In a memo released Wednesday, the International Transport Workers’ Federation expanded its campaign against International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) by asking the company’s shareholders to vote out two board members, Stephen A. Paradies and Jon Aboitiz. ITF accuses them of bearing “meaningful responsibility for major governance and operational issues at the company” – notably including ICTSI’s labor disputes with ITF.
“The Board Risk Oversight Committee, chaired by Mr. Paradies, has failed to ensure that ICTSI’s internal controls are significant enough to avoid major operational issues, including major port disputes and relationships with censured regimes,” said ITF president Paddy Crumlin in a statement. “In the last 18 months, ICTSI has seen protracted disputes at five terminals, disputes that have directly affected multiple port stakeholders, including governments, global brands and shipping lines.”
ITF further charges that the board has failed to keep ICTSI from working with regimes that are “either censured or under investigation, including for crimes against humanity.” It cited past dealings with Syria, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
