Janine's blog

Report: ETF Women's Mid-Term Conference and Committee meeting, Bucharest, 12-13 April

INTRODUCTION/CONTEXT
  • The opening address stressed the importance of women workers organising in a male-dominated industry and the context of women's struggles in a time of austerity and terrorism.
  • There was a minute’s silence for the victims of terror attacks.

Report to RMT Women's Conference 2016: ETF Women's Committee

WHAT IS THE ETF?

The European Transport Workers’ Federation, linking transport trade unions across Europe. RMT is one of several UK affiliates.

Its Women’s Committee includes nominees from various countries and sectors. I am a member of the Committee for the term 2013-2017.

 

PRIORITY CAMPAIGN 1 – VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN TRANSPORT WORKERS

Despite having no funding for this campaign, we have been able to take a couple of useful initiatives:

ETF Women's Committee, March 2015: Section Reports

DOCKS / PORTS

The Social Dialogue Committee for Ports had adopted a document about women's employment, including recruitment and working conditions for women. Women's employment has increased as technology has led to much port work becoming less physical.

Now the document has been adopted, it needs to be implemented. The strategy is based on raising awareness and changing the image of port work rather than on imposing quotas. Some trade unions have objected to this initiative, as they see women as "taking men's jobs".

ETF Women's Committee meeting, March 2015: Campaigning for Health & Safety and Against Violence

The European Transport Workers' Federation's Women's Committee meets twice per year to discuss issues facing women transport workers across Europe and to drive forward the programme of work agreed by the four-yearly ETF Women's Conference.

WOMEN'S HEALTH AND SAFETY AT WORK