Printer Friendly Page

Russian ITF affiliates agree to form single union (12/7)

Officials from the Seafarers’ Union of Russia and the Water Transport Workers’ Trade Union of Russia jointly issued the following news release. Both unions are affiliates of the International Transport Workers’ Federation. Integration of trade unions and establishing a single union – this is the ultimate goal and primary task for both WTWUR and SUR The members of governing bodies of the Seafarers’ Union of Russia (SUR) and Water Transport Workers’ Trade Union of Russia (WTWUR) met on 1 December in St. Petersburg. The meeting was chaired by David Cockroft, the General Secretary of the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF). As a result of discussions over the issues of trade union activities and the future of the trade union movement in the water transport sector, the parties came to a conclusion implying the need to establish a single trade union for both seafarers and water transport workers and agreed to integrate into a single union. A joint working group was formed to prepare drafts and to work out the integration details. The group is to start its work in the near future. The parties agreed to entrust coordination duties to M. Lyakhov, the ITF Coordinator in Russia and the CIS. Cockroft offered the leaders V. Kepp and I. Pavlov to bind with a friendly handshake their agreement to establish a single trade union for seafarers and water transport workers and commented: “Today we are witnesses to an historic event. You two have made a top priority decision to unite. And it will result in longterm benefits to all – to seafarers and water transport workers.” ###