The memberships of JSU non-domicile special members are increasing year by year. To date, there are 36,000. non-resident special members. In order to have a closer contact with the special members, the JSU decided to create an e-mail address dedicated only for the special members. If you have any questions or inquiries in your membership to JSU, please use the email address iss@jsu.jp and we will try our best to accommodate all your questions and inquiries.
Ukrainian crewing agents get on board the Maritime Labour Convention - 2 August 2012
Crewing agents in the Ukraine registered their backing for a key international convention on seafarers’ rights at a seminar in the Ukrainian seaport of Odessa last month.
Over 50 local crewing agent participants signed up to the Odessa Accord, pledging their support for the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) at the event on 24 July, which focused on the convention's requirements on recruitment and placement.
Organised by the ITF-affiliated Maritime Transport Workers' Trade Union of the Ukraine (MTWTU) in collaboration with the ITF, the International Maritime Employers’ Council (IMEC) and the International Labour Organization (ILO), key speakers included, Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, ILO director of labour standards, Stephen Cotton, ITF maritime coordinator, Giles Heimann, IMEC secretary general and Rajesh Tandon, V-Ships operations manager.
Cotton paid tribute to the importance of the Ukraine as a source of “quality seafarers”. "The objective is to stamp out the bad competitors who give Ukrainian agencies a bad name and to secure an open commitment to upholding the convention's standards and protecting the future of the Ukrainian maritime industry," he said.
Agents, who had previously voiced concerns, conceded that the convention would be important for Ukrainian seafarers and those involved in their recruitment and should be supported.
Doumbia-Henry continued on her Ukrainian mission to Kiev the following day where she met with the vice minister for labour and national Ukrainian employers’ and union organisations. She delivered the message contained in the Odessa Accord – urging the government to consider ratification of MLC, 2006 as a matter of urgency.
ITF demands release of Swazi transport unionist - 3 August 2012
The ITF has called for the release of a transport trade unionist in Swaziland who was arrested earlier this week.
Bazel Tfwala, legal officer of the ITF-affiliated Swaziland Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (STAWU), was arrested on 30 July. His detention followed STAWU’s solidarity support for ongoing public sector action in protest over a government announcement that there would be no wage increases over the next three years. No charges have been made against Tfwala but he has nevertheless been remanded in custody until 6 August, when a verdict will be delivered.
In a letter to prime minister Barnabas Sibusiso Dlamini dated 31 July, ITF general secretary David Cockroft said: “I demand the immediate and unconditional release of Bazel Tfwala. The ITF further demands peaceful solutions to the current labour conflicts in Swaziland and implementation of basic workers’ rights such as freedom of association, as well as the rights to assemble, to bargain collectively and to take strike actions as enshrined in the core conventions of the ILO （International Labour Organization）.”
He also wrote to the minister of labour and social security Lutfo Dlamini and to the British Consulate.
The union’s general secretary Simanga Shongwe was arrested temporarily at the court registry while attempting to process a bail application for Tfwala, as was the union’s organiser, Sticks Nkambule, who was detained following his involvement in a transport strike on 16-17 July.
An ITF road transport conference in Durban, South Africa, on 24-25 July unanimously adopted an emergency resolution expressing solidarity for Swaziland workers and trade unionists and support for their right to conduct their duties without fear of oppression by the state.
ITF visit in support of jailed unionist in Morocco - 26 July 2012
An ITF delegation is visiting Morocco to show solidarity with detained unionist Said Elhairech and to demand his immediate release.
Elhairech, general secretary of the National Union of Dockers and ITF Arab World representative on the ITF dockers’ section committee, was arrested after assisting ships’ crews who were left stranded following Comarit-Comanav ferry company’s cessation of operations.
Frank Leys, ITF dockers’ section secretary, and from Tunisia Mukhtar Hili, ITF executive board member, are hoping to visit Elhairech in Rabat.
Elhairech, following a meeting with Mohamed Akdime, a lawyer appointed by the ITF, agreed to postpone a hunger strike that he had pledged to undertake next week. The lawyer in the meantime has made a submission for the provisional release of Elhairech stating that the case against him has no grounds. The judge responsible for the investigation is calling in further witnesses and has therefore postponed a judicial hearing, which was due to take place this week.
Leys and Hili are working with Meiloudi Mukhareq, general secretary of the national union center Union Marocaine Du Travail (UMT) to whom the National Union of Dockers is affiliated.
Leys said that despite his more than 40-day imprisonment “on ridiculous and politically motivated charges”, Elhairech’s morale and health were reported to be good. The delegation hoped to be allowed to see him at the prison later today.
He expressed frustration over the postponement of Elhairech’s judicial hearing. Calling for his immediate release, he said that everything was being done to persuade the government to see justice done.
”We are very appreciative of the role the ITF’s Arab World region has played in mounting this campaign to free Said and hope that the global trade union family.
He added: “At all times, the UMT has been clear that it welcomes foreign companies investing in Morocco as long as working conditions, freedom of association and collective bargaining do not suffer as a result.”
UK unions in joint drive against coastguard and rescue centre closures - 5 July 2012
Two ITF-affiliated unions are demanding that the government halt plans to cut coastguard and maritime rescue facilities across the UK.
The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) and the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) are railing against the UK government’s plans after it emerged that one facility, Clyde, due to close in December, would not be replaced until 2014. This, the unions claim, risks leaving the life-saving services with inadequate cover for over a year.
The PCS and RMT say that the nationwide reorganisation by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency is simply a cuts-led exercise that will have devastating implications for safety at sea. It will lead to the loss of more than 140 jobs and the closure of nine coastguard stations around the UK. The government has already abolished the maritime incident response group, which had valuable expertise in fighting fires at sea.
PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: "We believe these cuts could put lives at risk, and we know our concerns are shared by seafarers and people in our coastal communities. Instead of gambling with people's lives, ministers should be investing to ensure we have the proper resources in place to run a safe and effective coastguard service."
Bob Crow, RMT general secretary, said: "Our members at sea depend on facilities like the Clyde coastguard day in and day out to ensure their safety and we are one hundred per cent behind the PCS-led campaign to save these essential services from the government axe. Clearly, the whole botched handling of the Clyde center, the first on the hit list, is a foretaste of what can be expected around the rest of the coast as the cuts plans are rolled out."