International influence

Nautilus International attended the 46th Congress of the International Transport Workers' Federation – an opportunity to make sure the voices of maritime professionals are heard when decisions are being made at a global level. Danny McGowan reports

The first ever ITF Congress to be held in the Arab world took place from 13-19 October 2024 in Marrakech, Morocco, attended by 490 trade unions from 131 countries representing 6.7 million transport workers.

As an active affiliate, It was essential for Nautilus to attend. The ITF is a democratic federation connecting more than 700 affiliated trade unions from 150 countries, with the mission to secure rights, equality and justice for workers around the world.

It plays a key role in international tripartite negotiations – representing transport workers in discussions with government and industry – so, as green technology and automation begin to transform maritime, the ITF will be the body that tries to influence global regulations to protect the interests of our members.

Nautilus input

The Congress theme document, Transport workers moving the world forward, focused on six key demands for transport workers which were influenced heavily by Nautilus's input in advance of the Congress, and by successful Nautilus resolutions from the ITF Seafarers' Section Conference and Fair Practices Committee held in Chile in December 2023.

The six demands, which were debated and agreed by unions at the Congress, are:

Accountability

Governments, employers and investors must be held accountable for the safety, pay and conditions of all workers involved in moving their goods and passengers. Whether workers are directly employed, subcontracted or informal, they must have decent work, fundamental labour rights and genuine social protections.

Equality

All forms of inequality, discrimination and stigma – whether based on gender, age, ethnicity, religion, disability, sexual orientation or location – must be confronted.

The future of work

Without adequate regulation and oversight, technology can become a tool of surveillance, violate fundamental rights and discriminate against both the workers and users of transport systems. It must instead be used to enhance workers' jobs, increase people’s quality of life and enable better decision making.

Rights

Workers around the world are facing attacks on their right to join and be active
in their trade unions or raise their voice and act against the ongoing erosion of
employment standards. The ITF must fight back against this assault on hard-won labour rights.

Safety

Protecting workers’ lives, preventing injuries and demanding safe workplaces has always been at the heart of the union movement. The ITF will make it a number one priority to ensure that workers have a seat at the table in setting
occupational standards for safety and health in the workplace.

Sustainability

Calling on governments and industry to raise ambitions, ramp up investment
in sustainable transport, and to deliver the plans we need across all transport
sectors to secure our jobs, our climate and our future. Ensure that there is a just transition to new technology for workers in our industry.

These demands, together with the 50 resolutions that were adopted at the Congress, will form the basis of the ITF's work over the next five years.

Motions

The seafarers' conference also discussed motions on support for the transport
workers of Ukraine, the Australian Strategic Fleet, the ineffectiveness of P&I Insurance in shipping, enhanced cooperation between the ITF and Port State Control, and promoting the future of work for young maritime professionals.

Nautilus supported all these motions, which were adopted unanimously. Nautilus

Nautilus also spoke about the need for ambition within the section's plan for increasing the attractiveness of the seafaring profession.

The seafarers' and dockers' conference discussed motions submitted by affiliates including:

● protecting seafarers' rights
● support for the International Bargaining Forum, which was submitted by AMOSUP and amended by Nautilus
● ITF Offshore Continental Shelf Policy Review
● protection of Maritime Cabotage in Chile

Nautilus also attended the Inland Waterways Transport Section, where a new workplan was adopted.

Sascha Meijer represented Nautilus at the women's conference. The committee looked back at its achievements after 25 years and adopted a new workplan, which includes action on the elimination of violence at the workplace, sanitation rights for women transport workers, safe commuting, female leadership and the Just Transition.

Nautilus officials take key roles at ITF

Nautilus was represented at the Congress by:

● Wilco van Hoboken, chair of Council
● Mark Dickinson, general secretary
● Olu Tunde, deputy general secretary and ITF lay auditor
● Sascha Meijer, assistant general secretary
● Marcel van den Broek, executive officer
● Danny McGowan, head of international relations

Several officials from Nautilus International were elected at ITF Congress to key positions where they can advocate for the interests of members.

Mark Dickinson was reelected as the vice-chair of the ITF Seafarers' Section and was also awarded the ITF's highest accolade – a Gold Award for his 'unwavering dedication to advancing the cause of transport workers worldwide'.

Sascha Meijer was elected exofficio as European delegate to the Seafarers' Section in her capacity as ETF Maritime Transport Section EU chair and spokesperson in the European social dialogue for maritime transport.

Olu Tunde was reelected as one of the ITF's lay auditors, and Danny McGowan
was elected to the Resolutions Committee for the inter-Congress period.

The Congress re-elected Stephen Cotton as ITF general secretary and elected Paddy Crumlin (MUA, Australia) and Frank Moreels (BTB, Belgium) as ITF presidents to serve a split five-year term.

Dave Heindel, president of the Seafarers International Union of North America, was reelected chair of the Seafarers' Section.