There is overwhelming public support for transport workers’ rights and union demands, new ITF global poll reveals.
Released ahead of the opening of the 46th International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) Congress in Marrakech, Sunday 13 October, the ITF Global Poll 2024 covers the general public of 15 countries and nearly a quarter of the world’s population.
The survey into attitudes to transport of 16,632 people, conducted by YouGov in March this year, shows widespread recognition of the critical role played by transport workers and large-scale support for their rights.
“Workers are breaking their backs so that companies can turn profits while attacks on rights becomes commonplace,” said Stephen Cotton, ITF’s General Secretary.
“Governments are out of step with their voters when they attack workers’ rights and dismantle laws. Our poll shows public support for laws which protect transport workers is overwhelming – and growing.”
Crackdown on rights a threat to democracy
Attacks on workers’ rights are becoming increasingly commonplace. Democracy is at risk when people are concerned about restrictions to free speech, the right to protest and the right to strike.
Nearly two thirds of people (61%) are worried about current or future restrictions on the free speech, and over half are worried about current or future restrictions on the right to strike (54%) and the right of people to protest (56%).
Nearly 9 in 10 people (89%) believe that workers should be protected on the job, with 81% supporting laws which would hold companies to account for labour rights or environment abuses, the new poll shows.
“We’ve seen the right to strike under attack in Argentina, the UK and beyond. We’ve seen seafarers under attack in the Red Sea. We’ve seen working people suffer the brutal consequence of war. We’ve seen migrant fishermen trafficked into forced labour off the coast of the UK,” said Paddy Crumlin, President of the ITF.
“Every day, working people are being increasingly targeted for simply fighting for their rights. Real democracy means listening to the public and the message is loud and clear: transport needs global rules that are fair to both workers who move the world and citizens that rely on their services.”
A further 70% of people support the right to strike for transport workers, 82% support labour laws which would allow workers the right to collectively bargain, and 78% support the right to join a union. 86% of people also back a decent minimum wage for transport workers.
An overwhelming majority support social protections for transport workers, with 87% backing affordable access to healthcare and decent retirement plans, 86% backing education and maternity leave, and 81% supporting unemployment benefits.
“Capitalism has been allowed to rise unchecked while cost-of-living skyrockets and workers’ wages stagnate. It’s time that governments hold corporate greed to the fire and stand up for workers,” added Crumlin.
The impact of AI
The poll also covered the impact of artificial intelligence in-depth for the first time. It found that most people are wary of the impact AI could have on the workplace, but also of their government’s ability to manage this in the interest of workers.
67% of people are worried about AI harvesting and collecting personal data, 62% are concerned about AI replacing human decision-making, and 57% are worried about surveillance of their work.
Three-quarters (76%) of people would not be comfortable flying on an autonomous plane with no pilot on board.
Union demands have overwhelming public support
Ahead of ITF’s Congress, support for the organisation’s six demands (which encompass its global vision for transport workers) also had overwhelming public backing.
- Safety for transport workers: 89% of people want health and safety laws which protect transport workers.
- Making transport sustainable: 80% of people want their government to increase investment in sustainable transport.
- Corporate accountability in global supply chains: 79% of people want their government to adopt new rules for multi-national transport companies to end abuse of transport workers in supply chains.
- Giving workers a say in the future of work: 81% want their governments to invest in transport jobs.
- Equality for transport workers: 77% believe transport is important for reducing economic inequality.
- Rights for transport workers: 87% want their government to protect transport workers from violence and harassment.
“As the ITF charts our course for the next five years, we will need to fight hard to ensure workers are protected, building a safer, fairer and more sustainable future for everyone. And we know we have the public support to do that when 69% of people think it’s important to have transport unions playing an active role in society,” said Cotton.
Notes for Editors:
The ITF Global Poll 2024 surveyed 16,632 people in 15 countries: 1,090 adults in Argentina, 1,078 in Australia, 1,064 in Brazil, 1,104 in Canada, 1,099 in France, 1,080 in Germany, 1,032 in India, 1,064 in Mexico, 1,047 in Morocco, 1,129 in The Philippines, 1,017 in South Africa,1,044 in South Korea, 1,056 in Turkey, 1,660 in the United Kingdom, and 1,068 in the United States of America.
Fieldwork was undertaken by YouGov between 18 March – 12 April 2024, the survey was conducted online and figures have been weighted and are representative of the adult population in each country (18+). Quotas were used to reflect national proportions in terms of age, gender and region. Countries were chosen to a have representation from as many regions as possible – and where YouGov has online panels with a 1,000+ sample size.
Additional key stats from the report:
- 88% of people believe that transport is one of the most important public services, behind healthcare (92%) and energy (89%)
- 81% of people want their government to invest in job creation for the transport sector
- 66% of people believe the transport industry would be better off if there was greater involvement from transport workers in decision making
- 69% of people believe that the economic system in their country favours the wealthy
- 77% of people believe transport is important for making economies fairer
- 80% of people want their government to increase investment in sustainable transport
- 76% of people want national plans in place to lower emissions in the sector
About the ITF: The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) is a democratic, affiliate-led federation recognised as the world’s leading transport authority. We fight passionately to improve working lives; connecting trade unions from over 150 countries to secure rights, equality and justice for their members. We are the voice for nearly 16.5 million working women and men in the transport industry across the world.
