Press release: ITF welcomes ILO meeting’s decision on migrant fishers

Please find this press release attached and below.

Yours,

Sam Dawson

ITF

 

 

 

 

22 September 2017

ITF welcomes ILO meeting's decision on migrant fishers

The ITF (International Transport Workers Federation) has welcomed today's adoption by the ILO (International Labour Organization) tripartite meeting on issues relating to migrant fishers of a fundamental resolution on those issues.

 

The resolution aims to address matters such as close cooperation between UN agencies for a rapid implementation of international instruments, including a formal campaign to increase ratification of Convention 188, as well as the development of guidelines on labour recruitment. It also calls for member states to effectively cooperate on criminal cases and abuses against migrant fishers.

 

In the conclusions of the meeting, the tripartite discussion agreed that the promotion of decent work for migrant fishers is fundamental to providing a fair and healthy labour market in such a challenging industry 

 

Johnny Hansen, chair of the ITF fisheries' section and the spokesperson for workers at the meeting, commented: "Today we moved a step closer to ensuring that migrant workers are better protected and considered equal to all other fishers. It would be unrealistic to claim that what was agreed today is the solution to the problems they face. The issue of abuses is a global one, as we have well documented at the meeting – including the difficult situation of migrant workers in Ireland. But we consider the adoption of the resolution is a first step on the road toward improving migrant fishers' living and working conditions."

 

He continued: "We are pleased that the employers have fully committed to working as reliable social partners, sharing most of the contributions tabled at the meeting. Together with the ILO, and with the commitment of governments at the meeting – including the positive intervention of the Thai government, which reported on the steps they are taking to address the situation of migrant workers that has been documented and denounced by the ITF, among others – we are confident that the future may be brighter for migrant fishers. It is now time for action."

 

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: JICT workers ramp up campaign calling on Hutchison-owned Watsons to stand up for workers’ rights

Please find this release attached and below, in English and Indonesian, with illustrations in English. Similar leaflet illustrations in Bahasa are available on request.

Yours,

Sam Dawson

ITF

 

 

20 September 2017

JICT workers ramp up campaign calling on Hutchison-owned Watsons to stand up for workers' rights

As a result of Hutchison's refusal to negotiate in good faith, ITF affiliate, Serikat Pekerja Jakarta International Container Terminal (SPJICT), has been forced to ramp up its campaign. Today, in Jakarta, union members and their supporters took the campaign from the waterfront to Hutchison-owned health and beauty retailer Watsons.

Paddy Crumlin, President of the International Transport Workers' Federation, and Chair of ITF's Dockers Section issued a call to Hutchison: "In response to Hutchison's ruthless attack on workers' rights at the Port of Jakarta, Indonesian dock workers are hitting the streets to remind the public, and their management, that they deserve respect and dignity.

"These workers have built up Hutchison's Jakarta International Container Terminal (JICT) to be one of the strongest performing terminals in Asia, continually lifting productivity to deliver sustained growth for the company, and the Indonesian economy.

"Yet, JICT management continue to crack down on union members. Workers' wages have been cut by between 15-42% in the last three months, and union members have been specifically targeted – and their jobs threatened – for raising concerns."

Workers are visiting Hutchison-owned Watsons' stores today to deliver a message that Watsons' commitment to create a "healthy and supportive environment for all employees" and provide "a working environment that is free from all forms of discrimination" should extend to all workers in the Hutchison network.

"Watsons strives to work smarter and create more value for its customers and shareholders – just like the workers at JICT. For the Indonesian public to have any faith in Watsons' commitments, Watsons should act to help fix this situation and tell Hutchison to respect workers' rights," said Crumlin.

 

Background

JICT has been run as a joint enterprise between Indonesian state-owned enterprise PELINDO II and Hutchison since 1999. JICT was just granted an extension on its operating contract until 2039. However, in June, Indonesia's Audit Board (BPK) announced that the JICT extension was potentially contrary to local laws and is could be depriving the Indonesian state of hundreds of millions in revenue. 

The Indonesian anti-corruption commission, Komisi Pemberantasan Korupsi (KPK) is currently considering initiating a full scale investigation into the extension. According to the union, management is using the port extension as a smoke-screen to extract more profit from the enterprise by crushing workers' rights.

For more details, please contact

Luke Menzies | ITF Asia Pacific Campaign Centre, Sydney, Australia

Tel: +61 433 889 844 | Email: mediasydney@itf.org.uk

 

 

 

20 September 2017

Pekerja JICT Meningkatkan Kampanye Kepada Jaringan Bisnis Hutchison 'Watsons' Terkait Pembelaan Hak

Sebagai konsekuensi karena Hutchison menolak niat baik bernegosiasi, afiliasi ITF, Pekerja Jakarta International Container Terminal (SPJICT), berupaya untuk menaikan level kampanye. Hari ini, di Jakarta, para pekerja melakukan kampanye dari pelabuhan sampai ke retil kesehatan dan kecantikan dari Hutchison, Watsons.

Presiden International Transport Workers' Federation Paddy Crumlin and Ketua Seksi Pekerja Pelabuhan ITF menghimbau Hutchison: "Terkait respon terhadap serangan Hutchison terhadap pekerja di pelabuhan Jakarta, para pekerja pelabuhan Indonesia ini turun ke jalan untuk menyadarkan publik bahwa para pekerja JICT layak dihargai.

"Para pekerja telah membangun terminal Hutchison, Jakarta International Container Terminal (JICT) menjadi salah satu terminal berkinerja prima di Asia. Mereka secara berkelanjutan meningkatkan produktivitas untuk menjaga pertumbuhan perusahaan dan ekonomi Indonesia.

"Namun, manajemen JICT malah berupaya menghancurkan para pekerja tersebut. Hak mereka dipotong 15-42% dalam 3 bulan terakhir dan mereka terancam PHK karena menyuarakan perpanjangan kontrak jilid II Hutchison di JICT yang melanggar aturan dan merugikan keuangan negara."

Para pekerja mengunjungi gerai Watsons Hutchison di Jakarta untuk mengirimkan pesan terkait komitmen retil tersebut yakni "lingkungan yang sehat dan mendukung bagi pekerja" dan menyediakan "suasana kerja yang bebas dari segala bentuk diskriminasi". Pesan ini juga ditujukan kepada seluruh pekerja di jaringan bisnis Hutchison.

"Watsons berusaha bekerja dengan cerdas dan menciptakan nilai bagi pelanggan dan pemegang saham - seperti halnya pekerja di JICT. Bagi publik Indonesia yang memiliki keyakinan terhadap komitmen Watsons sudah semestinya retil tersebut membantu memperbaiki situasi JICT dan menyatakan kepada Hutchison untuk lebih menghargai pekerja," ujar Crumlin.

Latar Belakang

JICT merupakan perusahaan patungan antara PELINDO II and Hutchison yang beroperasi sejak tahun 1999. Perpanjangan JICT jilid II sampai 2039 telah diupayakan. Akan tetapi, di bulan Juni, berdasarkan hasil audit investigatif Badan Pemeriksa Keuangan (BPK) menyatakan perpanjangan kontrak JICT kepada Hutchisom melanggar aturan dan merugikan keuangan negara.

Komisi Pemberantasan Korupsi (KPK) saat ini sedang melakukan investigasi secara mendalam terhadap perpanjangan kontrak tersebut. Saat ini manajemen JICT menggunakan isu perpanjangan kontrak untuk memotong hak-hak karyawan dalam bentuk mengaburkan keuntungan perusahaan.

 

Informasi lebih lanjut:

Luke Menzies | ITF Asia Pacific Campaign Centre, Sydney, Australia

Tel: +61 433 889 844 (Watsapp) | Email: mediasydney@itf.org.uk

 

 

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: Australian Government Wants To Kill Off Cabotage And Must Be Stopped

Please find this release attached and below. If you have any inquiries relating to it please forward them to Darrin Barnett, whose contact details appear at the end of the release.

Yours,

Sam Dawson

ITF

 

 

 

13 September 2017

 

Australian Government Wants To Kill Off Cabotage And Must Be Stopped

 

The ITF (International Transport Workers' Federation) says the conservative Australian Government is again trying to kill off cabotage by introducing a Bill today that waters down the rules surrounding foreign ships gaining temporary licences to operate between Australian ports. 

 

ITF President Paddy Crumlin, who is also MUA (Maritime Union of Australia) National Secretary said it was clear the Government's intention was to decimate Australia's domestic shipping fleet.

 

"A strong, viable domestic shipping fleet makes absolute sense for Australia given it has the fourth largest shipping task in the world.

 

"Put simply, the proposed changes would make it more difficult for Australian ships with Australian crew to compete in the coastal trade. Instead of enhancing a vital national industry with a long and proud tradition, the Turnbull Government wants to send the jobs offshore."

 

Australia has a very strict cabotage regime for aviation where foreign companies can't just come here and operate on domestic routes but there has been a very liberal approach to cabotage for the maritime sector.

  

"Without strong rules, Australian companies have to compete with cheap, exploited foreign labour on Flag of Convenience vessels, the owners of which pay no tax and often flout safety laws," Crumlin said. 

 

"Today's new laws lacked consultation and ignored proposals put forward by the industry via exhaustive meetings with key stakeholders over a long period of time."

 

The recent Senate Inquiry Into Flag of Convenience Shipping found that unlike Australian seafarers, foreign crews have no background checks yet they are carrying petroleum products, ammonium nitrate and LNG around the Australian coast.

 

"Exploited crew on Flag of Convenience vessels earn as little as $1.25 an hour, have less training and are often unaware of Australia's fragile coastal environment," Crumlin said.

 

"They do not meet the same national security screening applied to Australian resident seafarers and are directly making Australian seafarers unemployed by effectively taking their jobs through the FOC industry of rorting, poor safety standards and tax evasion. 

 

"Australian workers cannot and should not be expected to compete with slave labour and systemic tax avoidance under the Flag of Convenience system."  

 

ENDS

 

Media Contact: Darrin Barnett +61 428 119 703

 

 

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 invitation: Joint IMEC-ITF presentation tomorrow

Please find this reminder attached and below. If you've already registered please disregard it.

Yours,

Sam Dawson

ITF

 

 

 

 

11 September 2017

 

Joint IMEC-ITF presentation tomorrow

There is still time for press and all other interested parties to register to attend IMEC (International Maritime Employers' Council) and the ITF's (International Transport Workers' Federation) first every joint public event, in London tomorrow.

 

IMEC and the ITF invite you to come along to Sustainable Partnerships in Shipping from 12:00 to 14:30 tomorrow, September 12^th, at ITF House, 49-60 Borough Road, London SE1 1DR.

 

Held as part of London International Shipping Week 2017, the joint presentation will be followed by Q&As and refreshments. Find out more and use the Click here link at www.itf-imec.org to attend.

 

The presentations will also be covered live at https://twitter.com/ITFglobalunion, https://twitter.com/IMEC_UK and www.facebook.com/ITFglobal

 

ENDS

 

For more details please contact

IMEC. Adam Lewis. Email: adam.lewis@imec.org.uk

ITF. Sam Dawson. Email: dawson_sam@itf.org.uk

 

 

About IMEC and the ITF

IMEC is the only international employers' organisation dedicated to maritime industrial relations. Established over fifty years ago, it operates from offices in London, UK, and Manila in the Philippines and represents over 220 shipping companies located all over the world. You can find out more at www.imec.org.uk

The ITF is a global federation representing over 16.5 million workers worldwide in 654 transport workers' unions in 148 countries worldwide. You can find out more at www.itfglobal.org

 

 

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.