The International Transport Workers' Federation

The International Transport Workers’ Federation comprises around 700 trade unions in 150 countries, representing over 4.5 million global workers. The Federation engages in worldwide campaigns on a range of issues, representing transport workers and campaigning for their rights. It is organised into eight industrial sections: Seafarers, Dockers, Railways, Road Transport, Civil Aviation, Inland Navigation, Fisheries and Tourism Services.

The Modern Records Centre currently holds archives of the International Transport Workers’ Federation dating from 1896-2004, comprising over 700 boxes of material; a unique resource on the working-class movement in an international context. Records range from committee files and policy documents to correspondence, subject files, photographs and film.

The history of the International Transport Workers' Federation

Early Years

The International Transport Workers’ Federation was founded in London in 1896 as the International Federation of Ship, Dock and River Workers, adopting its current name in 1898 when it expanded to include transport workers in non-maritime industries. The Federation was founded by J. Havelock Wilson of the NSFU, in association with Ben Tillett and Tom Mann, the leaders of the 1889 London Dock Strike and Charles Lindley, a Swedish seamen’s unionist.

1897 poster 'The International Movement, What it is, its programme and policy'

Document reference MSS.159/3/C/A/14/31.

The First World War

In 1904, the ITF moved to Germany and came under the control of Secretary Hermann Jochade, the German railwaymen’s leader. The First World War broke down associations between trade unionists and with Jochade’s conscription in 1915, the Federation virtually ceased to exist.

1916 letter from J. Havelock Wilson of the National Sailors’ and Firemen’s Union, to Hermann Jochade, ITF General Secretary

Wilson writes about the treatment of seamen in British and German camps during WWI and moves to block German representation in the ITF

File reference MSS.159/3/B/78.

The Inter-War Years and Second World War

Moving to an Amsterdam office in 1919, the Federation re-emerged under the leadership of Edo Fimmen, who led a series of notable anti-fascist campaigns during the Spanish Civil War and against the Italian Fascist and Nazi regimes. The archive holds numerous records relating to these activities, listed under MSS.159/3/C/a-b. By 1939, the imminent outbreak of war caused the ITF to relocate to England, initially to Bedford and later to London, where it remains.

Cover of a memorial leaflet for Edo Fimmen, ITF General Secretary from 1919 to 1942

File reference MSS.159/12/9.

Report to the ITF Secretariat on Italian unions’ situation under Fascism, 1932

Document reference MSS.159/3/C/359.

De l’argent pour Hitler c’est la guerre en Europe

'Money for Hitler means war in Europe' sticker, part of a file of anti-Nazi propaganda produced or circulated by the ITF in the 1930s.

File reference MSS.159/3/C/A/140.

After 1945

Following relocation to England, the Federation continued to flourish. The first post-war Congress in Zurich in 1946 saw a review of the Constitution, highlighting the need for effective working class solidarity, freedom and equality. The post-1945 period would see the establishment of new industrial sections for Civil Aviation workers in 1949 and Tourism Services workers in 1974. The Federation was instrumental in the foundation of the ICFTU in 1949, in addition to leading the Flags of Convenience Campaign for seafarers’ rights and becoming increasingly involved with major labour and transport organisations as a consultative body. The period has also seen a significant increase in the activities of ITF regional branches, in the involvement of women in trade unionism and in the establishment of educational programmes and awareness campaigns.

Throughout its history, the International Transport Workers’ Federation has had a wide range of operations and contributed to campaigns and initiatives covering all key global transport sectors. The ITF summarises its activities under the headings Representation, Information and Practical Solidarity.

The International Transport Workers' Federation at work

Representation

Any independent trade union with members working in the transport sector can join the ITF. Affiliated unions are represented at ITF Congresses, sectional conferences and committees, where members are involved in decisions that direct future section activities and shape ITF policy. The archive collection includes reports and papers relating to these meetings and those of the elected Executive Board and General Council, dating, with some gaps, from 1897 onwards.

The archive also holds papers relating to the Federation’s involvement with a number of international policy-making bodies and international federations including the ILO, IMO, ICAO, various European Union bodies, the WFTU and ICFTU.

Photograph of delegates at the 1st International Tramwaymen’s Congress in Brussels, 1925

The photograph features ITF General Secretary Edo Fimmen on the front row, seventh from tarchives_online/exhibitionshe right.

File reference MSS.159/12/9.

Typed report of the ITF Fishermen’s Section Conference in Hull, 1967

The report gives an insight into working conditions and the changing state of the fishing industry at the time, along with foreign delegates’ impressions of British fishing practices.

File reference MSS.648/FS/1/1/1.

Poster for the ITF Railwaymen’s Section Conference in Budapest, 1995

File reference MSS.648/IT/1/2/1/5a.

Information

The Federation collects information on international developments in transport to inform policy and provide advice to affiliated unions. The archive includes a vast number of correspondence and subject files on a range of issues, from health and welfare to hijacking and piracy, in addition to files on individual countries. These include correspondence, press cuttings, reports and other relevant information giving an insight into labour and trade unionism across the world in the second half of the 20th century. The collection also includes records relating to ITF-led surveys, missions and international training and education programmes.

Copy of the cover of a leaflet ‘Ca’ Canny’, 1896

The leaflet propagates the general policy of the International Federation of Ship, Dock and River Workers; to make the amount of work performed dependant on the level of pay received.

File reference MSS.159/12/9.

First page of an ITF report on trade unionism in Ethiopia, 1964

The report details the state of trade unionism in various transport sectors and forms part of a general correspondence / subject file compiled on Ethiopia.

File reference MSS.648/GS/2/47/1.

Civil Aviation Section circulars, 1970 and 1977

Circulars relating to the ITF’s attempts to pressure governments and global civil aviation authorities to improve on the lax and sometimes non-existent aviation security measures of the 1970s, part of a subject file on hijacking and security. Calls for action were made following a spate of aviation disasters and in the context of the increasing threat of hijacking and terrorism.

File reference MSS.648/CA/2/2/1.

Survey of Dockers’ Working Conditions, 1990

One of a series of surveys on working conditions in the various industrial sections, regularly compiled by the ITF.

Document reference MSS.648/DK/4/5.

Copy of an ITF circular on AIDS, 1995

The circular details plans for an information campaign on AIDS and the gathering of information on local and national awareness initiatives.

Included in a file of letters and information on AIDS and HIV, file reference MSS.648/SF/2/2/94/4.

Practical solidarity

The ITF encourages and coordinates international solidarity among its affiliated unions, including the sharing of messages of protest, joint boycotts, assistance in strike action and sectional campaigns. The archive collection includes a large number of dispute files dating from around 1954, in addition to earlier correspondence on strikes and industrial disputes. The Federation has run a high-profile campaign against Flag of Convenience ships (FOC) since 1959, supporting the rights of maritime workers. The archive holds records of the Fair Practices Committee, which directs FOC policy, along with correspondence on FOC matters, both listed within the Seafarers’ Section.

Solidarity request from the Sea Officers and Ratings Unions of Israel, 1978

Example of a request sent to the ITF appealing for the support of affiliated unions, in this case help in disrupting the operations of Israeli shipping companies.

Included in a dispute file on the 1978 Israeli seamen’s unions wage strike, file reference MSS.648/SF/2/1/3.

Trades Union Congress campaign leaflet ‘Don’t Go Dover P&O’, 1988

Publicity material relating to the TUC's 1988 boycott of P&O at the Port of Dover.

Included in a dispute file on the boycott, file reference MSS.648/SF/2/1/61.

Letter to the ITF from the Miners’ International Federation and telex from ITF General Secretary Harold Lewis relating to solidarity with British miners, 1926 and 1984

Examples of the ITF providing support to non-transport trade unionists. Both documents illustrate the ITF’s role as an intermediary - sharing information on the progress of disputes and requesting solidarity in overcoming strikebreaking attempts.

Letter included in a file of correspondence on the UK Miners’ Strikes, 1926, file reference MSS.159/3/c/289; telex included in a dispute file relating to the British Miners’ Strike 1984, file reference MSS.648/SF/2/1/38.

Publicity material for ITF Civil Aviation Week, 1988

Leaflet and stickers in English and Spanish highlighting the ITF’s campaign against deregulation in Civil Aviation.

Included in a file of campaign material for Civil Aviation Week 1998, file reference MSS.648/CA/2/1/119.

ITF flyer, 1997

Flyer produced as part of the ITF’s Flag of Convenience European Action Week 1997. This long-running campaign focusses on taking action against ship-owners who attempt to avoid national laws, safety regulations and local unions by registering ships under foreign flags.

Included in a file of papers relating to the European FOC Week of Action 1997, file reference MSS.648/SF/2/2/52/2.