Winning For All

By Sarah Finke

When trade unions grapple with the tough industrial issues that affect women, everyone benefits.

The International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) is conducting an ongoing investigation into the health and safety for women road transport workers. The investigation was initiated in 2006 after women in the sector met under the umbrella of the ITF and identified OHS as a major overriding concern.

A Lithuanian female bus driver stated that "employers need to improve working conditions, provide us with hot water for cleaning buses, improve toilets, improve shower room lighting and lighting on premises generally". All these issues relate directly to the safety of all transport workers, not just to women and the unionists have been quick to get involved in union OHS committees to help make men realize that women's concerns are everyone's concerns.

(Transport International; issue 26, Jan-March 2007)