IP Costa Leads ATU Delegation at 2024 International Transport Workers’ Federation’s 24th Congress

Media Center Blog

IP Costa Leads ATU Delegation at 2024 International Transport Workers' Federation's 24th Congress

Friday, October 18, 2024

Proudly representing our Union and our members, International President John Costa led an ATU delegation at the 2024 International Transport Workers' Federation's 24th Congress in Marrakech, Morocco this week. More than 2,000 transport trade unionists from ITF affiliates representing 154 countries around the world attended the Congress.

Costa is advocating for our Union, our members, and all transit workers across the globe to build a better future for all transport workers with no one left behind in the face of the overlapping crises confronting the world. Costa and delegates are working on tactics and strategies to protect all transit workers and tackle extreme exploitation, safety risks, and the ongoing strain of labor shortages caused by a lack of decent pay and conditions in the industry.

At the ITF Congress, Costa was elected by delegates as the USA Chair of the ITF North American and Caribbean Regional Electoral Group for the Road Transport Section "I am honored and humbled to be elected to this position to lead transit workers across North America and the Caribbean. From Chicago, IL, to Vancouver, BC, to Mexico City, to Antigua and Barbuda, transit workers are facing unsafe working conditions, poor pay and benefits, abuse by employers, human rights violations, and more," Costa said. "We may not speak the same languages and come from different cultures, but our fight for justice, equity, and respect is a common goal. By uniting together, we are more powerful as a labor movement." Costa also congratulated Stephen Cotton on his re-election as ITF General Secretary. "Stephen has been a great ally to the ATU and leader for the ITF. We look forward to continuing to work with him and the ITF to advocate for our members and all transit workers across the world."

Costa also appointed ATU Canada President John Di Nino to serve on the National Coordinating Committee under the ITF Regional Electoral Group, North America and Caribbean.

Two resolutions submitted by the ATU were adopted by the Congress dealing with Artificial Intelligence and Microtransit setting the tone for worldwide uniformity and solidarity on these pressing issues for our Union and our industry. Joining Costa and Din Nino as ITF delegates were International Executive Vice President Yvette Trujillo and ATU Director of Joint Industry Councils and Collective Bargaining John Lyons.