More than 200 trade unionists from across the region will meet in Tunisia this week to assess their achievements and challenges, and to set their work agenda for the next 18 months.
The Arab World has the most quickly growing membership rates across the ITF.
Seafarers’ rights have various sources, including Flag State law, Port State law, your contract of employment, and international law, including through the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
Describing itself as the Ukrainian National Platform of Maritime Trade Unions, the new group is touting for business by promising to undercut agreed and negotiated conditions.
That’s the verdict on the ITF Arab World regional conference in Tunisia that came to a close on Friday.
255 participants represented 33 unions from 12 countries.
They used the event to plan how they could become more powerful through increased membership and the promotion of collective bargaining agreements (CBAs).
More than 400 seafarers and 100 cadets from the Myanmar Maritime University – most of them not union members – participated in the first of what will become an annual event.
The Malaviya 20 is one of two Indian-owned and -flagged vessels that were effectively abandoned by their owners after they were detained in Aberdeen and Great Yarmouth.
“These workers were sacked for fighting for better wages and against dangerous conditions. After joining their union, they faced intimidation and retaliation from management – who gave them two options: leave the union or lose their jobs.
The seminar was part of the ITF’s global initiative to introduce modules on HIV/AIDS and wellbeing issues for maritime students. This was the first such seminar at the Myanmar maritime university, which has 1,600 students across seven faculties.
She continued: “Today also provides the opportunity to carry forward and report on two ITF initiatives: the launch of our Equality Testing in Transport Research, and the campaign for an ILO convention on violence and harassment in the workplace.”
