News

News February 23, 2022

ETF calls for solidarity amongst the entire Tug and Towage sector

We call on the Svitzer UK to take responsibility and engage in meaningful negotiations with Unite the Union and its inland waterways transport workers to find the best solutions for decent wages and working hours and end the current trade dispute over Pay Claim.

News February 15, 2022

The IWT working time agreement celebrates ten years

Ten years after signing the European social partner’s agreement (SPA) on working time for inland waterways together with the European Social Partners – the European Barge Union (EBU) and the European Skippers’ Organisation (ESO) -the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) fully supports the European Commission’s recent urging all EU Member States (MS) to implement the Directive, regardless of the size of the inland water sector in their territory.

News February 10, 2022

ETF calls on member states and the European Commission to show political will and take action for sustainable and quality shipping in Europe

A Fair and Sustainable Shipping is our proposal for a future European Maritime Space.
To start building together the foundation of such a future space, an essential aspect needs to be addressed from the very beginning: how can EU initiatives contribute to sustainable and quality shipping in Europe by promoting a race to the top instead of a race to the bottom?

News February 7, 2022

Investors divest from Wizz Air over its poor performance on labour rights

Danish pension fund Akademiker Pension announced today that they had sold their shares in the London-listed low-cost carrier Wizz Air, after the company failed to convince them that it was taking meaningful actions to address ongoing concerns about how it treats its workers.
Livia Spera, General Secretary of the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF), commented: “These investors called Wizz Air out for their poor performance back in October 2021, yet it took almost three months for the company to meet them to discuss why Wizz Air does not recognise unions.”

News February 4, 2022

Social sustainability must be kept at the core of all future engagements part of the Toulouse declaration

The ETF welcomes the Declaration on future sustainability and decarbonisation in aviation, or the so-called Toulouse declaration adopted today during the Aviation Summit under the French presidency of the Council of the EU.
The Aviation Summit, a flagship event for aviation of the French Presidency, gathered EU ministers, the European Commission, the ICAO president, the Directors General of Civil Aviation, members of the European Civil Aviation Conference, and stakeholders representing the air transport in Toulouse, France.

Press Release February 3, 2022

SOS call to preserve coastal fishing communities in the Mediterranean Sea

EU Social Partners – ETF, Europêche and Copa-Cogeca – adopted a joint resolution on the situation of fisheries in the Mediterranean. We call upon the European Commission to propose balanced measures to secure a future for fishermen, coastal communities and fishing resources in the Mediterranean Sea.