Said Elhairech News

The ITF has condemned as ‘utterly unbelievable’ a totally unexpected decision by a court in Morocco to jail trade union leaders Said Elhairech and Mohamed Chamchati. Elhairech the general secretary of the Moroccan Ports Union, part of the ITF-affiliated UMT, and chair of the ITF Arab World regional committee, was arrested in June 2012 on charges of ‘sabotage and endangering national security’. He utterly rejected the accusations and was supported throughout by the ITF, which was unequivocal in its stance that he had been wrongly targeted following his very effective work on behalf of crews stranded by the cessation of operations of the Comarit-Comanav ferry company – which he undertook at the ITF’s request. In October all charges except one minor one were dropped and his innocence proven.

ITF applaud release of Mohamed Chamchati, general secretary of the Moroccan merchant seafarers’ union. Like his colleague Said Elhairech, who was freed in October, Chamchati had been arrested in June on clearly mistaken charges linked to the cessation of operations of the Comarit-Comanav company. Welcoming the release ITF general secretary David Cockroft stated: “We are gratified to see that the judicial authorities have finally come to their senses and realised that planning trade union action in defence of members’ jobs is no threat to the security of Morocco. We were very pleased that Said Elhairech was released just after our maritime meetings in Casablanca and was able to join our executive in Copenhagen…

Mohamed Chamchati, general secretary of the Moroccan merchant seafarers’ union, has been released after June 2012 detention. Like his colleague Said Elhairech, who was freed in October, Chamchati had been arrested in June on clearly mistaken charges linked to the cessation of operations of the Comarit-Comanav company. Yesterday he and others were released without charge. Welcoming the release ITF general secretary David Cockroft stated: “We are gratified to see that the judicial authorities have finally come to their senses and realised that planning trade union action in defence of members’ jobs is no threat to the security of Morocco.

The ITF (International Transport Workers Federation) gives a voice to a new generation at a new style 'Maritime Round Table' (MRT) conference in Morocco. The MRT, is a groundbreaking three day activists’ forum being held 25 - 27, September 2012 to build links between dockers’ and seafarers’ unions and help shape the future of the ITF’s campaigning on flags of convenience. Alongside the over 200 activists and future union leaders from 50 countries attending there will be a host of virtual participants who can join the debates via the internet and live online reporting of the event at www.dockers-seafarers.org/event/maritime-roundtable. A new website – www.dockers-seafarers.org – has been created to support the event and build on its achievements.