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4 ITF International Action Week 7-13 October 2013 Campaign Guidelines

5 1. ITF Action Week a global campaign The ITF invites all our road transport and railway unions to organise a variety of activities during the Action Week on 7 13 October under the slogan: Transport Workers Fighting Back Organising Globally! 1 Since it started as a Fatigue Kills! international day of action for road transport workers in 1997, our affiliates have used the Action Week and its international influence and visibility to highlight their local demands and bring issues to the attention of those in power. 2 The Action Week provides an international platform to bring ITF unions together and to speak with a strong united voice. Mass mobilisation of rank and file members shows that they feel part of a global movement. Often, governments and employers cannot ignore that momentum. In fact some unions have successfully won new legislation, collective bargaining agreements and an increase in members through the Action Week campaigns. 3 The Action Week campaign has become an integral part of union activities for many affiliates to link their local workplace issues with the international trade union movement. Some have used the Action Week to launch new national campaigns. Others have combined their efforts with other unions in their country or have built solidarity links with unions across borders during the Action Week. Here are some examples of where unions incorporated existing national campaigns into the Action Week activities in 2012: As part of the ETF campaign Respect for Professional Drivers! a demonstration was held in Brussels on 9 October, bringing together nearly 1,000 European trade unionists and a convoy of trucks, to mark the start of a regional campaign targeting the European Institutions and national governments to adopt legal measures to improve the working conditions of drivers. This was followed by protest actions by the ETF and its affiliated organisations on 14 May 2013 against plans by the European Commission to liberalise the domestic road transport sector. The initiative prompted a statement by the Commission, in which they recognised that the process of liberalisation is too complex and that the top priority now has to be the enforcement of the existing rules, including the social and labour aspects. At the end of May, the European Parliament published a study revealing that liberalisation in road transport had failed to be accompanied by a parallel harmonisation in drivers employment and working conditions within the EU. In Great Britain, rail unions ASLEF, RMT and TSSA held a joint protest at Euston station in London in the framework of the national Action for Rail campaign. In Canada, the CAW used the Action Week to highlight its national campaign More Buses NOW!. Strike action was organised by the Railwaymen s Union of Malaya (RUM) at the headquarters of Malayan Railways to challenge the Malaysia Mining Corporation s (MMC s) proposed takeover of the company. How can your union link the Action Week to highlight your existing campaigns? 1 Please see ITF Circular No.068/E.068/Rt.007/Rw.005/2013 (3 April 2013)

6 2. Dates The ITF Action Week will be held on 7-13 October Individual unions will decide what members will do during the Action Week. You can have a week full of activities; alternatively you may wish to choose one day out of the Action Week for your activities. The actions will depend on local conditions, including custom and law. In any event, we encourage unions to involve rank and file members and set some target group(s) of unorganised workers. 4 Some key dates during the Action Week: World Day for Decent Work, 7 October As in the past few years, 7 October is set as the ITUC s World Day for Decent Work (WDDW). Originally chosen by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), it has now been adopted as a common day by the entire Global Unions family to demonstrate the vital importance of global trade union solidarity in an increasingly globalised world economy. We are holding our action week in conjunction with the ITUC event as this has enhanced the activities of our affiliates in some countries. For more information, please visit: ETF Action Day against the 4 th Railway Package, 9 October At a recent meeting of the ETF Railway Section Steering Committee it was agreed to designate 9 October as the European railway workers unions action day against the 4 th railway package under the slogan No fragmentation! No privatisation! For integration! For people s rail! For more information, please visit: 3. United we stand! In addition to highlighting local issues and demands, we can also show support through solidarity action during the Action Week to unions and their members who are facing repression. For example, in 2011, unions took action on 10 October to show solidarity with Monica Okpe, an unfairly dismissed shop steward from DHL Supply Chain in Norway. She eventually won her reinstatement but the company did admit in the labour court hearings that the ITF s global protest was damaging their reputation. What international union campaigns could we highlight during the Action Week? Does your union organise workers employed by multinational transport companies? If so, activity to strengthen your position and to help other unions in other countries also organising in the same company would make a great Action Week activity. 4 %20Planning%20an%20Action%20Week.pdf

7 4. Materials The Secretariat has produced a number of materials 7 to assist your campaign activities, including: Poster The A2 poster 8 can be used in different ways for example, you may want to hang it in the union offices to notify workers of the Action Week or display it on noticeboards to advertise a forthcoming activity. It can also be used as a placard at a rally or demonstration. The poster is double-sided with a blank space on the back so you can include your union campaign slogan or demands in local languages. Guidelines and handouts Use these guidelines to prepare your activities for the Action Week. The guidelines include a set of handouts. There are two types a) handouts with practical information to assist planning the Action Week and b) handouts with more detailed information on specific themes relating to the campaign. The handouts are designed so that you can make copies of individual sheets for use in different forums, for example, for distribution to workers and members of the public; or as a tool to promote discussion on specific issues in union seminars and meetings. Links to the handouts are referenced throughout this guidelines document. In addition to the handouts already linked, the following are also included in the set of handouts: Stand together! Build union power! 9 Fatigue 10 Organising to build union power 11 Container cargo safety 12 Strong Unions need Strong Women! 13 Taxi workers 14 Young workers: Standing up for their rights! 15 Education a tool to strengthen your campaign and empower your members 16 Materials have been sent to unions national offices. If you would like additional copies, please contact Inland Transport (inlandtransport@itf.org.uk). Alternatively, they can be downloaded from the webpage 17 for the Action Week: Affiliates are also encouraged to produce their publicity materials locally. Please share examples with the ITF Secretariat. An ITF film that was produced in 2009 which promotes the Action Week Campaign is available at: %20Stand%20Together!%20Build%20Union%20Power!.pdf

8 5. Designating an ITF contact person Please discuss and decide your union s contact person at the earliest possible date and inform us using the attached form. 18 Campaign information will be sent to this person and they are requested to inform the Secretariat about your activities for the Action Week. We may also contact them during the Action Week to ask about the progress of your activities in order to put together a short story that we can publicise during the Action Week to inform and update unions worldwide about the actions being organised as they take place. 6. Feedback and follow-up An assessment of the Action Week and its impact will be useful to the ITF Secretariat in making plans for the next phase of the campaign. Each union should therefore provide as much information as possible about their activities during the Action Week including achievements resulting from the campaign. Please remember to forward any press clippings and/or a summary of your union s activities as well as photographs. One picture can tell a story of a thousand words! We look forward to working with you to build a successful Action Week! 18 Please see Annex 1 to Circular No.068/E.068/Rt.007/Rw.005/2013 (3 April 2013)

9 - NOTES -

10 What is the ITF? The International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) is an international trade union federation of around 700 unions in some 150 countries. It is one of several Global Union Federations allied with the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC). Founded in 1896, the ITF represents workers in ships, ports, railways, road transport, inland waterways, fisheries, civil aviation and tourism services. The Road Transport Workers Section s membership includes 220 unions worldwide, representing 1,341,567 members. The Railway Workers Section s membership includes 145 unions worldwide, representing 1,123,664 members. Together the membership in these two Sections makes up almost 55% of the ITF s total membership. The ITF s headquarters is located in London and it has offices in Brussels, Tokyo, New Delhi, Nairobi, Ouagadougou, Rio de Janeiro and Amman. ITF links Road Transport: Railways: Urban Transport: Action Week 2013: International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) Inland Transport Sections 49/60 Borough Road, London, SE1 1DR Tel: +44-(0) Fax: +44-(0) inlandtransport@itf.org.uk

11 Planning an Action Week International Action Week, 7-13 October 2013 Individual unions will decide exactly what members will do during the Action Week. You can have a week full of activities; alternatively you may wish to choose one day out of the Action Week for your programme. The actions will depend on local conditions, including custom and law. In any event, we encourage our unions to involve rank and file members and set some target group(s) of unorganised workers. Here are some examples of what you can do: Rallies, marches, demonstrations, pickets and Dharnas (sit-ins) Go-slow convoys and vehicle demonstrations Border actions, meetings and road blockades Work stoppages, work-to-rule and over-time bans Decoration of trucks, vans, buses, taxis and trains with messages Theatrical shows and plays Sounding horns and announcements at facilities Safety inspections Interviewing and surveying transport workers Leafleting the public, workers and transport users Information kiosks, tents and caravans Collection of signatures and sending letters Union-sponsored barbecue stands Medical check-ups and blood donations Display of wrecked vehicles Safety exhibitions Workshops, education seminars and union meetings Public forums and symposiums with NGOs and social movement groups Joint HIV/AIDS education programme with management Lobbying national ministries or inter-governmental bodies Negotiations with multinational operators and meetings with management Press conferences and media interviews Invitations to journalists, policy-makers or politicians to join activities Regional cross-border actions Cooperation with other transport sectors International Transport Workers Federation - Inland Transport Sections Borough Road, London SE1 1DR, Tel: +44 (0) , Fax:+44 (0) mail@itf.org.uk,

12 Campaign checklist Has your union: Reviewed your past activities on this campaign and set clear objectives for 2013? Identified how the Action Week can support existing union campaigns? Formulated clear demands and campaign strategies? Decided which groups of workers to target in the campaign? Decided which locations to hold your events, nationally and internationally? Set-up a structure internally in your union so that it will liaise with the national and regional offices? Fully informed the membership of the campaign through circulars and publications? Set a monthly planning timetable to build-up to the Action Week? Identified union meetings and seminars for further discussions? Formulated a plan and activities for the Action Week? Budgeted the activities for the Action Week? Contacted unions in neighbouring countries for joint actions, if relevant? Informed other trade union organisations (including the dockers and national centres)? Briefed the press? Designated a person to report events? Started discussion about the follow-up activities after the Action Week?

13 International Action Week, 7-13 October 2013 Some quick facts about the ITF Action Week: Did you know?... The ITF Action Week started in 1997 as an action day for road transport workers. Unions in 13 countries participated in the first action day in Since then, unions in 107 countries have participated at least once. Over a million affiliated members on five continents have in one shape or form contributed to the campaign s success. In 2004, two days were designated for the campaign. Unions were invited to choose one of the two days or both (or more) to organise their activities. The campaign was expanded into an Action Week for the first time in 2005 in order to allow many unions to organize a wider range of activities both nationally and regionally. In 2013, the Action Week was expanded to include the ITF Railway Workers Section and its affiliates. Since 2003, the ITF Dockers Section has supported the campaign and in some countries road transport unions have been coordinating actions with port workers during the Action Week. In 2009, the Action Week included opportunities for joint activities with other Global Unions with the inclusion of the ITUC s World Day for Decent Work as a key date during the ITF Action Week. At least 30 languages have been used by affiliates for campaign materials that unions have produced locally for the Action Week, including Italian, Portuguese, Norwegian, Finnish, Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Hungarian, Slovenian, Bulgarian, Romanian, Chinese, Mongolian, Thai, Bahasa Malaysian, Hindi, Tamil, Bangla, Urdu, Nepali, Marathi, Malayalam, Amharic, Swahili, Farsi, Turkish and three local languages in Zimbabwe. Since the Action Week started in 1997, the Secretariat has received almost 3,000 electronic photos from unions of their campaign activities. Photos from the Action Week since 2005 can be viewed on the ITF flickr site at: More information about the history of the Action Week campaign can be found at: International Transport Workers Federation - Inland Transport Sections Borough Road, London SE1 1DR, Tel: +44 (0) , Fax:+44 (0) mail@itf.org.uk,

14 Key achievements International Action Week, 7-13 October 2013 Affiliates have used the Action Week and its international influence and visibility to highlight their existing local demands and bring issues to the attention of those in power. For many affiliates the campaign was the starting point to fight back for better working conditions. The Action Week also provides an opportunity for organising at grass-roots level. Some unions have successfully achieved their demands through the Action Week campaigns: New legislation Adoption of the Working Time Directive for mobile road transport workers by the European Parliament and the Council of Transport Ministers (2002); New legislation in Bangladesh stipulating that two drivers must be on duty for shifts that exceed eight hours of driving time (1997); Legislation in Bulgaria which is in line with International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention 153 concerning hours of work and rest periods (1998); Legislation in Paraguay to cancel the operating licenses of companies that breach regulations (1998); Conclusion of a tripartite agreement in Luxembourg to reduce the total shift duration to 11 hours in the bus sector (2002); New legislation in Chile to reduce the retirement age for truck drivers (2002); Legislation in Thailand to limit the working hours of professional drivers to eight per day with rest time after four hours (2002); The European Parliament rejects outright the introduction of longer working hours for self employed drivers following an 18 month ETF campaign which included a trucker convoy demonstration that toured six European countries in six days (2010). Successful negotiations with employers The Honduran truck drivers union wins an increased rest period for drivers working with an oil multinational company (1998); The transport union in Zimbabwe sets the deadline for negotiations with a large trucking firm on the Action Day and subsequently secures its demands for improved working conditions (2001); The Malaysian transport union commemorates the signing of the first memorandum of understanding on occupational health and safety with a major bus operator (2002); Tanker drivers of the oil and petrochemical workers union reach an agreement with the Jordan Refinery Company and renew health insurance and collective bargaining agreements (2004); The Swedish public services union Svenska Kommunalarbetareforbundet utilises the Action Week to secure collective bargaining agreements in bus companies where a CBA currently does not exist (2007). International Transport Workers Federation - Inland Transport Sections Borough Road, London SE1 1DR, Tel: +44 (0) , Fax:+44 (0) mail@itf.org.uk,

15 Organising the unorganised The Norwegian transport workers union mobilises the majority of its branches in an organising campaign where the union registers more than 150 new members during the week. The same exercise has been repeated twice a year since then (2006); Following a meeting during the Action Week with a large number of microbus drivers, these selfemployed drivers become union members within the structure of the Mongolian transport union (2007); The Transport and Dockers union in Mumbai recruits 140 workers after a week of events which culminated in a mass demonstration at the port gate (2007); The Transport and Dock Workers Union in Mumbai organises nearly 100 workers at the Jawaharlal Nehru port during the Action Week (2008, 2012); The Oslo branch of the Norsk Transportarbeiderforbund recruited new members at a medical supplier Medic s warehouse during the Action Week (2012); The Finnish Transport Workers Union AKT union organised around 600 drivers in two days by visiting port facilities and park areas (2012). Can your union use the Action Week as a focus to put pressure on the authorities or to lobby government/intergovernmental bodies? Can you set your negotiations with management during the Action Week? In what ways can you use the Action Week to boost your existing organising campaign(s)?

16 International Action Week, 7-13 October 2013 Organising to build union power Deregulation, privatisation and liberalisation have drastically changed the transport industry over the past decades. Often workers pay and conditions have deteriorated. The industries may be more fragmented with fewer regulations. Changes in employment status are a worldwide phenomenon. Full-time jobs are becoming parttime jobs; permanent work is changing to casual work; and more informal work is arising out of formal work. In road transport, many professional drivers have been forced to work as owner-drivers when in reality it is disguised self-employment. In the railways, some functions such as maintenance, cleaning services, catering, customer service roles are being outsourced in many countries, meaning workers are employed as contractors often outside the legal definition of employee and causing special challenges to unions in terms of organising. Union density is falling steadily in many countries. It is clear that unions must organise if they are to rebuild the labour movement, build membership and create involved and pro-active unions. Can we set our strategies to meet these new demands and challenges? Essentially it is the task of each trade union to organise unorganised workers by setting their targets and strategies - non-union workers can threaten the existing conditions that the unions have won. It is also true that a high-profile event like the Action Week will draw attention of non-union workers. Can your union use the Action Week as a part of your organising drive? Here are some points for consideration: PERSONAL ISSUES: Workers do not join unions without some personal reasons. The worker can see direct benefits from joining the union To obtain protection from possible victimisation by the employer Possibility to resolve workplace health and safety issues Protection of seniority Possibility of obtaining permanent work through union action Proactive union support for gender issues Union offers social services insurance, funeral, discounts etc. International Transport Workers Federation - Inland Transport Sections Borough Road, London SE1 1DR, Tel: +44 (0) , Fax:+44 (0) mail@itf.org.uk,

17 UNION STRENGTH: Nobody wants to join a weak organisation. Union density in the workplace region industry The worker is recruited in a manner satisfactory to the worker Encouragement to join from other employees Information or experience that the union can protect workers Information or experience that being in the union results in better wages and conditions. The union has a good reputation for honesty and activity The union is strong enough to confront the employer when necessary UNION PROFILE The union has an appropriate public profile as a successful organising union The union has membership activity plans in the workplace The union can deliver support when required The union will fight to protect its members rights "The ITF action weeks are a great platform to organise around and raise awareness of the issues, [it] gives delegates and activists a focus and creates solidarity at local levels.... In New Zealand, road transport has a low density of union members. So one of our objectives was to raise awareness of unionism, which was achieved and the response from drivers was very positive." (RMTU, New Zealand) In 2011, the ITF launched a tool to assist unions organising activities and to help build union power. The ITF organising manual aims to increase worker participation to achieve the ultimate goal of enhancing union power in the workplace and across the transport industry. The training resource helps unions to develop their organising skills and glean valuable information on how to organise. For more information and to download copies of the manual, please visit:

18 Railway Workers Campaign International Action Week, 7-13 October 2013 Transport workers all over the world, including railway workers, are experiencing the negative consequences of privatisation, deregulation and liberalisation. New employment forms are emerging which are resulting in increased casualisation and outsourcing of jobs in the transport sector. Global operators employ workers in the same workplace on different wages and conditions, and promote expansion only on profitable routes. Workers and unions are the first to observe the negative consequences of private companies, including a reduction in safety levels due to decreasing maintenance standards and deskilling of jobs. These dangers were raised by unions during the ITF Safety First campaign for railway workers and their unions which started in Safety is an important link between unions and passengers. In November 2012, the ITF Road Transport Workers Section Conference and the ITF Railway Workers Section Conference endorsed the decision to merge the ITF railway workers Action Day, traditionally held in March/April, with the annual ITF road transport Action Week campaign in October. That decision followed the successful Action Week in October 2012 when railway affiliates were invited to participate. The European Transport Workers Federation (ETF) has designated 9 October 2013 as the European railway workers unions campaign against the 4 th Railway package adopted by the European Commission. The package implies the introduction of compulsory competitive tendering for all rail public passenger transport services and the liberalisation of all other domestic rail passenger services, so-called open access competition. The ETF also rejects the total separation of infrastructure management and operations. Examples of activities organised by rail unions for the 2012 Action Week: Activities of the Trade Union of Railwaymen and Transport Construction Workers of Russia took place throughout the country. On 8 October, the Bashkortostan regional branch met to discuss the importance of a qualified labour force in railways. A meeting in Samara on 9 October adopted a resolution in favour of a national system for railway staff qualification standards. On 10 October, action was organised in Krasnoyarsk to attract more young workers into the trade union movement. International Transport Workers Federation - Inland Transport Sections Borough Road, London SE1 1DR, Tel: +44 (0) , Fax:+44 (0) mail@itf.org.uk,

19 In Great Britain, rail unions ASLEF, RMT and TSSA held a joint protest at Euston station in London and leafleted passengers at railway stations in different regions, calling for decent services for passengers and secure well-paid jobs for rail workers. The protest was part of a national Action for Rail day of action against cuts and in support of public ownership. The Zimbabwe Amalgamated Railway Workers Union organised meetings with management on health and safety at work in all workshops in Bulawayo, Mutare, Dabuka and Lochinvar Harare. Union officials also held walk arounds on commuter trains, and discussed safety issues with passengers. Strong union power on a global level, involvement in decision-making at a national level and cross-border solidarity in the present globalised world are of crucial importance. What can railway unions do during the Action Week? draw attention of the public and state authorities to problems in the industry and highlight alternatives, campaign for improved safety standards for workers and passengers, build alliances with other NGOs, community and passenger groups, organise cross-border actions and solidarity campaigns, hold seminars and other educational activities involving young workers and women. [The] Capital of the world is uniting for exploitation of the workers but we will unite to fight against the capital. (AIRF, India 2012 Action Week report) Please keep in touch! Inform us about your activities and let us know the achievements and results of your Action Week campaign so that we can share them with other affiliates and inspire future victories!

20 International Action Week, 7-13 October 2013 Strong Unions need Strong Women! Traditionally, women transport workers have largely been in customer service jobs such as ticketing, call centre work or in administration. Some are bus conductors. Now more women are taking on roles that were formerly seen as male-only, such as driving taxis, long-distance coaches, buses, trains, trucks and vans. Some governments and companies are even encouraging more women into these jobs to fill labour shortages. So the number of women in the road transport and railway industries in many countries is rising, and set to grow further, however it is clear issues such as violence, discrimination, family responsibilities, health and safety, working conditions, long working hours, shifts, training and retraining, informal and precarious work and cultural attitudes/stereotyping still remain. In reality this counteracts the positive developments that have been made. Unions in the road transport and railway sectors need to take action to bring more women workers into the union movement. Including these women in union activity and taking up key concerns for women transport workers will make unions stronger. In the ITF survey of women road transport workers ( ), 63% said that there were no women s toilets for them to use. Over half reported they work more than 8 hours a day. In Brazil, 36% of women bus drivers only get a break of half an hour or less during such a long working day. According to the ITF survey on workplace sexual harassment and violence for women transport workers in rail and road (2009), almost half the respondents (42%) said they had experienced an incident(s) of violence and sexual harassment at work. Some of those who said they had experienced an incident, also referred to numerous incidents having taken place. Healthy and safe working conditions, hours, leave and pay: these are things that make a difference to women transport workers lives. Each issue has its gender aspects, which are of utmost importance, but in the end, women and men want the same things decent work and fair treatment. What affects men affects women, and vice versa. The Action Week is a perfect opportunity to demonstrate that women transport workers are not isolated and in fact play an integral role in the road transport and railway industries and within the union. International Transport Workers Federation - Inland Transport Sections Borough Road, London SE1 1DR, Tel: +44 (0) , Fax:+44 (0) mail@itf.org.uk,

21 Can your union use the Action Week to highlight and campaign around issues for women transport workers? Can your union find out where women are working in your industry and reach out to them during the Action Week? Can your union organise an event involving women transport workers, to raise awareness among women workers of their rights and of the role of unions? Many road transport unions have already used the Action Week campaign to organise women s activities. In 2005, women members of UNITE used the Action Week to launch a campaign to improve toilet facilities for drivers and in particular to provide toilet access on bus routes. Leaflets handed out to drivers in France by CGT Transports in 2007 included the demand for respect for women and men workers through equal work, equal pay. In 2009, the Communication & Transport Workers Union of Tanzania COTWU (T) held a meeting for women transport workers. More than 150 participants including many young transport workers attended the event which discussed harassment at work, maternity leave and wages. In 2010, the Tamil Nadu Road Transport Workers HMS Federation organised a rally as part of its activities for the Action Week in south Tamil Nadu. 700 workers mainly women and young people participated, demanding respect of workers rights and better work conditions generally. There are a number of ITF resource materials specific to women transport workers that can assist your activities. Please visit and for more information. Please, keep in touch! Let the ITF Inland Transport Sections know what activities you are organising so we can share with others and learn from our experiences.

22 International Action Week, 7-13 October 2013 Young workers: standing up for their rights Unions are facing enormous challenges in today s globalised transport industry. Privatisation, deregulation and commercialisation have led to job losses and a reduction in trade union membership numbers. Meanwhile, the transport industry is growing, with new areas of employment opening up. However, much of this work is unregulated and casualised. Very often, many of these jobs are done by young workers especially those working on computers, in call centres, in warehouses and driving delivery vans - who are not organised into unions. Trade unions have a duty to protect the rights and interests of these workers. At the same time, unions that take up this work will build their strength, membership and organisation. It is also vital to ensure that young workers are engaged in the trade union movement so that they can take forward the work of the movement in the future. Key issues affecting young workers These include: Wages and a two-tier workforce Young workers can often be paid less than older workers, creating two levels of pay depending on age; young workers are also more likely than older workers to receive just the minimum wage Casualisation and precarious work Work undertaken by young people can lack job security as they are more likely to be employed on a temporary basis, especially if work is outsourced Lack of union rights Many young workers may not be unionised particularly if they are employed on a casual or temporary basis Young transport workers around the world share many experiences and problems. By coming together, they can learn from each other, seek common solutions and build collective action. International Transport Workers Federation - Inland Transport Sections Borough Road, London SE1 1DR, Tel: +44 (0) , Fax:+44 (0) mail@itf.org.uk,

23 Organising young workers can present a specific challenge for unions. It is important to allow young workers the opportunity to build their participation in their own way, and to recognise the different ways of campaigning that young people use which could be advantageous to certain areas of union work. Unions have to be innovative to shift away from the traditional approaches of organising and consider how the interests and issues of young workers can be represented in union structures. Many unions are undertaking strategies to organise young workers, including for example, talks at schools, establishment of youth committees at union locals, youth meetings, and sports events. The Action Week is an opportunity to support young workers to do something for themselves in the name of the union and to get them involved in union activities, issues and campaigns. Can your union use the Action Week to identify where young workers are in the industry? Can you invite and include young workers to participate in your campaign activities? Can your union use the Action Week to highlight issues for young workers? How about including young workers on your action week planning committees? Can you setup a specific structure for young workers within your union? For more information, visit: ITF road transport and railway unions are undertaking different strategies to organise young workers. For example, one of the activities promoted by the National Transport Workers Union in Singapore is access for young people as union members to centres where they can meet other young people. The CC.OO in Spain reports that although there is a lack of union culture among the youth, due to the progress the union has made in improving working conditions, membership has increased, especially among women. In Canada, the CAW has encouraged its young bus drivers to talk to students who use the buses about issues affecting workers such as overcrowding and violence. The Trade Union of Railwaymen and Transport Construction Workers of Russia holds an annual event Student strong union leader for young people who will become workers on Russia s railway network to share experiences and take part in training on basic trade unionism, visits to the railway companies working with new technologies and systems they might use on the job. During activities for the 2012 Action Week, the union organised a youth action in Krasnoyarsk aiming to attract more young workers into the trade union movement.

24 Container Cargo Safety International Action Week, 7-13 October 2013 Containers are a key link in the global supply chain, which integrates maritime, rail and road transport. The world s handling volume of containers continues to grow year by year. Today, not only general cargo but also anything that can be carried in a container is transported in containers. The majority of these containers are from established shippers with sophisticated dispatch facilities, who understand the stresses and forces to which containers are subjected throughout the supply chain. However, many accidents in the transport sector are attributed to poor practices in relation to packing of containers. This has caused major concern particularly because the victims can be the general public, transport workers, or their employers, who have no control over the packing of containers. A survey conducted by ITF Japanese affiliate Zenkowan revealed that during a period of ten years starting in 1998, 175 overturn accidents occurred, killing 13 people. More recent research has identified 28 incidents on Japanese roads in four years ( inclusive). ILO report (2011): Safety in the supply chain in relation to packing of containers The ITF believes that best practice and self regulation have failed to stop the worst kind of incidents, and therefore recommends that international mandatory instruments be developed that guarantee that those handling and moving containers are informed of their weight, state of packing, stowage and securing, as well as their centre of gravity and whether or not any fumigants or dangerous substances are present. Since 2007, the ITF Road Transport Workers Section and ITF Dockers Section have been coordinating their activities on container cargo safety. In February 2011, the ILO held a Global Dialogue Forum on Safety in the Supply Chain in relation to Containers. The agreement by the ILO to hold this meeting was reached after successful lobbying by the ITF. Amongst the points of consensus that were reached between the employers, workers and governments, it was agreed that an ILO-IMO-UNECE code of practice on the packing of cargo transport units (to be developed from the revision of existing guidelines) was necessary. The ITF is participating in the follow-up activities currently taking place to update the code of practice, which will set out practical guidelines on the issue. Whilst the code of practice will be a voluntary instrument, it will be written in a language that governments can adopt as legislation. It will also cover the entire supply chain which will be vital for its successful implementation. = International Transport Workers Federation - Inland Transport Sections Borough Road, London SE1 1DR, Tel: +44 (0) , Fax:+44 (0) mail@itf.org.uk,

25 The draft code is due to be finalised in 2013 for submission and endorsement by the relevant bodies of the IMO, ILO and UNECE in Once adopted, it will be important to ensure that it is made easily accessible and widely disseminated and followed-up with user-friendly publications (including training material). Can your union work together with dockers unions during the Action Week to raise awareness amongst the general public of the issue of container safety? Can your union use the Action Week to lobby members of parliament, senior industry executives and other relevant stakeholders to address the issue? The ITF Dockers Section and its affiliates have been supporting the campaign since In some countries, road transport unions have been coordinating actions with port workers during the Action Week: In 2007, representatives from the Teamsters and ILWU locals in the US and Canada distributed leaflets with the message Better Pay Safer Trucks Cleaner Air Booming Ports Go Union! and spoke to drivers as they crossed the US/Canadian truck border crossing in Blaine, Washington. Activists from the T&G Section of UNITE in Great Britain handed out leaflets on container cargo safety to over 300 drivers at the Southampton container terminal. The information leaflets, which highlighted awareness of heavy loads, also drew attention to the risk of overloading. This activity followed a spate of accidents where container trucks had turned over. In 2012, the Kenya Truck Drivers Union and the Dock Workers Union decided to join hands and speak with one voice during the Action Week in response to permanent victimisation of workers who join unions. The two unions met with the County Labour Officer to discuss the delay of court cases on drivers dismissals. A football match was also held between the two unions in Mombasa. In India, the Transport & Dock Workers Union (TDWU) held a meeting at the Mumbai Port Trust Gates highlighting the importance of the Action Week and stressing issues of transport workers in the port. For more information, please visit:

26 International Action Week, 7-13 October 2013 Fatigue Fatigue Kills! was the original slogan for the ITF international road transport campaign and remains a serious problem. In September 2005, the ILO, after consultation with the ITF, produced a working paper on The issues of fatigue and working time in the road transport sector. The paper refers to the many serious issues in road transport and the conclusions identify the conflict between fatigue, hours of work and the demands of the industry for cheap and fast delivery. The ILO paper also acknowledges the on-going campaign by the ITF and its affiliates on fatigue kills and expresses its support to the International Action Week. We have raised the issues of drivers fatigue quite substantially to the public and media through our campaign. The media can now cite the possibility of driver s fatigue in an accident, whereas in the past they would say the cause was unknown or still under investigation. (ver.di, Germany) ILO Convention 153 One of our key demands for road transport workers as part of the Action Week is to limit working time to a maximum of 48 hours per week, in line with ILO Convention 153. Convention 153 of the International Labour Organisation, adopted in 1979, concerns hours of work and rest periods in road transport. It is the only ILO Convention that deals exclusively with conditions in road transport. The main clauses of the Convention state that: Every driver is entitled to a break after 4 hours continuous driving or after 5 hours continuous work. The maximum daily total driving time should not exceed 9 hours. The maximum weekly driving time should not exceed 48 hours. The daily rest period must never be less than 8 consecutive hours. The Convention so far has been ratified by nine countries Ecuador, Iraq, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, Uruguay and Venezuela. However, most of these countries have taken no measures to ensure the implementation of the Convention. Can trade unions in these countries lobby their governments during the Action Week to ensure that the Convention is properly implemented through national legislation? Can trade unions elsewhere bring pressure on their governments to ratify and implement the Convention? International Transport Workers Federation - Inland Transport Sections Borough Road, London SE1 1DR, Tel: +44 (0) , Fax:+44 (0) mail@itf.org.uk,

27 UN Decade of Action on Road Safety ( ) In 2011, the United Nations (UN) launched a Decade of Action for Road Safety with the aim of stabilising and then reducing global road deaths by For the ITF, improving the social conditions for professional drivers is essential in order to promote road safety. It is important that the focus of this UN campaign will not be limited to the purely technical factors affecting road safety such as the use of seatbelts, effective speed management, and the design of safer roads. The ITF would like to see the objectives of achieving limits on drivers hours and improving drivers conditions through the provision of adequate rest facilities, etc. It is essential that trade unions are included in the national programmes of the UN campaign to promote road safety strategies, but also to lead the work in some areas such as social issues that affect professional drivers. Please visit for more information. Fatigue Kills! There are many warning signs for fatigue. A combination of any of the following signals shows that the driver is becoming fatigued: yawning eyes feeling sore or heavy vision starting to blur start seeing things daydreaming and not concentrating becoming impatient feeling hungry or thirsty reactions seem slow feeling stiff or cramped driving speed creeps up or down starting to make poor gear changes wandering over the centre line or onto the road edge [Australian Transport Safety Bureau] When you notice some of these warning signs, you are advised to take a break. The efforts of the individuals are, however, limited. A trade union can negotiate better conditions collectively with your employer.

28 International Action Week, 7-13 October 2013 Using the Internet to Campaign Globally Use of the Internet continues to grow today with more unions around the world gaining access to this modern technology. That is why we are promoting our Action Week Campaign using the Internet and . Here, we give you a quick overview of how you can use our site during the Campaign. To access the campaign page for the International Action Week, go to: The Action Week page will provide you with access to downloadable documents, campaign materials, useful links, news and much more. From the home page for the campaign (shown right), you can access an introduction to the campaign, links to news and materials from previous Campaigns, and links to union websites and media. Campaign materials in ITF languages (JPG and PDF formats where available) can also be downloaded. The materials including the poster and handouts - can be found by clicking on Campaign material on the menu on the left-hand side of the home page. Remember to check the campaign page during the Action Week for updated information on activities organised by unions during the campaign including reports and photos! You can also follow action week events from around the world via the ITF Facebook page: and on (link using our hashtag - #ITFactionweek) Please send us your information as it happens so that we can share it with trade unions worldwide as part of our breaking news which will be released on a daily basis (inlandtransport@itf.org.uk) International Transport Workers Federation - Inland Transport Sections Borough Road, London SE1 1DR, Tel: +44 (0) , Fax:+44 (0) mail@itf.org.uk,

29 International Action Week, 7-13 October 2013 Stand together! Build union power! During the week 7-13 October 2013, unions and their members will come together to take part in the ITF Action Week. Under the slogan, Transport Workers Fighting Back! Organising Globally! unions will organise a variety of activities to highlight important issues that affect road transport and railway workers and to emphasize the importance of belonging to a union. Deregulation, privatisation and liberalisation have drastically changed the road transport and railway industries over the past decades. As a result of these neo-liberal policies that are favoured by most governments, there has been a decline in the quality of public transport services, as well as a deterioration of working conditions and emergence of new forms of less secure employment. In the current economic climate, public services and social rights are under pressure as governments promote costcutting policies and public service cuts. Deterioration in working conditions Road transport and railway workers have experienced devastating consequences as a result of changes in the industries. Often workers pay and conditions have deteriorated. The ITF has received various reports about job losses, multi-skilling, longer working hours and inadequate rest time leading to fatigue, and lack of training. Despite union programmes to address violence at work, the issue continues to be relevant for road transport and railway workers as liberalisation and privatisation of transport has resulted in increased incidences of violence and stress in the workplace. HIV/AIDS remains a serious medical and social challenge and is of particular concern to transport workers as mobility and long absences from home make transport workers vulnerable. New forms of employment Unions have suffered from new employment practices which increasingly casualise the workforce. More and more transport workers are working without union organisation in informal employment or precarious work. With an increase in outsourcing, many transport workers are being employed as contractors often outside the legal definition of employee. In road transport, many professional drivers have been forced to work as owner-drivers when in reality it is disguised bogus self-employment. International Transport Workers Federation - Inland Transport Sections Borough Road, London SE1 1DR, Tel: +44 (0) , Fax:+44 (0) mail@itf.org.uk,