New data from the International Transport Workers Federation and YouGov. Their poll of 16,464 people found 85% – or more than eight in ten people – are backing robust workplace protection for transport workers working across borders or in international waters/airspace.
The Covid crew change crisis, that kept 400,000 seafarers stranded on ships and cut off from their families, sometimes for years, exposed shortfalls in the system that maintain good working conditions for this crucial global workforce. Public opinion is clear that governments and stakeholders must make this a priority.
YouGov surveyed people in 15 countries. Other key headlines include:
·81% of people say that that they support laws that hold companies to account for environmental and labour rights abuses in their supply chains.
·44% of people believe that transport companies behave in a way that is not ethical. This places transport companies as the second most likely to be considered ‘not ethical’, only behind energy companies (52%).
·81% of people globally – or more than three in every four – believe that the world’s economy is reliant on transport workers for the movement of goods and people.
·The data, broken down regionally shows public support for transport workers having protection regardless of where they work holds across the globe.
·Latin America (89%), APAC (88%) and Africa (87%) were the most likely to think it was important transport workers have protections regardless of where they work, with support following closely in the G20 (85%), North America (82%) and Europe (81%).
The full report is attached, with the section on cross-border workers beginning on page 78.
Reacting to the findings, Stephen Cotton, general secretary of the International Transport Workers’ Federation, commented:
“Seafarers are the backbone of the global economy. Each day, we wake up to food in our fridges and fuel in our cars because of their unwavering dedication to their trade. But their working protections are being eroded, ironically making it harder for transport workers to purchase the very goods they help move.
“Global governments convening at the ILO-IMO Tripartite in Geneva must recognise the will of people around the world and use this moment to improve protections for seafarers.”
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