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ITF House, 49 - 60 Borough Road, London
A coalition of trade union groups who met with UK rail/bus operator FirstGroup at the ITF Congress in Durban, South Africa yesterday have released the following statement:
Statement on FirstGroup, Durban, South Africa
The International Transport Workers' Federation, FNV Bondgenoten (The Netherlands), International Brotherhood of Teamsters (USA and Canada), Service Employees International Union (USA and Canada), Services, Industrial, Professional and Technical Union (Ireland) and Transport and General Workers' Union (Great Britain):
Welcome the commitment made by FirstGroup at its Annual General Meeting on 13 July, 2006 that the company will be neutral to trade unions at all its operations and will eliminate anti-union behaviour at its US subsidiary, First Student.
Call on the company to make good on its promise by immediately ceasing anti-union practices at First Student, including harassment, intimidation and retaliation against trade union supporters, creating and distributing anti trade-union literature, discriminating against trade union supporters in employment and aiding and abetting union de-certification campaigns.
Note that senior officials of FirstGroup have recently met and informed the Dutch transport unions of its intention to participate in the bid for Connexxion, the largest public transport company in the Netherlands. The company has stated to the unions that they will respect the Dutch labour laws and the existing terms and conditions of employment.
Are aware that often the anti-union stance taken by First Students' management is an inherited problem in the United States and that this is not typical of the positive relationships that frequently exist between unions and European companies.
Strongly urge that FirstGroup work to create a strong and productive partnership with their trade union counterparts.
For more information contact ITF press officer, Sam Dawson, direct line: + 44 (0)20 7940 9260. E-mail: dawson_sam@itf.org.uk
International Transport Workers' Federation - ITF: HEAD OFFICE, ITF House, 49 - 60 Borough Road, London SE1 1DR,Tel: + 44 (0) 20 7403 2733, Fax: + 44 (0) 20 7357 7871, Email: mail@itf.org.uk Web-page: www.itfglobal.org
Request a meeting between all the unions concerned with FirstGroup no later than 20 August 2006 to discuss, inter-alia, the ways and means to fulfil the commitments that the company has made concerning its employment practices in the USA.
| Graham Stevenson Transport & General Workers' Union |
Joe O'Flynn SIPTU |
| Tim Beaty International Brotherhood of Teamsters |
Nicholas Allen SEIU |
| Egon A. Groen FNV Bondgenoten |
Mac Urata ITF |
Source: ITF (International Transport Workers Federation)