WHO and ILO form Action Group with global transport bodies to protect workers’ rights and ease supply chain congestion
World Health Organisation Director-General Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus and ILO Director-General Guy Ryder have confirmed their organisations will form an Action Group “as a matter of urgency” with major transport bodies to ensure freedom of movement for international transport workers, according to ICS's release.
The commitment came after organisations and unions representing road, air and sea companies and workers met with Dr Tedros and Mr Ryder last week. They warned of the impact of new travel restrictions on transport workers and the already fragile global supply chain in the wake of the Omicron variant.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA), the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), the International Road Transport Union (IRU), and the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), have made urgent pleas for governments’ health departments to coordinate measures and avoid restricting the movement of transport workers.
Dr Tedros said during the meeting that work on the Action Group would begin this week and regular meetings will be held with IATA, ICS, ITF and IRU going forward. He noted other areas of focus will include amending the Yellow Card, a medical passport issued by WHO, to be used by transport workers as proof of vaccination.
The Action Group will ensure the implementation of existing travel protocols developed by industry to protect the rights of transport workers. The WHO and the ILO also confirmed that the UN Secretary General’s Executive Committee in January 2022 will discuss further solutions to issues raised by the transport organisations.
The transport bodies, which represent more than $20 trillion of world trade annually and 65 million global transport workers across the supply chain, had previously shared fears that ‘knee-jerk’ decisions made by governments to reimpose travel restrictions for transport workers in response to the emergence of the Omicron variant could shatter supply chains and delay global economic recovery.
Since Omicron was noted as a ‘variant of concern’ by WHO, some 56 nations have updated COVID tightened travel restrictions in response. The transport bodies expressed frustration that governments were reneging on clear steps issued to world leaders in September to guarantee the free and safe movement of transport workers. With Omicron’s emergence making it even more important to ensure priority vaccination for transport workers, the organisations said, the WHO should encourage countries to adopt the tried and tested travel and health protocols for seafarers and drivers which the WHO has itself endorsed.
The organisations present at today’s crisis talks also demanded that transport workers be given access to emergency healthcare and prioritisation for COVID-19 vaccinations on the approved WHO list. They called for harmonised protocols internationally that affect cross-border workers, for example demonstrating vaccination status and/or COVID-19 test results. They stressed that governments must increase global vaccine supply by all means at their disposal to expedite the recovery of their transport industries.