News item nr.18 ISRA attended meeting The Netherlands Trade Union Confederation (FNV) International 8 October 2019

Director ISRA Reinoud Pijpers, attended a meeting of the Dutch Trade Union FNV-International. The meeting was opened by princess Laurentien with as central theme Social Dialogue.

Princess Laurentien of The Netherlands

International trade unionist Mr Kan Matsuzaki showed the progress that was made on the spot in India, Alang, by the safety and work training offered in cooperation with FNV International. He argued that there were already around 50 yards that give access to safety training courses, aimed at reducing accidents and injuries.

He indicated that in India around 66.000 people found a job on the beaches at the top of the market. This number has lowered substantially since the market is weak and some yards have been modernized up to HKC-standards, thereby being confronted by lower steel prices to offer and hence lower amounts of end-of-life-ships to be recycled.

Mr Kan Matsuzaki

Secretary-general ECSA, Martin Dorsman, argued that a level playing field is absent and that for that reason ship-owners cannot be held responsible for taking their ships to the highest bidder. Curious enough this point of view was supported by the FNV- chairman of this meeting. FNV-members criticized this position heavily. ISRA will stay in contact with FNV-International.