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Women ITF inspectors have recently completed a week-long training programme on women in leadership and strategic change.
Twelve of the ITF's 136 inspectors are women, from countries including Germany, Kenya, Korea, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine and the US.
The programme in Vigo, Spain focused on leadership and strategic organisational skills, helping the participants identify both ways to work better together and options for developing a greater presence of women in the sector. It was led by Dr Elaine Bernard from Harvard University and Alison McGarry, coordinator of the ITF's women transport workers’ department.
Luz Baz, the first woman to be an ITF inspector in Spain, commented: "The shipping industry is still a male dominated field and the work of the ITF inspectors often involves representing workers in complicated situations.
"We work in an international network in which you have to put the best of each one so that problems are solved. This is an important course and I was pleased to welcome everyone to Spain."
Lesley Hossner, ITF maritime training and development supervisor, added: “The course was an opportunity for the inspectors to benefit from the union leadership and organising training and also to focus on how they can use these new skills to enhance their role as ITF inspectors and within their unions.
“The opportunities to use practical examples from their own work and to compare and contrast the approaches of the other nationalities represented meant that the inspectors were also able to forge stronger relationships to help them in the flags of convenience campaign.”
Alison McGarry concluded: "The inspectors are in the front line of the ITF working with seafarers and dockers to get a better deal and build stronger unions. We are very keen to see more women inspectors leading in the ITF, and dedicated programmes like this are an important step towards achieving that ambition."