International Development Matters - Issue 165 June 2017
| International Development Matters |
| Issue number 165 June 2017 |
| IDM - Monthly newsletter reporting international development matters and issues affecting trade unionists around the world. Including reports, statements, interviews and events. |
TUC Aid funds training programme for Nicaraguan self-employed street sellers
TUC Aid: Supporting the empowerment of women trade union leaders in the Bangladesh garment industry
Teachers in Colombia march again as strike continues
Kazakhstan: Union Leaders Jailed, ITUC Takes Case to ILO
Qatar: Swiss Government Mediation between BWI and FIFA a Good Step
New ILO Brochure: Decent work, the key to the 2030 agenda for sustainable development
Report warns against public-private aid ‘blending’ over transparency failures
Improving corporate labour practice: a global effort
ACT NOW! Iran: urgent action needed to help free education unionist
ACT NOW! Madagascar: Dock workers sacked for joining a union
ACT NOW! Overturn convictions of Turkish trade unionists
ACT NOW! Demand respect for human rights at Coca-Cola Indonesia
RadioLabour Solidarity News Broadcast, 6 June 2017
New films to premiere at CSC Annual General Meeting
TUC NEWS
Accusations and threats of criminal prosecution towards Omar Faruk Osman, Secretary-General of the National Union of Somali Journalists
TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady has written to the HMG Ambassador in Somalia in response to unwarranted criminal accusations being directed towards the Secretary-General of the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ), Omar Faruk Osman, for speaking out on government policies on press freedom and journalists’ rights. Read the IFJ’s condemnation of this action here
TUC Aid funds training programme for Nicaraguan self-employed street sellers
TUC Aid funded a training programme for Nicaraguan street sellers with the invaluable support from The Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign Action Group. Read Louise Richards’ (NSCAG) report describing the project impact here (page 12).
TUC Aid: Supporting the empowerment of women trade union leaders in the Bangladesh garment industry
A TUC Aid project, in partnership with NGWF, is supporting training for woman leaders within the union to develop knowledge on labour law, grievance resolution and collective bargaining and to develop their skills and confidence as union negotiators.
Read more here
OTHER INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Teachers in Colombia march again as strike continues
On Tuesday 6th June 60,000 teachers once again marched through the centre of the Colombian capital, Bogotá. They have now been on strike for nearly a month, calling on the government to increase investment in state schools, improve teacher pay and medical care, and ensure public education is accessible across the country.
Read more here
Kazakhstan: Union Leaders Jailed, ITUC Takes Case to ILO
The ITUC has lodged a formal complaint with the International Labour Organisation over the unjustified imprisonment of two oil industry trade union officials in Kazakhstan, as well as government refusal to recognise the rights of workers in a range of sectors to organise independent trade unions.
Read more here
Qatar: Swiss Government Mediation between BWI and FIFA a Good Step
The ITUC has welcomed the outcome of a Swiss Government-mediated agreement between the Building and Wood Workers’ International and FIFA over conditions for workers building the stadiums for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Read more here
IFI NEWS
New ILO Brochure: Decent work, the key to the 2030 agenda for sustainable development
Decent work puts money in the pockets of individuals and families that they can spend in the local economy. Their purchasing power fuels the growth and development of sustainable enterprises, especially smaller businesses, which in turn are able to hire more workers and improve their pay and conditions. It increases tax revenues for governments, who can then fund social measures to protect those who cannot find, or are unable to work.
Download the ILO brochure here
Report warns against public-private aid ‘blending’ over transparency failures
A key plank of future aid funding to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has come under fire in a report which warns against all ‘blending’ partnerships until a raft of alleged failures are fixed. The study by the ITUC, warns that the so-called public-private blending instruments are largely non-transparent, usually favour enterprises in the donor’s country, lack monitoring and often fail to ensure decent working conditions.
Improving corporate labour practice: a global effort
Through their everyday work in upholding the freedom of association and collective bargaining rights, and in promoting decent work and the rights of working people, trade unions are essential actors to achieve these development objectives and ensure no one is left behind. Through social dialogue, unions further enhance the democratic ownership of projects, put the focus on the real impact on the ground and boost the accountability of other actors involved, such as the private sector.
Read the full ITUC’s guest essay on Civil Society & the Private Sector as part of CIVICUS State of Civil Society report 2017.
CALLS TO ACTION
ACT NOW! Iran: Urgent action needed to help free education unionist
Education International reiterates its call for global solidarity and urges Iranian public authorities to immediately release imprisoned education union leader Esmail Abdi, whose hunger strike is taking a toll on his health. Take action and voice your protest to the Iranian public authorities about the six-year jail sentence imposed on Abdi, and demand his immediate release!
ACT NOW! Madagascar: Dock workers sacked for joining a union
Madagascan dock workers are fighting for their rights. They were sacked for joining their union to fight for an end to precarious work, low-pay and unsafe working conditions. Act now and send an email to the Madagascan Labour Minister to ensure he enforces local labour laws and reinstates these workers.
Watch a short ITF video showing solidarity from unions around the world.
ACT NOW! Overturn convictions of Turkish trade unionists
Fourteen leaders of ITF union TÜMTİS’ Ankara branch are facing imprisonment on charges dating back to 2007. We demand their unconditional release.
Read more here and take action here
ACT NOW! Demand respect for human rights at Coca-Cola Indonesia
Independent unions at Coca-Cola Indonesia, joined by IUF affiliates and other Coca-Cola unions, rallied in front of the Coca-Cola Amatil Indonesia head office on May 8 in defence of the fundamental rights the company continues to systematically violate.
Click here to send a message to coca-cola!
FOCUS ON TRADE UNIONISTS
RadioLabour Solidarity News Broadcast, 6 June 2017
The UN’s International Labour Organisation conference begins. The theme this year is the Future of Work in the world. Trade unionists want a just transition to greener economies. Listen to ILO Director-General, Guy Ryder’s opening speech making it clear that there is a direct connection between climate change and future jobs.
Listen here or read the Script
Equal Times Blog: Investing in climate action is an imperative to secure jobs - Sharan Burrow, ITUC General Secretary
Read the Equal Times blog by ITUC General Secretary, Sharon Burrow on how investment in climate action is an imperative to secure jobs and a sustainable future.
EVENTS
New films to premiere at CSC Annual General Meeting
Saturday, 10 June 2017, 10:30am
Mabeldon Place, London
The Cuba Solidarity Campaign’s Annual General Meeting for 2017 will take place on Saturday 10 June at Mabledon Place, the NUT headquarters in London. Doors open for registration from 10am and the AGM runs from 10.30am – 4.30pm. The AGM is free and open to all (but only CSC members and affiliates are able to propose and vote on motions).
Tanya Warlock
Tel 0207 467 1357
E: twarlock@tuc.org.uk
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