To mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, ETF's Acting General Secretary, Livia Spera, has joined other women trade union leaders in signing a letter to the European Commission President-designate Ursula von der Leyen, and Equality Commissioner-designate, Helena Dalli, on their proposals to increase EU action against violence against women.

The lack of accessible sanitation facilities and sufficient break times is an issue that heavily affects transport workers in all sectors. That’s why today of all days especially, the ETF calls for safe, decent and sufficient toilets and other sanitation facilities for all transport workers in Europe.

Ursula von der Leyen has appointed Violeta Bulc’s successor and the European Commission for 2019-2024 is set to have Ms. Adina Vălean as Transport Commissioner. ETF calls on Ms. Vălean to take Transport Workers seriously.

ETF welcomes the CBA and acknowledges it as a first step in the right direction. Further positive changes are on their way as on November 7, the official negotiations for a European-wide agreement between IG River Cruise, European Barge Union (EBU) and ETF commenced. European Social Partners hope to reach a meaningful agreement by Autumn 2020.

A delegation of public service and transport workers’ representatives from West and South of Norway, LO Stat, visited the International Transport Workers’ Federation to exchange views on the challenges transport workers face today.

The EU Social Partners in Sea Fisheries ETF and Europêche adopted a joint resolution on the socio-economic impact of the EU landing obligation on the fishing industry. They agreed to call on the European Commission to revise the EU landing obligation so that it is consistent with other legal instruments adopted by the EU, in particular, Directive 2017/159 and the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU.

Railway social partners and the Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER) gathered with ETF for the annual plenary meeting of the Rail Sectoral Social Dialogue. Social partners negotiated their joint work programme for the next two years and agreed to focus on women's employment and equal opportunities in the railway sector, ensuring railway safety in an open and competitive market, working and resting time rules, and employability in the light of digitalisation and automation.

Massive step forward for XPO workers in Europe: Years of negotiations with XPO Logistics Europe management finally resulted in an agreement to establish a European Works Council (EWC).

As part of the Steering Committee of ETUC's REBALANCE project, an ETF delegation attended the Conference: "Trade unions’ and social partners’ actions to improve reconciliation of work, family and private life for women and men" in Rome.

Thomas Cook may have collapsed in the UK, but it's a European story. Companies, travel agencies, and hotels all over Europe and beyond have been affected, and around 22.000 workers are suffering from the consequences. The ETF stands in solidarity with all Thomas Cook workers and we continue to defend their interests together with our affiliates.

Digitalisation and automation are affecting a multitude of transport jobs in all sectors. However, jobs carried out by women are particularly at risk due to digitalisation and automation which threaten to deepen existing gender inequalities in the workplace even further.

The Locomotive Drivers' Advisory Group and the On-Board Personnel Advisory Group, meeting in Brussels on 21-22 October, expressed their solidarity with French railway workers following an accident that occurred on October 16 between Mohon and Poix-Terron in Eastern France which involved a driver-only operation (DOO) train. DOOs are dangerous for both the train driver and the passengers: guards must be kept on board trains!