ITF Launches East Asia Action Week

International Workers' Federation (ITF) inspectors launch a maritime action week in ports of Japan, Korea, Russia and Taiwan

This is the second East Asia week of action for 2012, and involves joint teams of ITF inspectors, and seafarer and docker trade unionists making ship visits to check and enforce decent pay and working conditions.


ITF coordinator for Japan, Fusao Ohori, explained: “The campaign in this region focuses on the safety condition of lifesaving appliances, cargo work equipment, working terms and conditions for crew, and applying ITF acceptable agreements for flag of convenience vessels.”


A rally will also be held in front of the Dowa Line head office in Tokyo, with a further rally one at the Kotoku Kaiun HQ. These companies faced particular scrutiny in the earlier East Asian week of action in February.


Speaking from Kaohsiung, Taiwan, ITF inspector Tse-Ting Tu said that teams would be paying particular attention to the condition of lifesaving, safety and cargo handling equipment, along with crews’ terms and conditions.