Major Group: Workers & Trade
Intergovernmental Preparatory Meeting - CSD
Session on Transport - March 1st
Workers and Trade Unions Major Group
Thank you Chair
Allow me to make three very concrete comments on this issue, on behalf
of the workers and trade unions major group:
- First, we totally agree with the idea that mobility is not for
vehicles, but for people. In this sense, we are convinced on the
importance of ensuring this service is publicly-owned, energyefficient,
affordable and provides adequate access to markets,
employment and education. If this is easy to say chair, the reality on
the ground shows how difficult is today for many poor workers around
the world to reach a job because they are unable to pay the transport
cost to reach job offers. Lack of transport functions as a poverty
trap. A poverty trap that only investments in mass transportation can
combat.
- Second, Chair, allow me to emphasize that trains, boats, plains,
buses, trams are all driven by workers who require decent wages and
working conditions, the right to join a trade union, engage in
collective bargaining, receive adequate social protection and the right
to vocational training programs. Securing rights for workers in the
transport sector is the best way for ensuring safety in transportation,
as it ensures the right to training on safety and better organisation
of working time, among others.
- Finally, Chair, we agree on the need to transform the transport
sector and the International Transportworkers' Federation supports
already the Reduce-Shift-Improve framework. Nonetheless, let's please
not ignore the challenges of transforming transportation on the ground.
There are indeed huge potential for decent jobs in public transport,
but others might loose their income in the transition. As mentioned in
the first presentation, there will be a need for social policies to
accompany workers in unsustainable transport forms to transition
towards more sustainable forms of transport. Securing workers'
participation, training and skills development is fundamental.
Chair, if you allow me I would like to ask a question to Mr.
Aguerrebere, regarding the potential for workplace mobility plans, as
we have seen very interesting initiatives taking place in industrial
zones where employers and union representatives have come with joint
plans to palliate the lack of mass transportation (for example
providing workers with company buses from the last available public
transport station to the workplace or putting in place car sharing web
platforms in order to avoid car use)
I would like to thank you very much for your time and attention,
Ms Anabella Rosemberg
Session on Transport - March 1st
Workers and Trade Unions Major Group
Thank you Chair
Allow me to make three very concrete comments on this issue, on behalf
of the workers and trade unions major group:
- First, we totally agree with the idea that mobility is not for
vehicles, but for people. In this sense, we are convinced on the
importance of ensuring this service is publicly-owned, energyefficient,
affordable and provides adequate access to markets,
employment and education. If this is easy to say chair, the reality on
the ground shows how difficult is today for many poor workers around
the world to reach a job because they are unable to pay the transport
cost to reach job offers. Lack of transport functions as a poverty
trap. A poverty trap that only investments in mass transportation can
combat.
- Second, Chair, allow me to emphasize that trains, boats, plains,
buses, trams are all driven by workers who require decent wages and
working conditions, the right to join a trade union, engage in
collective bargaining, receive adequate social protection and the right
to vocational training programs. Securing rights for workers in the
transport sector is the best way for ensuring safety in transportation,
as it ensures the right to training on safety and better organisation
of working time, among others.
- Finally, Chair, we agree on the need to transform the transport
sector and the International Transportworkers' Federation supports
already the Reduce-Shift-Improve framework. Nonetheless, let's please
not ignore the challenges of transforming transportation on the ground.
There are indeed huge potential for decent jobs in public transport,
but others might loose their income in the transition. As mentioned in
the first presentation, there will be a need for social policies to
accompany workers in unsustainable transport forms to transition
towards more sustainable forms of transport. Securing workers'
participation, training and skills development is fundamental.
Chair, if you allow me I would like to ask a question to Mr.
Aguerrebere, regarding the potential for workplace mobility plans, as
we have seen very interesting initiatives taking place in industrial
zones where employers and union representatives have come with joint
plans to palliate the lack of mass transportation (for example
providing workers with company buses from the last available public
transport station to the workplace or putting in place car sharing web
platforms in order to avoid car use)
I would like to thank you very much for your time and attention,
Ms Anabella Rosemberg