IUF European affiliates establish Seafood unions coordination group within EFFAT

The founding meeting of EFFAT Seafood group was held in Brussels on November 15, 2016. IUF affiliates from Spain, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Belgium, Denmark and UK shared the information on the union density and common issues in the growing seafood farming and manufacturing sector. The seafood group will coordinate efforts in pushing the industry to rise pay level and labour standards, companies will be approached with the demand to establish negotiation platforms across the EU operations. As the first step NNN and Fellesforbundet requested Norwegian company Marine Harvest to establish European Works Council, the company responded and special negotiation body is being created. 

Another task of the group will be to provide solidarity support to the seafood workers fighting for their rights in other parts of the world and to take a proactive approach to push EU commission for development of mechanisms and restrict market access to the seafood, produced by companies with human rights violations record. The meeting expressed support to Citra Mina workers in the Philippines and Doha company workers in Morocco.