FCO-TUC advisory council 5 June 2006 report

FCO-TUC advisory council

5 June 2006

TUC report and work in hand

This was the eighth meeting of the advisory council, which is now chaired by Ian McCartney MP (although due to the death of his mother he was unable to attend). The TUC was represented by Deputy General Secretary Frances O'Grady; Barry Camfield; Jeremy Dear; Billy Hayes; Leslie Manasseh; Alison Shepherd; and Ed Sweeney. The meeting was business-like and productive, and also included is the normal 'work in hand' paper that sets out the wide range of work that the TUC is doing with the FCO.

The TUC recorded their deepest sympathy for Mr McCartney's recent bereavement and passed on their congratulations to Margaret Beckett on becoming Foreign Secretary. They stressed the importance of FCO/TUC Advisory Council meetings, a sentiment which the FCO shared.

Work in Hand Paper (attached)

Iraq

The TUC noted that the Iraqi Ports Union dispute had been resolved successfully, but they remain concerned about the general situation of trade unions in Iraq. Of particular concern were (i) Decree 8750, which continues to restrict trade unions, (ii) the ILO's draft Labour Law, which has not been implemented and (iii) legislative restrictions on public sector trade unionism imposed under Saddam Hussein, which have not yet been lifted.

Venezuela

The TUC gave a brief report of their visit to Venezuela and thanked the Ambassador for his time and interest. They also highlighted a visit to the UK by a delegation of Venezuelan parliamentarians. Action: TUC to provide a written report of the visit and debrief Lord Triesman.

UN High-Level Dialogue on migration and development

The TUC questioned why trade union representatives were not to be included in the UK delegation. Action: FCO to follow up on this.

Strategic Priorities

The FCO and the TUC emphasised the importance of identifying areas high on their respective agendas, such as migration, corruption, engaging with the Islamic world and Europe. In particular, the TUC would like to see a more detailed debate on migration, and contribute to developing a more positive narrative on Europe. The FCO also highlighted women's issues as a potential area of synergy. The meeting agreed that officials should look at the possibility of producing a trade union orientated FCO Outreach Booklet. Action: FCO/TUC to consider holding specific discussions on migration and Europe; timetable corruption for a future advisory council; and consider a trade union oriented outreach booklet.

Climate Change

The meeting discussed the Clean Development Mechanism and the Clean Coal Taskforce. Both sides reasserted their commitment to a balanced approach to energy policy. The FCO highlighted the importance of climate change in government policy, particularly in the context of China. The meeting discussed opportunities and concerns about alternative sources of energy. The TUC expressed frustration that the potential of the trade union movement had not been harnessed effectively on this issue and offered to help where they could.

Brazil

The TUC reported on their recent visit. The meeting discussed the ongoing GOF project on labour law in Brazil and the WTO. The FCO assured the TUC that, despite the difficulties, an ambitious outcome to the Doha round was still a priority and emphasised the need to get all partners to make the right moves at the right time. Action: update the TUC on the development of the GOF project.

Palestinian Authority

The TUC explained their perspective on the deteriorating situation in the Palestinian Territories and registered, in the most serious terms, their concern that the situation is rapidly becoming a humanitarian crisis, and stressed their belief that the EU should resume funding for the Palestinian Authority. The FCO reiterated the government's position, emphasising the scale of the Palestinian revenues withheld by Israel, for whose transfer to the Palestinian Authority we continue to push strongly. The FCO explained that we were working hard on a possible Temporary International Mechanism for emergency funding to kick in before other funding issues were resolved.

The TUC raised the issue of funding for a TUC/PGFTU bilateral meeting and questioned the commitment of the FCO to small trade union projects. The FCO explained that discussions about the project were ongoing. Action: update the TUC on the bid for TUC/PGFTU bilateral funding.

India

The TUC reported on their fact-finding visit to India. It was a generally positive visit which looked at the formal and informal sectors; they had been struck by the estimate that only 7% of employment was in the formal sector. The TUC made particular reference to call centre workers, informal sector unions and Indian concerns about the impact of the Chinese economy. Action: TUC to provide a written report of the visit; and further discussions to take place on possible GOF funding.

Any Other Business

Cuba. The TUC explained their concern that the EU might harden its common position on Cuba at the GAERC on 12 June. The FCO assured the meeting that the UK's position had not changed and that we would not want to see the EU's position toughened.

The TUC also asked for an update on discussions about a possible UN resolution on the safety of journalists.

Algeria

While visiting the country to see the Saharawi refugee camps (see below), the TUC met with the Embassy in Algiers to discuss a possible GOF bid for joint work with the UGTA.

Australia

Ian Pearson wrote to the TUC on 20 March. The PM has previously stated in correspondence with the ETUC that Australia's domestic legislation remains a matter for the Government of Australia to determine. Ian Pearson's letter reiterated this message.

China

Following the February meeting with the TUC, ICEM and FCO the ICEM submitted a formal bid for a project to improve safety in the Chinese mining industry. The bid is currently under consideration and the FCO anticipate a successful conclusion.

Ethiopia

Mr. Pearson alerted Lord Treisman to the issue. Lord Triesman has not had the opportunity to raise it in the appropriate quarters.

Iraq

The FCO assisted in providing visas for a delegation of women trade unionists in March. They met with the Iraq Policy Unit and attended an FCO International Women's Day event at which Ministers were present.

The TUC expressed concern about harassment of officials of the Iraqi Ports Union.

Iran

As requested the FCO have considered the position carefully. HM Government's bilateral relations with Iran remain very complex. If HMG were to intervene it could make the situation of the detained unionists more difficult. As a result, HMG are pursuing with our European Union partners that the EU should raise these human rights violations with the Iranian authorities at the earliest possible opportunity.

Nepal

As offered the TUC supplied names which were then passed to the British Embassy in Kathmandu. The Embassy passed on the names to the UN who, unlike the BE, have a right to visit imprisoned Nepalese nationals. However the change in the Nepalese political situation has superseded these efforts.

Nigeria

The FCO have informed the TUC that while the NLC are not involved in the EITI, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers Senior Staff Association (PENGASSAN) are part of the Nigerian Stakeholders Working Group (NSWG), which oversees Nigeria's EITI. PENGASSAN, which represents staff officers in the oil and gas industry, is involved in the EITI. However, PENGASSAN is not affiliated to the NLC.

Philippines

The TUC informed the FCO of its concerns about the repression of trade unionists in the Philippines.

Portugal

The TUC General Secretary visited Lisbon in April to recommit the TUC to its partnership with the CGTP-IN with regard to representing Portuguese migrant workers in the UK. The Ambassador attended the signing of the co-operation protocol between the TUC and the CGTP-IN.

Tunisia

The UGTT leadership were recently invited to lunch with the Ambassador, and as a result, the TUC and the Embassy in Tunis have begun discussing possible joint work with the UGTT to address issues such as global trade and textiles, privatisation and union recruitment.

Venezuela

The TUC played host to President Chavez of Venezuela on 15 May during his private visit to the UK. A TUC General Council delegation to Venezuela from 22-26 May will be visiting the UK Embassy to meet the Ambassador for breakfast on 25 May.

Western Sahara

A TUC delegation visited the Saharawi refugee camps around Tindouf at the beginning of May, and as a result, the General Secretary wrote to the Secretary of State to press the case for further UK action to seek a resolution to the dispute over the Moroccan occupation of the Western Sahara, and in particular urging the UK to oppose an EU fisheries agreement with Morocco.

Zimbabwe

A TUC delegation attended the 25^th anniversary conference of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions from 19-21 May. At the request of the TUC General Secretary after several international delegations were ejected from Zimbabwe, Ministers arranged for the British Consul in Harare to meet the delegation at the airport to ensure that they were allowed to enter the country.

Ambassadors

Since the last meeting, the new Ambassadors to Iran and to Libya have met with the TUC.

G8

The Prime Minister's 'Sherpa', Sir Michael Jay, met with representatives of the TUC and the Trade Union Advisory Committee to the OECD on 9 May. They discussed the forthcoming G8 summit in St Petersburg and the Russian Presidency of the G8 generally (including the meeting of health Ministers in April and the meeting of Employment Ministers in the autumn), as well as longer-term plans for the German Presidency in 2007. The TUC will be taking part in a meeting between global unions and Russia's President Putin in Moscow at the end of June. [It was announced at the meeting that the global union meeting with President Putin would be on 6 July and that Brendan Barber was likely to be the TUC representative.]

Trade

In April, the TUC was informed that it had been granted £21,331 to hold a conference in South Africa for union confederations from Brazil, Germany, India, South Africa and the UK to discuss union approaches to global trade. The conference is now in preparation.

TUC Leaflets in Visa Sections

Based on the experience of the British Embassy in Warsaw the wider use of the TUC leaflets in Visa sections would appear to be indicated. The logistics will require further consideration, but initial reports from Poland are very encouraging.

UKVisas

The Head of UKVisas, Mark Sedwell, met with the TUC in May to discuss matters of common concern. After a number of trade unionists had problems obtaining visas for travelling to the UK for trade union meetings, the TUC drafted standard letters for use by the TUC and other trade union organisations when inviting trade unionists who would need visas, and advice on the content has been provided by the FCO and UKvisas.

UN High-Level Dialogue (HLD) on international migration and development

As part of the preparatory activities leading to the High-level Dialogue, the Assembly will hold one day ofinformal interactive hearings with representatives of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), civil society organisations and the private sector on 12 July 2006 at United Nations headquarters in New York. Trade unions will not be in the UK delegations to the HLD. DFID have been considering funding for a couple of NGOs to attend.

Union conferences

The Rome Embassy was represented by Nerys Jones at the March Congress of the Italian CGIL confederation.

The Vienna Embassy has agreed to host a reception at the ICFTU special Congress in Austria in October.

Wilton Park

A conference on Globalisation and Labour Standards will be held at Wilton Park from 8-10 November, with a programme being developed jointly by the FCO, TUC and Wilton Park. FCO are seeking funding to remit the accommodation and registration costs for 25 trade unionists from Britain and around the world, and the TUC is seeking funds for travel costs. [It was announced at the meeting that the FCO had agreed to find the funds mentioned.]

Thanks in part to the efforts of the FCO, Wilton Park is increasingly inviting trade unionists to speak or take part with a free or reduced place in Wilton Park conferences. For example, in March, Thierry Dedieu of the CFDT and Penny Schantz of the AFLCIO Paris office attended a conference in France on EU-US economic relations. David Dorkenoo of the Ghana TUC, John Odah of the Nigeria Labour Congress and Ruben Cortina of CGT Argentina will speak at conferences on political change in Latin America, civil society and governance and the roles of government and civil society in reducing poverty