ITF Women’s Committee Focuses on Key Issues

Members of the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) Women’s Committee met in London to focus on the unique needs of women workers in the global transportation industry. The ITF Women’s Committee includes labor representatives from transportation industries throughout the world, including IAM Transportation Grand Lodge Representative Dora Cervantes.

“The global economic crisis, industry restructuring, outsourcing and privatization is having large impacts on women in the transportation industry,” said Cervantes. “The Women’s Committee is developing a series of actions to help women and all workers coordinate action to counter the growing attacks on transportation employees worldwide.”

Key issues for women in the global transportation industry include the erosion of maternity, family, childcare and flexible working rule protections; workplace sexual harassment; workplace violence; inappropriate uniforms; low pay; HIV/AIDS; and unfair retirement age rules.

The Committee also worked on improving techniques in the ITF survey of members to better map the number and location of female transportation workers and to increase support for ITF campaigns for women, including “Say No to Violence Against Women” and the “International Women’s Day Campaign.”

“The IAM is proud to play a large role in the International Transport Federation, including our long history of leadership in women’s issues,” said IAM Transportation General Vice President Robert Roach, Jr. “As the global transportation industry continues its march to consolidation, the ITF’s role in coordinating global unions is more important than ever.”

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