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General Council Report 2002: Chapter 7

Issue date

General Council Report

international

7.1 Introduction

The General Council’s international activities this year have been overshadowed by the terrorist outrages in the United States which led to the curtailment of Congress last year and which had profound repercussions in many aspects of that work.

Trade unionists around the world continue to be subject to harassment, imprisonment and even death. The situation in Colombia is particularly horrific and has been the focus of special attention by the General Council this year. But other continents are not immune. The General Council have followed closely developments in Zimbabwe, in the Middle East and in Burma, and worked with the ICFTU, ETUC, CTUC and TUAC, and in the ILO, in the defence of human and trade union rights in those, as well as many other countries.

They support moves by the new ICFTU General Secretary, Guy Ryder, to adapt the global trade union movement to face new challenges, with the campaign for the universal application of core labour standards at its centre. Issues relating to migration have increasingly come to the fore and they have continued to press for generous approaches by governments to these, as well as in relation to international development funding. In pursuit of their objectives the General Council have sought to collaborate more closely with like-minded NGOs.

7.2 The aftermath of 11 September

Trade union organisations throughout the world expressed their shock and sorrow at the terrorist outrages, as well as their condolences and solidarity to their colleagues in the United States. AFL-CIO President John Sweeney thanked the worldwide trade union movement for their support at the subsequent ICFTU Executive Board meeting in November.

The European social partners, ETUC, UNICE and CEEP, issued a joint call for solidarity expressing, together, their absolute condemnation of terrorism, their faith in freedom and peace, as well as their deepest sympathy and friendship for the American people. Across Europe their members would be taking initiatives to demonstrate solidarity with the victims of the tragedy, including through symbolic suspensions of work, or in other forms. They called on the business community and the trade union movement in Europe to share and support these initiatives. In the UK, the TUC and CBI simultaneously called for support for an international plan to hold a three-minute silence on 13 September at 11 am to honour the victims of the attack.

The ETUC Steering Committee meeting on 19 September reiterated their solidarity with the American trade union movement. They said that eliminating terrorism was the common aim of all peace-loving people and nations and that the perpetrators of those acts against humanity should be brought to justice and punished. Political, economic and social solutions were, however, urgently needed to remove the causes of conflict, misery and despair in which terror could take roots although never find justification. The Steering Committee said that military actions alone would not succeed in defeating terrorism and that the EU, Governments, and the international community should live up to their responsibilities to establish peace with justice, first of all in the Middle East and in the Mediterranean region. Confronted with terrorist threats it was essential to uphold European democratic values and to preserve openness, freedom and tolerance in our societies. That message should also be spread worldwide. Trade unions would strongly oppose all acts of xenophobia and discrimination directed against men and women of different origins or beliefs living and working peacefully in Europe.

They also expressed deep concern at the impact of the events on the European economy and on the employment situation, especially in view of companies announcing massive layoffs by the day. Even prior to the attacks, the economic situation was looking bleak but if counter measures were not taken urgently the picture could become much worse. The ETUC was encouraged that first initiatives had already been taken by central banks but more concerted global action might be needed. They called on the extraordinary summit of EU leaders on 21 September to act to maintain confidence, and to authorise an emergency package of tax and expenditure measures. The General Council endorsed the ETUC positions.

The ETUC Executive Committee considered the issues in October. They reiterated their strong and unequivocal condemnation of the terrorist attacks in the United States as well as their firm conviction that, to defeat terrorism, the international community should act beyond military action, to remove the cause of conflict and tension that the terrorist networks exploit for their criminal purposes. They called on the EU to show a stronger resolve in promoting peace with justice in the Middle East as well as in acting in all international initiatives to increase efforts to fight poverty and massive unemployment, to bring hope in a better future where today misery and despair prevail. They said that, in this broader approach involving political, social and economic solutions, the military action underway in Afghanistan should be clearly limited to terrorist networks and infrastructures, avoiding the risks of an extension of the conflict to other countries and of inflicting further suffering to the civilian population. Urgent measures should be set in place to provide aid and shelter to refugees and displaced persons. The crisis underlined the need for trade unions in Europe to play an active role in ensuring that tolerance and mutual respect and understanding among people of different origins and beliefs continued to be upheld and promoted. The ETUC confirmed its readiness to strengthen trade union dialogue and co-operation in the Mediterranean region.

In October, the ICFTU urged the coalition forces in Afghanistan to ensure that military action would be concentrated on targets directly related to terrorist networks to avoid causing any civilian casualties. It also expressed its concerns at potential risks of a prolongation and extension of the conflict. In November, the ICFTU Executive Board adopted a statement expressing their unity in their rejection of terrorism and their support for urgent and sustained action to uproot it, as well as in the complementary struggle against all forms of racism, discrimination and intolerance, including the oppression of women by autocratic and theocratic regimes. They supported a central and prominent role for the UN and UN agencies, including the ILO, in securing and rebuilding Afghanistan, and called for humanitarian relief to be delivered, with special attention to the millions of refugees. They pointed out that terrorism had accelerated a global economic downturn and called for co-ordinated measures to stimulate the global economy centred on employment and the elimination of poverty. The international financial institutions should play a positive and constructive role and co-operate with other international organisations to help countries directly affected by the conflict and to counter the developing global recession. Sacrifices should be shared equitably so that the burdens did not fall on workers while protections were granted only to companies. Measures taken should be sensitive to disproportionate impacts on certain sectors, regions or countries. The fight against terrorism required a profound and thorough examination of globalisation, including effective and transparent regulation and global governance. The ICFTU would oppose vigorously the exploitation of the real threat of terrorism to promote irrelevant, counter-productive and irresponsible policies for less government, less regulation, and less vigilance concerning the excesses of market forces and mechanisms. They drew attention to the integration of terrorism and other criminal activities in the global economy, for example through tax havens and corruption and the lack of effective global regulation in specific sectors, including transport and financial services. They opposed measures that, in the name of fighting terrorism, would have the effect of eroding fundamental human rights and civil liberties, including trade union rights: it was the strength and vigour of democratic societies that would overcome the terrorist threat. The struggle against terrorism was part of a larger fight for global social justice.

7.3 International Confederation of Free Trade Unions

The General Council have continued to work with the ICFTU in defending trade union rights around the world, campaigning for implementation of core and other international labour standards, tackling multinational companies, assisting trade union recruitment and organisation and promoting equality.

The Steering Committee and Executive Board met in Brussels in November, when the Executive Board adopted unanimously the recommendation of the Steering Committee that Guy Ryder, nominated by a wide range of organisations including the TUC, be appointed to the post of acting General Secretary following the retirement of Lord Jordan. The Executive Board expressed appreciation to Lord Jordan for his outstanding leadership of the ICFTU, for the tremendous work he had achieved as general secretary and for his great contribution to the labour movement. The Executive Board also expressed their full appreciation for the work of Eddy Laurijssen, Assistant General Secretary, who announced his intention to leave the ICFTU. Jose Olivio Miranda Oliveira (CUT Brazil) was subsequently appointed to that position.

The Executive Board discussed developments following the 11 September tragedy and adopted a statement on terrorism (see above). They also adopted statements on the situation of women in Afghanistan, on Ethiopia, and on the launch of new negotiations at the World Trade Organisation.

They debated a report by a Progress Group which had been set up as part of the Millennium Review initiated at the Durban Congress on the future of the international trade union movement. The Executive Board authorised the general secretary to promote and develop the evolution of global unions, as a common identity for the international trade union movement and as a platform for co-operation and joint action in the new millennium. The general secretary was further asked to continue the dialogue with organisations that were not already involved in global unions, based on the principles of free, democratic and representative trade unionism, with a view in particular to examine practical initiatives, actions and campaigns that could be undertaken.

The Steering Committee met again in June when the new general secretary presented a report on future directions for the ICFTU, building on the Millennium Review process. The Committee generally supported proposals to focus activities on selected global unions’ campaigns; to develop a research network; to continue to develop relations with other trade union organisations - although the WCL’s activities during the recent International Labour Conference had not been helpful in that regard; to deepen ICFTU input in development co-operation matters; and to improve ICFTU campaigns and communications, as well as internal governance.

Other issues discussed by the Steering Committee included the situation in the Middle East, to which region the general secretary had undertaken two missions in the second quarter of 2002; and events during the International Labour Conference. They reviewed trade union and human rights issues; employment and labour standards; equality and youth; and multinationals and organising. Financial reports were also received. Some of these issues are reported in more detail elsewhere in this chapter.

Child Labour

The General Council continued to play a significant role in the ICFTU and ILO campaigns against child labour. The ILO campaign for universal ratification of Conventions has continued apace: 122 member states have now ratified Convention 182, and 117 Convention 138. The ILO launched its ‘Red Card to Child Labour’ campaign in January to coincide with the start of the 2002 African Cup of Nations football competition.

Congress in 2001 received a motion on exploitation of workers in West Africa, which drew attention, in particular, to the extent of child slavery in the cocoa industry. IUF and TUC representatives attended the Foreign and Commonwealth Office task force on cocoa established in 2001 and also met separately representatives of the manufacturers’ association, the Biscuit, Chocolate, Cake, Confectionery Alliance. In July the IUF and the cocoa industry established a new institute, based in Geneva, to tackle child labour in cocoa supply chains. The situation in the Ivorean cocoa industry was also raised in June in the ILO Conference Committee on Standards as well as in a special plenary session on the Global Report on Child Labour. It was proposed that a further survey should be conducted, with greater ILO involvement, during the 2002 harvest in Cote d’Ivoire.

In the special plenary session on 12 June - the World Day against Child Labour - the Workers’ Group stressed the indivisibility of ILO core labour standards, decent work for adults and social dialogue, and universal education for children as essential to the struggle against child labour and underlined the role of labour inspection in enforcing good law and the need for universal coverage. They also called for the ILO to establish benchmarks to measure the competence of social auditors who might monitor child labour. Both the workers and employers stressed the need for the social partners to be closely involved in the field and in the ILO Geneva headquarters, and for greater inter-agency co-operation in the UN system to ensure the ILO’s work against child labour was not undermined.

The TUC was represented in an ICFTU/Education International delegation to the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on Children, in New York in May. Despite TUC representations, the British Government had included NGOs but not the TUC in the UK delegation. The trade union representatives at the special session stressed the fundamental link between universal basic education, decent work for adults and the elimination of child labour. However, the United States government, which was strongly criticised by many developing country governments for undermining the principles of consensus which underpin the multilateral system, blocked agreement on the provision of reproductive health education and services for adolescents and strong wording on assistance to children affected by armed conflict, and would agree only to obligations regarding the punishment of children, including the death penalty, being referred to in the context of the Convention of the Rights of the Child, which the US is the only UN member state not to have ratified.

The TUC also made significant contributions at an ILO tripartite meeting of experts from the African region on labour inspection and child labour held in Harare in September; and at an international conference on Building alliances against hazardous child labour, organised by the Dutch Government in the Hague in February, which shared some of its sessions with a conference of the International association of Labour Inspection.

International Confederation of Free Trade Unions

The ICFTU has 225 affiliated organisations in 148 countries and territories on all five continents, with a membership of 157 million, about a third of whom are women.

General Secretary: Guy Ryder

President: Fackson Shamenda

General Council Representatives on the Executive Board:

John Monks with Jeannie Drake and Pat Hawkes as substitutes, and

Sir Ken Jackson with Bill Morris and Roger Lyons as substitutes.

Jenny Ainsley is a member of the Women’s Committee, with Maureen Rooney as substitute

7.4 Africa

Ethiopia

The TUC, in co-operation with the National Union of Teachers, played a significant part in an international trade union campaign, including representations to government and action in the ILO, for the release of Dr Taye Woldesmiate, President of the Ethiopian Teachers’ Association, who was given a 15-year prison sentence following a trial fraught with numerous irregularities in 1996. He was released from prison in May. This was welcomed by the General Council.

Nigeria

The General Secretary expressed dismay to the Nigerian High Commissioner in London at the arrest in January of Adams Oshiomhole, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress. The arrest was a clear breach of the commitment made by the Government of Nigeria to respect the democratic rights of the people to organize peaceful protests and that, as well as of ILO Conventions. He was subsequently released.

South Africa

Ms Lindiwe Mabuza, South African High Commissioner, was received in Congress House at a reception held in her honour, attended by General Council members in June. She was presented with a cheque for £15,000, donated by the TUC and affiliates in response to an appeal, to be used for commissioning a painting on glass in South Africa House in London in recognition of the role played by trade unionists in the struggle against apartheid.

Swaziland

At the ILO Conference in June, concern was expressed in the debate over the application of ILO Convention 87 in Swaziland. It was pointed out that, despite the recent legislative changes, the Bill on internal security would place serious restrictions on the right of trade unions and employers’ organisations to operate. The Committee of Experts suggested to the Government of Swaziland that it accept a high-level ILO mission. The workers’ delegates drew attention to the restrictions on freedom of association and the right to strike, including a complete denial of freedom of association to prison staff and the complex and lengthy legal procedures that effectively denied the right to strike. The ICFTU, in its annual survey of trade union rights violations referred to the long-running trial of trade unionists, including Jan Sithole, General Secretary of the Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions, and commented that the trials were seen by many observers as a form of harassment and intimidation and that the State seemed unable to produce evidence to substantiate its case.

Zimbabwe

The General Council have monitored closely the rapidly deteriorating social and economic situation in Zimbabwe and worked with the CTUC in raising the issues. The General Secretary of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions, Wellington Chibebe, and other senior officials held meetings with the TUC and CTUC at which developments in Zimbabwe were discussed in detail.

The general secretary wrote to the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary in November, drawing attention to the serious hardships suffered by the people of Zimbabwe primarily due to the mismanagement of the economy by President Mugabe’s Government and the continual repression of all forms of legitimate expression of opposition to his autocratic rule. He pointed out that frequent interference by the Executive with the administration of justice had resulted in a gradual erosion of the independence of the judiciary, which had compounded Zimbabwe’s intractable social and economic problems. While appreciating the efforts by the Government to bring pressure to bear upon the regime to uphold democratic norms of governance, he requested that further initiatives be undertaken in collaboration with our European partners and members of the Commonwealth. FCO Minister Peter Hain replied, reiterating the Government’s commitment to efforts aimed at bringing an end to the crisis in Zimbabwe and detailing international initiatives backed by the Government.

In January, Collen Gwiyo, Deputy General Secretary of the ZCTU, who was part of a civil society delegation to the UK representing a broad coalition of human rights groups, trade unions, lawyers, academics, women’s groups and youth groups, held meetings with trade union representatives, including with the general secretary. The general secretary raised with the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary the legislative onslaught by the Government of Zimbabwe on the trade union movement, media and the opposition and expressed the hope that the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) would recommend a course of action commensurate with the gravity of the situation. Jack Straw replied that the Government would argue for Zimbabwe’s suspension from the Commonwealth for serious and persistent violations of the values of the Organisation. The CTUC was active in co-ordinating lobbying activities. Trade unions in Australia, Canada, Ghana, New Zealand, Nigeria and South Africa made statements that only a political environment conducive to free and fair elections could restore the peace and stability necessary to rebuild the Zimbabwe economy. The CTUC urged the CMAG to state that unless all the people of Zimbabwe had the opportunity to express their preferences in a free and fair ballot the election result would not be recognised and would lead to Commonwealth sanctions.

The TUC made a financial contribution to an ICFTU-AFRO Observer Mission consisting of prominent trade unionists from the continent that visited Zimbabwe during the presidential elections in March with a view to ascertaining the circumstances of the election campaign that had led to numerous allegations of widespread violence and irregularities by the ruling party. The TUC also provided the ZCTU with support to carry out its programme of monitoring the elections. In March, the General Council reviewed the results of the elections, which most observers had concluded did not conform to internationally accepted norms and standards and which the ICFTU had denounced as tainted. The Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary said that Zimbabweans had been denied their fundamental right to choose by whom they were to be governed. In a message to Wellington Chibebe the General Council expressed solidarity with the people of Zimbabwe in their struggle to protect democratic values and social justice. Following the elections, CTUC Steering Committee members also discussed the reports of the various election observer missions and noted that the conditions outlined by the CTUC had clearly not been met. They were unanimous in welcoming the decision to suspend Zimbabwe from the Councils of the Commonwealth for one year. The CTUC wrote to President Mugabe, the Director-General of the ILO and the Commonwealth Secretary-General drawing attention to the abuse of core labour standards and emphasising the CTUC’s continuing support for the ZCTU.

Also in March, the police banned a meeting of the ZCTU Executive Council, after they were not allowed to monitor its proceedings. The ICFTU denounced the incident as a gross violation of ILO Convention 87 on freedom of association. The Commonwealth Trade Union Council sent a message of solidarity to the ZCTU, pledging support for its efforts to promote democratic values and social justice.

The application in Zimbabwe of rights to organise and bargain collectively under Convention 98 was discussed at the ILO Conference in June. Concern was expressed at the failure of the Government of Zimbabwe to submit the required reports to the Committee of Experts or to reply to its comments. The workers’ delegates stressed that the freedoms of workers in Zimbabwe were systematically violated and that acts of violence were organised by government-supported groups and individuals. Lovemore Matumbo, President of the ZCTU, emphasised the Government’s sponsorship of the Zimbabwe Federation of Trade Unions (ZFTU) and the coercion used to force workers to join it. The worker members believed that it would be in the interests of peace and social justice for the ILO to send a direct contacts mission to the country with a view to contributing to the resolution of the problems of application of the Convention. The employer members observed that there was a considerable lack of co-operation by the Government, not only with the ILO, but also with the social partners at the national level. The Committee concluded that, in the event of a refusal by the Government to accept such a mission, the Committee would take appropriate measures next year.

TUC Aid contributed to the CTUC Solidarity Fund to assist the ZCTU in its efforts to maintain its capacity to serve the interests of working people in Zimbabwe, and the CTUC sent over £6,500 to Zimbabwe from trade unions in the UK. The TUC continues to take part in the Zimbabwe Action Network set up by Action for Southern Africa, the CTUC and the British Zimbabwe Society to monitor developments in, and exchange information, on Zimbabwe.

7.5 The Americas

Colombia

Colombia remained the most dangerous place in the world to pursue trade union activities - 185 colleagues were murdered during 2001, an increase of 27 per cent over 2000. While the Colombian constitution proclaims the right to freedom of association and the right to strike, and despite recent improvements in legislation, the lack of collective cabinet responsibility hinders implementation and many workers are effectively deprived of these rights. In a climate of fear and violence, it is becoming ever harder and ever more perilous to do normal trade union work.

Violence is the key barrier to the normal practise of trade union freedoms. As a result, membership has fallen by half in the last decade. Above all, the impunity with which these murders are carried out, mainly by the right-wing paramilitaries, fuels the violence further. Since 1986, some 3,500 trade unionists have been murdered. Investigating magistrates risk murder as they prepare their cases. The Prosecutor General’s office reported that in only ten per cent has an investigation even begun. Convictions account for 0.14 per cent. The Government claims that the trade unionists are victims of the general violence and that others are targeted too. But just as priests are targeted for supporting peace and journalists for writing the truth, trade unionists are killed to prevent trade union activity and assassinations are most common when campaigns to organise or bargain are underway. Among unions which have been targeted are those in the public services and education, energy, agriculture and food processing and banking.

During the year the General Council developed a high-level campaign of solidarity with the Colombian trade union movement, working closely with Justice for Colombia, an alliance of TUC affiliated unions established in 2001, and in co-operation with the Colombia Solidarity Campaign.

The campaign reached a peak in January, when the union of workers in the local municipal public utilities company in Cali - Sintraemcali, a PSI affiliate with close links with UNISON, and whose President, Alexander Lopez, had been a guest at Congress in 2000 - staged a seven-week long work-in in the headquarters of the company, Emcali EICE, in protest at its planned privatisation and to demand an enquiry into the corruption which had led to its financial crisis. During the occupation, the workers continued to provide services to the company’s consumers - the people of Valle de Cauca - and members discussed the future of the company, the union and, in particular, how to promote the role of women members. The union, with great community and international trade union support, won an agreement with the government on 29 January to keep Emcali in public ownership. Sintraemcali paid specific tribute to the support of the TUC and of UNISON and other affiliates in its valedictory statement.

The work-in was accompanied by constant threats from paramilitaries to members and leaders of the union, and especially to those taking part in the occupation. Statements by the local military commander and others in Cali led to a fear that the occupation might be ended by force and that Alexander Lopez - for whom arrest warrants had been issued - and other leaders would be targeted by death squads. The TUC arranged a video-link between Congress House and the Emcali occupation and General Council members John Edmonds, Mick Rix, Alison Shepherd, and Andy Gilchrist, and Ken Cameron (President of Justice for Colombia) and others conveyed solidarity greetings to the workers inside the CAM tower and to the mass rally of supporters outside. When the leaders of the occupation appeared on the terrace of the tower to speak to the rally, faces covered by balaclavas to protect their identities from the paramilitaries, it was a graphic illustration of their courage and the danger they faced. The TUC, at their request, arranged a lobby of the Colombian Embassy in London on 25 January and, while trade union and NGO activists assembled outside the Embassy, John Monks led a General Council delegation to meet the Ambassador to press for a peaceful settlement of the dispute, for the withdrawal of arrest warrants for Alexander Lopez, for an investigation into the corruption in the company and for a halt to the privatisation plans and continued low utility prices for poor families.

During the meeting, Ambassador Ricardo invited the TUC to send a delegation to Colombia, and, with the support of several affiliates, it was decided, in the light of the danger facing the Sintraemcali colleagues following the ending of the occupation six days later, to arrange a mission to Bogotá and Cali as soon as possible, and before the March ILO Governing Body meeting.

A TUC delegation spent five days in Colombia as guests of the largest national centre, the Central Unitaria de Trabajadores (CUT), 15-19 February. It was led by Deputy General Secretary, Brendan Barber, and included Mick Rix, Alison Shepherd, Rory Murphy (Unifi), Dave Patton (FBU) and Simon Steyne (European Union and International Relations Department). Lord Brett took part as Chair of the ILO Workers’ Group, and Ken Cameron and as Chair of Justice for Colombia. The delegation met all three national trade union centres: the non-affiliated CUT, the CTC (ICFTU) and the CGTD (WCL) and representatives of a large number of sectoral unions and of lawyers groups which defended trade union and other human rights. Help to the delegation was offered by the British Embassy in Bogota and meetings were held with the Ambassador and other Embassy officials, and by the ILO Office in Bogota, whose officer, Marcelo Castro Fox, provided invaluable support. The delegation met the Superintendent of Public Services and the office of the Prosecutor General, and the Ministers of Labour and the Interior and pressed for improvements in the slow and inefficient protection programme for trade unionists and for the fulfilment of the 29 January agreement.

The delegation were welcomed in the CAM tower in Cali by the assembled workforce, visited Emcali installations, and met the former manager of Emcali whose dismissal on Christmas Eve had sparked off the occupation on Christmas Day. They also met numerous local trade union and community-based organisations who explained the meaning of criminalisation of social protest in Colombia: everyone proposing an alternative or perceived as opposing the neo-liberal, privatising model pursued by Colombia’s elite and driven by the IMF, was under threat - even community foster mothers who cared for the children of the displaced or murdered parents.

In Bogota, the meeting with the Superintendent of Public Services gave Sintraemcali cause to fear the Government might renege on the 29 January agreement, while the Minister of Labour, a former CUT president, received the delegation with warmth and openness. The meeting with the Minister of the Interior was interrupted by an urgent call from the President of Sintraemcali, Lucho Hernandez, who had received a death threat that morning and, as he returned to Bogotá airport to fly back to Cali, was being followed by men in an unmarked car. The delegation pressed the Minister to ensure his safe return home.

At its final meeting in Bogotá with the leaders of the three national trade union centres, the delegation presented the TUC’s proposal for a respite scheme in Britain to provide a period of safe haven and capacity building opportunities for Colombian trade union leaders most in danger of assassination. These proposals were warmly received and were discussed further during the ILO Conference in Geneva in June. The scheme, which will be a bilateral arrangement between the TUC and the Colombian national centres, facilitated by the ILO offices in Bogotá and London, is intended to accommodate six to ten colleagues at a time for periods of around six months. Support was sought from the British Government for the scheme and from affiliated unions to provide financial contributions and practical placements in their headquarters. Hector Fajardo Abril, CUT General Secretary, was appointed as chair of a small committee of the three centres which would nominate the colleagues concerned and, in that capacity, was invited to address Congress and a TUC/Justice for Colombia fringe meeting.

The delegation left Colombia on 20 February, the day the Government abandoned the peace talks with the FARC and began to invade the zone held by the FARC for several years. Lucho Hernandez, fearing for the future of the accord to protect Emcali, postponed his visit to Britain and, on Wednesday 26 February, Berenice Celeyta, Head of Sintraemcali’s Human Rights Department, addressed the General Council.

TUC Aid and UNISON raised £14,000 in an appeal for funds to help rebuild the finances of Sintraemcali. Regular contacts were maintained with Colombian unions and Luis Hernandez and two other Colombian colleagues visited Britain in May, where they spoke at some 13 conferences of affiliated unions. In July, Gilberto Torres, a leader of the USO oilworkers’ union, spoke at the Tolpuddle rally. He had been kidnapped and held for six weeks by paramilitaries earlier in the year.

The ILO devoted much attention to the situation in Colombia and pursued its special technical co-operation programme to promote protection of trade unionists and employers and social dialogue, and support the Government and judiciary in establishing a climate in which normal industrial relations could exist without fear of violence. However, the pledges made by the governments of ILO member states to fund the programme were not forthcoming, hindering its development and causing, in May, the effective suspension of the protection programme for lack of funds. At the ILO Conference in June, the Committee on Standards agreed strong conclusions on the Colombian case and called on the Governing Body to re-examine the need for a commission of enquiry. However, the Colombian employer representative blocked consensus on highlighting the case in a special paragraph - a perverse view which suggested that the situation had improved since 2001, rather than deteriorated gravely.

There was insufficient support among government members of the ILO Governing Body - and opposition by the employers - for the establishment of a commission of enquiry. The workers’ group argued that continuing impunity made a Commission all the more urgent and emphasised that its establishment would not be an attack on Colombia, but a further contribution by the ILO’s supervisory system to solving a problem which the Colombian state had failed to do. The Colombian trade unions expected that the new Government of Alvaro Uribé, which took office on 7 August, would pursue a harsh neo-liberal and anti-trade union agenda and that paramilitary violence was likely to increase. In the Congressional elections in March, although two former trade union officials - Alexander Lopez and Wilson Borja - were elected as deputies representing the Social and Political Front, Uribé’s supporters, many of whom were perceived to support and be supported by the paramilitaries, won 35 per cent of the seats, the largest single block. In the Presidential elections in May, Uribé won an outright majority in the first round, on a turnout of 45 per cent.

Sintraemcali faced a further crisis in July, when the local conservative newspaper published articles implying the union had links with the ELN, the smaller of the two guerrilla groups in Colombia. The accusation was an incitement to the paramilitaries to murder leaders and members of the union and its offices were subject to regular drive-pasts by unmarked cars. The Deputy General Secretary wrote to the Ministers of Labour and the Interior demanding immediate protection for the union’s leaders, members and offices. Unison and General Council delegations visited the Embassy in London for further meetings.

United States

The events of 11 September dominated much of the General Council’s frequent contacts with the AFL-CIO and its affiliates during the year. Sir Tony Young and Brendan Barber were fraternal delegates to the AFL-CIO Congress in Las Vegas in December where they presented a cheque for £20,000, with a subsequent donation of £18,000, raised through a TUC Aid appeal for the families of trade unionists who had died in the attacks. They also visited trade union organisations, including firefighters, in New York. Regular exchanges of information with the AFL-CIO and its affiliates were maintained about the conduct of multinational enterprises. The two national centres co-operated in a shareholder campaign against the engagement of the Unocal oil company in Burma. The TUC and ITGLWF affiliates in Britain supported a AFL-CIO/UNITE campaign against anti-trade union discrimination at the distributors of the Pinault-Printemps-Redoute catalogue in Bryanston, Indiana, and in May picketed the Gucci store in Bond Street, part of the PPR empire.

In a case concerning Convention 105, (Abolition of Forced Labour), in the United States, and the legal possibility in North Carolina to punish persons who had refused to obey an injunction prohibiting strike action, the ILO Conference Committee on Standards asked the US Government to provide further information and to ensure that the State’s legislation was in conformity with Convention 105. The AFL-CIO took the opportunity to highlight the plight of effectively indentured, mainly Chinese and Vietnamese, migrant workers in Saipan in the Northern Marianas Islands, under US sovereignty. The Committee called for a report about the working conditions and rights of migrant workers.

Other regional issues

The General Council have maintained a range of contacts with the trade union movement in Latin America. TUC representatives met colleagues from Cuba, Colombia, Guatemala and Nicaragua at Congress House and from all other Latin American countries at ILO and ICFTU meetings during the year. There was also contact with trade unionists from Argentina, who conveyed information about the dire consequences for working people of the collapse of the national economy there.

The harassment and intervention in the affairs of the CTV, Venezuela, was condemned for the second year running in a special paragraph by the ILO Conference in June, which noted that for several years there had been concern about the right of workers and employers to form organisations of their own choosing, and deplored the allegations of government-backed violence presented by their organisations to an ILO direct contacts mission. The ICFTU wrote to President Chávez, protesting at a violent attack on CTV headquarters in July, by individuals identified as having political ties with the government.

On the occasion of the Diamond Jubilee of the Barbados Workers’ Union, the general secretary, in a special contribution to Reflections, wrote of the role played by the TUC in the birth of the BWA. The TUC was honoured with the award of a special certificate by the Executive Council of the BWA in recognition of its outstanding contribution to the development of their union.

In March, the general secretary took part in an international symposium on Labour and Social Democracy organised by the Canadian Labour Congress in Ottawa. In June, Nigel De Gruchy represented the General Council at the twenty-third Constitutional Convention of the Canadian Labour Congress held in Vancouver, and contributed to a debate on Building a Stronger Movement at the Workplace.

7.6 Asia and the Pacific

ASEM

The TUC has been involved, together with the ETUC and the ICFTU and its regional organisation, ICFTU-APRO, in planning and lobbying activities in relation to the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), a forum for dialogue between the Heads of State and Government of 25 Asian and EU countries, together with the European Commission. The purpose of ASEM is to promote and deepen the relationship between Asia and Europe on political dialogue, economic topics and social, cultural and educational issues. The fourth ASEM Summit will be hosted by the Danish EU Presidency in Copenhagen in September 2002. The trade union organisations, which also include non- affiliates from China and Vietnam, have been pressing for consultation rights for trade unions and the establishment of a Social Forum to participate in the development of areas such as investment policy.

Bangladesh

Following the murder of Iqbal Majumder, General Secretary of the Bangladesh Jatya Shramik Federation, the general secretary expressed dismay and shock to Mr Justice Latifur Rahman, Chief Adviser of the Caretaker Government, and urged that the assassins be brought to justice without delay and that trade unionists and other citizens be allowed to exercise freely their fundamental rights.

Burma

Although this year saw the release of Aung San Suu Kyi just before the June ILO Conference, there has been little improvement in regard to human rights in Burma. The complete denial of trade union rights continued and there was no evidence of any genuine progress in eliminating forced labour. The ILO Workers’ Group stressed that the ILO Article 33 Resolution, adopted in 2000 because of the regime’s obdurate failure to fulfil its obligations under ILO Convention 29, referred not to the release of Suu Kyi, nor to the urgent need to restore democracy in Burma, but to the ending of forced labour, described by an ILO Commission of Enquiry as systemic.

The ILO Governing Body in November considered a report of a high level team which had visited Burma in September and October to examine whether the regime was acting to end forced labour and implement the Commission’s recommendations. They found insufficient steps had been taken to disseminate an order forbidding forced labour, which was still widespread and being perpetrated by the military. The regime failed to identify and punish the murderers of Shan villagers killed after seeing the order and complaining to the military about forced labour. A further ILO mission in February 2002 again found no indications that forced labour was being tackled effectively.

After much prevarication by the regime, and despite the opposition of the ASEAN and US governments, the junta agreed to accept an interim ILO liaison officer in May, it is hoped as a first step towards a full ILO presence that can contribute effectively to eliminating and verifying the end of forced labour. The high level team also proposed an ombudsman be established, but that would require the existence of an independent judiciary to be effective - another reason for a permanent ILO presence. The agreement of the junta to accept a liaison officer just before the Governing Body met was part of a familiar pattern to seek the lifting of the Article 33 resolution. ASEAN governments tried to use the agreement to that end, but the Governing Body recalled that forced labour in Burma must end first.

The ILO Conference Committee on Standards, in June, held a special discussion on recent events. The regime had not taken the necessary measures to replace forced labour by freely chosen employment, nor levelled sanctions against those responsible for exacting forced labour. The recommendations of the high-level team about the murders of the villagers had not been implemented and no credible system of mediation for complaints had been established. The Committee emphasised the need for rapid and verifiable progress and encouraged the ILO to pursue its dialogue with the regime and all the parties concerned. The representative of the Burmese junta questioned the presence and right to speak of the General Secretary of the Federation of Trade Unions of Burma and accredited to the ICFTU delegation to the Conference. The workers’ drew attention to increased concerns for his safety after the representative of the junta described him as a ‘terrorist’.

Governments of ILO member states, with the notable exception of Norway, have done little or nothing to enact the terms of the Article 33 Resolution. The ICFTU and the ETUC in April expressed serious disappointment at the EU Council of Ministers’ decision not to toughen the European Union’s measures against the junta. The ICFTU posted a list of companies linked with Burma on its website and, in May, trade unionists and other campaigners worldwide campaigned for a shareholder resolution calling on the US oil company, UNOCAL, to adopt and implement an enforceable company-wide employee policy based on the ILO’s Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. In Britain, the TUC contacted over 100 pension funds and held meetings with key investors to encourage support for the resolution. Information about the resolution was also sent to all members of the TUC Trustees Network. As a result, a number of large UK institutional investors, including fund manager CIS and some individual pension funds, decided to vote in favour or abstained from voting on the resolution. In the US CalPERS and the New York State Common Retirement Fund were among the large funds voting in favour of the resolution and proxy voting agency ISS also recommended that its clients vote in favour of the resolution. The resolution won a record 34.1 per cent of shareholder votes.

In co-operation with the FNV, Netherlands, the TUC requested the UK National Contact Point under the OECD Guidelines for MNCs to look into the operations of a British-based oil company operating in Burma, following a case raised by the FNV in the Dutch National Contact Point relating to the operations of a subcontractor of the company. In support of a TUAC/ICFTU initiative, the UK NCP was also asked to consider how the Guidelines could be applied generally to British companies operating in Burma.

China

The ICFTU Executive Board, in November, agreed to set up a China Working Party (CWP) to discuss how to further develop ICFTU policy, and in particular how to promote core labour standards and genuine trade union activity in China. The decision was taken in the context of a range of approaches by affiliates towards what was generally agreed was one of the most significant challenges facing the international trade union movement.

The first meeting of the CWP, including TUC representation, was held in Hong Kong on 14-15 March. It was agreed that further work should be based on a practical and action-oriented approach combining, first, the promotion of human and trade union rights, through, in particular, maintaining pressure on the Chinese authorities through ILO and UN instruments; refining representations on behalf of individuals repressed for trade union activities; and improving information exchange and dissemination, particularly through the provision of increased resources to the ICFTU/ITS/HKCTU/HKTUC Hong Kong Liaison Office (IHLO). Second, promoting proper relationships between workers collectively and management, through, in particular, working together with the global union federations through MNCs which provided an entry into workplaces in China; investigating the use of codes of practice to promote core labour standards, including the OECD guidelines; and seeking to work with All-China Federation of Trade Unions officials at the lowest level possible to develop genuine trade union activity, such as collective bargaining.

The CWP also agreed that letters should be sent to the Presidents of the People’s Republic of China and of the ACFTU, expressing deep concern at the repression of thousands of workers at the Daqing Petroleum Company who were currently protesting against retrenchment and had set up their own organisation.

The General Council considered the issues in April and agreed that the TUC should contribute £5,000 per year for the next three years for the work of the IHLO, which would provide information and analysis to the CWP. They also agreed to continue to work in co-operation with the Great Britain-China Centre, which depends on the FCO for funding, in particular to provide training in collective bargaining. The GB-CC had organised a number of seminars both in the UK and in China, most recently in Beijing in November in which General Council member Paul Gates had participated. It was negotiating with the FCO for funding for a collective bargaining project for ACFTU officials, drawn up and to be run by the TUC National Education Centre. The project would involve a collective bargaining negotiating skills course at the NEC; the production of training materials for use in China; and the running of a training for trainers seminar in Lianoning Province to test-drive the materials. The General Council also agreed that the TUC should participate in work being initiated in the DfID-supported Ethical Trading Initiative, which had set up a forum to discuss difficulties which had arisen in implementing the ETI base code in China, because of the lack of

freedom of association in particular. The issues were discussed with Dr Denis MacShane,

Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 15 April and subsequently with FCO officials. However, the proposed GB-CC / NEC project has yet to obtain funding.

Hong Kong

The general secretary expressed deep concern to the Labour Commissioner in Hong Kong over the protracted dispute between Cathay Pacific Airways and the Hong Kong Aircrew Officers’ Association, pointing out that the company had contravened basic tenets of collective bargaining essential to the development of good industrial relations and urged her to use her influence to facilitate constructive dialogue with a view to finding a speedy resolution of the conflict. He also conducted a radio interview in June to publicise the issue.

Fiji

In February, the general secretary raised with the Minister of Labour Relations in Fiji the violation of fundamental rights of employees at the Nadi International Airport run by Fiji Airports Limited owned by the Government, and pointed out that the denial of the right to collective bargaining was a violation of the constitutional rights as well as ILO Conventions.

Indonesia

Following extensive lobbying by the TUC, and an evaluation visit in April by an ILO team which included Alison Shepherd, the Department for International Development reversed its decision to end funding for an ILO programme that provides trade union education for a variety of trade union organisations. The programme, which began in 1999 and is administered by Pat Quinn, former Director of the Commonwealth TUC, was scheduled to end in June 2001, but had been extended for a further year. It has now been extended for yet another year. The programme has been highly successful and is playing a significant role in promoting effective trade unionism in Indonesia, and, as a result, is helping to generate a desire for greater unity among the numerous organisations in Indonesia.

Korea

In the past year, the Korean government has continued to intimidate, harass and imprison trade unionists carrying out legitimate trade union activities. About 30 trade union leaders are still imprisoned, including the President of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, Dan Byung-ho.

The repression of trade union rights in Korea was again highlighted in discussions in TUAC and in consultations with the OECD Secretariat and Ambassadors in November. In the first quarter of 2002, the TUC raised the issue of trade union repression with Dr Denis MacShane, Minister at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The TUC supported TUAC’s efforts to maintain the labour monitoring process imposed on Korea at the time it joined the OECD, and to prevent Korea from taking up a seat in the Employment, Labour and Social Affairs Committee of the OECD and a meeting was organised between Dr MacShane and the General Secretary of TUAC to discuss these issues. Despite support by the Japanese and Australian governments for the Korean position, the trade unions managed to achieve their objectives.

An ICFTU delegation of 21 trade union representatives including the TUC, and from Canada, France, India, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland and the USA as well as from ICEM, IUF, PSI and TUAC visited Seoul between 18 - 19 March. The purpose of the delegation was to observe the sentencing of Dan Byung-ho who was condemned to two years’ imprisonment on charges of initiating illegal strikes and assemblies; to express solidarity with him and some 50 other trade union leaders jailed for trade union activities (five of whom were visited individually by members of the delegation); and to meet members of electricity unions on (illegal) strike against plans to privatise the industry who were sitting-in at Myongdong Cathedral. The delegation held meetings with the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions and the Federation of Korean Trade Unions; and with the Labour Minister Bang Yong-seok. It urged the release of detained trade unionists and denounced breaches of ILO Conventions on freedom of association and collective bargaining by Korea. They called on the authorities to meet their commitment, given when Korea joined the OECD in 1996, to bring laws and regulations in line with internationally-accepted standards.

The TUC backed a global trade union campaign to raise awareness of the repressive treatment of trade unionist in Korea launched to coincide with the World Cup. A letter of protest was sent to the Korean President and the Korean Ambassador in London. In addition, ICFTU campaign posters were displayed at the Glastonbury music festival, with the help of the Battersea and Wandsworth TUC. The TUC’s globalisation website was also used to publicise and promote the campaign.

Bilateral relations

Groups of trade unionists from a range of Asian and Pacific countries were received in Congress House during the year. Greg Combet, Secretary, Australian Council of Trade Unions, was received in Congress House in April. Meetings were also arranged with members of the General Council, the CTUC, the Labour Party Chair, the Minister responsible for Employment Rights, the Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service, the Low Pay Commission and the CBI. He also addressed the Wales TUC Conference and took part in the British German Trade Union Forum on Employability and Security in a Flexible Global Labour Market.

7.7 Europe

ICFTU Central and Eastern Europe Co-ordinating Committee

The ICFTU CEEC Committee met in May and heard reports from affiliates in the region. Reports were also presented on the work of the ‘East-East’ networks which have been established for women, youth, and organising. A proposal was also made for a project aimed at strengthening the trade union organisations in South East Europe (the Balkans) which is now being considered by a number of confederations.

The TUC has been supporting the organisation work, offering (in conjunction with Warwick University and the DfID) training at the Organising Academy to a member of the ICFTU staff in Moscow. An Academy graduate from the GPMU also took part in an ICFTU organising course in Poland during November, funded by the TUC Development Fund. Further work in this field is now under consideration.

Close co-operation with the ICFTU affiliate in Georgia (Georgian Trade Union Amalgamation) continues, with the GTUA Chairman, Irakli Tugushi, and International Officer Gocha Aleksandria visiting the TUC, unions and the House of Parliament in July. Further plans for developing organising and training capacity are being discussed.

The situation in Belarus, where the Lukashenko Government is seeking to destroy the Federation of Trade Unions there, has given particular cause for concern.

France

In April the General Council considered instances of racism in Europe, including events in some English towns. They expressed their solidarity with the French trade unions in their efforts to maximise the vote for democracy and the values of diversity and tolerance in the second round of the Presidential elections. The General Secretary wrote to all French affiliates of the ETUC (CFDT, CFTC, CGT, CGT-FO and UNSA) saying that the success of Le Pen in winning through to the second ballot had cast a dark cloud across Europe and was a further warning to all of us, following the strengthening of the far right in a number of European countries. It was vital that he be defeated resoundingly and they could count on the General Council’s strong support in all actions they decided to take. The French trade union movement organised a massive May Day demonstration in support of republican values. The Front National was resoundingly defeated in the Presidential and subsequent Parliamentary elections.

The General Secretary attended the CFDT Congress in May, at which Nicole Notat stood down as General Secretary of the Confederation and François Chereque was elected in her place.

A delegation of officials from the CGT visited London in July to take part in an English course organised by the TUC.

Other contacts

The Friedrich Ebert Foundation and the Anglo German Foundation funded and organised the first annual trade union ‘Königswinter’ meeting, held at the Amicus college in Esher in May. The bilateral seminar brought together trade unions leaders and officials from the two national centres and their affiliates and provided an opportunity for in depth discussion on flexible labour markets and employment security. A second annual meeting is planned for April 2003 in Berlin. The general secretary attended the Congress of the DGB in Berlin in May, at which Dieter Schulte stood down as President of the Confederation and Michael Sommer was elected in his place.

Tony Dubbins attended the FGTB, Belgium Congress in May, at which the President Michel Nollet retired, and Mia De Vits was elected in his place.

7.8 Middle East

Among the motions remitted to the General Council following the curtailment of Congress last year was one supporting all moves towards establishing peace in Palestine and recognition of an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel. During the year, the General Council have kept the situation in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories under constant review and have expressed their deep concern at the spiralling violence there on repeated occasions.

The General Council discussed the situation in December, when they endorsed a statement of the ICFTU calling for the full application of all the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, as well as the fulfilment of the commitments agreed upon in the context of the Oslo agreements - first and foremost those dealing with the termination of Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories and of the settlements policy. It said that there was little doubt that the high level of unemployment and growing poverty at the heart of the Palestinian settlements weighed heavily in the feelings of frustration and outbreaks of conflict, and underlined the necessity of improving the living and working conditions of the Palestinian people, in order to get the peace process back on track. It also asked the two main trade unions in the region, Histadrut and the Palestine General Federation of Trade Unions, to reinforce dialogue and co-operation, even at this difficult time.

The statement was brought to the attention of the Foreign Secretary, who was also informed of the concerns of the PGFTU at what they considered had been an unbalanced statement he had made during a press conference with President Arafat on 13 February, refusing to condemn Israeli actions while stressing the need for Palestinians to eschew violence.

The issues were discussed again at the General Council meeting in February. The view was expressed that the TUC’s approach had always been even-handed, but that friends should be told when they were wrong. The bombing on 17 February by Israeli F16 fighters and helicopters of the PGFTU headquarters in Nablus was another shocking incident which had been condemned by the ETUC and ICFTU. The General Council associated themselves with that condemnation, pointing out that such attacks could only hamper the search for a peaceful solution to which the PGFTU was committed, and urged again the Israeli and Palestinian authorities to act to stop the escalation of violence and terror and to respect fully UN Security Council resolutions.

In April, the General Council agreed a further statement reiterating their deep concern at the continuing violence in the Middle East. They called on the Government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority immediately to implement a meaningful ceasefire, renunciation of all acts of violence, and co-operation by their leaders with the aim of resuming negotiations on a political settlement, in line with UN Security Council Resolutions. That required an immediate withdrawal of Israeli troops from Palestinian territories and resolute steps to stop the terror bombings of Israeli civilians. They expressed concern at the decision of the Israeli Government not to accept a fact-finding mission headed by Martti Ahtisaari, the former President of Finland, and including a Military Adviser from the US, mandated by the Security Council to visit the region and to develop accurate information regarding recent events at the Jenin refugee camp on the West Bank. Such a refusal could only fuel speculation that the Israeli Defence Force had acted in breach of international conventions concerning the protection of civilians in time of conflict. They called for the mission to begin its work as quickly as possible and for the Israeli and Palestinian authorities to co-operate fully with it. Subsequently, however, the UN Secretary-General disbanded the fact-finding team following a series of objections raised by the Israeli authorities which he concluded were fundamental and unlikely to be overcome.

The General Council also expressed their concern at the massive medical and humanitarian emergency in Palestinian areas and emphasised the urgency of access for organisations such as the International Committee of the Red Cross and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). They called on affiliated unions to contribute generously to the UNRWA emergency appeal for the West Bank and Gaza. The TUC, in co-operation with the ICFTU and affiliates, would be considering how best to assist the PGFTU, particularly in relation to the reconstruction of its Nablus office.

The General Council welcomed a joint visit to the region of the general secretaries of the ICFTU and ETUC and the expression to them by Histadrut and Palestinian trade union leaders of a real commitment to peace, genuine concern for those suffering on the other side of the conflict, a desire for an end to terror and violence, and the reopening of negotiations aiming to assure the peaceful co-existence of two states within secure and recognised borders.

During their discussion in April, the General Council also considered a proposal that the UK and EU should be called upon to instigate economic and trade sanctions against Israel if necessary to ensure compliance with UN Security Council resolutions, and that a boycott of Israeli goods should be called for in pursuit if that end. After a lengthy discussion, it was decided to give further consideration to the issues in the light of consultations. The Foreign Secretary who, together with the Israeli Ambassador in London, was informed of the strong views expressed in the General Council, replied that Britain had one of the strictest and most transparent arms export licensing systems of any country. The Government continued to assess all export licence applications for Israel on a case by case basis against the consolidated EU and national arms export licensing criteria. The UK arms trade with Israel constituted only 0.1 per cent of Israel’s total arms imports. Embargoes were most effective when imposed on a multilateral basis, and there was at present no consensus in the EU for an arms embargo against Israel. The Government believed that it could best exert influence and encourage both sides to take the steps needed for progress through close engagement and did not believe that the suspension of the EU/Israel Association Agreement would bring the parties any nearer to a peaceful resolution.

The Foreign Secretary’s reply was reported to the General Council in June. The views expressed in the General Council had also been brought to the attention of the ICFTU General Secretary who had relayed them to the PGFTU and Histadrut during a further visit he had made to the region. The indications were that any proposal to apply economic sanctions would be rejected by the vast majority of ICFTU affiliates; and it was noted that the PGFTU has not requested such action. It was further reported that the ICFTU had issued a statement condemning the suicide attack in Jerusalem on 18 June, in which 20 people had been killed, and called for restraint. Prior to that bombing, there had been some progress towards defusing the crisis and meeting UN positions. In the absence of the proposed fact-finding mission, a report was now being drafted by the UN Secretary-General at the request of the General Assembly on the use of force by the Israeli Defence Force in Jenin and other towns. Some IDF withdrawals had occurred from Palestinian areas following agreements about the custody of Palestinian prisoners involving the UK and US and about the lifting of the siege of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem following initiatives by EU countries. The Saudi initiative offered elements of a ‘land for peace’ resolution. However, the situation had worsened again since the latest bombing, and the recent call by President Bush for the removal of President Arafat undermined the cause of peace. The General Council rejected the US position and stated their support for the right of the Palestinian people to elect their own leaders, as also expressed by the UK and other EU governments.

The TUC General Secretary reported that he had met the General Secretary of the PGFTU on two occasions in recent weeks. He wanted a peace process, and had put his name to an well-publicised appeal to stop suicide bombings issued by a group of Palestinian personalities calling for peaceful co-existence between Palestinian and Israeli people in two neighbouring states. He was looking to the TUC for practical assistance and support, and a possible visit to the region would be given further consideration after the conference season. The International Labour Conference had debated the situation in the occupied Arab territories and heard pledges to support enhanced ILO efforts to promote employment creation in Palestine and promote dialogue between Palestinians and Israelis. The ILO Director-General the previous week had launched a Palestinian Fund for Employment and Social Protection, which had been strongly supported by President Arafat, and of which the PGFTU among others would be a beneficiary. The fund had already gathered contributions amounting to about a million US dollars from governments, and the British Government was pressed to contribute generously.

The question of economic sanctions to press the Israeli authorities to implement UN Security Council resolutions was discussed again, involving the question of the position of Palestinian workers, who would also be affected by any trade sanctions. The view was expressed that the strong feelings about the situation were understandable, and the example of South Africa was in people’s minds. The difference, however, was that in that case the call for sanctions had come from the South African people themselves. It was not clear that that was the position in this case. The situation was very fluid, while the UN Secretary-General’s report on the events in Jenin was still awaited. It was agreed that the General Council should keep developments under close review.

They discussed the situation again on 24 July, the day after the Israeli air force had bombed an apartment block in Gaza, killing fifteen people including nine children. The General Council expressed their shock at this latest atrocity and equally at the total absence of any remorse for the killing of children shown in a statement by the Israeli Prime Minister. They said that the action of the Israeli Defence Force was totally unjustified and disproportionate. This was the latest in a series of atrocities in the area, including some committed by Hamas and other Palestinian groups, which had wrought a terrible toll and which the General Council condemned utterly. They said that the General Secretary of the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions and the President of Histadrut had accepted invitations to attend Congress in Blackpool in September and that they would be discussing with them how to advance the cause of peace. They would also, after Congress, consider all avenues open to bring pressure to bear to assist in that process.

7.9 Relations with the FCO

As reported above, the General Council have raised a range of issues with the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary and Ministers at the FCO.

It was reported to the General Council in July that the Foreign Secretary had proposed the establishment of closer links between the trade union movement and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. That would include: setting up an advisory council representing trade unions in the UK and the FCO to explore areas of joint action abroad - thought was being given as to how this might be structured so as to involve General Council members with interests in differing areas of policy; a request to British diplomatic posts to offer support to trade unions in their work overseas; and a secondment exchange between the FCO and the TUC to help improve mutual understanding of EU and international issues, perhaps similar to arrangements the FCO had with some NGOs such as Amnesty International. The General Council welcomed the announcement in general, and discussions are in train with officials about implementing the proposals.

In welcoming the proposals, the General Secretary said: 'British unions are well-regarded throughout the international trade union movement and have a wealth of practical experience they are more than willing to share, both here and in activities abroad. We look forward to working with the diplomatic service in promoting workers’ rights throughout the world. This is all the more important today, as the ICFTU publishes its Annual Survey of Trade Union Rights Violations which shows that, over the last year, 231 trade unionists were killed and some 40,000 detained for exercising their human rights as workers.'

7.10 Campaign for core

labour standards

The General Council stepped up their efforts to promote a social dimension to globalisation and respect for core labour rights in the course of the year, taking into account the composite motion on Globalisation remitted to them following the curtailment of Congress last year.

WTO Ministerial Conference

Ed Sweeney, Chair of the TUC’s International Development Group, participated in the official UK delegation to the fourth WTO Ministerial Conference in Doha, Qatar in November. Prior to the Conference, the TUC participated in various consultation meetings at the DTI and DfID, and prepared briefings for unions engaged in similar campaigning activities. A top-level international trade union delegation met government advisers to raise trade union priorities for the conference. These included a commitment from governments to establish a formal working relationship between the WTO and ILO in order to protect and promote labour standards, and a commitment to support the ILO Working Party on the Social Dimension of Globalisation and the World Commission of Experts. In addition, the TUC pressed for an impact assessment of the liberalisation of trade in services, particularly in relation to public services, before proceeding with further liberalisation and, like the ICFTU, sought assurances that public services and socially beneficial service sector activities be exempt from the General Agreement on Trade in Services.

The Doha Ministerial Conference did little to advance respect for core labour standards within the multilateral trading system, although trade union delegates to the conference succeeded in preventing threatened loss of ground on the issue. The EU supported trade union position at the conference and tried to progress the issue there, but it could not get sufficient support. Belligerent opposition from a small number of developing countries kept labour standards off the agenda except in the most general terms. A number of moderate developing countries did not oppose the trade union position but were unwilling to promote it actively. The Doha Conference did yield some progress on development issues of concern to the international trade union movement, most notably with regard to access to vital medicines such as HIV/AIDS drugs. Agreement by WTO members that the TRIPS Agreement, which governs intellectual property rights, should be interpreted and implemented in a manner that supports the right of governments to protect public health, and in particular to promote access to medicines, was encouraging. The agreement of a waiver for the Cotonou Agreement, an aid and trade pact between 77 African, Caribbean and Pacific states and the EU, exempting it from legal challenge under WTO rules was also positive. In addition, the TUC welcomed moves in relation to the environment, particularly the agreement to initiate negotiations to clarify the relationship between Multilateral Environmental Agreements and WTO rules with a view to enhancing the mutual supportiveness of trade and environmental protection. The agreement in Doha that China should join the WTO was a significant event which will have wide-ranging effects on workers both within and outside that country. Liberalisation could lead to large-scale unemployment, and the lack of free trade unions in China means that workers will be left with little protection. China may acquire many of the export markets currently taken by countries like India, the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia. This may eventually force some of the opponents of linking labour rights to reconsider their positions.

Global Unions Day of Action

The ICFTU held the first ever Global Unions' Day of Action on Friday 9 November 2001 to coincide with the opening of the WTO Conference. The theme was ‘Making Globalisation Work for People’. It called for an end to globalisation where trade undermined the values and living conditions of workers. Instead, it demanded globalisation that was underpinned by solidarity and justice and which delivered true global justice and equality for people around the world. ICFTU affiliates worldwide undertook a range of activities to highlight the issues. The TUC supported the Day of Action through a variety of activities and encouraged trade unionists to get involved. On 3 November the TUC supported a Trade Justice Parade with NGOs in Central London. Ed Sweeney addressed the crowd of about 5,000 people who turned out with colourful costumes and floats. In addition, all TUC courses in the week running up to the Day of Action included an activity on globalisation. Participants (between 1500 - 2000 over the course of the week) were encouraged to initiate an action in their workplace on 9 November. Resources and suggestions for actions were provided. A new globalisation website (www.tuc.org.uk/globalisation) was launched to highlight the Day of Action.

The deputy general secretary met with Hilary Benn, the then Under Secretary of State for International Development on 8 November to highlight the issues. The TUC also organised a letter to the press signed by 34 general secretaries to raise awareness of the Day of Action and trade union concerns over the present form of globalisation. A Parliamentary Briefing was also produced.

Building broader support for the campaign for labour rights

During the course of the year, the General Council worked to build broader support for the campaign for labour rights. The globalisation website was developed to act as a resource for trade unionists who are interested in the issue and as a tool to promote the campaigns of other trade union organisations and those of like-minded NGOs. The site has been promoted in a number of ways, for example in trade union conferences and through publications and campaign materials. Globalisation workshops were run at organising and youth conferences to explore the potential of the issue to attract new and younger members to the trade union movement.

Work with NGOs was stepped up, particularly with those operating in the field of international development, to improve relationships, clarify misunderstandings about the trade union position on labour standards and to build common fronts on issues of mutual concern such as poverty eradication and human rights. Following discussions with the TUC, the Trade Justice Movement revised its position on trade and labour to include, in particular, requirements that international trade and finance policies and rules do not undermine employment and labour rights; that there be enhanced co-operation between the ILO and WTO to ensure that labour rights are promoted and not undermined by international trade; and that all WTO agreements be explicitly subordinated to the human rights and fundamental freedoms contained in international human rights, labour rights and other conventions. The Trade Justice Movement includes all the major development NGOs in the UK, and the TUC will be joining with it to promote more effectively its campaign for labour and other social rights. In April, the TUC welcomed a campaign for fairer trade launched by Oxfam, as a significant contribution to the debate on globalisation. Although there are some differences of opinion, the campaign offers a good opportunity to share experiences and to combine efforts on issues of mutual concern, including labour conditions.

DTI Trade Policy Consultative Forum

During the course of the year, the TUC played an active role in the DTI’s Trade Policy Consultative Forum. The Forum, chaired by Baroness Symons, Minister for International Trade and Investment, meets monthly to discuss issues relating to international trade, development and human rights. The meetings provide NGOs, the TUC, CBI and other business federations with an opportunity to hear the government’s views on a variety of issues and put their own views. Officials from a number of departments attend the meetings. The July session was devoted to labour rights and corporate governance issues.

GATS

As reported above, concerns about the GATS agreement were highlighted in the run-up to and during the WTO Ministerial Conference. Following the conference, the General Council have supported the work of the ICFTU, ETUC and other international trade union organisations on this issue. In June, the global unions (ICFTU, Global Union Federations and TUAC), the ETUC and WCL issued a joint statement on the GATS negotiations calling on all parties to the negotiations to make it clear that public services and socially beneficial service sector activities were not a subject for negotiation. WTO agreements should not undermine the ability of governments to enact domestic regulations, legislation and other measures to safeguard the public interest nor should countries be obliged to privatise public services against their will. They said that Article I.3 (b) of GATS should be clarified to make it absolutely clear that ‘the exercise of governmental authority’ allows, without threat of legal challenge, WTO members to exclude competition from public services and services of general interest. A full assessment of the social, environmental and economic impact of the GATS negotiations should also be conducted as a matter of urgency. The relevant specialised agencies of the United Nations, including the ILO, should be involved in this process, together with trade unions and other representative organisations. The ETUC General Secretary, Emilio Gabaglio, raised the issues with Pascal Lamy, the European Trade Commissioner.

The EU Generalised System of Preferences Scheme

In December, the EU General Affairs Council approved the new EU Regulation for its GSP trade system for 2002-04. The special incentive arrangements contained in the Regulation confirmed the EU’s preference for an incentive-based approach which linked additional benefits to respect for core labour and environmental standards. The special incentive arrangements meant that beneficiary countries had to apply effectively all ILO Conventions relating to the core labour standards in order to be eligible.

On the other hand, beneficiary countries committing ‘serious and systematic’ violations of those standards would run the risk of losing their preferential status. There was initial opposition to the new regulation proposed by the European Commission by a handful of member states, including the UK, on the basis that it invoked the use of sanctions. However, following representations by the TUC and other national centres, the regulation was approved.

7.11 International Labour Organisation

Governing Body

Lord Brett continued to represent the General Council in the ILO Governing Body. In June, he stood down as Chair of the Workers’ Group, and Leroy Trotman, immediate past President of the ICFTU and General Secretary of the Barbados Workers’ Union, was elected as the first Workers’ Group Chair from a developing country. In recognition of his great contribution since 1992, Lord Brett was elected to chair the Governing Body during 2002-2003. In the Governing Body elections, the All China Federation of Trade Unions, the sole organisation permitted by the Chinese state, was elected to the Workers’ Group in a run-off with the Histadrut candidate from Israel. The Government of Belarus, though guilty of the most serious violation of trade union rights in Europe, was elected as a member of the government group.

The Governing Body’s discussions continued to be dominated by the promotion of the decent work agenda and the social dimensions of globalisation. A high-level World Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalisation, co-chaired by the Presidents of Finland and Tanzania, was established. Lord Brett, as a Governing Body officer, is an ex-officio member, and the trade union representatives are President John Sweeney, AFL-CIO, and General Secretary Zwelinzima Vavi of COSATU. The Governing Body also considered, among many issues, the employment effects on the aviation and hotel, tourism and catering sectors of the 11 September attacks - about which a major tripartite meeting was held in January; global employment; relations with the IMF and World Bank; reconstruction after war or natural disaster; HIV/AIDs and its effects in the workplace; new procedures for examining groups of ILO standards; the follow-up to the ILO Tripartite Declaration on Multinational Enterprises and its relation to voluntary initiatives such as the Ethical Trading Initiative; technical co-operation; and the activities of the International Programme for the Elimination of Child Labour. The Governing Body adopted a report of a Tripartite Meeting of Experts held in October, which had finalised and adopted a code on the management of disability in the workplace.

The Governing Body also discussed the pursuit of the Article 33 resolution on forced labour in Burma (see above); and numerous freedom of association cases, again paying particular attention to Colombia. The TUC representatives met the Burmese ambassador and the Colombian Labour Minister and ambassador for talks on several occasions. The Committee on Freedom of Association celebrated its fiftieth anniversary in March in a special meeting addressed, inter alia, by trade unionists who had been freed from jail following representations by the ILO, including Dita Indah Sari of the FNPBI Indonesia who addressed Congress in 1999. The Governing Body proposed that a cash surplus resulting from payment of arrears should be used for various capacity building purposes, but in the light of the crises in Colombia and Palestine, the Governing Body and Conference agreed that significant sums should be spent on strengthening the special technical cooperation programme for Colombia and to establish a Palestinian Fund for Employment and Social Protection.

ILO Conference

Lord Brett was the British worker delegate to the 2002 ILO Conference, held in Geneva in June and, nominated by the Indian and Pakistani unions, chaired the Conference Workers’ Group. Chanda Parmar-Bonta, TUC Learning Services; Roger Poole, Chair of the Regional Hearings of the Cooperative Commission; Hugh Robertson, Head of Occupational Safety and Health and Bargaining, UNISON, and Sir Tony Young, President of the General Council, were advisors; and Simon Steyne was substitute delegate and delegation secretary.

The Conference withdrew 20 outdated ILO Recommendations adopted between 1919 and 1944; launched the World Day Against Child Labour on 12 June and examined the implementation report of ILO activities 2000-2001, the first years under a strategic budgeting mechanism. The workers’ group of the conference adopted resolutions on the Middle East, closely aligned to the General Council’s statement in April; and on the conflict between India and Pakistan.

In the Conference Plenary, the Director-General stressed the ‘decent work deficit’ facing the world and the failure of globalisation to provide jobs where or for whom they were most needed. He proposed a plan to promote local development, markets, entrepreneurship, social protection and capacity; training; economic and social security; and policy coherence and pluralism in economic reform, poverty reduction and job creation. Both Lord Brett and Guy Ryder, ICFTU General Secretary, concentrated in their plenary speeches on the situation facing workers in Colombia and Palestine - calling for funds for the protection programme and an ILO Commission of Enquiry to combat impunity in the former; and for allocation of resources to an emergency fund for the latter; the need to maintain the ILO campaign for universal ratification of the fundamental conventions - and their indivisibility; and more concerted and coherent ILO work on corporate social responsibility.

The Resolutions Committee, in which Lord Brett led the Workers’ Group, adopted one resolution - on tripartism and social dialogue - which reaffirmed the tripartite constitution and mandate of the ILO, the central role of tripartism and social dialogue in democracies, their potential to contribute to overcoming the challenges of globalisation, regional integration and transition, the importance of respect for the representative role of the social partners, and the value in working with those NGOs which supported the ILO’s mandate.

Roger Poole represented the General Council in the Committee which drafted a new Recommendation on the Promotion of Co-operatives, which was adopted by the Conference. The new instrument asks members to promote co-operatives in all countries to create employment, develop their business potential, increase savings and investment and improve social well being. Members should consider promotion of co-operatives as one objective of national and social development and reflect on measures to create an enabling environment to promote the growth of economically viable and democratically managed co-operatives. This was one means to help people deal with some of the negative effects of globalisation and reflected the importance of co-operatives as a means to integrate unprotected workers in the informal economy into mainstream economic life.

Hugh Robertson chaired the Workers’ group in a Committee which drafted a Protocol to the Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981 (No. 155) on the recording and notification of occupational accidents and diseases, and a recommendation updating the list of occupational diseases, both adopted by the conference. The protocol asks ratifying countries to establish and review procedures for recording and notification of occupational accidents and diseases, dangerous occurrences and commuting accidents; and to publish annual statistics following classification schemes compatible with the latest international schemes of the ILO or other relevant international organisations. These should support strengthened national and enterprise-level collection and analysis of data on accidents and diseases, needed to develop effective national policies and programmes and improvements in safety and health at work and should assist prevention and more accurate national and international comparisons. The recommendation asks member states to establish a national list of occupational diseases for the purpose of prevention, recording, notification and compensation. This new list supplements the ILO’s Employment Injury Benefits Convention (1964) and will be regularly updated through ILO tripartite meetings of experts.

Sir Tony Young and Chanda Parmar-Bonta represented the General Council in a general discussion on the informal economy. Representatives of informal workers’ organisations were also members of the workers’ group of this committee. The conference called for a new ILO programme of work focusing on employment generation, social protection and poverty reduction for those in the informal economy. The programme should provide guidelines for future ILO activities to extend rights and access to the benefits of labour standards and the global economy. Among notable gains in the conclusions that decent work deficits were more pronounced in the informal economy, were the inclusion of both wage workers and own account workers - paving the way for discussions on the scope of the employment relationship at the 2003 Conference; and understanding of the link between the informal economy and the feminisation of poverty and discrimination by gender, age, ethnicity or disability. The conclusions noted that legislation was an important instrument to address the issue of recognition and protection for workers in the informal economy, irrespective of their employment status and place of work, and also called for action from workers’ organisations to extend representation to workers throughout the informal economy.

The Committee on the Application of Standards, in which the General Council was represented by Simon Steyne, reviewed a total of 23 cases, and again held a special sitting on the application by Burma of Convention 29 on forced labour. It cited in special paragraphs Burma and Sudan for continuing breaches of Convention 29; and Belarus, Venezuela and Ethiopia for grave and persistent violations of the freedom of association Conventions, welcoming the release in May of Dr Taye Woldesmiate of the Ethiopian Teachers’ Association, and censuring the Belarus Government for failing to appear before the Committee. Despite the evidence, the Colombian employers blocked consensus on a special paragraph on Colombia. Swaziland and Zimbabwe were among other serious freedom of association cases, reported above, as are Child Labour issues.

A general analysis by the Committee of Experts about exploitation of prison labour by private companies - in both state and private prisons - again vindicated the position taken by the TUC and the workers’ group, and allowed the Conference Committee to emphasise that Convention 29 and the objectives of rehabilitation were wholly compatible, but the employers continued to attack both the jurisprudence and the right of the Experts to interpret the meaning of the Convention. However, a German case illustrated that some governments accepted the authority of the Committee of Experts and could make progress towards conformity with the Convention.

In a discussion on a General Survey on the Dock Work Convention (No 137) and Recommendation, the International Transport Workers’ Federation noted the failure to analyse the effect given to the 1996 ILO tripartite meeting on the port industry. It also disputed that the principles of the Convention were being implemented even in countries which had not ratified, in particular because the central element of registration of port workers, linked to training, had not received universal acceptance. The workers’ group called for the ILO to promote more actively the ratification and application of the convention; to revise the current convention or adopt a new integrated convention, taking into account the social aspects of structural change in the industry; and to enhance the practical application of the instruments by adopting a code of practice on the social consequences of such change, including the need for full involvement of the trade unions, the recognition of social motives, and of the importance of a dockworker registration system.

Application of Ratified ILO Conventions in the UK

At Congress in 2001, among the motions remitted to the General Council, was one concerning the continuing breach of Convention 29 with regard to prison labour in Britain. The ILO Committee of Experts reinforced its jurisprudence - and its agreement with the TUC’s interpretation submitted to the experts - on the exploitation of prisoners by private companies, including companies operating private prisons, exploring further the nature of employment relationships, the extent of public supervision, consent and duress and the payment of the national minimum wage and the application of other labour legislation. The experts again hoped that measures would be taken to ensure that any work by prisoners for private companies be performed under the conditions of a freely consented upon employment relationship. The TUC and the POA sought to re-open discussions with the new Prisons Minister on this matter.

The resolution of the case of Wilson and Palmer is reported in chapter one. The ILO Committee of Experts had raised concerns about the continuing lack of protection against anti-union discrimination, as a result of the Government’s failure to amend the legislation and its harmful implications for the promotion of collective bargaining, both required under Convention 98. The Committee had previously noted that section 146 of the TULRA, as amended by the ERA, 1999, made unlawful detriment short of dismissal by omission due to trade union membership or activities, but that the amendment did not address the judicial interpretation that protection against discrimination on the basis of trade union membership did not include protection for making use of the essential services of the union - most obviously, collective bargaining. The experts had previously noted that Section 13 of the TURERA allowed an employer wilfully to discriminate on anti-union grounds, as long as another purpose was to further a change in the relationship with all or any class of employees, and had considered that the provision was tantamount to condoning anti-union discrimination. The experts, in their annual report published in February, therefore again asked the Government to indicate the steps it intended to take to review and further amend section 146 of the TULRA.

One indication of the success in Britain of the ILO’s supervisory mechanisms was the recognition by the Government that current legislation did not completely prohibit the engagement of workers under the age of 16 in work involving ionising radiations, as required by the Convention 115. The Government agreed to reconsider its position and to consult with the social partners on the question of a general interdiction.

Consultations continued with the Government about the establishment of a list, as required by Convention 182 on the worst forms of child labour, of the types of work likely to harm the health safety or morals of children under 18. In the nature of British occupational safety and health practice based on risk assessment, initial government proposals concentrated on those hazards already covered by regulation. Discussions will continue to ensure that the list is compatible with the requirements of the convention. The lack of formal tripartite mechanisms for the discussion on ILO matters continues to hinder fuller co-operation between the ILO’s constituents in Britain.

The TUC has maintained close relations with the ILO London Office and has taken parts in several joint activities.

Maritime matters

Congress last year adopted a resolution calling inter alia for the full implementation in the UK of ILO Convention 147 on Minimum Standards for Merchant Ships. Brian Orrell, General Secretary of NUMAST, chaired the Workers’ (Seafarers’) Group, in a High-level Tripartite Working Group on maritime labour standards, which met in its first session in December to develop proposals for a single, coherent international maritime labour standard incorporating all up to date standards, in line with the proposal of the Joint Maritime Commission reported to Congress in 2001. The meeting agreed to support a new instrument based on existing ILO standards which should be clear and easy to ratify and implement, and that would define the roles and responsibilities of flag states, port states and labour-supplying states and take account of the multinational composition of crews. It was agreed that both flag states and port states should be responsible for enforcement, that port state control should be extended and remedial measures strengthened, that members should submit their enforcement procedures for review when ratifying, and that a database of violation of social rights should be created. The new instrument should be inflexible with respect to workers’ rights and should aim principally to create a level playing field.

In March, the campaign for minimum standards at work for seafarers was boosted by the coming into force, following sufficient ratifications, of two ILO standards, governing hours of work and the right to inspect ships. The 1996 Protocol to Convention 147 is the first international instrument to permit countries to inspect ships purely because of concerns about seafarers’ hours of work and fatigue, even on ships sailing under the flag of a country which has not ratified the convention or the protocol. Convention 180 on Seafarers’ Hours of Work and the Manning of Ships, which stipulates maximum working hours and minimum rest periods, also came into force. The convention forbids children under 16 from working aboard ship under any circumstances.

As a response to governments’ concerns about the threat of terrorism to merchant shipping, at the request of the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organisation, and with the support of the social partners in the sector, the Governing Body also agreed to speed efforts to agree, at the 2003 International Labour Conference, a Protocol to the Seafarer’s Identity Documents Convention to improve security for seafarers’ identification. The adoption of a Code of Practice on Security, Safety and Health in Ports will also be pursued within the next year subject to available resources.

7.12 Trade Union Advisory Committee to OECD

The TUC has continued to be represented in the TUAC Administrative Committee by the General Secretary, with Roger Lyons as substitute.

OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises

The TUC continued to liaise with the UK National Contact Point (NCP) during the course of the year in relation to the promotion and implementation of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. A seminar intended to raise awareness of the guidelines and their potential for bargaining and campaigning purposes was organised in Congress House in October, chaired by the general secretary, and including as speakers the UK NCP and the General Secretary of TUAC.

National Contact Points have to produce an annual report on their activities and discuss progress with their peers once a year. The UK NCP consulted with the TUC, CBI and Oxfam with regard to the preparation of his 2002 annual report. The TUC also contributed to TUAC’s survey on the functioning of NCPs, intended to monitor progress on the implementation of the Guidelines throughout the OECD countries.

The first case to be dealt with under the new Guidelines, Marks & Spencer, was resolved. French unions had brought a case against the company for its failure to consult with union representatives prior to making its decision to close its stores in France. The French NCP upheld the complaint of the unions. However, Marks & Spencer had found a buyer for its French shops before the decision was announced. French colleagues expressed the view that the complaint had brought pressure to bear on the management and helped bring about a more acceptable resolution. Issues relating to Burma are reported above.

Interest in the revised guidelines continued to grow among trade union organisations outside the OECD area. The guidelines are seen as a potentially useful tool for addressing the power of multinational companies operating in their countries. With this in mind, the ICFTU’s Asia Pacific Regional Organisation organised a conference on the guidelines for trade union organisations in the region in July. The conference was held in Malaysia, at which the TUC was represented by Sharon James. The General Secretary of TUAC and the Chair of the OECD Committee for International Investment and Multinational Enterprises also participated in the event.

OECD Ministerial Council and Forum 2002

TUAC presented trade union positions to the OECD Ministerial Council meeting in May against the background of strong differences between the United States and other OECD countries about recent trade measures, notably on steel and agriculture. Despite optimistic statements about meeting the Doha deadline of 2005 for the completion of negotiations, questions arose over making progress ahead of the Fifth WTO Ministerial Meeting in Mexico in September 2003. The ministerial communiqué contained important policy messages in a number of areas for TUAC affiliates as well as trade unions in developing countries in respect of economic and social policy and elements of global governance. Much of the communiqué was devoted to the OECD role in development and to the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD).

The consultations with TUAC and BIAC were marked by an unusual degree of convergence between the labour and business speakers in a number of areas. Chief among these was the unanimity that the global economy faced serious downside risks, and that stimulatory measures were still needed in key regions. There was also agreement that more work was needed to promote the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises - an opportunity missed by the Ministers. The TUC participated in the consultation meeting, which was chaired by the Belgian Prime Minister. The Ministerial meeting overlapped with the OECD Forum 2002 in which the TUC General Secretary represented TUAC on a panel discussing a social dimension for sustainable development.

G8 Summit in Kananaskis, Canada

In the run-up to the G8 Summit in Kananaskis, a delegation of international trade union leaders led by TUAC and AFL-CIO President John Sweeney, and including a number from Africa, emphasised to the Canadian Prime Minister, as G8 host, the importance of respect for core labour rights and full participation for African representatives in the NEPAD, which was to be discussed at the Summit. Several African trade union leaders had already voiced doubts about the validity of the plan, which they said had not been discussed with the people it was supposed to help. Willy Madisha, President of the Congress of South African Trade Unions, expressed concern that the plan emphasised market-based solutions, private investment and free trade, rather than a people-oriented approach.

The Summit failed to deliver the resources needed for development. TUAC also expressed concern that the global economy was barely discussed at the summit, which was surprising in the light of the latest incident in the crisis of corporate governance - the collapse of the telecommunications company WorldCom following the collapse of Enron. The Summit’s ‘Africa Action Plan’, was long on publicity and exhortation but short on resources. The G8 pledged to top up the shortfall in the existing Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative by an extra one billion US dollars, and agreed that half of the US$12 billion extra overseas development aid pledged at the UN Monterrey Conference in March be earmarked for Africa. This was modest given the scale of the development challenge in Africa. Russia was accepted as a full member and it was agreed that Moscow would host the G8 in 2006.

Prior to the Summit the general secretary wrote to the Prime Minister to highlight the need for the UK and other industrialised countries to pledge substantially more money to the Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The G8 had pledged support for the Fund during last year’s Summit. He also called for the effective use of the Fund’s resources to meet the needs of people living with HIV/AIDS. There was no progress on this issue in the Summit. The Prime Minister replied expressing support for the Fund and agreeing that it needs to target areas of greatest need.

7.13 Sustainable development

The TUC has supported the efforts of the ICFTU, TUAC and the ETUC in promoting trade union priorities for the World Summit on Sustainable Development to be held in Johannesburg between 26 August - 4 September 2002. The TUC wrote to the government in April 2002 to ask that its Environment Spokesperson be included in the official delegation to the Johannesburg Summit. A decision was still awaited at the time of writing.

In November, John Edmonds, the TUC’s Environment Spokesperson, participated in a conference organised by the International Institute for Environment and Development to prepare for the Johannesburg Summit. Other speakers at the conference included Margaret Beckett, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and the Canadian Minister for Environment. The conference, which was supported by the TUC and held at Congress House, was attended by government and civil society representatives from around the world.

In response to a request from the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee, a submission was made, in February, outlining the TUC’s view of developments since the Rio Summit and highlighting key trade union priorities. These included the need to address poverty and safeguard fundamental workers’ rights, the need to build in a ‘just’ transition programme when implementing sustainable development policies, the need for appropriate investment in both new technologies and in skills, and the need to involve workers in workplace initiatives to promote sustainable development.

The TUC also contributed to the work of the ETUC’s Sustainable Development Working Group which assumed responsibility for developing the European trade union input to the Summit. A TUC representative spoke for the ETUC on the panel on poverty during the European Commission sponsored ‘Green Week’.

7.14 Migration issues

Migration issues have taken an increasing part of the General Council’s work. The 2001 Congress Emergency Motion on Migration, remitted following the curtailment of Congress, has been taken into account.

In February, the Government published a White Paper on immigration and asylum, Secure Borders, Safe Haven. The General Council issued a detailed response in March. They accepted the need for a coherent policy, which plans for the future, which attempts to deal with widening gaps in prosperity, and which emphasises equality of opportunity. They emphasised that it should also be a compassionate policy which accepts fully Britain's ILO, human rights and UN Charter obligations. The response dealt with most of the issues in the White Paper, and focussed in particular on ‘Working in the UK’ - arguing for granting enforceable rights for migrant workers rather than enforcement measures directed against them; and ‘Asylum’ - welcoming some measures such as phasing out of the vouchers scheme and the recognition of the need to integrate refugees. The response was critical of the primary focus on controlling the movements of asylum-seekers and on facilitating their removal. The Nationality, Immigration and Asylum bill, was published in April, concentrating on enforcement measures against asylum seekers, including the proposal that the children of asylum seekers held in ‘accommodation centres’.

In June, the General Council considered the various issues involved, including discussions which were to be held at the forthcoming European Council meeting in Seville. They expressed concern that the Council would give undue emphasis to asylum and immigration issues. While they did not deny there were real issues to be resolved, they said that giving them such prominence ran the risk of contributing to a climate that would benefit the far-right. They pointed out that UN figures showed that the number of asylum applications to the EU was falling and said that talk of ‘Fortress Europe’ was unhelpful and unnecessary, and undermined the humanitarian role Europe should play in the modern world. The far-right would always blame immigration for social problems, and responsible leaders would target the causes of the problems. They pointed out that the ETUC believed that the common EU immigration and asylum policy should not be reduced to a matter of security, but include a social integration strategy founded on equal treatment and rights, along with tolerance and the respect of cultural diversity. Those who felt marginalised by current changes needed to be given hope and this required the fight against unemployment and for social justice to be stepped up. They recalled that they had argued in their response to the White Paper that a common EU policy should 'reflect best practice in all respects - from the asylum application procedure and the determination of claims to reception standards and the integration of refugees - rather than minimum standards'. They rejected the proposal that EU assistance to developing countries could become conditional on them accepting people deported by the EU: it was precisely those countries that generated the most economic migration that were in need of aid and assistance. They said that the risk that those fleeing persecution may be denied a route of escape, or forced to return would be increased by the approaches under consideration at Seville, which would not reduce the role of criminals, but drive many desperate people into their hands.

The General Council also expressed concern at the proposals to set up ‘accommodation centres’ and argued against adopting policies whose main aim seemed to be the deterring of asylum seekers. The proposal to provide segregated education for refugees’ children raised questions about provision, standards and inspection, and would not contribute to successful integration. It was also important to ensure that there was adequate funding to schools and local education authorities for the provision of education to refugees and their children in mainstream schools. The whole policy on centres needed to be re-thought, particularly since the events at Yarl’s Wood detention centre had not yet been fully examined. They decided to seek a meeting with the Home Secretary to put the case to him. The Seville Council did not accept the proposal regarding the conditionality of development aid. In July the General Council expressed their opposition to a proposal to withdraw the right of asylum seekers to seek work should their claim not be settled within six months, and they agreed to raise the matter with the Home Secretary.

Managed migration

Consultation on other matters relating to legal entry for workers from overseas continued. The possibility of establishing new, temporary entry schemes for lower-skilled workers was raised in a series of sectoral meetings with civil servants, employers, training organisations and unions. Sectors covered were hospitality, construction, and social care, and a further meeting for the food and drink industry is planned. However, most participants felt that such labour shortages as existed were not seasonal or temporary in nature, and often related to poor pay and status, as well as local labour shortages.

Consultation began on the expansion and revision of the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme, with T&G and TUC representatives. Concerns were expressed regarding the expansion of the scheme beyond areas where the Agricultural Wages Board applies, and the capacity of operators to deal with more workers. A consultation document was published proposing the revision of the Working Holidaymakers Scheme, which is presently restricted to young Commonwealth citizens. The TUC response to the White Paper had criticised the institutional racism of the existing scheme. Comments to the consultation document were due at the end of August 2002.

The TUC participated in two seminars organised by the Ethical Trading Initiative to look at the working practices of agencies and gangmasters in agriculture and horticulture. The seminars were attended by producers, packers, supermarkets and trade unions, and concluded that while casual labour was often necessary, ‘… it is of equal importance that the industry take all the necessary action to ensure that illegal practices and the abuse of workers are not taking place. As long as the criminal gangmasters get away with illegal practices and make big profits they will continue to operate and expand’. The report of the seminars went on to propose the setting up of a working party, including trade unions, to liaise and explore with the Government the licensing and registration of suppliers of contract labour and to realise the provision of a system of identifying good practice. The working party will ensure a cross industry approach involving the fresh produce and meat industry plus aspects of the food industry.

Work Permits

A number of new developments were highlighted at a series of meetings with unions, including the participation of representatives from Work Permits UK at the TUC Migration conference in December (see chapter six). Following TUC intervention, trade unions are now represented on work permit sector panels for IT, financial services, teaching and health. Members are also being sought for a sector panel for engineering.

In March a consultation document was published on the possibility of employment agencies being able to apply for work permits for agency workers. This was strongly opposed by affiliates, and by the TUC in its response in June, which concluded: ‘the TUC is strongly of the view that there should be no change to the existing policy preventing agencies and contractors from applying for work permits to employ workers directly themselves. Any change to this policy is highly likely to result in widespread exploitation of the workers concerned, and contribute little to the reduction, in the medium and long term, of skill shortages, recruitment and retention problems.’

Portuguese workers project

The joint exercise between the TUC and CGTP is beginning to show results. Through publications, festivals, surgeries and organising work, hundreds of Portuguese workers have been recruited into unions. Successes in representing new members in grievances, disciplinary hearings, appeals and tribunals have been passed on by word of mouth, and reported in the Portuguese media thus increasing the reach of the project. Figures from the Labour Force survey suggest that the number of Portuguese in employment in Britain rose rapidly in 2001, to over 30,000. At the same time, the proportion of them in trade unions rose from 14 to 17 per cent, although this remains below the national average.

Members of the organising committee took part in a weekend course on organising set up in conjunction with the TUC Education Service, and the potential for arranging English courses is being examined both by participating unions and by Learning Services. Links have been established with groups of Portuguese workers in East Anglia, Hereford, Aberdeen, Cardiff and Taunton.

Other activities with migrant workers

Initial discussions have begun with a group of workers from Central and Eastern Europe regarding the establishment of a committee similar to the Portuguese Workers Association. A number of unions have expressed interest in participating. The TUC has been invited to take part, together with unions, in work with the Filipino community, particularly in the health-care sector.

The employment rights leaflet originally prepared for the Portuguese workers project has now been translated into French and Italian. The Italian version is to be distributed in conjunction with Inca-CGIL, a social security advice service for Italian workers in Britain. The use of an English version is being piloted with groups of ESOL students in west London, as part of a training initiative aimed at improving employability.

7.15 Commonwealth Trade Union Council

The General Council continued to support the Commonwealth Trade Union Council in its activities designed to promote the observance of core labour standards, democracy and social justice throughout the Commonwealth.

Meetings of the Trust Committee and the Steering Committee as well as the annual conference held in Geneva in June were attended, among others, by the general secretary and members of the TUC delegation to the ILO Conference. Annie Watson, CTUC Director, reported that funds totalling £209,500 had been secured for four projects and that further contributions were expected from a block grant from the CLC/CIDA. She also reported that the Australian Council of Trade Unions had advised her of their inability to contribute to the CTUC in future and that the Canadian Labour Congress indicated that they anticipated difficulties in maintaining their contribution at the current level. The general secretary regretted the decisions taken by the ACTU and CLC, stressed that there was no further scope for any restructuring of the organisation and assured the Committee that the TUC would ensure that the CTUC continued to carry out its activities in the coming 12 months.

Current CTUC projects include a two-year programme for advancement of the position of women in the trade union movement in Bangladesh; an Informal Sector project in co-operation with the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions; the first phase of the child labour project launched in collaboration with the Southern African Trade Union Co-ordination Council focussing on Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia; and a trade unions and civil society programme in Sierra Leone. Delegates expressed their deep appreciation of training and education activities carried out by the CTUC, hoped that the organisation would be in a position to undertake more development co-operation initiatives in future and underlined the need to strengthen trade union organisations in developing countries in view of the serious challenges facing working people.

Donald McKinnon, Commonwealth Secretary-General, addressed the Conference. He emphasised the importance of the Commonwealth as an institution representing one third of the world population and 15 per cent of the world’s GDP. He said that benefits of globalisation had touched only a minority of people, that trade unions could play a crucial role in addressing some of the deep-rooted inequalities in the world and that they could help bring about changes in pay equity, labour standards and workers fundamental rights. The CTUC, as the largest membership based organisation in the Commonwealth, had the capacity to raise international awareness of such issues as child labour and gender discrimination and could advance democracy, human rights, the rule of law - values shared by all commonwealth citizens. He said that the Commonwealth Secretariat shared concern with the CTUC over the need for globalisation to be inclusive and concurred with the view expressed in the CTUC submission to the Commonwealth Heads of Governments Meeting that globalisation should bring about social justice for all.

7.16 International development

International Development Group

The TUC International Development Group was established in 1999 as an informal forum for all unions to facilitate discussion and exchange of information on international development issues. Topics discussed have included globalisation, child labour, corporate codes of conduct and relations with the Department for International Development. The IDG is chaired by Ed Sweeney.

At the July 2001 meeting it was agreed that participation in the IDG should be broadened to include those NGOs with which unions work in partnership, including War on Want, Action for Southern Africa and One World Action. Hilary Benn, Parliamentary Secretary of State for International Development, addressed the March meeting to outline DfID’s view of how the department and unions could work together in future. He said that the UK and other developed countries had to act in regard to causes of conflict in order to reduce the need for people to become refugees. It was also essential for the WTO to get rid of agricultural protectionism and for developing countries to have increased capacity to engage in trade negotiations. He looked forward to working with the TUC on a development awareness project aimed at building support for the 2015 target through the TUC education service. There was an opportunity for participants from unions and NGOs to discuss their relationships with DfID and the Minister said that under the new DfID Strategic Grants Agreement arrangements it might be appropriate for the TUC to act as broker for future DfID co-operation activities with unions.

International development matters

Another TUC initiative to promote information-sharing on international development between union members was the launch in November 2001 of TUC International Development Matters, a monthly e-mail newsletter containing information about trade unions in developing countries; trade and globalisation issues; funding opportunities for development projects and events and publications.

HIV/AIDS

HIV/AIDS remained high on the agenda of the international trade union movement and of the TUC. The TUC jointly organised a seminar on HIV/AIDS with the Ethical Trading Initiative secretariat in April. The seminar provided business, trade union and NGO perspectives on the impact of the disease in developing countries. It also highlighted the ILO’s Code of Practice on HIV/AIDS and the World of Work as a practical guide for formulating appropriate workplace policies, prevention and care programmes. The seminar, which was chaired by Peter Brannen, Director of the ILO’s London Office, was particularly well-attended and received by the ETI’s corporate members, who have operations in developing countries. The ETI Secretariat is working on follow-up activities to the seminar.

The General Council also supported Action for Southern Africa’s ‘Do something positive.’ campaign to strengthen the UN’s Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The UK and other industrialised countries need to pledge substantially more money to the Global Fund in order for it to address the pandemic is a meaningful way. UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, has estimated that an extra $7-10 billion is needed per year to fight AIDS. Contributions to the fund have so far been disappointingly low, currently just $1.9 billion. The postcard campaign called on Clare Short as Secretary of State for International Development, and as a serving member of the Fund’s Board, to use her influence to strengthen the Fund. A number of affiliated unions pledged their support the campaign. It was also supported by the Commonwealth Trade Union Council and endorsed by the Congress of South African Trade Unions.

Jubilee debt campaign

The General Council continued to back the international campaign in support of the cancellation of unpayable debt of developing countries. The general secretary was co-opted by the Jubilee Debt Campaign - successor to the Jubilee 2000 Coalition in the UK - to their Board for the second year in succession. The Annual General Meeting of the Jubilee Debt Campaign held in Congress House in March was attended by a large gathering of representatives of local and national groups forming the Coalition, including the TUC. Isaac Osei, Ghana’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and Paul Boateng, Financial Secretary to the Treasury, who addressed the gathering, stressed the need for continuity of efforts towards debt relief. In a message in advance of the G-8 Summit, the TUC called upon G-8 leaders to consider more substantial debt relief for the world’s poorest nations beyond the HIPC Initiative in terms of ceilings on debt servicing and, where appropriate, total debt reduction. It emphasised that Millennium Development goals were unlikely to be achieved without cancellation of unpayable debt owed by poorest nations and that debt relief was a prerequisite for successful implementation of NEPAD.

Development co-operation

The training programme for diagnosis and management of asbestos-related diseases (ARDs) in Mpumalanga Province of South Africa was successfully completed in 2001. A large number of health professionals including medical practioners, nurses and environmental officers received training in the diagnosis of ARDs in a workshop organised by the Industrial Health Research Group of the University of Cape Town. The IHRG team headed by Dr Sophia Kisting produced technical educational material necessary for running the medical surveillance programme. A lung function test machine and other equipment were also made available to the Occupational Health Unit of one of the district hospitals in the Province. In an effort to ensure the long-term sustainability of the project, considerable emphasis was placed on the development of a support network involving trade unions, community groups, ex-miners and all other stakeholders. In June an evaluation report on the initial impact of the project submitted to DfID stressed the need for continuity of the training programme in view of the large number of ex-miners affected by ARDs and the scale of asbestos contamination in South Africa. It emphasised that the momentum of awareness-raising needed to be sustained over the long term and that the purchasing power of compensation payments should be protected through suitable amendments to the legislation concerned. It also underscored the importance of strengthening the support network built through the project.

The DfID held initial discussions with the TUC to explore the possibilities of closer collaboration on development issues. In an effort to widen the scope for co-operation with civil society organisations, the DfID envisages introduction of a new funding mechanism aimed at civil society organisations, the primary objective of which is not centred on development. It is hoped that a Strategic Grant Agreement (SGA) between the TUC and the DfID will be signed later in the year, which would enhance the capacity of the TUC to raise awareness of international development issues in the UK, develop comparative advantage of trade union organisations in developing countries and contribute to policy dialogue.

The general secretary welcomed the increase in overseas development assistance announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in July and said that it was a significant step towards meeting the UN target of 0.7 per cent of GNP agreed in 1970.

7.17 TUC Aid

The Charity set up by the General Council with a view to strengthening trade union organisations in developing countries, providing emergency aid and promoting long-term development continued its activities. TUC Aid became a member of the British Overseas NGOs for Development (BOND) in June. TUC Aid has been in discussion with the TUUT Charitable Trust, from which it has received generous donations in the past for a number of projects, about ways of further improving co-operation.

As reported above, TUC Aid made an urgent appeal to affiliates for contributions towards the AFL-CIO linked Union Community Fund which co-ordinated assistance through local labour councils to help families affected by the 11 September attacks, and a total of £38,000 was raised. TUC Aid made a donation of £4,000 to the Union Générale des Travailleurs Algériens in Algeria to be used for emergency relief operations carried out by it following the devastating floods in Algiers and other cities in November. In May, the General Council called on affiliated unions to contribute generously to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees and £5,640 has been raised so far through TUC Aid. Following another appeal, SINTRAEMCALI - public utilities trade union in Cali, Colombia, received about £7,000 to be used for strengthening its capacity for effective campaigning.

The Housing Project in Mozambique was successfully completed in January. The eight two-bedroom houses built at a cost of £61,500 on a plot of land allocated by the Maputo City Council were handed over to the families made homeless in the devastating floods in January 2000. The project carried out in collaboration with Organizaçao Dos Trabalhadores de Moçambique - national trade union centre in Mozambique - was funded through proceeds of an appeal made to TUC affiliates and other donors. The project, which followed a similar initiative in 1999 in Honduras, was one of the major initiatives undertaken by TUC Aid to alleviate suffering and facilitate long-term rehabilitation of victims of natural disasters in recent years.

TUC Aid also contributed about £3,300 towards the ICFTU-AFRO Project aimed at preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS, combating discrimination and alleviating suffering implemented in co-operation with the Zambia Congress of Trade Unions. It also co-sponsored with the LO-Norway a training workshop for shop stewards held in Lusaka, Zambia in April. Twenty-eight shop stewards and four trade union educators took part in the workshop, the main focus of which was the role of shop stewards in the prevention of HIV/AIDS at workplace. The workshop also provided the opportunity for the Zambia Congress of Trade Unions to officially launch their campaign - Crusade against HIV/AIDS.

An initial donation of £2,000 was made to the ICFTU International Solidarity Fund to be used for emergency relief and long-term rehabilitation of the families affected by the eruption of the volcano in the city of Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Action for Southern Africa, Jubilee Debt Campaign, the Mauritius Trades Union Congress were also among other recipients of grants from TUC Aid.

7.18 Ethical Trade Initiative

The General Council continued to play a significant role in the Ethical Trading Initiative, which grew to 28 companies with a joint turnover of some £105 billion. DfID agreed a further grant to ETI for the next three years. Simon Steyne, TUC, Neil Kearney, ITGLWF General Secretary, and Dwight Justice, ICFTU, continued as trade union members of the Board, with Ron Oswald, IUF General Secretary as substitute. The ETI AGM in December noted progress in supply chain monitoring by companies, but also variance in findings which undermined credibility and concluded that the ETI should devote more effort to developing competence in monitoring workers rights, in particular freedom of association.

The ETI Secretariat grew significantly. Alan Roberts, formerly of Littlewoods, replaced Yve Newbold, who stepped down in December, as Chair of the Board. Dan Rees, Manager, was promoted to Director. An information officer, events officer, membership secretary and third pilot manager were appointed.

ETI activities expanded: a governance working party, complaints procedure and training assessment were concluded and a major workbook on monitoring published; the annual review of the ETI ‘Learning our trade’ was distributed to unions; new work began on one-day risk assessments, smallholders and homeworkers, impact assessment, China, and child labour in Tamil Nadu. Work on gangmasters in Britain and on HIV/AIDS is reported above. The TUC also hosted a seminar in July on homeworking. The South Africa Wine Pilot drew to a close with agreement by the South African partners to establish a new body for the Western Cape wine industry which would roll-out multistakeholder monitoring to all wineries supplying the British market.

Representatives from affiliated unions continued to take part in a range of pilots and working groups, and the TUC sought to encourage greater participation by affiliates in these activities. Colleagues from local GUF offices also shadowed assessment inspections in the field. Trade union capacity remained an issue in Britain and in countries where ETI is active. As one contribution to addressing that, the TUC Development Fund allocated £10,000 to supply computers, through Computer Aid, to food and farmworkers’ unions in the Western Cape.

The ILO office maintained its interest in the ETI’s experience and tested training materials on ILO standards with managers from ETI companies. Meetings involving the trade union representatives in the ETI were held with numerous initiatives on ethical trade and monitoring in Europe and the US. These included two seminars in London on the impact of codes on women workers in agriculture and garment manufacture in Central America; meetings in Rome about the ETI and the OECD Code on Multinationals with Italian unions, employers and others, in Rome; a working group of the Global Reporting Initiative charged with recommending new indicators for company performance in the social and environmental area; a meeting with the US National Academy of Sciences; and a range of meetings in parts of the world where ETI garment retailers are sourcing, including Bangladesh. The ICFTU continued to play a major role in the UN Global Compact.

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