Rickshaw rally in Kapilwastu City
On 13 October, the Public Transport Operators Union (PUTON) visited the County Executive in charge of Transport, Roads and Public Works Nairobi County in Nairobi to mark the ITF action week. The activity was a follow-up of 5 October meeting that was dedicated to informal sector across the globe. Agenda of the meeting included BRT issues and Informal workers’ charter.
Also the union discussed the issues that had been previously raised during the meeting on 5 October, which included relocation of transport workers from the Central Business District (CBD) to bus stops outside the city; role of Nairobi County Government in recognizing transport workers as stakeholders in the city and any programmes that the county government could have in regards to workers; the role of the county government in Bus Rapid Transit since Nairobi was a target city in the World Bank project; workers representation in county government transport committees.
UCRB Burkina Faso, in collaboration with CSB, organised a press conference on 30 September on road harassment and the establishment of “Police the Police.” The press conference took place after an audience was granted to the union last July where the Burkina Faso authorities in charge of transport and security took the decision to strengthen security on the roads by creating “Police the Police” in order to stop and punish any members of the security forces who engage in road harassment. Drivers thanked the authorities for this decision, which was part of their grievance.
El sindicato CCOO y la central sindical CGTP portuguesa hemos protagonizado el 7 de octubre una jornada reivindicativa en la frontera internacional de Fuentes de Oñoro-Vilaformoso informando y sensibilizando a los transportistas sobre el peligro de las prolongadas jornadas de trabajo. Con la presencia de compañeros y compañeras de Castilla y León, Galicia, Asturias, Madrid y Extremadura hemos retomado la campaña “la fatiga mata” para eliminar la precariedad, el exceso de jornada y las tareas impropias que convierten al transportista en un trabajador o trabajadora con gran riesgo de sufrir un accidente.
http://www.fsc.ccoo.es/webfsccarretera/Publicaciones:Zona_multimedia
CCOO (Spain) and the trade union confederation CGTP (Portugal) organised a day of protest on 7 October at the international border of Fuentes de Oñoro-Vilaformoso to inform and sensitise transport workers about the dangers of long working hours. With the presence of union representatives from Castilla y Léon, Galicia, Asturias, Madrid and Extremadura, the unions took up the campaign “Fatigue kills” to eliminate precarious work, excessive working hours and improper tasks that put transport workers at great risk of an accident.
http://www.fsc.ccoo.es/webfsccarretera/Publicaciones:Zona_multimedia
The Public Transport Operators Union (PUTON) participated in ITF Action Week by visiting the office of the County Executive in charge of Transport, Roads and Public Works Nairobi County.
This was the first time the informal transport workers representatives were contacting the government officials and explained the difference between Matatu associations and explained that the union represents workers unlike the other associations that represent employers.
The issues discussed included:
- Role of the county government in matters relating to transport workers and safety
- Role of county government in Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) which they indicated they were
- Awareness
- When transport workers would be relocated to new bus stops within the Central Business District after expiration of a deadline given in September 2016.
- Whether informal transport workers who are now representing themselves would serve in a committee that will oversee the re-routing of the city and introduction of the BRT.
The officials agreed to meet the union in a week time and further discuss the raised issues and present the Informal Transport Charter to the county government.
During 3 -9 October the COTWU( T) representatives interview public and private transport workers on the importance of being in an union. On 4 October interviews were conducted with taxi drivers, bajaji and motor cycle drivers at Mkoa bus terminal. On 5 October – with ZACHARIA HANSPOPE LTD drivers and 36 new members filled the form to be join COTWU (T). The same day meetings were held with bajaji drivers at Mawasiliano station. On 6 October union met Maria Msangi who is a bus conductor from Mbagara and she mentioned some of the challenges she daily faces, such as harassment from other people who sees her as mad woman because they think the kind of a job she is doing is specifically for men, she doesn’t have job contract and feels unsecure and she accept to join COTWU(T) union. On 7 October the meeting took place with Ubungo women food vendors who are union members. On 9 October the meeting took place with taxi and motor cycle drivers at Rombo station and it was agreed to have a general meeting about unions.
The NUR observed the ITF Action Week at the Nigerian railway premises with special attention to the issue of concessioning the 3,505km narrow gauge system of the Nigerian Railway Corporation as proposed by the federal government. The union used the opportunity to reiterate its position that concessioning of the railway will not bring anything good, instead it will bring heavy job losses and asset stripping, which have been the major characteristics of past privatisation in the country.
On 10 October the youth wing of the Nigerian Union of Railway workers organised rally highlighting the role of youth in unionism.
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