Media Release: ITF Seafarers' Trust, Rotterdam Launch of Portable Communication Pods 29 November 2017

MEDIA RELEASE

 

 

Launch of the ITF Seafarers' Trust "Portable Communication Pods"

 

 

• See a Portable Communication Pod in Europe's largest port
• Official Launch at Willemsplein 1, 3016 DR, Rotterdam the Netherlands
  29 November 2017 at 12.00 PM
• One day only

 

Rotterdam, the Netherlands, 29 November 2017

The Portable Communication Pods, part of the ITFST's digital welfare project, aim to keep seafarers connected to families and friends and to give seafarers needed information and resources by providing easily accessible Wi-Fi access on the quayside in ports around the world.

The Portable Communication Pods were the winner of the "Best New Communication Product" at the Safety At Sea Awards for the innovative way of addressing seafarers' unique welfare needs.

"Seafarers' wellbeing is integral to improving safety at sea, but is also obviously important to improve the quality of life.  The ITF Seafarers' Trust is proud of the possibilities, that include communication but also training, port information and information on where seafarers can access chaplains, ITF Inspectors and other assistance.  Because the Pods are portable and their use flexible, we look forward to the wider maritime community using the pods in a variety of ways to help empower the world's seafarers and other maritime workers" said Tomas Abrahamson, Acting Head of ITF Seafarers' Trust.

ENDS

 

The ITF Seafarers' Trust was established by the ITF in 1981 as a body with charitable status under UK law. It is dedicated to the welfare of seafarers, irrespective of nationality, race or creed. Its funding comes from the investment income of the ITF welfare fund, which is used to provide trade union services to seafarers.

"Our vision is to be the leader in promoting and improving the wellbeing of maritime workers worldwide. We support the provision of services to maritime workers; we invest in long-term programs that improve seafarers and their families' health and wellbeing; and we act as a catalyst for positive change in the maritime community"

 

For more information contact the ITF Seafarers' Trust Administrator, Mary Bollan.

Direct line: +44 (0)20 7940 9223                Email: mary@seafarerstrust.org

 

ITF Seafarers' Trust, ITF House, 49-60 Borough Road, London SE1 1DR, UK, info@seafarerstrust.org,

+44 (0)20 7403 2733,  seafarerstrust.org,  facebook.com/ITFtrust,  twitter.com @Seafarers_Trust

 

 

 

 

Mary Bollan

Trust Office Administrator

 

The ITF Seafarers' Trust

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

Direct line: +44 (0)20 7940 9223

 

 

Registered Charity in England & Wales Number 281936

www.seafarerstrust.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.

ITF media release: Seaman Guard Ohio ruling

27 November 2017

 

Seaman Guard Ohio ruling: ITF comment

 

The court in Madurai, India, has delivered its judgment in the appeal case by the crew and guards of the Seaman Guard Ohio. It decided to lift the sentence of five years' imprisonment against the 35 men that were handed down in January 2016.

 

The ITF (International Transport Workers' Federation) has provided support for the crew since their arrest in 2013, and has funded this appeal on their behalf.

 

ITF seafarers' section chair, David Heindel, commented: "At last there is some form of justice, even if it cannot restore to the men the time lost since their arrest in 2013.

 

"Unfortunately, one glaring injustice remains: the scandal of AdvanFort getting off scot free, having washed its hands of its employees. They took the money, they sauntered off, pockets bulging. It is nothing short of shameful that our justice system allows them to get away with this. But as we have witnessed over and over, this is the flag of convenience system that has been created!"

 

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.

ITF media release: International trade unions renew call for action over ongoing attacks on Libyan trade unionist

International trade unions renew call for action over ongoing attacks on Libyan trade unionist

 

A fresh appeal to protect the freedom and safety of a Libyan trade unionist has been launched by the ITF this week via online platform LabourStart.

 

Nermin Al-Sharif, general secretary of the ITF-affiliated Dockers' and Seafarers' Union of Libya, is an active and renowned advocate for human, workers' and women's rights on both the national and international stage. She has been subject to ongoing attacks, including several attempts on her life.

 

In the latest incident, Nermin was detained for several days and had her passport confiscated, barring her from travelling to an international ITF event in Morocco where she was due to address women activists from across the world. Nermin sent a video message to the conference and was offered overwhelming support by the 250 participants on behalf of their unions. The conference outlined the commitment of the ITF to offer support and solidarity to women transport workers victimised as a result of their activism.  The conference report reads:

 

"The conference expressed serious concerns at the impact of the current industrial and political situation faced by women transport workers and demanded that the future of work for women transport workers be embedded in all activities of the ITF.

 

The ITF will continue to ensure support for women who are targeted by governments and employers because of their trade union activities."

 

In London last week representatives from ITF Dockers' and seafarers' unions called for action over the campaign of intimidation and violence against Nermin. In a collective statement they said:

 

"ITF Dockers and Seafarers strongly condemn the recent action taken against prominent leader of the Libyan Dockers' and Seafarers' Union, Nermin Al-Sharif. We demand that her passport is given back to her immediately so she can travel freely. We further demand that she is allowed to continue the important work she does for working men and women in Libya and elsewhere without restriction nor retaliation from any entity and that she is given the necessary protection from her government. Finally, we demand that any undue investigation against her must cease. 

Nermin Al-Sharif's relentless work for the promotion of human rights in general, workers' and women's rights in particular and a healthy democratic debate is admirable and must be allowed to continue without restrictions, detention threats nor threats to her life and health." 

 

ITF president Paddy Crumlin followed up saying: "The international trade union community won't stand by and let this kind of outrageous treatment continue. Nermin is an activist, a trade unionist and an esteemed comrade.

 

"We urge every trade unionist, every ordinary working woman and man, everyone who cares about human rights and the right to freedom and justice to support this campaign. These are fundamental principles and we cannot afford to let them be eroded in this way."

 

The ITUC (International Trade Union Confederation) has offered support to the appeal. General Secretary Sharan Burrow said: "Nermin is a well-known figure in the international trade union movement. She is an activist with countless years of experience and activity for the protection of workers. 

 

"The extreme and explicit violation of her human rights through violent attacks and most recently infringement of her basic right to freedom of movement, is symptomatic of a country where the rule of law is not respected. We are firmly behind this appeal and are offering every support to Nermin and to the ITF."

 

ENDS

 

Access the LabourStart campaign: http://www.labourstart.org/go/libya

 

Follow updates on social media via #ITFdockers and #ITFwomen

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.

Best of the week 13 - 19 | 11 | 2017

 

ENLIGHTEN YOUR WAY BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK Yayoi Kusama, THE SPIRITS OF THE PUMPKINS DESCENDED INTO THE HEAVENS, 2015. Collection of the Artist, ©YAYOI KUSAMA. Installation view at National Gallery Singapore, 2017   YAYOI KUSAMA AT GOMA A career-spanning survey of work by leading contemporary Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama (b.1929) opens at Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) until 11 February 2018. YAYOI KUSAMA - LIFE IS THE HEART OF A RAINBOW Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) - Brisbane 04.11.2017 - 11.02.2018   Discover on thephotophore.com Deb Achak | Jurors Merit Mention 2017, © of the Author. Graphic design by the PhotoPhore   ALL ABOUT PHOTO AWARDS 2018:  THE MIND'S EYE | APPLY NOW! The PhotoPhore is very glad to introduce its partnership with the platform All About Photo for the realization of the 3rd edition of the All About Photo Awards: The Mind's Eye. PRIZES - $ 10,000 in cash awards - extensive press coverage - global recognition The competition has not nationality and themes restrictions. The deadline for the submission is: January 31, 2018.   Discover on thephotophore.com Images courtesy of Ray Caesar | Gallery House   RAY CAESAR: 5 NEVER-BEEN-SEEN WORKS AT PULP – WORKS ON PAPER In the occasion of PULP – Works on Paper, the ongoing exhibition at Gallery House, Toronto, Ray Caesar presents with his own words the 5 never-been-seen works that can be admired for the first time during the exhibition: "Communion", "Helios", "Swee Pea", "Returns of the Day" and "Vampyr". PULP – Works on Paper Ray Caesar | Selena Wong | Lori Field November 4 – December 14, 2017 Gallery House, Toronto Canada Discover on thephotophore.com   Discover: thephotophore.com     The PhotoPhore is a web based platform about contemporary art, photography and architecture. It curates high quality contents, dedicating its attention to projects characterized by great visual impact and distinctive concepts. From renowned artists and architects to emerging talents, the PhotoPhore offers a daily dose of inspiring information about artists and exhibitions, architecture projects, galleries and competitions. THEPHOTOPHORE.COM | UNSUBSCRIBE | CONTACT US 03 | November 2017 © the PhotoPhore 2017

 

 

 

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Joint press release: Report from IBF talks, London

Please find this joint press release attached and below.

Yours,

Sam Dawson

 

 

21 November 2017

Joint press release: Report from IBF talks, London

On Friday the 17 November 2017, representatives from the discussion groups of the Joint Negotiating Group (JNG) and the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) met to continue discussing various issues that had been identified during the last round of negotiations which took place in Tokyo in July.

 

The parties made significant progress on important issues and have agreed to hold the final round of negotiations in February 2018. Both parties are committed to finding solutions and concluding a new IBF Agreement during that round.

 

It was also agreed that the 2017 IBF Agreement will remain valid past the 2015 - 2017 IBF Agreement expiration date of 31 December 2017 – and that the new IBF Agreement will enter into force at a date to be agreed on by the parties.

 

ENDS

 

For more details please contact:

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

IMEC. Adam Lewis. Email: adam.lewis@imec.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: ITF: ‘new era for fishers begins’

Please find this release attached and below.

Yours,

Sam

 

 

15 November 2017

ITF: 'new era for fishers begins'

The ITF (International Transport Workers' Federation) has described the coming into force of the ILO Work in Fishing Convention, 2007 – ILO188 – tomorrow, 16 November as having the potential to open up a new era for millions of fishers worldwide. The ITF has been an active supporter of the new convention from its birth to this new landmark point.

 

Johnny Hansen, chair of the ITF fisheries section, commented: "Fishers work in one of the most dangerous and often unpoliced professions in the world. Far too many of them are scandalously and criminally exploited. This should be a turning point in their lives."

"Our hope is that ILO188 will begin a new era for fishers, that will help to improve conditions across the industry – including by tackling the grotesque and disgusting examples of overwork, non-payment of wages, forced labour and human trafficking that we and others have long fought to expose."

Mr Hansen concluded: "For the sake of justice, human lives and a better industry, we call on states to ratify and implement this landmark resolution, and ask the ILO to actively promote it worldwide."

 

The convention aims to ensure that fishers:

• Have improved occupational safety and health and medical care at sea, and that sick or injured fishers receive care ashore

• Receive sufficient rest for their health and safety

• Have the protection of a written work agreement

• Have the same social security protection as other workers

It also aims to ensure that fishing vessels are constructed and maintained so that workers have decent living conditions on board.

 

For more about the ITF and ILO Convention 188 visit https://goo.gl/ftZGuQ

 

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 supports challenge to Boskalis over crew replacement plans

Please find this release attached and below.

Yours,

Sam Dawson

ITF

 

 

 

 

10 November 2017

 

ITF supports challenge to Boskalis over crew replacement plans

 

The ITF (International Transport Workers' Federation) is standing ready to support its Dutch affiliate Nautilus NL/FNV Waterbouw as it resists plans by marine services and dredging company Boskalis to ditch and replace 20 crew members on five vessels.

 

The latest plans would lead to the likely removal of 20 Netherlands nationals and their replacement by agency workers from other countries. It brings back to life plans that were previously successfully resisted by the union, with international support.

 

Nautilus NL/FNV Waterbouw national secretary Marcel van Dam explained: 'Boskalis told us that between now and mid 2019 its Dutch Fairmount crew will be replaced by crew from cheap labour countries, employed by employment agency Anglo Eastern. If Boskalis continues to pursue these plans we will contemplate taking them to court, along with possible industrial action."

 

ITF inland navigation section chair Nick Bramley added: "We are appalled to see Boskalis turn back the clock and recycle plans that were so effectively challenged last time around. The company's profits – projected to reach EUR 150 million for 2017 – have been built with the help of its many crews around the world, and it is scandalous to see crew members being threatened with job losses in return. It is difficult not to see this as a case of simple social dumping, and the use of potentially lower skilled, cheaper and less protected workers in safety-critical roles. The ITF is ready to support our colleagues in the Netherlands in resisting this."

 

For more details (in Dutch) see: https://goo.gl/kgRxK7

 

ENDS

 

For more details please contact

ITF press and editorial manager Sam Dawson. Tel: +44 20 7940 9260. Email: dawson_sam@itf.org.uk

Nautilus NL/FNV Waterbouw communications advisor Hans Walthie. Tel: + 31 6 292 394 99. Email:

 

 

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: Tragedy Strikes As Port Worker Killed At ICTSI Terminal in Jakarta

Please find this release attached and below.

Yours,

Sam Dawson

ITF

 

9 November 2017

Tragedy Strikes As Port Worker Killed At ICTSI Terminal in Jakarta

The international dockworkers' community is in mourning following the death of an Indonesian worker who was killed on the job at the International Container Terminal Services Inc (ICTSI) facility in Jakarta overnight.

Local unions say a 40-year-old man was fatally crushed at 22.10 local time when a refrigerated container was dropped onto his truck, crushing the cabin and killing the driver. This is the second workplace fatality at the Port of Jakarta in three weeks.

International Transport Workers' Federation President Paddy Crumlin said this was a heart-wrenching time for all dockworkers and that this accident could have been avoided if the ICTSI Jakarta terminal was properly run.

"Every worker deserves to come home safely at the end of their shift and our thoughts go out to this man's family, friends and co-workers," Crumlin said.

"While we cannot pre-empt the findings of an official inquiry, ICTSI has a demonstrably poor record when it comes to safety in the workplace.

"This incident raises serious questions about ICTSI's traffic management systems and specifically whether they had adequately separated moving vehicles from suspended loads.

"Given their chequered history, we also need a thorough investigation into whether poor maintenance and equipment failure have played a role in this tragic death of a worker.

"Extreme fatigue will also need to be investigated. Like many workers at ICTSI, this man was employed by an outsource labour supply company called Persada.

"Low-paid outsource workers at ICTSI terminals are paid poverty wages and frequently work massive hours just to make ends meet. The the link between high rates of outsourcing and bad safety outcomes is well documented."

The ITF last month launched a global report into ICTSI which showed a pattern of severe safety deficiencies across the Philippine-based company's network of terminals.

The report particularly highlighted the lack of adequate systems to separate people and machinery, and a failure to safely manage the risks of suspended loads, along with a number of other issues.

"The ITF, and our union affiliates, have observed an emerging pattern of labour violations in the ICTSI network: a failure to respect the right to freedom of association; poor safety standards; and illegal outsourcing of labour," the report says.

"Many of these violations are in breach of domestic law in the countries where ITCSI operates and contravene international labour conventions.

"They also contravene ICTSI's own policies and statements, and call into question the company's ability to effectively manage their global business and ensure the same standards and performance across all of their terminals."

Crumlin said: "ICTSI has been the target of international condemnation in recent months over the company's sloppy management, poor safety standards, and a distinct lack of compliance with local laws and international labour conventions.

"This month the Government of Papua New Guinea has been the target of global protests calling on the government to review the decision to award port operations in Lae and Port Moresby to ICTSI.

"After today's tragedy, these protests are set to continue until ICTSI changes its ways and begins to engage with unions and their workforce to ensure fair wages and safety on the job for all of their dockworkers around the globe."

For more details, please contact

Katie Hepworth, ITF Asia Pacific Campaign Centre | +61 416 825 280 | 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: Government of PNG under fire to review ICTSI port contracts

Please find this release attached and below.

Yours,

Sam Dawson

ITF

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.