FCO/TUC Advisory Council Work in hand/follow up - 15 February 2006

FCO/TUC Advisory Council, 15 February 2006

Work in hand/follow up

China

The General Secretary of ICEM (the global union federation covering mining and energy workers) visited the FCO with the TUC on 2 February, to brief FCO officials on the agreement about mine safety which they have negotiated with the Chinese authorities and ACFTU. They are seeking political support and some financial assistance with travel and subsistence for ICEM representatives acting as consultants on the issue in China. They have been invited a more detailed proposal for possible funding.

Colombia

A UK trade union/Justice for Colombia delegation visited Colombia in December 2005, and met with Embassy officials. They called on Lord Triesman on 6 March to discuss their visit. A group of eight Colombian unionists visited the UK for a week from 6 February under FCO sponsorship. In addition to the TUC they called on ACAS, the CBI, Parliament and the DTI. They also met Lord Triesman at the start of their visit.

EU

Throughout the UK's Presidency of the EU in 2005, the FCO kept in contact with the TUC and invited ETUC representatives to appropriate conferences and events. The UK government hosted a tripartite social summit, chaired by the Prime Minister, in November which was attended by the TUC General Secretary as part of the ETUC delegation.

Ghana

The TUC General Secretary, Brendan Barber, visited Ghana in January to re-visit the school where he did his VSO, to meet trade unionists, and visit a unionised Fairtrade banana plantation. The High Commissioner hosted a dinner for the TUC and Ghanaian trade unionists.

India

Time pressures meant it was not possible for Mr Pearson to have a meeting with Indian unionists during his visit in January. The FCO and TUC are looking into the possibility of a seminar, or series of seminars, with Indian unions on element of economic reform, to follow up a bid for funds under the Global Opportunities Fund for a seminar on trade with Brazilian, German, Indian and South African trade unionists

Iran

The FCO and TUC were both concerned about the treatment of members of the Union of Workers of the Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company. The TUC wrote to the Iranian Ambassador to protest against the arrest of the unionists. The FCO has also raised its concerns with the Iranian authorities. The TUC joined a lobby of the Iranian Embassy on 4 February to protest, and unions will take part in a further lobby as part of a global day of union action on 15 February. The FCO are grateful to the TUC for keeping the British Embassy in Tehran informed of developments.

Iraq

The FCO made a contribution to the costs of he visit by a delegation of teacher union representatives from Iraq and Iraqi Kurdistan.

Venezuela

A delegation of British trade unionists visited Venezuela in November 2005. They called on the British Ambassador in Caracas on 19 November. A TUC delegation originally scheduled for February has been postponed, probably until May.

Ambassadors/High Commissioners

The TUC has met with the High Commissioner to India, and has arranged a meeting in March with the new Ambassador to Iran. A request to see the new Ambassador to Libya has been made.

CHOGM

Mr Benn met the CTUC during his attendance at CHOGM.

G8

The TUC has requested a meeting with the Sherpa about the current Russian G8 Presidency, and the FCO have been kept informed. As usual, the TUC will contribute to the global union submission to the G8 summit, and will participate in the meeting between global unions and the G8 host in the summer.

Globalisation

The FCO and TUC have met with Wilton Park to discuss a possible follow up event to the June 2005 conference on globalisation and unions. The event has been pencilled in for late September 2005 and a proposal for funding will be submitted to the FCO soon. The number of trade unionists invited to speak at Wilton Park events has increased considerably due to improved relations brokered by the FCO. However, the TUC is no longer represented on the Academic Council of Wilton Park since the departure of Lord (Tony) Young.

ICFTU Conference in Vienna

The TUC are already in touch with the Embassy in Vienna about possible support for the TUC delegation attending the ICFTU's extraordinary conference in November.

LGBT issues

Ian Pearson MP made one of the keynote addresses to a TUC conference on international LGBT issues (Stamping out homophobia: all over the world) on 6 February, which was well-received. The TUC has written to the British High Commission in Jamaica on behalf of its LGBT committee concerning the treatment of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual individuals in Jamaica.

Possible UNSC resolution on protection of journalists

Discussion is continuing between the NUJ and FCO officials. The FCO continues to explore opportunities to include a reference to journalists in a Resolution on protection of civilians, which is currently being negotiated in New York at UK initiative, or in other appropriate texts. Consideration is also being given to possible action through UNESCO. The FCO is also looking for other opportunities to highlight the issue of impunity and to state clearly the UK Government's support for workable initiatives to tackle it. At an EU NGO Forum hosted by the UK Presidency in December 2005, a workshop on journalists' safety highlighted other practical measures and awareness raising that the NUJ could work on in parallel with the FCO and its advisory panel on freedom of expression.

Protests

The TUC wrote to Lord Triesman concerning arrests of unionists in Zimbabwe.

John Monks, General Secretary of the ETUC, wrote to the Prime Minister concerning labour laws in Australia.

The TUC copied to the FCO a protest against the detention of demonstrators after the Hong Kong WTO Ministerial.