Topics on the agenda included cabotage, abandonment, the fair treatment of seafarers facing criminal charges or investigation, and amendments to the Maritime Labour Convention 2006.
The meeting, organised by the UN's human rights office on 25 October, is working on the elements of the proposed ‘international instrument to regulate, in international human rights law, the activitie
Your elected representatives from across the ITF’s regions, sections and departments met in Amsterdam to endorse the direction of the organisation in the run up to congress 2018 and hear the latest on ongoing ITF campaigns and key areas of work.
Following years of international campaigning against kafala – a form of indentured labour that in practice has equated to often slavelike treatment of workers – the Qatari government has now gone on record as stating that it will finally be terminated.
The latest plans would lead to the likely removal of 20 Netherlands nationals and their replacement by agency workers from other countries.
Governments, employers’ and workers’ representatives from 193 countries are attending the IV Global Conference on the Sustained Eradication of Child Labour in Buenos Aires, Argentina from 14-16 November.
Johnny Hansen, chair of the ITF fisheries section, commented: “Fishers work in one of the most dangerous and often unpoliced professions in the world. Far too many of them are scandalously and criminally exploited. This should be a turning point in their lives.”
Nermin Al-Sharif, general secretary of the ITF-affiliated Dockers’ and Seafarers’ Union of Libya, is an active and renowned advocate for human, workers’ and women’s rights on both the national and international stage.
The ITF (International Transport Workers’ Federation) has provided support for the crew since their arrest in 2013, and has funded this appeal on their behalf.
Australia is the only member of the International Energy Agency (IEA) that does not meet the requirement of 90 days of liquid fuel supplies. Parliament has passed a bill to make Australia compliant by 2026 but this relies in part on other countries to release oil on its behalf.
