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Insights from the ITF Youth Conference in Mumbai
Overall, it was a hugely eye-opening experience and helped strengthen our bonds with unions around the world. The highlight would have to be witnessing a local In- dian Rail Union rally. 3,000 men and women shouting and cheering, shaking the foundations of a Mumbai theatre, really put our own Stoppies to shame. The WA branch might have to up its game! It was also pretty funny watching the MUA’s very own Paddy Crumlin stand up in front of this crowd and be bes- towed with a cape, Indian crown and Mary Poppins style umbrella. I can also report that the MUA Youth Committee is one member stronger, as former UK Labor Leader, Jeremy Corbyn was chuffed to receive a MUA WA Youth t-shirt from us. However, I think he might be a tad too seasoned to fit the “youth” label, though. I would like to thank the MUA WA Branch for provi- ding me with this opportunity. It is events like these that help create the next generation of unionists, and I have come back even more committed to growing our own Youth Movement into something members can be proud of.
India! The sights, the sounds, the smells, the food, the people - every aspect of the subcontinent is so vibrant and enthusiastic that it almost assaults the senses. Myself and a fellow Youth Committee member from WA (Adam Shoeib) were lucky enough to expe- rience this firsthand in October, as we travelled to Mumbai for the ITF Youth Conference. Young trans- port workers representing unions from 54 nations all gathered together, unified by a common goal. The conference itself focussed on issues facing the transport industry, particularly issues that dispro- portionately affect young workers. In a world with an uncertain future due to climate change, the glo- bal youth movement understands that the cars, bu- ses, trains and ships we drive and work on are all too reliant on fossil fuels. To create a better future, it is important to push towards renewable energy sources. In other countries in particular, our generation is the first to have a significant female workforce within the industry. With that comes a rise in discrimina- tion from those who don’t particularly appreciate change. There was much debate on how to combat this issue, with a few very impassioned speeches that brought the room to its feet. In our own ma- ritime industry, companies have dragged their feet when it comes to diversifying the workforce, and it was eye opening to hear how other nations have dealt with and overcome this problem. Perhaps the hottest topic at the conference was the rise of the gig economy. Huge multinational corpo- rations finding loopholes that allow them to treat their employees as “contractors”, meaning they aren’t obligated to treat them with any kind of res- pect. No minimum wages, no guaranteed hours, no duty of care, and no culpability if someone has an accident. It’s a disgrace that this has been allowed to be normalised, and it will require a worldwide effort to stamp it out. Maritime workers know all too well how gig economy workers might feel, as we work in a heavily casualised industry.
In Unity, Julian Uchiyama-Lee MUA Youth Executive Committee
Left to right - Julian Uchiyama Lee, Scott McDine, Aarin Moon, Paddy Crumlin, Adam Shoeib, Paul McAleer
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