News June 14, 2019 ETF supports the women’s strike today in Switzerland! More pay! More time! More respect! That’s the demand from hundreds of thousands of women in Switzerland, who are still denied their constitutional right to equal pay while facing higher levels of unemployment and gender-based violence.
Worker's Story June 12, 2019 A tug worker sends an SOS call about social dumping A tug captain from Antwerp has issued an SOS call, asking for action against social dumping in the sector. His story highlights a specific case of unfair competition in Belgium, but it is a story that will echo with tug captains across Europe. The ETF is building a network of tug captains, and we will stand with them in their struggle to defend decent pay and conditions in this vital profession.
Statement June 5, 2019 ETF Acting General Secretary expresses her support for an ILO Convention on violence & harassment in the world of work Women workers face terrible violence and harrassment – and transport workers are some of the most affected. Today we asked the European Commission and the Romanian EU Presidency to push for an ILO Convention on violence and harassment in the world of work at the centenary ILO Conference next week in Geneva.
News June 5, 2019 Does the recent river cruise accident in Budapest point to structural problems with safety? We offer our sincere condolences to the families of the victims who drowned on the Danube. There is still little clear information, but this is already the 4th accident of the year and the 2019 season is only just getting started. Although we agree that captains carry responsibility for the safety of their passengers and others on the water, we question the tendency to criminalise maritime workers after accidents
News June 4, 2019 French railway workers are back on the streets to protest against Macron’s risky reforms Four French trade unions organising railway workers have called for a national demonstration in Paris today, as the Macron government pushes ahead with reforms that are bad for passengers and staff. Solidarité à nos collègues!
News June 4, 2019 Happy Birthday SEV! Our Swiss affiliate celebrates 100 years Our Deputy General Secretary, Sabine Trier, was in Bern to join the Congress of SEV – the Swiss Transport Workers Union. She brought congratulations for SEV’s 100th anniversary, and stressed the need for international solidarity between workers and their unions.
News June 3, 2019 Our analysis of the European Parliament elections 2019 Voters did not deliver the feared right-wing tsunami…but the new European Parliament is more liberal and green, with a larger nationalist and xenophobic component. We look at the results and see what they will mean for coalition building and our lobbying.
News May 28, 2019 ETF supports Dutch transport workers in strike for fair pensions Dutch workers are fighting for the right to enjoy their pension in good time, and without financial worries. As transport workers stand united, there will be no bus, train, tram or metro driving that day in the Netherlands.
News May 27, 2019 Mixed results in European Parliament elections: Workers urgently need a progressive alliance Worker-friendly parties have not suffered the disaster that was predicted, but the new European Parliament will require brave and creative coalitions. Now the EU must deliver a concrete and progressive response to voters’ social concerns. That is the only way to see off the populists and the far-right.
Press Release May 25, 2019 With EU elections in full swing, we present Fair Transport manifesto to Social Democrat leader Udo Bullmann’s S&D group has been a reliable ally over the past years, and he pledged to work with us for better conditions in the transport sector. Strong connections with MEPs are vital as we fight for Fair Transport in Europe, and we are reaching out to various parties.
News May 24, 2019 Could conditional maritime subsidies boost employment and training for European-based seafarers? At the ITF-OECD Summit on “Transport Connectivity for Regional Integration”, we discussed subsidies and non-European investment in the maritime and port industries. Subsidies are needed to protect Europe’s shipping sector from unfair competition, but they should be tied to the creation of jobs, decent conditions, training and the greening of the sector.
News May 23, 2019 We’re taking the next step in our Stronger Together campaign against gender-based violence The ETF Women’s Committee urges all ETF trade unions to promote fair and violence-free workplaces for women transport workers in Europe.