Andre Kiekens, the SG of WSM talks about OHS in Nepal

Andre Kiekens, General Secretary of World Solidarity visited Nepal and the partners there. On the 28th of April, during the International Occupation Health and Safety Day, he made the following speech at meetings of NTUC and GEFONT.

It’s an honor for me to participate in this event regarding Occupational Safety and Health in Kathmandu. It is the first time that I have the opportunity to be in your nice country and this happening of your trade unions.
World Solidarity is the NGO of the Workers’ movement in Belgium and is proud to support the work of our Nepali friends on this important issue, through our partnership with these strong social movements.
That is also the reason why we give attention to this topic within the synergy programme of your organizations. Health and safety at work is really important everywhere in the world, which is why today, it is the International Day on Occupational Safety and Health. But in the context of Nepal, it is particularly needed, because there are a lot of challenges linked to this issue.
As you know, World Solidarity focuses on the issue of the “Right to Social Protection” and Social Protection has many dimensions. But a good social protection starts with good working conditions. Work is the base for a better life and cannot be the cause of diseases or illness. 

A few days ago we also remembered the catastrophe of Rana Plaza, which highlighted the working conditions of the garment sector in Bangladesh. This catastrophe shocked the world and raised awareness about the importance of safety and health as a real problem in the supply chain in Asia. Today, we can also refer to the same problems in working conditions in Qatar and the labour migrants.  In Europe, we are organizing campaigns to tackle these problems together with you.
I take this opportunity to congratulate your union for the very important role you are playing in the construction for a better, more equal, safe and democratic society in Nepal.
Trade unions have taken their responsibilities in the new constitution drafting, now, the draft labour law and the universal social security bill are on the agenda.
After that, implementation of these legislations will also be demanding and a tough and long process, which will require the involvement of all sectors and their companies. This is really an amazing structural route. We admire that the unions try to do this in unity. This synergy is making our voice so much stronger!
It is a good strategy for everywhere but it is even more important in a country where recently, political and social conflicts were so present.  You as actors of social dialogue and social protection are actors of peace. That’s also why WSM is ready to support your work with a new programme of collaboration for the next five years. This is not only about funding, but is also a commitment for exchanging ideas and capacity building based on shared values.
That’s also why a few months ago, we invited the leaders of the 3 ITUC affiliates (GEFONT, NTUC and ANTUF) to Brussels in November 2016 to share experiences. So our guests had the opportunity to share ideas and strategies and to learn from each other and the Belgian unions. As you can see, we are brothers in the same fight. And as your slogan, we should remember the victims together and fight for the living!
Solidarity greetings from the workers in Belgium and lots of courage and good luck with your important mission.
Namaste!

AMRC: Let’s push the governments and relevant organizations for the collection of reliable OSH data for sustainable action

International Workers' Memorial Day takes place annually around the world on April 28 as a day of remembrance and action for workers killed, disabled, injured or made unwell by their work.

According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), across the world:
- Each year, more than two million men and women die as a result of work-related accidents and diseases
- Workers suffer approximately 270 million accidents each year, and fall victim to some 160 million incidents of work-related illnesses
- Hazardous substances kill 440,000 workers annually – asbestos claims 100,000 lives
- One worker dies every 15 seconds worldwide. 6,000 workers die every day. More people die whilst at work than those fighting wars.
 However, the above-mentioned data are years old and not being updated on a regular basis due to challenges associated with occupational safety and health (OSH) data collection in many countries of the world particularly in the Asia and Pacific region.

NGWF: 4th Anniversary of Rana Plaza: ‘Zero Tolerance’ regarding workers safety

Leaders of National Garment Workers Federation have vowed saying, “We will not let occur anymore tragic accident like Rana Plaza in Bangladesh. We will follow ‘Zero Tolerance’ policy regarding Garment workers safety. There will be no compromise in this matter.”National Garment Workers Federation (NGWF) leaders said this at ‘A lighting of 50 beacons of life by 50 orphans’ program organized to mark the 4th anniversary of Rana Plaza tragedy in front of the National Press Club in Dhaka city.

The 50 orphans have lighted equal number of lamps; they lost their parents in Rana Plaza accident that took place on April 24, 2013. They lightened the lamps at 9:15am on the occasion. The 8-story Rana Plaza located at Savar, about 30 kilometers away from the capital Dhaka, at about 9:00am on the fateful day when more than 5000 workers were working in 5 Garment factories inside the building. About 1138 workers, mostly women, lost their lives in the accident, which injured over 2500 workers. This tragedy is treated globally as the biggest industrial accident in the world in 100 years.

President of NGWF Amirul Haque Amin presided over the program. At the beginning of the program, the participants paid rich tribute & respect to the martyrs & victim and mourn their tragedy. They prayed for the departed souls and injured workers of Rana Plaza. President of the ceremony paid gratitude to the Garment workers of Bangladesh, Garment Trade Unions, International Trade Unions and Workers’ rights organizations for extending support for realizing compensation for the dead & injured victims of the tragedy and their family.

The program was addressed by, among others, NGWF General Secretary Mrs Arifa Akhtar & Central committee leaders Md. Faruq Khan, Mrs Aleya Begum, Kabir Hossain, Rafiqul Islam Rafique, Foridul Islam, Humayun Kabir, Mrs Sweety Sultana, H Robiul Chowdhury, Miss Esrat Jahan Ela, Bacchu Mia, Mrs Parvin Akhter, Md. Kasem.

While  delivering  presidential  speech  NGWF  President  Amirul  Haque  Amin appealed to the Government, Trade union bodies, BGMEA-BKMEA, Brands (ACCORD & Alliance) to undertake joint initiatives to prevent a repetition of tragedies like Rana Plaza and Tazreen Tragedies and to compensate the victim workers as per ‘Loss of earnings’(& 500.000Taka for ‘Pain & sufferings as per ILO Convention 121), as well as providing and short and long term medical support.

Amin also urged all concerned to provide long-term advanced and free Medicare support to the injured workers of both Rana Plaza and Tazreen.

ITUC Calls for Asbestos Trade Crackdown

Brussels, 13 April 2017 (ITUC OnLine): The ITUC has called for international action to stop the trade in chrysotile asbestos, a toxic form of the mineral which is still being exported, including to developing countries.  A key step would be for chrysotile to be included on the list of substances under the Rotterdam Convention on trade in hazardous substances.  Trade unions and many governments will be pushing for the listing at the next international Rotterdam Convention conference in Geneva starting on 24 April.

NGWF: Ananta workers’ movement prevents repetition of Rana Plaza tragedy in Dhaka

The workers of Ananta Fashion & Ananta Apparels Ltd, two garment factories housed at same building in Dhaka metropolitan city, resisted repetition of another Rana Plaza tragedy through united movement following partial collapse of the building recently under the leadership of the NGWF along with their factory union.

Security guardrooms at the ground floor of 15-the storied Ananta Plaza, which houses both factories, collapsed on April 5, 2017 at about 5pm, when about 3.000 workers, mostly women, were still producing RMG products inside the building, giving in to big earth-hole created due to pressure of a massive excavation of immediately adjacent land.