ITF press release: Unions put Thailand on trial over failure to protect workers rights

15 January 2016

Unions put Thailand on trial over failure to protect workers rights

The ITF (International Transport Workers' Federation) has joined its Thai member unions the Thai Airways International Union (TG Union) and the State Enterprise Workers Relations Confederation (SERC) to put the Thai government's behaviour on trial at the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Switzerland.

 

The Thai unions and ITF have submitted a catalogue of failures by the Thai government to defend the rights of workers to the ILO's Committee on Freedom of Association. They are challenging the government to act in line with international conventions and norms.

 

The complaint says that the conduct of Thai Airways International Public

Company Limited (Thai Airways) in the dispute that prompted this complaint

exposes a number of failures in Thai law to protect workers' and trade union rights.

 

The complaint details the events following a spontaneous two-day protest by off duty Thai Airways staff from 18 January 2013 for a decent pay rise and bonus. Officials from the TG Union negotiated between the staff and management, and convinced them to end the protest. On 19 January the airline signed an agreement granting the pay and benefits demanded by the staff.

 

However, Thai Airways took legal action over the protest against four officials from the TG Union and a court ordered them to pay over USD 9,000,000.

 

Gabriel Mocho, ITF civil aviation secretary, said: "The TG Union acted in a way that is beyond reproach in this matter. It formed a vital link between management and the protestors, and without its involvement this dispute could have spiralled out of control. It is shameful that the union officials are being punished using Thai law for their constructive and supportive behaviour. We now call on the ILO to step in and force the government of Thailand to legally protect the rights of its workers, and correct this rotten legislation that is clearly in breach of international law."

 

For more background see here http://goo.gl/zD3Bz5

For more information contact Andy Khan-Gordon on tel: +44 (0)20 7940 9282 / +44 (0)7968 274 211. Email: khan-gordon_andy@itf.org.uk

THE INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORT WORKERS' FEDERATION (ITF): ITF House, 49-60 Borough Road, London, SE1 1DR. Tel: +44 (0)20 7403 2733. Fax: +44 (0)20 7357 7871. www.itfglobal.org.uk. Twitter: https://twitter.com/ITFglobalunion. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ITFglobal

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 statements: ITF questions Alcoa probity

Please find this statement attached and below.

Yours,

Sam Dawson

ITF

14 January 2016

ITF questions Alcoa probity

The ITF (International Transport Workers' Federation) has again questioned the behaviour of Alcoa as apparent non-payment of wages on one of the vessels it uses has been detected just a day after the MV Portland was spirited away from its Australian port (see http://goo.gl/CCXqWg)

ITF seafarers' section chair Dave Heindel stated: "The ITF is investigating apparent non-payment of crew on the Gold River, which arrived right after the MV Portland was forcibly removed and sailed off for destruction. This again raises questions about the company's probity and that of the companies to which it's handing shipping contracts. Alcoa have tried to justify the scrapping of the Portland as a matter of competition and reducing costs. If not paying ships' crews is how costs are to be cut, then the company has some serious explaining to do, not just to its crews, but to the Australian people and authorities too."

ENDS

 

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

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Press release: ITF condemns MV Portland seizure

Please find this release attached and below.

Yours,

Sam Dawson

ITF

13 January 2016

ITF condemns MV Portland seizure

The ITF (International Transport Workers' Federation) today strongly condemned the raid early this morning (Wednesday) on the MV Portland in the Australian home port for which it is named. Up to 30 security guards were reportedly used to eject the five Australian crew members from the vessel and usher on a non-national crew, which then set sail for Singapore.

 

The ejected crew were defending the Portland's status as an Australian-flagged and crewed ship dedicated to Australian coastal routes, and protesting against its owner, Alcoa's, decision to scrap it and outsource the work to a flag of convenience vessel.

The dawn raid came despite widespread opposition within Australia to the vessel's loss, as well as from seafarers and their unions around the world.

 

ITF general secretary Steve Cotton said: "They came for the Portland like thieves in the night. This raid and the flight of this respected vessel – with its 27 year history of serving Australian industry – raises grave questions, not just about the future of Australia as a maritime nation but also about the fitness of the crew who have been parachuted in to take this vessel away. The ITF will be investigating these matters fully, including the role of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority in this affair."

 

In a strongly worded statement MUA national secretary and ITF president Paddy Crumlin forcefully questioned the granting of a licence to Alcoa to use foreign ships for the Portland's domestic route for the voyage, as well as the way the replacement crew were brought into the country. See his full statement at http://goo.gl/Eqghe1

 

The defence of the MV Portland has been supported by trade unions worldwide (see http://goo.gl/7V4xdq) . At the end of last year the ITF's cabotage taskforce laid out the economic and national case for its retention. It explained that protecting maritime cabotage is a legitimate domestic policy, not protectionism. Forty-seven countries have some form of cabotage law,  because it is good for their economies. With a thriving maritime industry, people work in good quality jobs, consume goods and boost the economy.

 

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

 

The taskforce also stressed that 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.

 

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.

ITF press release: International unions keeping close watch on Australia's MV Portland dispute

Please find attached a press release from the International Transport Workers' Federation: International unions keeping close watch on Australia's MV Portland dispute 

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.

ITF press release: ITF urges suspension of Alcoa licence following bribery allegations

Please find attached a press release from the International Transport Workers' Federation: 

ITF urges suspension of Alcoa licence following bribery allegations

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.