In the anniversary edition of our magazine, we gave organisations in the maritime and logistics sector a chance to put themselves in the spotlight. Frank Moreels, trade union leader and president of the Belgian Transport Association (BTB), presents his new book ‘The world is ours’.
Throughout his professional life, Frank Moreels has been active within the socialist trade union ABVV. In 2016, he became president of BTB, the transport union of the FGTB, and is president of the European Transport Workers Federation (ETF). Since 2017, he has also been active as vice-president of the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF). Together with MEP Kathleen Van Brempt, Moreels already wrote the book ‘It can always be cheaper’ on the consequences of social dumping in the transport sector in Europe. In November 2023, he proudly presented his latest book ‘The world is ours’.
“I am often asked why I am so heavily involved in international trade union work. It is then sometimes jokingly remarked whether I don’t have other cats to flog in Belgium,” Moreels says. In his book, he offers a broad view of the labour market in a rapidly changing world and advocates international trade union engagement. “It is a call for working people to understand the decisions being made in Europe and globally,” he says. The book outlines the impact of those decisions on trade unionists – and thus on our members – and how we, as a union, can respond to them,” he says.
Globalisation
With the title of his book ‘The world is ours’, he makes a clear statement. “Working people obviously also count and must be taken into account. There is a lot of talk about globalisation, but little about its impact on ordinary working people and how they deal with it. Decisions from above affect working conditions, working conditions, safety and wages. Over 85% of the regulations surrounding transport activities in Belgium are set at European and international level. Many people do not realise this.”
He points out that improvements worldwide will not just happen by themselves. Putting pressure on political leaders, multinational companies and international bodies is essential to fight inequality and distribute wealth fairly. “To best defend the interests of our members, we need to organise internationally as a trade union federation. Cooperation with trade unions across national borders is necessary to face challenges such as income distribution, social dumping, deregulation, privatisation and automation. We don’t just raise problems, we work to put constructive proposals on the table.”
This book draws on Frank Moreels’ own experiences and trade union practice, enriched with insights from guest contributions from national and international trade union stakeholders. With the European elections in June 2024 and the International Transport Workers’ Federation congress in October 2024 on the horizon, ‘The World of Us’ provides a valuable source of ideas for participating in the approaching debates.
