News

ITF (International Transport Workers’ Federation) ship inspectors have been visiting ships carrying Walmart cargoes this week highlighting its poor track record in labour relations. The ITF is asking captains and companies working with Walmart to raise with it widespread concerns about the retail giant’s treatment of its US staff. See the ITF press release here.

ITF is taking this action in support of the Walmart workers and is further evidence of the increasing cooperation among the global unions, spearheaded by UNI Global Union, ITF and IndustriALL.

UNI General Secretary Philip Jennings and IndustriALL General Secretary Jyrki Raina met in Copenhagen with the ITF Executive Board last month and agreed to collectively increase pressure on companies all along the supply chain to deliver on labour rights.

Jennings said, “This is the new collaboration in action. The ITF is taking the message about Walmart’s shoddy labour practices directly to the shipping industry it represents. Walmart be warned you cannot hide – not even at sea. The global unions are now working closer than ever all along the supply chain to ensure that companies like Walmart are forced to live up to their responsibilities. We are working to create a sustainable, ethical and responsible supply chain.”

ITF acting General Secretary Steve Cotton said, “Walmart is a major customer of the shipping industry, and we feel it is important that transport companies – with whom we strive to build the same kind of collaborative industrial relations we would like to see Walmart embrace – are aware of potential industrial disruption.”



He added, “We are seriously concerned by Walmart’s attitudes towards its workers. It has been widely reported that workers in its warehouse and retail operations have been subject to firings, threats to terminate employment, and reduced hours.”