safety

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) and the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) express their profound shock at today’s serious rail accident in Toledo, Spain, and extend their deepest condolences and solidarity to everyone affected by this tragic event. Reports state that at least 64 people are believed to have died, with dozens injured – numbers that may rise.

On 8 December 2025, the second edition of the European Maritime Safety Report - #EMSAFE was presented in EMSA’s: ‘Safety First’ conference at the Agency’s headquarters in Lisbon. EMSAFE 2 consolidates data from all EMSA-hosted databases, offering a comprehensive overview of the state of maritime safety in the European Union. Its strong focus on the human dimension of safety makes it particularly relevant.

Fatigue among cabin crew is no longer a hidden issue. It is a widespread, systemic problem that is undermining safety, damaging health, and eroding the sustainability of aviation jobs. A new global survey of 114 cabin crew union representatives from 45 airlines, conducted by the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), makes it clear: fatigue is a daily reality for cabin crew, and airlines are not taking it seriously enough.

Dockworkers from FNV Havens win improved pay and conditions after bringing Port of Rotterdam to standstill with biggest ever strike. Concerted strike action by lashers from International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) affiliate, FNV Havens, has won a new agreement which will guarantee the safety, health and pay of lashers now and in the future. The lashers’ organising and action, the biggest ever seen in the Port of Rotterdam – Europe’s busiest and largest port – brought the port to a standstill last week.

The maritime industry, a backbone of global trade, relies on the hard work of seafarers who navigate the world's oceans, ensuring goods are delivered efficiently. However, the demanding nature of this job often results in long hours, physical strain, and extended periods away from home, leading to significant fatigue. A critical issue that has emerged in recent years is the practice of requiring seafarers to perform additional tasks, such as lashing and unlashing cargo. This practice not only exacerbates fatigue but also raises serious safety concerns.

ITF and ETF stand together with IFALPA, ECA and US-ALPA in saying NO to reducing the number of pilots in the cockpit, as such a plan is nothing but “a profit-driven scheme that poses a significant safety risk”.

In their official response to the EC public consultation on Fishing Vessel Safety Directive, the Social Partners - ETF and Europeche - ask the European Commission to improve safety and health at sea.

ETF considers an extension of the Directive on fishing vessels' scope is a must, allowing thus the Member States to implement better standards at the national level. Also, the effectiveness of the Directive depends mainly on widening the scope of the Port State Control Directive to fishing vessels.

Safety must be key in the revision of the Train Drivers Directive.