transport
News and articles about work, policy and workers' struggles in transport and distribution around the world.
Belgian airport union signs minimum service agreement
The airport security union representing workers at Brussels South Charleroi Airport signed an agreement with the Wallonian regional government which guarantees a minimum level of service in the event of future strikes, according to Belgian weekend press reports.
The agreement guarantees that, in the event of a grievance, all other avenues of dialogue will be exploited before a strike is called, according to Belgian financial daily L'Echo.
According to La Libre Belgique, the text states its aim as 'guaranteeing social harmony' at the airport.
Belgium: Ryanair threatens to axe services after wildcat strike
Ryanair has suspended bookings for flights to and from Brussels' Charleroi airport from November 12.
Ryanair is demanding £1m compensation from the christian CNE union for a wildcat strike by security staff in June. In addition they are demanding that workers agree to maintain a minimum service during strike action. The union has reacted angrily to these attacks on the right to strike.
Metronet works vote 95% in favour of strike action
Workers at the Tube maintenance consortium Metronet voted 95% in favour of strike action this week, as station staff on the Bakerloo line begin a second 24 hour strike over health and safety.
Metronet collapsed into administration recently, four years into a controversial PPP costing £17 billion. Jobs are going to be transferred to Bombardier, one of the stakeholders in the Metronet consortium.
Cargo handlers at Heathrow on strike
45 workers at Heathrow cargo handlers Nippon Express were on strike over pay and conditions this weekend.
Workers were offered a below-inflation 2.8% pay offer along with the following additional conditions:
1) 44 Days a year more work
2) Overtime rate on Sunday to be reduced to 25%
3) Holiday pay is reduced by 60 - 75 hours
4) Shift pay reduced by £326 (Day shift) and £512 (Night shift)
5) Loss of £1265 a year pay for some workers
6) A 1.7% below inflation pay rise
Strikes at Aer Lingus
Pilots at Aer Lingus will be striking for 48 hours from tomorrow against attacks on their pay and conditions.
Aer Lingus is planning to open a new hub at Belfast airport, which would involve some flights to and from London being diverted from Shannon. Aer Lingus is planning to use this as an opportunity to cut pay and conditions as it employs new staff at Belfast on lower pay and conditions than existing staff.
Korea: Train attendants strike in longest, most bitter struggle by working women
On March 1, 2006, approximately four hundred women who work as train attendants on the KTX “bullet train” began a strike against casual working conditions.
Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL) officials led KTX women workers to believe that although they were initially hired under short-term contracts via an external company, they would be granted permanent status as direct employees of KORAIL after one year. However, the KTX Crew Workers Branch Union’s demands for direct and permanent employment have yet to be met.
France: transport workers protest against proposed minimum service law
The plan to introduce obliging workers to maintain a minimum service during public transport strikes has been taken as an attack on the right to strike by workers and unions.
There have also been strong indications that if the government can establish a minimum service law for the transport sector then it will be introduced for other public and private services. François Fillon, has stated that if the law works it should be altered to include: "other public services, notably education"
Transport for London workers vote for strike action over pensions
RMT members covered by the Transport for London Pension Fund have voted by a massive 15-to-one margin for strike action to protect the pension rights of people forced to leave their jobs through ill-health.
The union is calling on the employers involved (list below) to guarantee that they will not bring forward or support proposed changes that would dramatically affect qualification for ill-health pensions.
Workers of the world tonight: International dockers struggles of the 1980s
BM Blob's pamphlet on the struggles of dock workers across the world during the 1980s.
Translated and produced by individuals in Lisbon, Barcelona, Arhus, London, New York
Introduction by BM Blob
Virgin rail catering workers on strike
Manchester: 100 catering workers at Virgin Trains are on strike in support of a sacked colleague.
Rachel Tombling sustained injuries when her head hit a computer screen in an on-board shop when her train experienced rough riding - but was sacked for wilfully damaging it. The sacking was upheld at an appeal, and now workers from Virgin West Coast’s Manchester Piccadilly depot are on strike, having been out for three days so far.
