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As noted in UNI Global Union’s statement on Global Union Federation Cooperation in Global Supply Chains, increasingly complex supply chains are vulnerable to abusive trade behaviour, exploitative practices and the abuse of workers and union rights.



This has never been clearer than after the events of last week when a US hedge fund group, Elliott Capital Management, ordered the seizure of an Argentinean navy training vessel, the Fragata Liberdad in Ghana. The seizure will have enormous implications for the young men and women aboard who are training for a career at sea.



The International Transport Workers Federation has condemned the injunction, citing Elliott Capital’s majority interest in National Express, a public transport provider which has exhibited a chronic pattern of labour rights abuses in the United States. The ITF notes that Elliott Capital’s Paul Singer has refused two programs to alleviate the Argentinean government’s debt which led to the seizure and that he has personally profited by preying on countries and workers around the world, investing in anti-union companies.



UNI Global Union and its World Executive Board join the International Transport Workers Federation in strongly condemning these developments, calling on the government of Ghana to do all in their power to release the navy training vessel for humanitarian reasons and not to accept speculative motives for retaining the vessel.



UNI further commits itself to work closely with the other Global Union Federations to ensure that the values of sustainable development, fair trade practices and respect for workers’ rights are upheld across global supply chains.