European Transport Workers’ Federation
Training and Qualification Systems in the EU Port Sector:
Setting the State of Play and Delineating an ETF Vision
Limassol, 26-27 February 2009
Background Document
Professor Peter TurnbullCardiff University
Wales, UK
European Transport Workers’ Federation
Background to the Workshop
General Lisbon Agenda Vocational Education and Training
Specific Internal ETF debates EU ports consultation (2006-07) Communication On a European Ports Policy (2007)
European Transport Workers’ Federation
Concerns Related to the Training of Port Workers
Health and safety Skills and efficiency Attracting the next generation Portability of qualifications
European Transport Workers’ Federation
The Challenges Facing Vocational Education and
Training (VET)
Labour productivity – developing and deploying labour
Decent work – material and subjective
Coordination failures – markets vs. governments
European Transport Workers’ Federation
Defining the Skills Eco-System
Business setting
Structure of jobs
Level and type of skills formation
Labour supply Predominant modes of engaging labour
Institutional and policy framework
European Transport Workers’ Federation
European Terminal Portfolio of GTOs
European Transport Workers’ Federation
Vertical Integration by Shipping Lines
Source: Notteboom (2007)
European Transport Workers’ Federation
Structure of Jobs, Level and Type of Skills Formation, and
Labour Supply
From … general workers, manual labour, casual employment, gang working, on-the-job training, break-bulk handling, male (ageing) workforce
To … skilled/professional workers, capital-intensive, regular employment, team-working, certified (induction) training, specialised operations, new generation (men and women)
European Transport Workers’ Federation
Modes of Engaging Labour
Direct employment – dedicated and specific training
Direct plus labour pool – generic and specific training
Labour pool – generic training
European Transport Workers’ Federation
Institutional and Policy Framework for VET
LOCUS School
France Italy
REGULATION State Market
Germany UK
Workplace
European Transport Workers’ Federation
The ETF Training Survey, 2008
Eighteen unions, fourteen Member States (response rate = 52%)
Provision of training for new entrants, re- training and the acquisition of new skills, state regulation, the funding of training programmes, trade union involvement in VET, and an evaluation of the approach of different stakeholders to port worker training, health and safety
European Transport Workers’ Federation
Entry to the “Profession” of Dock Work
Certified training – 57% of countries
Typically 1-3 weeks induction training
Route of entry – company vs. labour pool
Source: ETF Survey 2008
European Transport Workers’ Federation
Perceptions of the “Status” of Port Work (%)
Source: ETF Survey 2008
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Professional
Skilled
General
European Transport Workers’ Federation
Provision of Port Worker Training
Source: ETF Survey 2008
National only
Port only
Company only
National + port
Port + company
No provision/no-response
National only
Port only
Company only
National + port
Port + company
No provision/no-response
European Transport Workers’ Federation
Accreditation of Port Worker Training
Source: ETF Survey 2008
National only
Port only
Company onlyNational + port
Port + company
No provision/non-
response
National only
Port only
Company only
National + port
Port + company
No provision/non-response
European Transport Workers’ Federation
Union Involvement in Training
Joint responsibility for …
Operation/management of training centre – 50%
Review of training provision – 57%
Design of training programmes – 44%
Instruction/provision of training – 39%
Source: ETF Survey 2008
European Transport Workers’ Federation
Who Funds Port Worker Training?
Public sector – more than a third of respondent unions
Private operators – more than three- quarters of respondent unions
Other sources – more than a quarter of respondent unions
Source: ETF Survey 2008
European Transport Workers’ Federation
Provision for Updating and Extending Skills
Source: ETF Survey 2008
Extending Skills
Adequate
Inadequate
Updating Skills
Adequate
Inadequate
European Transport Workers’ Federation
Approaches to Port Worker Training
Source: ETF Survey 2008
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Public portauthorities
Privatestevedores
GTOs Internationalshipping lines
Nu
mb
er o
f R
esp
on
den
t U
nio
ns
Minimum provision
Standard provision
Best practice
European Transport Workers’ Federation
The Health and Safety Policy of Port Employers
Source: ETF Survey 2008
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14N
umbe
r of
Res
pond
ent U
nion
s
Minimum compliance
Improves upon legalobligations
European Transport Workers’ Federation
Health and Safety in European Ports
Source: ETF Survey 2008
A safe and healthy workingenvironment
Generally safe but occasionalrisk of minor accidents/healthhazards
Generally safe but occasionalrisk of major accidents/healthhazards
Persistent risk of accidents andexposure to serious healthhazards
European Transport Workers’ Federation
Are European Ports Becoming More Dangerous and
Unhealthy Places to Work?
Accidents at work – 39%, 33%
Fatalities – 33%, 33%
Short-term health problems – 28%, 17%
Long-term ailments – 17%, 11%
Source: ETF Survey 2008 (data refer to previous 5 years)
European Transport Workers’ Federation
Concerns About Health and Safety
Enforcement of regulations- legal base- resources- union involvement
Training- new recruits- reinforcement/mentoring- new work methods
European Transport Workers’ Federation
The Next Steps …
Building on examples of good practice
Supporting the skills eco-system
Delineating an ETF vision
