ITF 43Rd CONGRESS
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www.itfcongress2014.org ITF 43rd CONGRESS FROM GLOBAL CRISIS TO GLOBAL JUSTICE TRANSPORT WORKERS FIGHTING BACK! The 43rd ITF Congress in August 2014 FOREWORD was significant because it was held for the first time in Eastern Europe, in Sofia, Bulgaria – and Bulgaria is a country that, since ancient times, has been at the centre of trade and transport links between East and West. The event was historic too, because this was a new kind of ITF Congress. For the first time, delegates approved a focused programme of transport union activity to build union strength using four ‘levers of power.’ These were: consolidating hubs and corridors, influencing lead industry players, activating mass membership and following geographic shifts. Sofia was a new type of Congress because we were able to bring more Participants endorsed a programme ITF staff from our offices globally. Their of priorities for each area of ITF work enthusiasm to learn from, as well as laid out in the theme document From assist with, the sessions was inspiring – global crisis to global justice – transport staff were able to go back to their daily workers fighting back. For example, tasks energised and more ready than one of the key areas here was violence ever to contribute to the global transport against women. Decisive support came union movement. for a new ITF programme based around collective bargaining, organising, In Sofia we said farewell to our previous community and political strategies as general secretary David Cockroft, who well as legal initiatives. retired in 2013 after 20 years’ service at the top of the ITF. The vision and The Sofia Congress was new because innovations that so marked David’s time it involved more people than ever and as general secretary helped to bring this was truly participative. We planned the exceptional organisation to the high Congress to involve as many affiliates in point that was the Sofia Congress, and as many different sessions as possible. we sincerely thank him for his lasting This meant getting more participation contribution. David’s legacy is a truly in our formal debates, of course – but global ITF that is stronger than ever. also it meant running a Congress fringe for the first time. Thanks to the affiliates Finally, I must record that our affiliates who signed up to host gatherings, in Bulgaria prepared and hosted the the fringe was a particularly stunning proceedings with hard work, fantastic success – roomfuls of ITF people warmth, great generosity and an army engaged after-hours and between of volunteers; they contributed in no sessions in lively debates around issues small way to the brilliant success of our gleaned from amongst the participants. Congress and truly deserve our thanks. Sofia was new because it was our first paperless Congress; news, texts, pictures and films were delivered directly to delegates on the screens of the Congress halls and via individual tablets. As a result, we saved paper and Steve Cotton ensured varied and immediate output. ITF general secretary Don’t forget that you can still visit itfcongress2014.org for more details on our Congress outcomes, news stories and a gallery of pictures. ITF 43rd Congress, Sofia 2014 3 4 ITF 43rd Congress, Sofia 2014 CONTENTS Summary of Plenary Sessions 7 Motions 18 Resolutions 27 Reports of the Credentials and Resolutions Committees Report of the Credentials Committee 51 First Report of the Resolutions Committee 53 Second Report of the Resolutions Committee 57 Reports of Section and Committee Conferences, Women Transport Workers’ and Young Transport Workers’ Conferences Civil Aviation Section Report 63 Dockers’ Section Conference Report 65 Fisheries’ Section Conference Report 67 Inland Navigation Section Conference Report 71 Joint Seafarers’ and Dockers’ Conference Report 73 Railway Workers’ Section Conference Report 77 Road Transport Workers’ Section Conference Report 80 Seafarers’ Section Conference Report 83 Tourism Services Section Conference Report 87 Urban Transport Committee Report 89 Women Transport Workers’ Conference Report 91 Young Transport Workers’ Conference Report 95 List of Participants 97 For more information and interactive content, please go to: www.itfcongress2014.org ITF 43rd Congress, Sofia 2014 5 6 ITF 43rd Congress, Sofia 2014 SUMMARY OF ADDRESSES BY HOST organisations that supported peace ORGANISATIONS AND and social justice, particularly in PLENARY such difficult times. He said his DISTINGUISHED GUESTS government’s policies were in line with SESSIONS 1. ITF president Paddy Crumlin, MUA, the Congress agenda – women’s and Australia, welcomed all delegates, workers’ issues – and he admired the advisers and observers to the 43rd ITF’s work to attract young people and Congress in Sofia, and thanked the its training programmes. Bulgarian unions for hosting the event. 4. Yordanka Fandakova, mayor of Sofia He introduced the host, Ekaterina and the first woman to hold that Yordanova, FTTUB, Bulgaria, and position, welcomed everyone to the praised her inspirational work to build city. She said that she was grateful union strength and capacity in the to the Bulgarian transport trade whole subregion as part of a strategy unions and other social partners feeding into the Congress. for their role in social dialogue. She 2. Ekaterina Yordanova welcomed commented that public transport was everyone to her city and country. She a priority because it boosted all other said that the FTTUB was marking 105 areas of economic and social life. years of fighting for workers’ rights. She highlighted Sofia’s continuing It hadn’t been easy to achieve their extension of the subway and the wins, which included stopping many renewal of its public transport fleet. city transportation concessions and This year the municipality and unions increasing transport workers’ salaries had jointly signed agreements to at a time of crisis. For workers to promote women in leadership roles achieve their rights and freedom as and to raise transport wages. set out by the International Labour 5. Ekaterina Yordanova read an address Organization (ILO), they needed from the Bulgarian president, Rosen national and international action. Life Plevneliev, in which he thanked all ITF in Bulgaria was difficult 25 years on members for their efforts to protect from its economic transition, but she the rights of 4.5 million transport had learned from the late Yordanka workers worldwide. Radeva, the first woman leader of the Bulgarian transport workers union, 6. Plamen Dimitrov, president of the that it was never easy for unions, and national centre CITUB, thanked all she dedicated the day to her. the Bulgarian transport unions for making it possible for Sofia to host 3. Georgi Bliznashki, caretaker prime Congress. He said there had been minister of Bulgaria, was pleased to a strong trade union movement for welcome Congress and acknowledged nearly 130 years in Bulgaria. While the work of the FTTUB in organising only 22 percent of workers were the largest trade union event in union members and the country had Bulgarian youth set the ‘upbeat’ tone Bulgaria and the first Congress 10 percent unemployment, each year with traditional folk singing at the in electronic format. He stressed unions managed to sign more than 70 opening ceremony the importance of international collective agreements. Referring to the ITF’s priorities, he agreed that unions needed to adapt to become stronger, which meant focusing effort, building more allies, mobilising in key regions and identifying alternatives for a sustainable industry. Finding solutions to these challenges and having a clear message – that they would build workers’ power – would make unions more attractive and visible, and affiliation would grow. 7. Rozen Zarkov of the national centre Podkrepa delivered a message from its president, Konstantin Trenchev, who wished the Congress success in reaching the right decisions and using them to effectively represent workers around the world. ITF 43rd Congress, Sofia 2014 7 8. Captain Yanko Stoimenov, a Bulgarian trade unionist, who was criminalised after the Helios air crash in 2005, said no one could imagine what his union meant to him. He had learned first-hand that when disaster struck, the focus changed to people as the weakest link while other interests and manufacturers were not in the spotlight. He described the fallout from the Helios crash, when as chief of operations, he had faced a life sentence; but the union had stepped in. As his voice in the media worldwide, the union had helped change people’s minds. Ekaterina Yordanova and the FTTUB had offered him help and hope. 9. Sharan Burrow, general secretary, ITUC, congratulated the ITF and ITF president Paddy Crumlin addresses its affiliates on their numerous by employers to the right to strike, Congress struggles and saluted the workers which threatened the authority on the picket lines in Istanbul, of its whole standards system. who brought DHL to the table; the In conclusion, he singled out his courageous Turkish Airlines workers; pride in the 2006 Maritime Labour and the victory of the Hong Kong Convention, and said one of the ILO’s ELECTION OF TELLERS AND dockworkers. She said unions were new initiatives to mark its centenary the largest democratic force on earth in 2019 was an ambitious programme BALLOT SCRUTINEERS on the future of work. and shared a commitment to peace, 12. Tellers and scrutineers were democracy, rights, dignity at work and unanimously elected as follows: social justice, against the attacks on PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS fundamental rights by governments, Nabil Salem Aqabani, GTUWATT, 11. ITF president Paddy Crumlin said the big finance and big business, who ITF had proved it could lead from the Jordan, only stood for the profits of the one front. Workers wanted to protect their percent. Unions were the voice of Wayne Butson, RMTU, New Zealand interests and those of other workers progress and needed to organise, all over the world, and unions Vladimir Svalina, SDUC Croatia organise and organise to build everywhere demanded a move from workers’ power.