News March 12, 2020 Appeal to the European Commission: Don’t let one giant airline catering business dominate the market! In the name of airline catering workers in Europe, European Transport Workers’ Federation and EFFAT European Federation of Food, Agriculture and Tourism Trade Unions provided input to an EC merger control case that relates to Lufthansa selling its European operations of LSG catering group to Gategroup. We appeal to the European Commission to investigate the case further and not to allow the creation of one giant airline catering business dominating the market.
Statement March 11, 2020 COVID-19: ETF calls for additional measures to prevent dire social consequences in civil aviation! Yesterday, the European Commission announced that the rules about airport slots will be temporarily relaxed. This is an important step to ensure the stability of the airline industry in Europe. If introduced in isolation, however, it fails to address the very real social cost civil aviation workers will pay because of the decline in air travel. In parallel with the changes of rules for airport slots, all EU member states need to ensure that workers whose employment is in danger are protected, in line with the provisions that exist in their national legislation.
News March 9, 2020 COVID-19: ETF calls upon Commissioners Vălean and Schmit to devise a plan that protects transport workers! In view of the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak and its on impact transport workers, we sent a letter to Adina Vălean, Commissioner for Transport and Nicolas Schmit, Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights where we outlined our concerns, and what a plan to remedy the current situation should look like.
News March 9, 2020 International Women’s Day 2020: Making the transport sector fit for women workers On the occasion International Women’s Day, the ETF presents a teaser of the findings from the ETF survey on how to make the transport sector fit for women workers.
News March 5, 2020 Following a major raid at Amazon distribution centre in Austria, ETF and vida call for supply-chain liability in e-commerce A large-scale raid at the new Amazon parcel distribution centre in Großebersdorf, near Vienna in Austria took place mid-February. In total, 174 employees at 36 subcontractors (transport companies) were subject to inspection. Violations of labour legislation were found in 49 cases and a bogus company with 20 employees was detected.
Statement March 5, 2020 Keep Europe moving! We were sad to learn about another bankruptcy in civil aviation today – UK’s regional airline Flybe. The spread of the COVID-19 has had an important impact in accelerating the process towards the bankruptcy of the airline, which represents just one of the symptoms of a Europe-wide crisis. Decisive action needs to be taken to keep Europe moving. To prevent a complete collapse of the air transport networks in the immediate future, the EU, European countries and other key authorities such as EASA need to come up with a detailed, clear and effective contingency plan.
News March 5, 2020 Effective and ambitious legislation on due diligence is urgently needed The ETF calls for a European directive on mandatory human rights due diligence and responsible business conduct. Companies need to finally be held accountable for the impacts of their operations, without prejudice to joint and several liability. A European directive would bring us closer to stopping violations of human rights that continue to take place in multinational operations, and their supply and subcontracting chains.
Statement March 3, 2020 Statement against criminalisation of inland navigation crewmembers The ITF and ETF Inland Navigation Sections are very concerned that the Captain of the Viking Sigyn faces a long prison sentence after the tragic accident on the river Danube in Budapest May 2019.
Publication February 26, 2020 Final report | EWCs in Transport: more and better participation of workers now! A tailor-made manual for Transport Trade Unions in Europe on setting up EWCs in Transport companies.
Press Release February 19, 2020 Return lashing to shore-based dock workers! The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) and the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) today call upon ship operators to return lashing to shore based dock workers.
Press Release February 19, 2020 ETF and IRU urge EU to address unprecedented driver shortage in road transport industry Yesterday marked the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the EU Social Dialogue Committee for Road Transport between social partners IRU and ETF. ETF and IRU reminded the EU officials that driver shortage is alarmingly increasing in the EU, with 20% of unfilled drivers’ positions in passenger and goods transport in 2019.