The new office is located in the Seacare building in Singapore, owned by ratings union the Singapore Organisation of Seamen, and was officially opened on Wednesday.
“As a trade union organisation we’ve identified Asia Pacific as a major area of growth. We want to see more unions in the region affiliating to the ITF family,” said Paddy Crumlin president of the ITF.
The office is the ITF’s fourth in the Asia – Pacific region adding to an existing presence in Delhi, Tokyo and Sydney.
Speaking at the opening ceremony ITF secretary-general Stephen Cotton said: The ITF is a progressive organisation and we are responding to changes in the transport world. I can only apologise it took us so long to get here, we’ve been around for a long time and I’m sure you’re felt our presence, but without having the support of our president, our executive board, we wouldn’t be able to open an office.”
He added: “And this office is not just a maritime office it's the ITF in all the modes of transport. This office isn’t about influencing Singapore its about using a base to grow ITF influence in Southeast Asia.”
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