International Development Matters - Issue 152 April 2016
| International Development Matters |
| Issue number 152 April 2016 |
| IDM - Monthly newsletter reporting international development matters and issues affecting trade unionists around the world. Including reports, statements, interviews and events. |
TUC Aid in 2015 – a year in summary
Update: NLC project on HIV-AIDS
TUC condemns attacks on Turkish workers’ rights
Colombia’s bloody peace process
One Worker Dies Every 15 Seconds Due to Employer Negligence
Workers demand justice on third anniversary of Rana Plaza collapse
World Bank-IMF spring meetings 2016
IMF-OECD-WB-UN create "Platform for Collaboration on Tax"
Does the IMF Worsen Recessions And Inequality?
ACT NOW! Demand Iranian authorities release Ismail Abdi and other trade unionists
ACT NOW! Call for the reinstatement of Liberian union leaders
ACT NOW! Turkey: CP Chicken workers fight back against wage cut
Radio Labour Special Report: South African labour movement – 4 May 2016
ILO Interview: Work-related stress: What impact in the public services?
EMERGENCY RALLY: No to the Coup in Brazil, Democracy SOS! 23 May 2016
Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign forthcoming events: April – August 2016
Support the Miami Five Freedom Walk: 3 July 2016
TUC NEWS
TUC Aid in 2015 – a year in summary
TUC AID, the trade union charity for working people in need throughout the world, met in April 2016 to agree the annual accounts for 2015, and as part of those accounts, agreed a summary of the activities of TUC Aid that year, as well as some of the plans for 2016.
Read more here
Update: NLC project on HIV-AIDS
Since the conclusion of a TUC Aid project on HIV/AIDS with the Nigeria Labour Congress that was implemented between 2009 and 2012, the lasting impacts of the project have been noted in a project report update. It includes the NLC successfully lobbying the National Assembly - alongside several other stakeholders - to attain a law on Anti –Stigmatization on HIV/AIDS in Nigeria.
Read more here
TUC condemns attacks on Turkish workers’ rights
A Bill on Agency Work before the Turkish Parliament is but one of the latest examples of the Turkish governments attacks on the rights of Turkish workers. The TUC has written to the Turkish Ambassador in the UK outlining why it is in breach of ILO Convention No 87 and calling for the release of those workers who were arrested for protesting about the Bill.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Colombia’s bloody peace process
It is a bitter irony that given Colombia is engaged in a peace process the number of politically motivated killings has increased of late. In the period 21 February 2016 to 18 March 2016 a total of 30 people were killed.
Read more here
Global solidarity on May Day
IndustriALL affiliates around the world took to the streets to celebrate May Day 2016, calling out for a living wage and a stop to precarious work. Check out the great photos from Colombia, Switzerland, Turkey, Bangladesh, Australia, Chile, Uruguay, Mexico, Pakistan and other countries here
One Worker Dies Every 15 Seconds Due to Employer Negligence
As ceremonies around the world take place on the International Commemoration Day for Dead and Injured Workers, the ITUC has warned negligent employers of the consequences of putting workers' lives at risk. Worldwide, one worker dies every 15 seconds due to occupational injury or illness.
Workers demand justice on third anniversary of Rana Plaza collapse
On 24 April, workers in Bangladesh and Pakistan remembered the dead and demanded improved factory safety, and punishment to those responsible for the garment factory tragedy in Bangladesh three years ago.
Read more here
IFI NEWS
World Bank-IMF spring meetings 2016
Governors of the World Bank and IMF gathered in Washington DC from 15 – 17 April, 2016. The civil society policy forum took place from 12th to 15th April. Read the statement by Global Unions’ to the 2016 Spring Meetings of the IMF and World Bank. The first meeting of a new “Global Infrastructure Forum” also took place on Saturday.
For a full round up, read the Bretton Woods Project analysis of the communiqués, notes from meetings, background information and more here
IMF-OECD-WB-UN create "Platform for Collaboration on Tax"
The IMF issued a recent press release announcing a “major step” in global tax cooperation by creating a Platform for Collaboration on Tax jointly with the OECD, World Bank and United Nations (specifically, the Financing for Development office of UN-DESA).
Read more here
Does the IMF Worsen Recessions And Inequality?
ITUC general secretary Sharan Burrow has written a blog for the Huffington Post which observes that the IMF has been pursuing policies in Europe that have hampered economic recovery and exacerbated inequality, just as it did in Latin America in the 1980s. These actions stand in contrast with some of the IMF’s own research that confirms the negative impact of those policies and with the recent anti-inequality rhetoric of IMF leadership.
CALLS TO ACTION
ACT NOW! Demand Iranian authorities release Ismail Abdi and other trade unionists
Esmail Abdi, leader of the Tehran branch of the Iranian Teachers' Trade Association, was unjustly sentenced to six years' imprisonment by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Court. Read the statement by him and fellow trade union comrade Jafar Azimzadeh who has also been sentenced to a total of six years as they embark on a hunger strike starting 29 April 2016 in response to the violation of rights and ongoing oppression experienced by teachers and other hard working people in Iran.
ACT NOW and tell the Iranian authorities to release Ismail Abdi and other unjustly imprisoned trade unionists in Iran.
ACT NOW! Call for the reinstatement of Liberian union leaders
PSI calls for global solidarity to support the reinstatement of two Liberian union leaders dismissed in February 2014 with 22 other workers, following a nationwide strike in protest of working conditions and the lack of protective equipment and medication. Although twenty were later reinstated, NAHWAL President, Joseph S. Tamba and Secretary General George Poe Williams have not yet been reinstated.
Take action and send a letter of protest to the authorities of Liberia.
ACT NOW! Turkey: CP Chicken workers fight back against wage cut
The Union of Food Industry Workers of Turkey has organized workers at the CP Chicken factories since 2014. Earlier this year, the company fired more than 300 workers. The union organized protests at the factory gates, and demanded an end to the unjust dismissals. Those protests continued for many weeks and now the union is continuing the struggle in the Labour Court and continues to organize workers at the company.
Take action and call on management to stop treats and pressures on workers and to re-instate the dismissed workers immediately.
FOCUS ON TRADE UNIONISTS
Radio Labour Special Report: South African labour movement – 4 May 2016
The crisis in the South African labour movement has deepened with the announcement of a new union federation in the country. The new federation, to be formally launched later this year, will include one of the largest unions in the country, while COSATU calls for workers unity in country.
Listen here
ILO Interview: Work-related stress: What impact in the public services?
Read the General Secretary of Public Services International (PSI), Rosa Pavanelli’s ILO interview explaining how workers in the public services are affected by stress. She also underlines the role of trade unions to support workers against stress and how they can work with the International Labour Organization (ILO) to prevent and manage work-related stress.
6.00pm, Unite the Union, 128 Theobalds Road, WC1X 8TN
EVENTS
EMERGENCY RALLY: No to the Coup in Brazil, Democracy SOS! 23 May 2016
Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign forthcoming events: May – August 2016
Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign group will be hosting a good mix of events over the summer months ranging from book launches, music events, discussions, public events and fundraising opportunities to get involved in. Events are located over a good geographical spread including London, Sheffield, Oxford and Bradford.
Full details of all events are here
Support the Miami Five Freedom Walk: 3 July 2016
The Cuba Solidarity Campaign group will be holding a sponsored walk through the beautiful Chess Valley in July to help raise funds to bring the Miami Five to Britain this summer. You and your family and friends are welcome to join the walk this summer. All walkers receive a special T shirt, a bar of delicious Cuban chocolate and badge.
For more information click here
Opportunity to volunteer at two of the UK's biggest music festivals whilst supporting ACTSA (Action for Southern Africa) at the same time. By volunteering with the Workers Beer Company (WBC), you will get free entry to Glastonbury or Latitude festivals and ACTSA will get £7 for every hour you work on one of their bars.you work on one of their bars.
The person responsible for the e-bulletin is:
Tanya Warlock
Tel 0207 467 1357
E: twarlock@tuc.org.uk
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