IMPACT members are being asked to take a moment to support a petition calling for improved working conditions for European transport workers. It only takes a minute to support the campaign by following this link and signing the petition.
The campaign is organised by Fair Transport Europe, a trade union-led initiative to protect and improve the conditions of workers who keep Europe connected, but whose pay and working conditions are worsening. It’s been launched under the EU’s European Citizens’ initiative, which obliges European institutions to act if enough signatures are collected from enough countries.
IMPACT national secretary Angela Kirk explained that Europe’s transport workers, including IMPACT members in aviation and other transport-related jobs, are being pushed to work harder, faster and for less, and with diminishing contractual safety nets.
“The objective is to put this issue on the European Commission agenda. We need 8,250 Irish signatures – and a million across the EU – to get the European Commission to make the necessary legislative proposals for fair transport with decent working conditions and good jobs. We’re asking IMPACT members to take part in this campaign, which gives them the chance to influence European transport policies in very real ways,” she said.
IMPACT is affiliated to the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF), which is leading the campaign. The federation represents more than 3.5 million transport workers from over 230 trade unions in over 40 countries. In its campaign literature, the federation says: “As long as we cannot send an apple, a pair of shoes or ourselves by email, we need the millions of transport workers who connect Europe. But working conditions in European transport are being challenged by a race to the bottom and unfair business practices by some companies, causing deplorable conditions for workers.”
The petition closes at the end of August. Ireland’s participation is being coordinated by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions. The Irish campaign has so far achieved 22% of its national threshold.
To support the campaign, visit Fair Transport Europe.
