International Development Matters - Issue 161 February 2017
| International Development Matters |
| Issue number 161 February 2017 |
| IDM - Monthly newsletter reporting international development matters and issues affecting trade unionists around the world. Including reports, statements, interviews and events. |
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National Union of Teachers: Global Matters Newsletter South African union saves mineworkers’ jobs Kazakhstan: Repression of Independent Trade Unions Sri Lanka: Workers protest arbitrary dismissals Bangladesh garment factories sack hundreds after pay protests Davos: Global Alarm Bells Call for Emergency Response Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Indicators: The view of trade unions ACT NOW! Tell Fresh fruit giant Fyffes to stop bashing workers’ rights ACT NOW to defend food worker unions in Egypt ACT NOW! Show support for Nigerian dockworkers RadioLabour World Report, 16 – 20 January 2017 ILO interview with Noriyuki Suzuki: General Secretary of ITUC - Asia Pacific Stand Up To Racism Trade Union Conference Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign Action Group – Gender Equality Fringe Meeting Trump’s US, Venezuela & the New Latin America – ‘Regime Change’ up the agenda? TUC NEWSNational Union of Teachers: Global Matters NewsletterOur affiliate, the National Union of Teachers (NUT) continues to engage in international development solidarity work with teacher unions and partners from around the world. Read their latest global solidarity newsletter, which details some of their latest campaign activity. OTHER INTERNATIONAL NEWSSouth African union saves mineworkers’ jobsDemonstrating the power of dialogue, a strong trade union and enabling legislation, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) in South Africa has successfully averted the loss of 849 jobs. Read more here Kazakhstan: Repression of Independent Trade UnionsThe ITUC has written to the President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, to demand the release of imprisoned trade unionists and an end to repression of the ITUC-affiliated Confederation of Independent Trade Union of Kazakhstan KNPRK and its affiliates. Sri Lanka: Workers protest arbitrary dismissalsManagement at Global Star Logistics in Seeduwa, Sri Lanka, arbitrarily dismissed workers, issued threats, intimidation and attempts to physically attack leading union members because the workers had decided to form a union. Read more here Bangladesh garment factories sack hundreds after pay protestsAt least 1,500 workers have been sacked from Bangladesh garment factories after protests forced a week-long shutdown at dozens of sites supplying top European and American brands. Tens of thousands of workers walked out of factories during December in the manufacturing hub of Ashulia which make clothes for top western brands prompting concerns over supply during the holiday season. Find out what sparked the protests here and sign the Labourstart petition calling on the government of Bangladesh to immediately release the detained union leaders and activists, and drop all the charges against them. IFI NEWSDavos: Global Alarm Bells Call for Emergency ResponseWorld trade union leaders met at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos and called for an emergency response to worsening inequality and economic insecurity. Read what union leaders are specifically calling for here Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Indicators: The view of trade unionsMonitoring of the SDGs is to begin in 2017, and the Inter Agency Expert Group (IAEG-SDG) held its fourth meeting at the United Nations Grounds in Geneva on 17-18 November. Trade unions representatives at the UN consider it "positive" that "the indicators can still be improved" but warn that in not totally transparent processes, the targets can be distorted in the choice of indicators. Read more here CALLS TO ACTIONACT NOW! Tell Fresh fruit giant Fyffes to stop bashing workers’ rightsWorkers in fruit giant Fyffes' subsidiaries in Costa Rica and Honduras have reported serious and systematic violations of basic labour rights, including failure to respect freedom of association with threats, harassment and sacking of union members, blocking collective bargaining processes, failure to pay minimum wages and social insurance, exposing workers to hazardous agrochemicals and sacking pregnant workers. Take action and call on Fyffes to end the discrimination now. ACT NOW to defend food worker unions in EgyptWorkers at the IFFCO edible oils factory in Suez, Egypt are fighting to defend their independent union. Twenty-seven of the factory workers and leaders and members of their union face crippling fines and jail terms for the ‘crime’ of striking to defend their wages, with sentences due to be announced on 29 January. A global union campaign run by the International Union of Foodworkers (IUF) is encouraging us all to send a message to the employer and the President of Egypt. ACT NOW! Show support for Nigerian dockworkersThousands of dockworkers in Nigeria are struggling to support their families since they were effectively fired by the National Ports Authority in December 2015 without any permanent alternative jobs or income. This means they are not meeting the standards Nigeria agreed to by ratifying the International Labour Organization's Dock Worker Convention 1973 (No. 137). Tell the Nigerian government to intervene now to help find a resolution and protect workers' rights. FOCUS ON TRADE UNIONISTS
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The person responsible for the e-bulletin is:
Tanya Warlock
Tel 0207 467 1307
E: twarlock@tuc.org.uk
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