International Development Matters - Issue 176 July 2018
| International Development Matters |
| Issue number 176 July 2018 |
| IDM - Monthly newsletter reporting international development matters and issues affecting trade unionists around the world. Including reports, statements, interviews and events. |
|
TUC welcomes visit from Andre Lewis, the President General of the Grenada Technical and Allied Workers Union TUC supports national strike in Argentina UNISON: Tackling modern slavery through global supply chains FIFA – North America World Cup in 2026 a New Test for Human Rights ITUC Global Rights Index 2018: Democratic space shrinks and unchecked corporate greed on the rise Angola: Government Suspends Salaries of Thousands of Public Sector Workers Kenya: Union success in growing garment and textile sector Tunisia: rate hike squeezes workers, consumers and local business IMF Should Embrace UN Special Rapporteur’s Report on Social Protection ACT NOW! Yves Rocher needs to reinstate sacked workers ACT NOW! Terrible Tetley denying tea workers their human right to safe drinking waterIran: FIFA Called on to Enforce Human Rights and non-Discrimination Policy Coca-Cola is becoming a serial human rights offender RadioLabour interview with Vimbai Zinyama Head of Parliamentary Affairs, Advocacy and External Relations for the ZCTU RadioLabour interview with Joel Odijie, Coordinator of Human and Trade Union Rights, ITUC-Africa Teacher, Union and Human Rights: A Seminar on Global Solidarity Tolpuddle Festival 2018 CineCuba free monthly film club programme July-October 2018 TUC NEWSTUC welcomes visit from Andre Lewis, the President General of the Grenada Technical and Allied Workers UnionOn Tuesday 26 June, members of the TUC’s EU & International Relations Department along with FBU and Unite's TUC General Council members met with Andre Lewis, the President General of the Grenada Technical and Allied Workers Union. Mr Lewis discussed the latest trade union activity in Grenada including industrial relations and how the small Caribbean island needs more employment opportunities and the protection from the effects of climate change. Listen to the RadioLabour interview with Andre Lewis, the President General of the Grenada Technical and Allied Workers Union here. TUC supports national strike in ArgentinaRead the latest blog by TUC’s International policy officer Stephen Russell on how the TUC is standing in solidarity with Argentina's unions at this difficult time of harsh austerity measures issued by the government. Argentina’s unions have also received international solidarity by Global Unions such as IndustriALL. UNISON: Tackling modern slavery through global supply chainsExcellent resource from TUC affiliate UNISON explaining what Modern Slavery is, why it exists, what the government’s response is, how UNISON is working to tackle modern slavery and what you can do about it. INTERNATIONAL NEWSFIFA – North America World Cup in 2026 a New Test for Human RightsFIFA’s award of the 2026 World Cup to the “United” bid of Canada, Mexico and the USA will provide a further test of FIFA’s human rights commitments, with the inclusion of mandatory human rights requirements, including labour standards, in the bidding process. Read more here ITUC Global Rights Index 2018: Democratic space shrinks and unchecked corporate greed on the riseShrinking democratic space for working people and unchecked corporate greed are on the rise according to the annual ITUC Global Rights Index. The number of countries with arbitrary arrests and detention of workers increased from 44 in 2017 to 59 in 2018, and freedom of speech was constrained in 54 countries. Click here to find out which countries are the top ten worst countries in the world for workers’ rights in 2018 Angola: Government Suspends Salaries of Thousands of Public Sector WorkersThe ITUC has called on the government of Angola to reverse its decision to suspend thousands of public sector workers’ salaries and has also called on the government to enter talks with trade unions. Read more here Kenya: Union success in growing garment and textile sectorGlobal brands are increasingly eyeing Kenya to source their apparel as the garment and textile sector rebounds after many years of decline. The Tailors and Textile Workers Union is organising workers and winning good agreements in this growing industry. Brands including Arrow, Calvin Klein, H&M, Arrow, Izod, Cherokee and VF Corporation source from Kenya. Read more here IFI NEWSTunisia: rate hike squeezes workers, consumers and local businessThe Tunisian government should fight tax evasion, illicit financial flows and labour exploitation instead of raising interest rates and following other IMF policies that crush consumers, workers and local businesses alike, according to the ITUC. IMF Should Embrace UN Special Rapporteur’s Report on Social ProtectionThe ITUC has expressed support for the findings and recommendations of the report on “The IMF and Social Protection” written by Philip Alston, the UN’s Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights. Mr Alston will present his report to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva that took place two weeks ago. CALLS TO ACTIONACT NOW! Yves Rocher needs to reinstate sacked workersFrench cosmetics giant Yves Rocher has still done nothing to fix the major violation of its factory management in Turkey. The 124 workers sacked for joining a union are still picketing outside the plant, demanding their jobs back. Read more and take part in the global action here ACT NOW! Terrible Tetley denying tea workers their human right to safe drinking waterFor the past two years, women workers on plantations in the states of Assam and West Bengal which supply tea to UK-based Tetley have been organizing to demand decent water and sanitation - a fundamental human right. For years, workers complained to management; their complaints were ignored. With the support of the IUF, the workers, mainly women, formed water and sanitation committees on 6 plantations to document the abominable conditions and to propose concrete improvements. Take action now and send a message to Tetley insisting they address human rights violations now! ACT NOW! Coca-Cola is becoming a serial human rights offenderThe International Union of Foodworkers (IUF) has launched a major online campaign in response to the reports of human rights abuses accumulating at The Coca-Cola Company’s various bottler subsidiaries around the world. The most recent trade union oppression has taken place in Indonesia (Coca-Cola bottler Amatil), Haiti (bottler La Brasserie de la Couronne) and Philippines (Coca-Cola bottler FEMSA). Please send a message here to The Coca-Cola Company, insisting the company act to remedy the growing number of human rights violations within the Coca-Cola System. Iran: FIFA Called on to Enforce Human Rights and non-Discrimination PolicyPlease continue to support this action from the International Trade Union Confederation who, along with several union and civil society organisations, is calling on FIFA to ensure that its human rights policy is fully respected and ensure that Iran ends its ban on women attending men’s football matches. We must tell FIFA Iran must play by the rules and end the ban on women in stadiums before the World Cup’s opening ceremony. Sign the petition in support of all female Iranian football fans! FOCUS ON TRADE UNIONISTSRadioLabour interview with Vimbai Zinyama Head of Parliamentary Affairs, Advocacy and External Relations for the ZCTULabour leaders in Zimbabwe are demanding improved labour laws even as the country is becoming increasingly controlled by the military. An interview with Vimbai Zinyama, the Head of Parliamentary Affairs, Advocacy and External Relations for the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions. (Duration 7:54 mins) RadioLabour interview with Joel Odijie, Coordinator of Human and Trade Union Rights, ITUC-AfricaListen to the RadioLabour interview with Joel Odigie, the Coordinator of Human and Trade Union Rights of ITUC-Africa discussing why unions are campaigning so hard to stop illicit financial flows (IFFs). (Scroll down page in link) EVENTSTeacher, Union and Human Rights: A Seminar on Global SolidaritySaturday 7 July 2018 10am - 3.30 pm NEU – NUT Section HQ, Hamilton House, Mabledon Place, London, WC1H 9BD Registration is now open for Teacher, Union and Human Rights: A Seminar on Global Solidarity. This one-day seminar, in memory of past NUT President Mary Compton, will build on the 2015 GERM conference while memorialising Mary’s work and achievements. The event will explore the need for, and power of, global solidarity in education around the world, especially in the face of privatisation, oppressive regimes, and the Global Education Reform Movement (GERM). Click here to book your free place. Tolpuddle Festival 201820 July - 12:00 to 22 July - 18:00 Tolpuddle Martyrs Museum, Dorchester Road, DT2 7EH Dorset Later this month, thousands of people will enjoy the Tolpuddle Martyrs' Festival. It is a weekend of family entertainment, stalls, political debate, comedy, music and a grand procession through the village. Full details on how you can be there are here CineCuba free monthly film club programme July-October 2018Monday 30 July 2018, 7:30pm & Monday 24 September, 7:30pm Venue: upstairs at The Calthorpe Arms, 252 Grays Inn Rd, WC1X 8JR North London Cuba Solidarity Campaign's film club CineCuba on the last Monday of the month (excl. bank holidays), upstairs at The Calthorpe Arms, 252 Grays Inn Rd, WC1X 8JR. With invited speakers, showing feature films and documentaries from or about Cuba. Free entry but donations welcome. Click here for the programme and for more info contact: northlondoncsc@gmail.com |
The person responsible for the e-bulletin is:
Tanya Warlock
Tel 0207 467 1357
E: twarlock@tuc.org.uk
 |
 |
Stay Updated
Want to hear about our latest news and blogs?
Sign up now to get it straight to your inbox