ILO finds Harper Tories guilty of breaking international law (again)

The International Labour Organization (ILO) Committee on Freedom of Association has found the Canadian Conservative Government guilty of contravening ILO conventions on Freedom of Association, the Right to Organize and Collective Bargaining in its Bill C-33, the so-called “Protecting Air Services Act” of March, 2012. This Act took away the right to strike from both […]


November 4, 2013

Married to the job (economist.com)

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), a grouping of trade unions representing 4.5m transport employees around the world, was never going to be Qatar’s biggest fan. Unions are banned in the ultra-rich Gulf state, where expatriates account for 94% of the total work force. Little wonder, then, that one disgruntled cabin-crew member at Qatar Airways […]


October 15, 2013

ITF and ETF back Sofia airport workers (atn.aero)

The ITF (International Transport Workers’ Federation) and the ETF (European Transport Workers’ Federation) today pledged their support for workers at Sofia airport. The two organisations are sounding the alarm after receiving information alleging that the management of Sofia Airport has been ignoring workers’ internationally agreed labour rights on the freedom of association – as well […]


October 11, 2013

No place to fly!

Turkish Airlines (THY) CEO Temel Kotil attended a conference held at the İstanbul Technical University (İTÜ) on 8 October, where he was met by a group of students, demonstrating in support of the strike at THY and protesting against the airline’s use of strike-breakers. Kotil was invited to ITU as part of a career day […]


Solidarity action from PALEA to support Turkish Airlines workers

PALEA union, ITF affiliate in Philippines yesterday joined the ITF call for solidarity action to support Turkish Airlines (THY) workers. As THY doesn’t fly to Manila, PALEA members established a solidarity picket in front of the Turkish Airlines Sales Office in Ayala Avenue, Makati City. The area is the main business district in Metro Manila. PALEA […]


October 7, 2013

Ryanair fined 8m euros by French court (bbc.co.uk)

A French court has fined Ryanair more than 8m euros (£6.7m) after ruling that it had broken local labour laws. The court found Ryanair acted illegally when it employed more than 120 staff on Irish contracts at its former Marseille operating hub between 2007 and 2010. The low-cost airline said it would appeal against the […]


October 3, 2013

Qatar Airways ‘requires’ hostesses to get permission before marrying (Al Arabiya)

Qatar Airways has come under scrutiny on Wednesday after it was accused of forcing its female workers to seek permission from the company when they decide to get married. In a report released by the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) on Tuesday, the airline was found to also mandate that women tell a supervisor if they become […]


September 25, 2013

Basic labour rights in aviation

Aviation union leaders from Bahrain, Egypt, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya and Jordan discuss support for a basic labour rights for aviation workers in Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways. The three airline giants are the fastest growing airlines in the world and between them employ more than 70,000 workers, pilots, cabin crew and ground staff, of […]


September 11, 2013