Joint statement: European Shipowners and European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) reaffirm commitment to upskilling and reskilling of seafarers
The European Maritime Skills Forum held its second plenary session in Brussels, reaffirming the shared commitment of European Shipowners and seafarers’ unions to address the skill challenge of the green and digital transition.

As public transport budgets face mounting pressure across Europe, unions and civil society groups are fighting back. In Belgium, cuts to Flemish operator De Lijn have united workers, passengers, and environmental organisations in demanding an urgent change of course. In Germany, a broad coalition is calling for a binding right to mobility. Together, these movements reflect a growing consensus: reliable, well-funded public transport is an essential public service and the workers who run it deserve better too.

Recently published research from the Norwegian Institute of Transport Economics has provided further inputs to ETF’s campaign to protect bus and coach drivers from fatal frontal collisions. What’s more, a technical solution is now in sight. All that is needed is action by policymakers.

Two weeks ago, ETF joined its Dutch affiliate FNV to observe a court case in the East of the Netherlands involving a truck driver who had been living in his truck for months without receiving his pay. The court has now ruled in the driver’s favour.

Yesterday, the EP adopted in plenary its first reading position on the EC Talent Pool proposal, a matching platform connecting job seekers from non-EU countries with EU based companies. Judging from the experience so far, the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) believes this is a missed opportunity to do justice to those third country nationals hoping for decent jobs and living conditions in the EU.

On Thursday, ETF joined its Dutch affiliate, FNV, in the East of the Netherlands to observe a court case involving a truck driver who has been living in his truck for months without getting his agreed or legally required payments. The truck driver, Muhammad, originally from Tajikistan, was brought to the Dutch court by his Lithuanian employer.