News November 21, 2024 Petition: Don’t lower the minimum age for truck driving in Europe! Truck driving in Europe is a very demanding profession that requires a lot of skill, concentration and responsibility. The EU should make the job more rewarding, less stressful and risky and attract more experienced drivers rather than trying to find teenagers willing to do the job for low pay and long hours. Sign the petition now!
News November 19, 2024 World Toilet Day 2024: What if you didn’t have one at your workplace? We often assume that access to clean and safe sanitation for everyone is a demand of the past in Europe. However, this fundamental human right in Europe’s transport sector is still often neglected. With the lack of sanitation or its poor quality, the transport industry is driving workers away from the industry, especially women.
Press Release November 15, 2024 EU Social Partners unveil new tools to strengthen the social dimension of the Common Fisheries Policy Yesterday, the EU Social Partners in the fisheries sector, represented by Europêche and the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF), presented at the European Parliament the results of a major initiative aimed at creating a safer, healthier, and more worker-friendly fisheries sector across Europe. The dissemination conference, hosted by MEPs Nicolás González Casares (Socialists and Democrats) and Paulo do Nascimento Cabral (European People’s Party), provided an opportunity to showcase innovative tools developed under the EU project Pillars of the Sea 3: Roadmap towards socially sustainable fishing.
Press Release November 13, 2024 Non-EU Fishers Working on EU Vessels: ETF Conference Calls for Fair Pay and Rights The ETF held an important conference today, spotlighting the working conditions and fair pay challenges faced by non-EU fishers employed on EU vessels. The event gathered a diverse group of policymakers from the EU Commission, Parliament and the ILO, experts, and industry stakeholders to address wage discrepancies and non-EU workers conditions in the sector.
Press Release November 13, 2024 European Social Partners issue urgent call to protect Mediterranean coastal fishing communities The European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF), Europêche and COGECA – European fisheries social partners- jointly adopted a resolution at their plenary meeting, urgently addressing the critical state of the Mediterranean fisheries. This decision highlights shared concerns about the situation of fisheries in the Mediterranean where coastal communities are suffering from sizeable reductions of fishing effort, and the need for sensible EU policies to support both environmental, social and economic dimensions.
News November 8, 2024 Dockers Safety Conference: “Working together. Much safer” The conference emphasised that safety is a shared responsibility and a vital investment rather than a cost. It provided a unique platform for those actively addressing safety issues within their organisations to exchange views and experiences. Employers, workers, and union leaders engaged in discussions on critical topics such as ensuring safety aboard ships, enforcing the non-seafarers’ work clause, and creating safer working conditions for lashers.
Statement November 7, 2024 ETF Statement on Fisheries and Oceans Commissioner-designate Cōstas Kadīs Hearing The ETF welcomes the Commission’s decision to separate the Fisheries and Environment portfolios, ending the unbalanced association that left fisheries as the only economic sector under the environment umbrella. This change should help ensure that fisheries are fairly represented and not disproportionately impacted compared to other sectors. The ETF looks forward to working with Commissioner Kadīs to strengthen the EU fisheries sector across all three pillars.
News November 7, 2024 ETF Urges Stricter Regulations and Accountability for Shadow Fleet Operations The European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) is calling for urgent action to combat the rise of so-called “shadow fleets,” which continue to operate outside international norms, undermining basic worker protections, environmental safeguards, and maritime safety regulations. These fleets, comprising vessels with obscure ownership and frequently shifting registries, expose serious flaws in international shipping practices by allowing companies to bypass regulatory oversight, evade sanctions, and neglect seafarers’ rights.
Statement ETF Statement on Commissioner-designate Tzitzikostas’s Hearing The European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF), representing millions of workers across Europe’s transport sector, listened closely to yesterday’s confirmation hearing of Commissioner-designate Apostolos Tzitzikostas. The transport sector is facing a multitude of problems and ETF is determined to build a dialogue with Mr. Tzitzikostas to address the sector’s greatest challenges. Transport workers, who keep Europe moving, deserve a sector that values their contributions and meets their needs. We will watch closely for the next steps and expect a commitment to the practical changes that will benefit all Europeans.
Publication EU Land Transport Labour Market: A Critical Examination of Trends and Policy Implications Two years ago, the ETF launched a project to look in more detail at the roots of the above trends. Three reports – on road, rail and urban public transport were developed within the frame of the project to cast light on how liberalisation and market-opening policies led to undesirable effects that put at stake the very goals and objectives set by the same policymakers.
Press Release ETF Launches Manifesto: A New Deal for Fair Transport ETF announced the launch of the manifesto “A New Deal for Fair Transport,” today, ahead of the 2024 European Elections. This comprehensive manifesto outlines a series of critical demands aimed at reshaping the transport sector in Europe to ensure fairness, safety, and respect for all transport workers.
News Executive Committee of ETF met in Brussels on June 4/5 On June 4th and 5th, 2024, Brussels hosted the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) Executive Committee meeting. Trade unionists from across Europe gathered to discuss and shape the future of European transport, focusing on workers’ interests. ETF President Frank Moreels opened the meeting by underlining the need to stop the far-right, who have always worked against the interests of workers.