The European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF), representing over 350,000 workers across the whole aviation industry in Europe, welcomes yesterdays’ European Parliament Plenary vote on the new European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Basic Regulation as an important step in the right direction. Some of ETF’s long-standing claims – such as the inclusion of ground handling into the scope of the Agency or the interdependence between safety and socio-economic factors – have been reflected. Subject to the approval of the Council, the ETF regrets the extension of the flexibility provisions to eight months thus giving too many possibilities for airlines to derogate from established rules, in particular as regards flight time limitations.
Category Archives: Health & Safety
ITF and Qatari government continue talks under the ILO technical cooperation programme
March 12, 2018
An ITF delegation, led by ITF General Secretary Stephen Cotton, visited Qatar last week to hold discussions with top officials to set a framework for the implementation of the common objectives, agreed by both sides at a previous meeting held in London on 4 October last year.
The ITF delegation met with HE Mr. Jassim Saif Ahmed Al Sulaiti, Minister of Transport; HE Mr. Issa bin Saad Al-Jafali Al-Nuaimi, Minister of Administrative Development – Labour and Social Affairs (ADLSA); Mr. Fernando Casadevall, Qatar Airways’ Chief Human Resources Officer; Saleh bin Hamad Al Sharqi, Director General of the Qatar Chamber of Commerce; Mr. Houtan Homayounpour, responsible of the ILO office in Doha.
The ITF delegates welcomed the Ministers’ commitment to the ILO technical cooperation programme (TCP), under which the ILO and the Government of Qatar agreed to work together to strengthen national regulations and practices. They also agreed to work together to strengthen the capacities of the government, employers, and workers to realise fundamental principles and rights at work, in line with international labour standards. Under the TCP, the government of Qatar will promote a speedy process to resolve individual grievance procedures and will regulate the creation of joint labour committees at company level, among other measures.
After the meetings, Stephen Cotton declared: “We believe that accelerating our cooperation with the aim of reaching an agreement will provide a clear message to the regional and global community that the Government of Qatar is fully committed to the TCP and workers’ rights generally. With the government’s support, and under the umbrella of the ILO TCP, I am certain that we can develop a road map to be launched in the next few months for the full protection of labour and social rights of all transport workers in Qatar.”
CONCLUSION OF THE GROUND HANDLING PROJECT
Last week, the European Social Partners in Ground Handling (ACI Europe, ASA and ETF) met in Lyon for the last Steering Committee of the joint Social Dialogue Project. Within this project, a study was undertaken by Syndex and STC-Group on Market Access and Social Conditions, Vocational Training, Qualifications and Quality Standards.
The Social Partners agreed on a statement that will accompany the results of the project which includes a commitment to joint work on the evaluation of the Ground Handling Directive with the view to better identify the loopholes and the discrepancies in the market access to avoid distortion of competition with a special attention to transfer of staff as per national and sectoral CLAs and the Directive on Transfer of Undertakings. At the same time, greater harmonisation of training standards will also be part of the Social Dialogue programme and should be considered by the European Commission as part of the evaluation. The Social Partners are also ready to work on solutions to be considered after the evaluation process.
In order to present the results of the project, a brochure will be produced both in paper and electronic versions.
ITF and Qatari government continue talks with aim of safeguarding transport workers’ rights
The ITF (International Transport Workers’ Federation) have begun a new round of talks with the Qatari government’s Ministry of Labour and Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the rights of transport workers in Qatar.
They are the latest stage of a process begun via initial discussions between the Ministry and the ITF in 2016.
In the latest meeting, held at the ITF’s headquarters in London, both parties discussed effective ways and means that workers’ complaints can be safely aired and addressed. Both parties stated that their cooperation is based on a shared belief that the respect of international labour standards can help foster a positive working environment for transport workers.
Eliminating violence against women at work and at home
Trade Unions are fully determined to eliminate violence against women through collective agreements, and their proper implementation with employers, at national, sectoral and company levels.
In a ground-breaking, and unpublished, study ‘Safe at Home-Safe at work’, which will be presented in Madrid on November 24-25 to mark the International Day against Violence against Women (November 25), the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) will reveal how trade unions in Europe have addressed violence against women at work and how support at the workplace can help eliminate violence against women at home.
The ETUC is hosting the Madrid conference to share experience of negotiations and agreements at company and sectoral level to combat violence against women and sexual harassment at work.
A survey carried out by the British TUC found that more than half of all women, and nearly two-thirds of women aged 18 to 24, experienced sexual harassment at work. A French survey, carried out in 2014, found that 1 in 5 women had been a victim of sexual harassment.
Pioneering agreements have been signed in several countries including Bulgaria, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Slovenia and the Netherlands – see https://www.etuc.org/fr/publications/briefing-notes-etuc-project-safe-home-safe-work#.WDRA5vkrJPZ to more details in a briefing on the ETUC project ‘Safe at home, safe at work’.
Such agreements will guide future European trade union actions to eliminate violence against women at work.
The 2007 European Framework Agreement on Violence and Harassment at Work between the European trade union and employers’ organisations led to Europe-wide agreements in the commerce, private security, local government, health and education sectors.
“Sexual harassment at work is a serious problem which can have far-reaching repercussions for the victims and impacts on the whole workplace,” said Montserrat Mir, Confederal Secretary of the ETUC. “Together with the employers, we have the means to address it effectively through collective agreements, as our study shows.
“A new negotiating issue for trade unions and employers is how victims of violence at home can be supported in the workplace. Domestic violence often follows victims into the workplace, and obviously impacts on productivity and workplace morale. This makes domestic violence a trade union issue.”
Bulgarian input to the ETUC project “Safe at Home, Safe at Work”
Violence against women in the workplace and the acts of domestic violence with all their impact on working life are the two main focus areas of the research within the project of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) “Safe at Home, Safe at work”. The President of FTTUB Ekaterina Yordanova, vice president of the ETUC Women’s Committee is a member of the steering group once again. The project covers 11 EU countries and Bulgaria is one of them.
From July 6th to 9th, the independent researcher of the project Jane Pillinger held a series of meetings in Sofia. Прочети още
The Fifth National Sports Festival of Transport Workers has finished
The worker-athletes from TSV are the winners in the Fifth National Sports Festival of Transport Workers, which took place from 15 to 18 June at the “Albena” resort. TSV won the competition with a total score of 69 points from team performances – by regulation only they bring points for the team. The second place went to the participants from Port Varna with an aggregate of 58 points and on the third one is the Urban Mobility Centre – Sofia with 51 points. Прочети още
Why women do not take more jobs in transport
Ahead of the European Commission ‘Week for Women Working in Transport’ and in the light of the International Women’s Day on 8 March, the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) asks the legislator to address the real causes preventing women to take more jobs in this industry.
From 18 to 24 April the European Commission (EC) will launch the European Week for Women Working in Transport and organise a major event on the topic on 21 April. The ETF welcomes the EC initiative, acknowledging the unprecedented interest taken by DG MOVE in talking the underrepresentation of women in the industry. To make the process effective, the European Commission will however have to keep labour and employment conditions at the core of its endeavour to improve female participation in transport sectors. Прочети още
ECI Fair Transport Europe – our “Yes” to social justice in transport
On December 8, at the ETF premises in Brussels was held a meeting of national representatives in the collecting signatures campaign within ECI Fair transport Europe for social justice in transport. The meeting was attended by Eduardo Chagas, ETF General Secretary. The countries’ representatives reported activities and challenges. Best practices were identified in all seven steps of the campaign. The most important seems to be the clear message: for better transport services through quality employment – in all modes of transport and for all EU citizens in all members-states. Прочети още
Aviation strategy for Europe
The European Commission unveiled today its long-awaited Aviation Strategy for Europe. Commissioner Bulc presented the document to the press and members of the European Parliament TRAN Committee. The ETF team was present at both events.
While the ETF agrees on the need to have a comprehensive strategy integrating social aspects, safety and security, as well as measures to restore fair competition, we are dissatisfied by the lack of binding legislative proposals and actions in the social field. Прочети още