Four Syrian seafarers have been killed after a Russian cruise missile hit a vessel in the Black Sea port of Odessa last Tuesday. The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) condemns the killing of seafarers and reiterates its call for an immediate and sustained ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, urging a halt to all attacks on commercial ships.

The ETF, in collaboration with the European Trade Union Institute (ETUI), organised a training session titled "Training on Corporate Sustainability and Due Diligence" in Brussels. The event brought together trade unionists from across Europe to discuss the growing importance of corporate accountability, sustainability, and due diligence in the transport sector and beyond.

On 17 March, railway workers from CGSP Cheminots and ACV CSC Transcom will take strike action to defend their pensions and demand dignity in retirement. ETF stands firmly in solidarity with Belgian rail workers as they fight against unjust pension reforms that threaten their futures and the future of generations to come.

Global union federation demands a transparent, impartial internationally coordinated investigation into North Sea vessel collision. In the aftermath of the tragic North Sea collision between the Madeira-flagged cargo ship, Solong , and the US-flagged tanker, Stena Immaculate , the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) calls for a fully transparent and internationally coordinated investigation.

The European Commission plans to submit a text on crew labour standards to the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) which will be discussed in the next days at the IOTC meeting for 13-17 April. The European Social Partners for Sea Fisheries jointly call on the European Commission to withdraw this proposal from submission to the IOTC.

The publication by the European Commission of its Omnibus proposal revising key corporate sustainability laws sends a clear political signal: President Ursula von der Leyen is deprioritising human rights, workers’ rights and environmental protections for the sake of dangerous deregulation. ETF joined over 360 organisations in a joint statement calling out on the consequences of this package.

ITF affiliate TÜMTİS has negotiated a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with DHL Express

On 7. March the European Commission published its new regulation raising standards for ground handling operations. The European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) welcomes this publication as a significant milestone for the industry. Having been actively involved in the development of the regulation, ETF has provided expertise, insights, and recommendations to help shape the final outcome.

The UK Labour government’s decision to renationalise its railways marks a significant and welcome shift away from the global trend of rail privatisation. It also marks a rupture with the European policy agenda embedded in EU directives like the Fourth Rail Package. The shift is the direct result of relentless campaigning by ITF-affiliated rail unions – the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT), the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (ASLEF), and the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (TSSA)

On 28 February 2025, hundreds of thousands of Greek workers are staging a nationwide strike to honour the victims of the Tempi rail disaster and demand justice, accountability, and urgent safety measures across the transport sector. Led by the General Confederation of Greek Workers (GSEE) and supported by ETF affiliates, the strike marks the second anniversary of the tragic accident that claimed 57 lives in 2023 — the worst rail disaster in Greece’s history.

EU Commission slashes rules designed to hold companies accountable for key human rights and environmental abuses in their supply chains. The European Commission has announced deep cuts to its environmental and human rights reporting and due diligence standards exempting thousands of businesses from complying with public reporting requirements, with potentially dire consequences for workers across the world.

As foreseen last month in its Competitiveness compass, the European Commission adopted on the 26th February several new proposals to allegedly simplify EU rules for business. According to ETF, these changes will mostly weaken workers’ rights and environmental protections.