INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORT WORKERS STUFF OUR MAILBOX!
April 27, 2012
And another one, and another one! The correspondence is still pouring in for Toll drivers via a barrage of e-mails, letters, faxes, calls, courier messages, and phone texts from transportation unions around the world. When the going got tough for Toll drivers in the days leading up to the recent April 11th union election, the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) stepped up BIG for the L.A. port drivers.
The ITF, a global federation comprised of 690 transport unions in 153 countries, sent Toll Group’s CEO a stern letter supporting the port drivers’ unionization efforts, and condemned the company’s appalling behavior towards the drivers. Soon after, ITF members throughout the world personally followed suit by sending solidarity letters to the port truck drivers. The letters are coming in from different continents, but all carrying the message of solidarity and commitment to assist in the fight!
With an ITF global membership of 4.5 million workers, and in remote places in the world, the onslaught of postal mail isn’t going to end anytime soon. Several of the most heartening letters are coming out of Africa, where unions in Senegal, Kenya, Mauritius, and others, including the ITF African delegation, have pledged to unite with Toll drivers as they begin negotiating for a fair contract, and fair working conditions. But the ITF membership isn’t the only one sending letters to the group of LA drivers who overcame all odds; Congress member Janice Hahn also sent her congratulations to drivers following the victory. Just like the ITF, she too sent Toll management a stern letter right before the election.
The L.A. drivers will undoubtedly ride the wave of support as they enter the next round of their fight, and sit at the table with Toll management to negotiate a fair contract. Toll has already shown their cards on how low they’re willing to go to antagonize drivers’ efforts at the shot at the American Dream. While Toll lost in a landslide fashion, the company will have to clearly try to save face, and churn out some sort of win for management. This is the same company after all who spent ten thousands of dollars on hiring union-busters. The fight for a fair contract will be no walk in the park for the workers, but if the worker’s support worldwide is any indication of the driver’s strength one can bet it will not be an easy fight for management either.