Protesteer tegen Maersk Union Busting in India

Zie gaarne onderstaand bericht. Dit is al geruime tijd bezig en is niet de eerste keer. Ook tijdens de
Maersk Network Meeting is hier uitgebreid over gesproken met hoge heren van Maersk.

Het betreft kwesties waarbij geweld gebruikt is tegen havenwerkers door bedrijfs supervisors. Het
manipuleren van havenwerkers door gebruikmaking van geweld, bij deze mensen thuis waarvan
vrouw en kinderen getuige konden zijn.

Dit lijkt ver van ons af te staan. Maar dat is niet zo. Gezien de houding van de huidige
havenwerkgevers (niet allemaal) op het punt van inhuur en vrije markt kunnen wij en jullie ook
voor zo'n situatie komen te staan.

Wij doen daarom een beroep op jullie en verder op iedereen die de vakbeweging een warm hart
toedraagt om de petitie te ondertekenen als een eerste stap in een wereldwijde campagne tegen
Union Busting.

12 February 2010

To ITF dockers' affiliates, MAERSK network and ITF Inspectors

On 23rd October, three members of the ITF-affiliated TDWU (Transport and Dock Workers' Union)
in Mumbai, India, were beaten by company supervisors who forced their way into their homes -
with one of the assaults carried out in front of the man's wife and children. The men worked for a
contractor called SC Thakur, one of a number of non-union contractors operating at the GTI
terminal in Mumbai. GTI is majority-owned by Maersk.

This was not the first time that violence has been used against workers who have joined the
TDWU. Other incidents have taken place. The ITF and the TDWU been involved in a two-year
dialogue with Maersk and GTI, aimed to improve the situation for workers there. Despite
assurances from Maersk that the contractors will respect workers' rights or lose GTI's business, the
situation has not changed.

The company claimed publicly that the October beatings were the result of a drunken quarrel
between private individuals. The ITF commissioned and has now received an independent report
which has shown this to be untrue. The ITF believes the incident has demonstrated that GTI -
which is 70 per cent owned by Maersk - has not taken seriously the commitments it has made to
workers' rights.

We are now asking affiliates to take action.

Support the TDWU's fight for:

- GTI contractors to sign union agreements with the TDWU

- Respect for the rights and safety of unionised workers in GTI

Send a message of support ( http://www.itfglobal.org/solidarity/solidarity-2920.cfm ) to the

union.

Visit the campaign site ( http://www.itfglobal.org/campaigns/mumbai.cfm ) for further information

or email Paula Hamilton (mailto: Hamilton_Paula@itf.org.uk ) , campaign coordinator.

In solidarity