Category Archives: International activities

FTTUB joins the efforts for the reconstruction of Notre Damme Cathedral in Paris

|

Through the International Transport Federation, we call upon 20 million transport workers all over the world to join our appeal, commented FTTUB president Ekaterina Yordanova

On 16 April 2019, FTTUB Management Committee took the decision to join the global efforts for the reconstruction of the Notre Damme Cathedral in Paris.

FTTUB president Ekaterina Yordanova and the members of FTTUB Management Committee are calling upon their brothers and sisters from the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) with an appeal.

“Millions of people around the world are deeply disturbed by the devastating fire that nearly destroyed one of the world’s architectural symbols – the Notre Damme cathedral in Paris. So let us show our commitment to the global efforts and join in the reconstruction, each of us donating symbolically 1 euro cent for the renovation of Notre Damme.” Прочети още →

FTTUB wishes you a bright Christmas and a happy 2019!

| 

Warmest wishes from FTTUB team and president Ekaterina Yordanova, 
for lots of light and joy during the coming Christmas and New Year 
holidays, a lot of satisfaction and shared happiness with your loved ones!

In 2019, let us all together, and each one by their own powers, 
be creators of the changes we wish to see in the world! 
Let us help the good, the justice and the understanding grow among us!



			

	
	



			
				


	

		

					

				
ITF 44th Congress host Mary Liew receives  the „LEADER OF CHANGE” award


				

			 | 					

			


		

		


In the eve of the official opening of ITF 44th Congress in Singapore, FTTUB president Ekaterina Yordanova gave the  “LEADER OF CHANGE” award to Mary Liew, the General Secretary of the Singapore Maritime Officers’ Union, the host organization of ITF 44th Congress – for being an exceptional woman leader, who dedicated all her time and enormous energy to making the 44th ITF congress in Singapore possible. Прочети още →

			

	
	



			
				


	

		

					

				
OPT in Bulgaria: developing a campaign on many levels


				

			 | 					

			


		

		
For a second year in a row, in September 2018, the Federation of transport trade unions in Bulgaria (FTTUB) took part in the European mobility week (EMW) with a second wave of ‘Our Public Transport’ campaign – which FTTUB develops in Bulgaria since 1 May 2017.




Last year, we introduced the OPT campaign to the wider trade union movement during CITUB’s 8th congress, which was attended by delegates from all industrial sectors in Bulgaria; and honored by guests from ITUC – the Deputy Secretary-General Jaap Wienen; and the European Economic and Social Council – Georges Dassis, president of the Workers’ Group at EESC. OPT was presented at the conference “A Future for Labor, a Future for Young People in Europe” organized by the International Youth Forum in Sofia. Later on, during EMW 2017 in September, we worked in partnership with Sofia municipality and the local public transport companies (bus, tram and trolley, metro and urban mobility centre) to draw the attention of the citizens of Sofia to the important role and the benefits of a publicly owned urban transport. At the open-door days during EMW 2017 for each company, FTTUB brought the spotlight on the transport workers. Citizens had the chance to experience first-hand our jobs at our workplaces and thus better appreciate our role as the people who give life to OPT. We also presented the results of a survey we have conducted proving that an increase in the number of women drivers leads to an improved working environment, better service for passengers and more profits for the companies in the entire urban transport sector.


In 2018, we opened our OPT campaign to other big cities in Bulgaria, and  used the EMW 2018 to once more draw public attention towards public transport.




 


 Прочети още →

			

	
	



			
				


	

		

					

				
The new EASA basic regulation is an important step in the right direction


				

			 | 					

			


		

		
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.  Прочети още →

			

	
	



			
				


	

		

					

				
The new EASA basic regulation is an important step in the right direction


				

			 | 					

			


		

		
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. 


 Прочети още →

			

	
	



			
				


	

		

					

				
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.

			

	
	



			
				


	

		

					

				
AVIATION LEADERS MET IN FLORENCE TO DISCUSS FUTURE CHALLENGES


				

			 | 					

			


		

		








Last week, the FIT-CISL Centro Studi in Florence hosted a series of Civil Aviation Meetings where the leaders of ETF-affiliated unions discussed the situation in aviation as well as challenges for the future. The first day was dedicated to the meetings of the Committees (ATM, CCC/PWG and GSC). On the second day, the second workshop of our Fair Aviation for All Project took place where we discussed a number of case studies including the right to strike in air traffic management, third-country workers, the Norwegian outsourcing model as well as the positive example of limitation of ground handlers at Fiumicino airport. The marathon of meetings was concluded by the plenary meeting of the ETF Civil Aviation Section. The main points of the meeting included the revision of the EASA Basic Regulation, preparation for the Commissions’ social package for aviation as well as future projects. A dedicated section was devoted to discuss common strategies in order to defend workers’ rights at Ryanair.







			

	
	



			
				


	

		

					

				
Ryanair recognizes pilots’ unions, ETF and ITF welcome the move


				

			 | 					

			


		

		


‘We’ll play fair, Ryanair’ – global unions respond to airline’s recognition decision






The European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) and International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), who represent workers in all the major players in Europe’s aviation industry, including Ryanair, have welcomed Ryanair’s statement today that it will change its “long standing policy of not recognizing unions”– and have issued a challenge to the airline to play fair from now on.






 Прочети още →