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Tell Debenhams and GAP to back Bangladesh safety plan
20 May 2013
TUC Protest re continued assassinations of trade unionists in Guatemala
17 May 2013
Doubling the wages of a Bangladeshi textile worker would add just 2p to the cost of a t-shirt, says TUC
10 May 2013
PDF version available for download (PDF help)
International Development Matters
Articles for inclusion in International Development Matters should be sent to at twarlock@tuc.org.uk
TUC NEWS
OTHER INTERNATIONAL NEWS
IFI NEWS
GLOBAL CALLS TO ACTION
FOCUS ON TRADE UNIONISTS
EVENTS
TUC NEWS
Solidarity with 20 October from around the world
The TUC received messages of solidarity from trade unionists and other progressive organisations around the world for our march for a future that works that took place on Saturday 20 October.
Some of them can be found here
Guatemalan trade union leader visits UK asking for an end to violent attacks
On 12 October the TUC hosted a visit to London of Noé Ramirez Portela, General Secretary of the Izabal Banana Workers' Union of Guatemala (SITRABI) - the oldest private sector union in the country, organising workers in Del Monte-owned banana plantations on the Caribbean coast.
A decent job? DFID fails the TUC's Decent Work test
To mark the World Day for Decent Work, (7 October) the TUC released 'A decent job?': a report assessing the Department for International Development's (DFID) efforts to secure decent jobs for the world's poor. DFID scores just 25 out of 56 points based on criteria developed from the International Labour Organisation's Decent Work Agenda.
How we made London2012 the most ethical Olympics so far
This document reports on the three-year Playfair2012 project and campaign which concluded when the London Olympics and Paralympic Games ended this summer.
Read the full project completion report here
Union Post - October 2012 Issue
The October edition of The Union Post, produced in association with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, is available for download and online viewing now.
OTHER INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Colombian oil workers' union under increasing pressure
IndustriALL Global Union firmly condemns the death threats addressed to representatives of Unión Sindical Obrera (USO) and the acts of repression and intimidation recently perpetrated in Colombia by security and intelligence forces, despite a new government order for negotiations.
AngloGold dismisses striking mineworkers in South Africa
AngloGold Ashanti began dismissing 12,000 workers on 25 October, becoming the latest mining company to join the rush to dismiss striking workers with the misguided belief that such a move will bring the situation under control.
Unions under attack in Bangladesh; 7 million children at work
The new ITUC report on core labour standards in Bangladesh, published on the occasion of World Trade Organisation's (WTO) review of its trade policies, reveals grave problems with violations of freedom of association, the right to collectively bargain, child labour and forced labour.
Turkey: Nine Women Trade Union Activists in Court in Ankara; Three Were Returned to Prison, Six Released Pending Trial
On October 4th, in Ankara, the case of nine women trade unionists was heard in Court. The hearing was an application for their release. Three women were returned to prison, six were released pending trial. Three other women had been released on bail before the hearing.
Trading Away Peace: How Europe sustains Israel's illegal settlements
A large coalition of European NGOs and faith groups have recently released 'Trading Away Peace: How Europe sustains Israel's illegal settlements'. The report is a comprehensive overview of the EU link to Israel settlements and their impact on the lives of Palestinians.
ITUC announces top five countries to sign up to Qatar World Cup Workers Rights Campaign
Target of 20,000 campaign 'fans' to fill virtual football stadium
Nearly 1,000 fans from over 100 countries have joined the global campaign 'Qatar: Do the right thing. No World Cup without workers' rights' in just four weeks. The ITUC is calling on all its affiliates to engage union members and their communities in the online campaign
UN unveils plans to eliminate child labour by 2020
A United Nations report to be launched by Gordon Brown, now the UN special envoy on education says there will still be 190m child labourers in eight years unless issue is tackled.
IFI NEWS
Global civil society letter to World Bank head on Robin Hood Tax
58 civil society organisations - including the TUC - have written to new World Bank head Dr Jim Kim, urging him to support a Robin Hood Tax to help raise funds for international development.
World Bank Jobs Report: detailed analysis
The International Trade Union Confederation has mostly welcomed the World Bank's 2013 World Development Report, launched on 1 October. Here, Peter Bakvis, at the Global Unions Washington office, has produced a more detailed initial analysis.
ITUC tells IMF not to let troika dictate destructive austerity policies
Sharan Burrow, General Secretary of the ITUC stated today: 'The annual meetings of the IMF and World Bank confirmed what the ITUC and trade unions around the world have been saying for more than two years: The idea that you can create 'growth through austerity' is an illusion that has destroyed million of people's livelihoods.
GLOBAL CALLS TO ACTION
URGENT ACTION: Tell Bahrain to free Mahdi and Jalila!
Mahdi Abu Dheeb and Jalila al-Salman, the leaders of the Bahraini Teachers' Association, have just lost their appeal against the unjust sentences against them. Please sign the labourstart petition calling on the Bahraini government to release these political prisoners. Read more.
ACT NOW! Help the Kenyan trade unionist fined for backing his members on strike
The TUC is backing a global union appeal to help pay a fine and other legal costs imposed on Kenyan union leader Francis Atwoli for backing his members on strike. He was fined 500,000 Kenyan Shillings, plus legal costs, for refusing to call off a strike by tea workers against job losses that happened two years ago. Read more here
Read the TUC's letter calling upon the Kenyan authorities to review the conviction on 12 October.
ACT NOW: Tell Coca-Cola to respect workers' rights in the Philippines
Coca-Cola in the Philippines has replaced collective bargaining over wages with arbitrary individual wage increases as part of a broader assault on workers' rights. Unions representing Coke workers there have taken to the streets in protest. The IUF has launched a global campaign to back these workers - show your support here
ACT NOW! Zimbabwe: State-owned utility tries to break union
In Zimbabwe, a member of the Executive Committee of the newly-formed IndustriALL global union, Angeline Chitambo, has been dismissed from her job and this follows the sacking of 135 workers by the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Company (ZESA) in July 2012.
Full details and to send your message of support to the Zimbabwe Electricity Workers Union (ZEWU) here.
FOCUS ON TRADE UNIONISTS
RadioLabour Interview with Mbide Charles Kude, Deputy Secretary, FAWU Cameroon
In partnership with the Trades Union Congress of the UK and Banana Link RadioLabour has produced a special report on the plight of banana workers in Cameroon. It features an interview with Mbide Charles Kude the Deputy Secretary of the Fako Agricultural Workers Union (FAWU) in Cameroon. Listen to the interview.
AFLCIO interview with Bangladeshi garment workers' leader
The murder earlier this year of a Bangladeshi union organiser is part of an escalation of attacks on the nation's 4 million garment workers who seek to change abusive working conditions, says Kalpona Akter, executive director of the Bangladesh Center for Worker Solidarity (BCWS).
IndustriALL interview with Ben Davis, United Steelworkers (USW) Director of International Affairs
The TUC and UK unions have been campaigning to support Mexican unions who are under attack from companies and the Mexican government. United Steelworkers International Director Ben Davis explains what is happening in Mexico in this video.
EVENTS
Public Meeting: Justice for South African Miners
Saturday, 3 November, 2012, 2-4.30pm, London
This year's conference will explore the crisis in the mining industry and the struggle against the exploitation of workers and for safe working conditions and decent jobs. With Keynote speaker Peter Bailey, H&S Chairperson, National Union of Mineworkers South Africa.
Find out more and download the flyer
ETI Workshop: Building the foundations of ethical trade policies and practices
Wednesday 14 November 2012, 9:30 am to 5:00 pm | ETI Offices, 8 Coldbath Square, London, EC1R 5HL
This one-day workshop gives participants a practical understanding of the key issues and concepts in ethical trade, and sets out the essential building blocks for their ethical trade policy and strategy. More info here
ACTSA fundraising dinner, Africa House, London
Friday 30 November
Raise funds for ACTSA's work at their fundraising dinner on 30 November at the South African High Commission in London.
World AIDS Day Seminar - Monday, 3 December 2012
HIV/AIDS and the Workplace
Monday 3 December 2012
2pm to 4.30pm - TUC, Congress House, WC1B 3LS
The TUC will be holding a seminar for the occasion of World AIDS Day. The event will provide an opportunity to look at the workplace response to the pandemic and share experience, expertise and lessons from a three-year HIV-AIDS workplace initiative successfully completed in partnership with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in June this year.
Please, confirm your attendance with Pat Brown at pbrown@tuc.org.uk
Useful websites
There are a number of websites with useful information for trade unionists, policy makers and campaigners. Details here: Useful websites
Newsletter (1,600 words) issued 1 Nov 2012
This page http://www.tuc.org.uk/international/tuc-21598-f0.cfm
printed 23 May 2013 at 02:49 hrs by 184.72.91.94