Summit of transport union leaders and manufactures at the Vatican city

These days, March 4-5, the summit of transport union leaders and manufacturers  is held at the headquarters of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences at the villa of Pope Pius IV (the Vatican city). Representatives of the International Transport Workers' Federation take part in it, including  ITF Inland Navigation Section Chair, the Chairman of the Seafarers' Union of Russia (SUR), Yuri Sukhorukov.

The agenda of the two-day event includes global issues facing contemporary society — climate change, human trafficking, slavery, child abuse, environmental protection, and anthropoecology. In addition, the Summit will focus on the problems of the transport sector, including employment, social dumping, gender inequality, diminution of security,  the impact of new technology development on jobs, etc.

ITF President Paddy Crumlin was among those who delivered a welcoming speech on behalf of the ITF. He said the following: “The International Transport Workers' Federation represents about 20 million workers worldwide. All of them are important links in the supply chain, whether this be sea, air, road, rail or other transport. Billions of people all over the world depend on transport workers: we are the muscles and skin of international labor, the arteries of productivity and well-being growth. Their work is extremely important for the world population, which is growing exponentially. 

The ITF bears a great responsibility and  keenly feel that today trade unions promote  not only social and economic  interests of its members, but also workers all over the world, who face tremendous difficulties. We can address problems only together, and we welcome the partnership hand that the Vatican lended  to us. We look forward to the start of our collaborative actions  and the opportunity to tackle modern challenges”.

The summit of transport union leaders and manufactures  is organized by the ITF and the Pontifical Academy of Sciences. At the close of the summit, the participants will agree on  formal joint statement which  emphasizing the intention to share best practices and tackle global challenges in a united front.