabalhadores, pelo interesse nacional do Brasil e pela segurança econômica".

 

O presidente da seção de marítimos da ITF, Dave Heindel, disse: "Esta é uma tentativa de intimidar os trabalhadores marítimos no Brasil que estão se manifestando para defender a indústria que é responsável por manter suas famílias e para a qual dedicam 50% de sua vida adulta produzindo para a economia nacional. A OIT deve se envolver imediatamente antes que algo ainda mais sério aconteça e os direitos trabalhistas no Brasil sejam gravemente violados".

 

Para mais informações sobre a greve, acesse: goo.gl/F7hMrX .

 

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: Brazil's seafarers ready to take on Transpetro

Please find this release attached and below.

Yours,

Sam Dawson

ITF

10 May 2016

Brazil's seafarers ready to take on Transpetro

Brazilian seafarers are ready to begin industrial action this Saturday, 14 May, in a dispute over discriminatory practices that potentially undermine the national flag identity of its offshore and cabotage fleet. Brazilian seafarers' unions affiliated to the huge CONTTMAF (Confederação Nacional dos Trabalhadores em Transportes Aquaviários e Aéreos, na Pesca e nos Portos) union federation have voted to take industrial action that will impact all vessels – both tankers and offshore – owned and operated by Transpetro, the oil and gas transportation subsidiary of the Brazilian petroleum corporation Petrobras.

 

The vote for escalating industrial action took place on 4 May and was held on all vessels. Support for the action was overwhelming, and the company was notified on 6 May.

 

The problems behind the decision are not new, and were included in collective bargaining agreement negotiations that began last year. They include the ending of discriminatory practices in Petrobras, and increasing health and safety mechanisms in order to set up a level playing field with other companies hired by it and its subsidiary companies.

 

Severino Almeida, president of CONTTMAF and the SINDMAR maritime officers' union, explained: "Employment stability is already included in collective agreements signed between Petrobras and other unions. The system of working one period on board and the same period of shore leave (the '1 x 1' system) is already current practice in all other private shipping companies operating in the Brazilian offshore industry hired by Petrobras and its subsidiary companies. This system is there to prevent accidents caused by fatigue. The fact that all other private companies operating in the Brazilian offshore and cabotage sectors, apart from Petrobras subsidiaries, offer it not only creates unfair competition but increases risk."

 

He continued: "Everybody knows, in Brazil and abroad, that Brazilian Seafarers' unions were greatly responsible for keeping the Brazilian flag hoisted at sea. We can proudly say that we actively promoted the foundation of Transpetro and that Brazilian Seafarers are safe and efficient. We have demonstrated that Brazil has the technical knowledge and expertise to provide all the logistics needed by the offshore industry and we shall act to ensure Brazilian seafarers continue to be the backbone of the industry we have helped to create."

 

ITF general secretary Steve Cotton, stated: "We want to express our total support for our Brazilian colleagues. These kind of potentially discriminatory practices, which may undermine the national flag identity, are not consistent with how any fair and honest transnational corporation should perform – especially when the Brazilian government is the main stockholder. We are ready to support those making this stand."

 

ITF president Paddy Crumlin commented: "There's no shortage of corporations in many countries that try to use discriminatory practices which are potentially in breach of the basic principles of trade union rights laid down by the ILO and the UN Global Compact. ITF unions share the same principles and values as Brazilian seafarers, and we are ready to support them. They have been part of the construction of a safe and profitable oil and offshore industry, a landmark industry that is internationally recognised, and they deserve not only the proper recognition but also a level playing field in which to operate."

 

He added: "We hope that this uncooperative attitude by Transpetro is not an indicator of any attempt to privatise the company in order to hand it over to foreign flag vessels. That would be a matter of national shame for Brazil, and a massive loss to its economy and skills base."

 

The ITF's support for the Brazilian unions was unanimously endorsed at meetings of the ITF seafarers' and dockers' section committees in London today. The ITF duly communicated this decision to the presidents of Transpetro and Petrobras.

 

"We are ready to implement our industrial action and to maintain it as long as necessary, until Petrobras understands the need for honest and proper negotiation and to end its discriminatory practices,"  Severino Almeida concluded.

 

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.

Press release: ITF underlines Panama Canal safety case/Noticias de prensa: La ITF subraya el argumento relativo a la seguridad del Canal de Panamá

Please find this release attached and below.

Yours,

Sam Dawson

ITF

 

Adjunto enviamos el comunicado de prensa que aparece a continuación. 

Atentamente

Sam Dawson

ITF

                                        

 

6 May 2016

ITF underlines Panama Canal safety case

The ITF (International Transport Workers' Federation) is reiterating its case regarding the possible risks to safety posed by the Panama Canal's new locks.

 

This latest information comes after the Panama Canal Authority (PCA) published a press release (The Panama Canal Dismisses ITF Claims, Commends Thousands Who Helped to Make the Expansion a Reality) which attempted to deny the serious points of concern raised by an independent safety study commissioned by the ITF.

 

That study was carried out by Brazil's respected Fundação Homem do Mar (FHM) and identified potential critical problems with the canal's new locks (see http://goo.gl/ZpXTSm for full details and links to the report and video simulation).

 

ITF general secretary Steve Cotton explained: "The ITF, like our Panamanian member unions, has repeatedly offered the PCA our co-operation to ensure that the canal is safe for those working on it and those passing through it. In that same spirit we made the FHM study freely available to the PCA and once again asked for a positive engagement with them.

 

He continued: "We have raised our concerns about operational safety issues several times. In December 2013 we wrote to President Martinelli and the PCA, and in July 2014 to President Varela and the Minister of Canal Affairs, citing safety concerns and offering our assistance. In June 2015 we wrote to Jorge Quijano, PCA CEO, requesting a meeting. This was followed by a further letter offering a meeting around the 2015 International Chamber of Shipping Conference in London, which Sr Quijano was addressing. The ITF has also met officials from the ACP and, informally, with Sr Quijano, at Panama Maritime 2015.

 

Mr Cotton continued: "In all our contacts we have sought constructive engagement and to ensure the safe and efficient operation of the canal. We continue to believe that such engagement is the way forward. We continue to aim for inclusive risk assessment to improve occupational safety and health. Involving all members of the work team in that process is essential."

 

The ITF invited FHM to address the points raised in the PCA press release. This is its response to the PCA's attempt to question its ability to conduct this important study:

 

The PCA seeks to suggest that the study is not based on a mathematical model. In fact FHM's simulators meet the requirements of Class A document – Standard for Certification of Maritime Simulators System No. 2.14 – January 2011 of DNV and can work completely integrated. We also took into account an article on the "SIMULATION IN THE TRAINING FOR PILOTS AND TUGBOAT CAPTAINS IN THE EXPANDED PANAMA CANAL", presented at the MARSIM2015 Conference in Newcastle University, from September 8^th to 11^th 2015, by Captain Francisco Tejada from the Panama Canal Authority. FHM possess the same type of simulator as SIDMAR, we add that our engineering navigation simulator has the latest version to this system which our provider owns.

 

The PCA has said that rather than two tugs being used in the locks up to four may be used. If that is so then such use should be analysed via simulation and mathematical modelling, which will allow a better understanding of manoeuvrability and ships' behaviour in several situations.

 

The PCA has also questioned the credibility of and equipment used by the Fundacoa Homem Do Mar. Our foundation has existed for more than 10 years and works in partnership with both private and public organisations, foundations and enterprises to elaborate and develop projects associated with the waterway sector. FHM possesses engineering and navigation simulators that fulfil the requirements of the Class A document – Standard for Certification of Maritime Simulators System No. 2.14 – January 2011 of DNV.

 

FHM possesses programmes that enable it to mathematically model any ship type and to conduct an analysis of the manoeuvrability through simulations carried out using an integrated approach, using theory, empirical data from an extensive database of hydrodynamics and aerodynamic characteristics.

 

FHM possesses an expert staff composed of captains, merchant marine officers and naval architects.

 

FHM has already carried out projects in major ports, such as Santos, Rio de Janeiro, Tubarão, Vitória, Ponta da Madeira, Puerto La Plata and others. These include one carried out for the world's largest ore carrier, which was undertaken before its planned VLOC vessel was even built and which used mathematical models of the vessel to model its use of the ports of Ponta da Madeira, Maranhão and also Tubarão and Vitória, Espírito Santo. Our analysis provided a risk analysis of the manoeuvres, training for the ship's masters and the familiarisation of pilots in manoeuvring this type of vessel.

 

Furthermore, FHM has also carried out other important manoeuvrability analyses in the entry of premier transport LNG vessels in ports of Pecém, Ceará and in terminals (constructed especially for this type of vessel), in Baia de todos os Santos, Bahia, and in Baia de Guanabara, Rio de Janeiro. This study included making a risk analysis of the manoeuvres and the training of the vessels' captains, as well as the familiarisation of regional pilots with manoeuvring LNG vessels.

 

In relation to mathematical models, we acknowledge the great investment made by SIDMAR in its navigation simulators and in the quality of its mathematical modelling. The engineering navigation simulators which SIDMAR possesses are the same type that FHM has used for more than 10 years. In all the manoeuvrability studies FHM has used the latest version of the engineering navigation simulators using exceptional mathematical modelling. 

 

ENDS

 

 

6 de mayo de 2016

La ITF subraya el argumento relativo a la seguridad del Canal de Panamá

La ITF (Federación Internacional de los Trabajadores del Transporte) reitera su argumento relativo a los posibles riesgos para la seguridad presentados por las nuevas esclusas del Canal de Panamá.

 

Esta última información llega a raíz de la publicación de un comunicado de prensa de la Autoridad del Canal de Panamá (ACP) —El Canal de Panamá rechaza los reclamos de la ITF, elogia a las miles de personas que han contribuido a hacer realidad la ampliación—, que intentó rechazar las graves preocupaciones reveladas por un estudio sobre la seguridad independiente encargado por la ITF.

 

Dicho estudio fue realizado por la acreditada Fundação Homem do Mar (FHM) de Brasil e identificó los problemas críticos potenciales relacionados con las nuevas esclusas del canal (véase http://goo.gl/ZpXTSm para mayor información y para los enlaces al informe y la simulación por vídeo).

 

Steve Cotton, secretario general de la ITF, explicó: La ITF, como nuestros sindicatos panameños afiliados, ha ofrecido repetidamente a la ACP su cooperación para asegurar la seguridad del canal para las personas que trabajan en él y para aquellas personas que lo transitan. Con la misma voluntad de cooperación, hemos ofrecido de forma gratuita a la ACP el estudio de la FHM y, una vez más, hemos solicitado un diálogo positivo con ellos.

 

Y añadió: "En varias ocasiones, hemos expresado nuestras preocupaciones en materia de seguridad operacional. En diciembre de 2013, nos dirigimos por escrito al Presidente Martinelli y a la ACP, y en julio de 2014 escribimos al Presidente Varela y al Ministro de Asuntos del Canal, citando las cuestiones de seguridad y ofreciendo nuestra asistencia. En junio de 2015, escribimos a Jorge Quijano, Administrador de ACP, solicitando una reunión. A esto le siguió otra carta en la que nos ofrecimos a reunirnos durante la London International Shipping Conference 2015 organizada por la Cámara Naviera Internacional, en la que el Sr. Quijano intervino como conferencista. La ITF también se ha reunido con funcionarios de la ACP y, de modo informal, con el Sr. Quijano, en Panama Maritime 2015.

 

El Sr. Cotton señaló: "En todos nuestros contactos, hemos buscado un diálogo positivo y asegurar el funcionamiento seguro y eficiente del canal. Seguimos creyendo que un diálogo de este tipo es el único camino hacia delante. Continuamos aspirando a una evaluación incluyente de los riesgos, a fin de mejorar la seguridad y salud operacional. La participación de todos los miembros del equipo de trabajo en este proceso es esencial."

 

La ITF ha invitado a la FHM a tratar los puntos planteados en el comunicado de prensa de la ACP. Esta es su respuesta al intento de la ACP de cuestionar su capacidad para llevar a cabo este importante estudio:

 

La ACP intenta sugerir que el estudio no se basa en un modelo matemático. De hecho, los simuladores de la FHM satisfacen los requisitos del Documento Clase A - Estándares de Certificación DNV para Sistemas de Simuladores Marinos Nº 2.14, de enero de 2011, y pueden funcionar completamente integrados. También tomamos en consideración un artículo sobre la "SIMULACIÓN EN LA CAPACITACIÓN DE PRÁCTICOS Y CAPITANES DE REMOLCADORES EN EL CANAL DE PANAMÁ AMPLIADO", presentado en la Conferencia MARSIM2015 celebrada en la Universidad de Newcastle, del 8 al 11 de septiembre de 2015, por el Capitán Francisco Tejada de la Autoridad del Canal de Panamá. La FHM posee el mismo tipo de simulador que SIDMAR, a ello añadimos que nuestro simulador de navegación e ingeniería tiene la última versión de este sistema que nuestro proveedor posee.

 

La ACP ha manifestado que en lugar de utilizar dos remolcadores en las esclusas, se podrán utilizar hasta cuatro. Si esto es así, entonces deberá analizarse dicho uso por simulación en modelación matemática, lo cual permitirá comprender mejor la maniobrabilidad y el comportamiento de los buques en varias situaciones.

 

La ACP ha cuestionado también la credibilidad del equipo y el equipo en sí utilizado por la Fundação Homem do Mar. Nuestra fundación existe desde hace más de 10 años y trabaja en asociación con organizaciones, fundaciones y empresas, tanto públicas como privadas, nacionales e internacionales, para elaborar y desarrollar proyectos asociados con el sector de las vías navegables. La FHM posee simuladores de navegación e ingeniería que satisfacen los requisitos del Documento Clase A - Estándares de Certificación DNV para Sistemas de Simuladores Marinos Nº 2.14 – de enero de 2011.

 

La FHM posee programas que le permiten modelar matemáticamente cualquier tipo de buque y llevar a cabo un análisis de la maniobrabilidad a través de simulaciones realizadas por medio de un planteamiento integrado que utiliza datos teóricos y empíricos de una extensa base de datos de las características hidrodinámicas y aerodinámicas.

 

La FHM posee un personal experto compuesto de capitanes, oficiales de la marina mercante y arquitectos navales.

 

La FHM ya ha realizado proyectos en puertos importantes, como Santos, Río de Janeiro, Tubarão, Vitória, Ponta da Madeira, Puerto La Plata y otros. Entre ellos se incluye el proyecto realizado para el mayor mineralero del mundo, que se llevó a cabo incluso antes de que se construyera su gran buque mineralero (VLOC) proyectado y que utilizó modelos matemáticos del navío para modelar su utilización de los puertos de Ponta da Madeira, Maranhão y también de Tubarão y Vitória, Espírito Santo. Nuestro análisis proporcionó un análisis de riesgos de las maniobras, además de capacitación para los capitanes de buque y familiarización de los prácticos en las maniobras de este tipo de buques.

 

Además, la FHM también ha realizado otros importantes análisis de maniobrabilidad en la entrada de los buques Premier de transporte de GNL en los puertos de Pecém, Ceará y en las terminales (construidas especialmente para este tipo de buques), en Baia de todos os Santos, Bahia, y en Baia de Guanabara, Río de Janeiro. Este estudio incluyó la elaboración de un análisis de riesgos de las maniobras y la capacitación de los capitanes de los buques, así como la familiarización de los prácticos regionales en las maniobras de los buques gaseros (GNL).

 

Con relación a los modelos matemáticos, reconocemos la gran inversión que ha realizado SIDMAR en sus simuladores de navegación y en la calidad de su modelación matemática. Los simuladores de navegación e ingeniería, propiedad de SIDMAR, son del mismo tipo que los utilizados por la FHM desde hace más de 10 años. En todos los estudios de maniobrabilidad, la FHM ha utilizado la última versión de simuladores de navegación e ingeniería que utilizan una modelación matemática excepcional.

 

FIN

 

 

 

 

 

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.