East Asia week of action begins

24 September 2008

Embargoed. Not for use before 00.01 Monday 22 September 2008.


Maritime trade union members of the ITF are today (Monday 22 Sept) beginning a highly targeted week of action in Japan, Taiwan and Korea. Trade unionists and ITF inspectors will embark on a rolling programme of inspections of vessels belonging to three companies which have identified by activists in each country as needing urgent attention.
    
The target companies – which the ITF and its affiliated unions will seek to persuade to sign up to ITF/local union agreements guaranteeing baseline conditions and wages for their workers – are:

Japan. Kotoku Kaiun Co Ltd (KK), which owns around 30 vessels flying flags of convenience. During previous action weeks when its vessels were visited by the JSU (Japanese Seamen’s Union) it responded by ordering the crew to raise the gangways – creating particular difficulties for Port State Control officers, shipping agents and dockers. According to crew members they also refused all shore leave to seafarers and threatened them if they were seen to talk to ITF/JSU members.

Korea. Eastwind. The FKSU (Federation of Korean Seafarers’ Unions) reports that the company has rejected all approaches to discuss negotiating collective bargaining agreements.  In the last 12 months it has doubled its fleet to 119 vessels with a further 10 new buildings on order.

Taiwan. TS Lines is registered in Hong Kong but controlled from Taiwan, where the ITF affiliated NCSU (National Chinese Seamen’s Union) says it is highly uncooperative.

ITF Maritime Coordinator Steve Cotton commented: “Representatives of unions across East Asia, the ITF and its inspectors met in August in Taiwan to review our joint inspection programme. That meeting identified a chance to focus all our resources on one key company in each country, and that’s what we’re doing here.”

He continued: “We’ve also brought back on board Trevor Charles, a former ITF staffer in London, Australia and the Asia Pacific for the next three months during which he’ll be involved in this action and will be working with unions across South East Asia to prepare further possible actions in countries such as Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.”

Operations will commence on Monday at 08:00 with a rally and action against the MV Halycon in the Port of Kobe, Japan, subject to ship movements during Typhoon/Tropical Storm Sinlaku. This vessel is owned by KK and operated by Chengli Navigation, Taiwan.

Similar actions will take place on Tuesday in Osaka, and on Wednesday there will be rally at the target company’s head office in Hakatajima beginning at 08:00.

Further targeted actions will also be held in Japan, Taiwan and Korea, and you will be advised of these during the week of action (22 to 26 September 2008)

ENDS

For more information contact ITF press officer, Sam Dawson.
Direct line: + 44 (0)20 7940 9260.
Email: dawson_sam@itf.org.uk

International Transport Workers' Federation - ITF:
HEAD OFFICE
ITF House, 49 - 60 Borough Road, London SE1 1DS
Tel: + 44 (0) 20 7403 2733
Fax: + 44 (0) 20 7375 7871
Email: mail@itf.org.uk
Web: www.itfglobal.org

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