ITF applauds peace
accolade for Libyan port workers’ leader
13/11/2014
The ITF has congratulated Nermin Al-Sharif, president of the
ITF-affiliated Dockers’ and Seafarers’ Union of Libya, on being awarded the
Mediterranean prize for peace by the Italian federation for sports and
environment (Arci).
She was presented with the award by Dr. Georgio Montania,
Arci regional president, at a ceremony in Naples on 8 November. Arci said the
award was in recognition of Nermin Al-Sharif’s work as a fighter for the rights
of port workers, seafarers, women, children, refugees and migrants and against
violence in all its forms.
ITF Arab World regional secretary Bilal Malkawi said:
“Congratulations to Nermin. She very
much deserves this recognition of her outstanding campaigning for people’s
rights and for peace. She is a courageous and dedicated trade unionist and we
are proud to have her in the ITF family.”
Nermin Al-Sharif told the ITF's Arab World women's
conference in September 2013 of her union's efforts to hal the privatisation of
Libya's ports, insisting that workers' rights should be put above the demands
of foreign investors.
ITF solidarity call
for victimised Russia dockers’ leader
10/11/2014
The ITF is urging its affiliates to back the solidarity
campaign launched by the Confederation of Labour of Russia and the Dockers’
Union of Russia (DUR) for Leonid Tikhonov, a DUR leader who faces seven years
in prison on what the union claims are false criminal charges.
The DUR says that the port’s managing director falsely
accused Tikhonov of embezzling union money, when in fact the union leader is
being victimised for legitimate union activity. Sentencing is expected at his
next court hearing, on 24 November.
The DUR has been under growing pressure since June 2012,
when it organised a dockers’ rally at Vostochny Port against the loss of
bonuses for working in hazardous conditions, vacations and other social
guarantees. Another DUR leader at the port, Victor Sokolov, was similarly
prosecuted and faces being handed a one-year sentence at his next court
hearing, on 11 November.
DUR president Vasiliy Kozarenko said: “Judging from their
behaviour, employers in many Russian ports seem to be stepping up actions to
destroy the dockers’ union, particularly targeting activists and leaders
involved in concluding collective bargaining agreements. Some have been
dismissed on utterly questionable grounds, others charged with criminal
offences. We have started a month of action to support them and to bring an end
to this persecution by employers and authorities.”
ITF president and national secretary of the Maritime Union
of Australia Paddy Crumlin added that the ITF supported the DUR’s fight against
the outrageous victimisation of trade unionists in Russia’s ports and urged ITF
affiliates to add their voices to make the DUR stronger.
The DUR is due to sign a new CBA and Protocol of
Disagreements in Vostochny Port on 24 November.
To send a letter of protest go to http://ktr.su/act/detail.php?ID=2929 , add your name and email and hit the
black button.
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