Source: Rebanadas de Realidad - ITF, Londres 
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (NR)
 
Mangalore, Jan 9: In a joint endeavor seafarers’ and dockers’ unions across India and Sri Lanka have combined their forces from Jan 7-till Jan 11, 2008 in a week-long protest against the continued growth of flags of convenience (FOC) and sub-standard shipping.
 
This entire effort is being co-ordinated by the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) which is a global union federation that represents around five million transport workers in nearly 700 trade unions in 150 countries worldwide.
 
The India/Sri Lanka week of action is part of an on-going global campaign against the FOC system. It aims to highlight its impact on crew-members and their working environment and to protect and promote the rights of seafarers.
 
During the week, ITF inspectors, assisted by activists and volunteers from seafarers’ and dockers’ unions will inspect FOC vessels in their ports and investigate, among other things the condition of ships, crew contracts, and seafarers’ working and living conditions.
 
The action week will also focus on issues facing port and dock workers. Privatisation and deregulation of the ports industry has seriously undermined the terms and conditions of regular port workers. It has also led to a greater reliance on non-union casual, contract and temporary workers.
 
The rise in the number of global network terminals dominating Indian and Sri Lankan ports in particular has further aggravated this trend and is presenting unions with a serious challenge. Solidarity between seafarers and dockers is crucial, if the struggle against the FOC system is to be a success.
 
New Mangalore port is amongst the other ports in India and neighbouring Sri Lanka such as Kolkata, Haldia, Chennai, Visakhapatnam, Tuticorin, Mumbai, Kandla, Kochi, Goa, Paradip and Colombo where action is being taken in this regard.