Social Security Coverage for all Nepali workers

Another major issue we have been working on with WSM support is social protection, where we were able to draft a position paper on behalf of all the trade unions, which was used as the main tool while bargaining with the employers and the government, and that I think led to a milestone for social security in Nepal.  Ramesh Badal, GEFONT and Steering Committee member for Nepal.

New historic social security legislation was passed in July 2017, after 18 years of lobbying by the trade unions, WSM partners. A universal social security bill was passed which has paved the way for the government to four main social security schemes. For the very first time, all those working in formal and informal sectors will be covered by unemployment, maternity, health, accident, old age and disability benefits. Workers will contribute 11%, while employers 20% and the government will ensure the management of the system. The 27th of November was declared National Social Security Day, to be celebrated yearly and offering an opportunity to yearly remind the government of its now very public commitment. And of course, WSM partners as trade unions gathered many of their members across the country to celebrate and inform workers of these new rights, and they'll be there to help ensure the government rolls out all these schemes and doesn't just stop at these four basic schemes.

Young trade union leaders are not the future, they are today's leaders! (GEFONT)

Bikey Shrestha is a young taxi driver from the transport federation affiliated to GEFONT:

 “I am a young leader, but GEFONT has invested a lot in training us so we could take part in collective bargaining. The Nepali government recently imposed an Education Qualification requirement, which meant that taxi drivers, besides their driving licence, had to have studied until 16 years (finished class 10). Most taxi drivers currently don’t have this level of education, so it would have meant many would have lost their jobs or were at risk of being imprisoned. Our trade union played a vital role to dismiss this requirement, through the negotiations with the authorities, after we submitted a Policy Letter of Memorandum to the Traffic Police. We also managed to increase our salaries to 3750 NPR (27,2€) per month. However, we still haven’t manged to ensure the full implement of the Social Security Law, which is our next priority. Meanwhile, we have started a solidarity fund, to which all taxi drivers contribute and so when one of us has an accident, they can get some financial support.”

GEFONT dedicated the WSM support to organizing young workers and equipping them with leadership skills. Based on examples from brick factories in Bhaktapur and for transport sector, it seems Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA) are what young workers feel has the most important impact, as it improves the lives of not only their members, but of all workers. One of their important messages was that young leaders aren’t the leaders of tomorrow, they should be leaders today! Young workers shouldn’t have to wait for positions to be given by the current leadership, but should demand and take up leadership positions now already, as young workers have specific issues and face articular challenges (internships, lack of permanent contracts, more at risk for sexual harassment etc.).

The main achievement through the WSM support is that GEFONT was able to organize the young workers within the GEFONT rank and file. Ramesh Badal, Steering Committee member for Nepal

For its 100 year anniversary, the ILO marks the occasion with the adoption of Convention 190 on violence at work!

The Commission of Norms of the International Labor Organization (ILO) adopted on Monday, June 17, 2019 the Convention 190 aimed at eradicating violence and harassment in the world of work. Noticeably affecting all types of work all over the world, this binding instrument will now have to be ratified by the member states of the organization.

In 2018, the International Labor Organization (ILO), alerted to the catastrophic consequences of violence and harassment in the world of work, launched a normative process to develop a binding international standard to combat this unacceptable problem. After two intense working sessions organized during the International Labor Conference in June 2018 and 2019, the work has just ended this Monday, June 17, to the applause of the 500 people composing the Standards Committee, exhausted by two weeks of hard work which often continued till late.

The Global Charter for universal Social Protection promoted towards the Asian Development Bank

ADB President Takehiko Nakao reads
the Global Charter for Universal Social Protection Rights and Principles
during the Meeting between CSOs and ADB Senior Management

NGO Forum on ADB was able to further the cause of the Global Charter for Universal Social Protection by bringing it to the 52nd Asian Development Bank (ADB) Annual Meeting in Nadi, Fiji last May 1-5, 2019.

1. The Global Charter for Universal Social Protection (and principles) was presented and given to ADB President Takehiko Nakao during the CSO Dialogue with the President.

Rayyan Hassan, executive director of the Forum, explained the need for the ADB to fully support and adapt the charter and the principles.  After the explanation, a copy was handed to President Nakao and NGO and Civil Society Center Head, Chris Morris. You can see the video here (social protection segment at 23:57).



2. During the discussion on ADB's Strategy 2030, NGO Forum on ADB also pushed for the adaptation of the Global Charter for Universal Social Protection especially in the area of "Addressing remaining poverty and reducing inequalities" (Operational Priority 1).  The charter and the principle was also endorsed and given to Ms. Wendy Walker, the lead person of operational priority 1.  She, in turn, said that she would like to hear more regarding the charter once we come back to Manila and it is expected that there will be a series of meetings between the office of Ms. Walker and NGO Forum on ADB re: social protection

3. The charter and principle was also a major part of the panel "Unpacking the Delivery of ADB’s Safeguard Policy Statement" where the Forum expressed its belief that there is no clear policy framework in ensuring safeguards in ADB supported projects. speciall those that are co-financed with other multilateral development banks. Emphasis was given by the speakers on the issue of social justice and protection.  Two individuals from the Indian National Rural Labor Federation (INRLF), Tamil Nadu State, India Sitaram Saini, President of All Himachal PWD & IPH Contractual Workers Union (AHPWDIPHCWU), Himachal Pradesh State, India with the assistance of Building and Wood Workers' International (BWI) was able to speak in the panel session and share their experiences (you can watch the video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56qd_s3jRzo&feature=youtu.be).
Third, copies of the Global Charter for Universal Social Protection (and principles) were given out to the attendees of the NGO Forum sessions, and inquiries about the charter and principles were discussed by the Forum members, including why the Forum network is endorsing it.  There were dialogues around the charter and the principles amongst other NGO's attending the event, most significant is the interest of Pacific groups who shares thesame sentiments.

4. The charter was also given to the following ADB Officials:

1. Head of the Sustainable Development and Climate Change Department (SDCC)
2. Board of Directors
3. Alternate Directors 

As of May 10, 2019 several ADB Officials expressed their intention to meet with NGO Forum on ADB regarding social protection including Alternate Director Helmut Fischer (alternate director for Austria / Germany / Luxembourg / Turkey / United Kingdom) and the Office of Director General Woochong Um.

Looking back and forward to two years of Clean Clothes Campaigning in Belgium.

Looking back and forward to two years of Clean Clothes Campaigning in Belgium.

(In Dutch)

India: SWATE from AREDS observes International Women’s Day

Besides facilitating the grassroots women to improve themselves economically and socially, SWATE has been conducting programmes to enhance their political awareness. Further, it has been fighting for ascertaining justice whenever women and girl children are subjected to sexual abuse and to any form of violence. Various women’s movements are fighting for women’s freedom and gender equality. As a token of extending solidarity to the international movement for women’s emancipation, SWATE observes the International Women’s Day every year. This year, it focused on five issues:

1. Total prohibition of liquor, 
2. Employment for youth,
3. Gender equality and ending violence against women, 
4. Free and fair election, 
5. Promoting organic farming.

India: Draft Social Security Code: what does it mean for unorganized workers and domestic workers

The Indian Government is in the process of replacing 44 labour laws by 4 codes namely Wage Code, Industrial Relations Code, Social Security Code, Occupational Health and Safety Code. All four Codes were meant to simplify the existing Labour laws, but end up watering down workers’ rights, in order to promote ease of doing business. 

The Social Security Code would replace 15 existing Social Security Acts. The main problem for NDWM is that it interferes with all the existing Welfare Boards. There will be only one single Social Security Board for both organized and unorganized workers in every state. This would make the numbers dealt with by this Board huge and very difficult to manage.  Deductions towards the Social security Fund would be 12.5 % from workers and 17.5 % from employers, which would seriously affect unorganized labour. 

Bulgarian whistle-blower: "Working conditions in Bulgaria sometimes worse than in south-east Asia"

Georgi Medarov says he has inside information about the working practices and conditions inside the textile industry across Bulgaria.

Speaking to Euronews' Hans von der Brelie, Medarov claims a ''grey economy' continues to flourish across Bulgaria, insisting social contributions often go unpaid. He also explains how workers are frequently pressured into not taking sick leave and forced to do excessive overtime.

During months of research across the country Medarov, who works for the international Clean Clothes Campaign, an organisation lobbying for better working conditions in textile industry around the world, says he interviewed countless workers in Bulgaria.

To watch the full interview, click on the video link.

100-year-old ILO prepares for the future

Geneva, January 22, 2019 - The International Labor Organization (ILO) officially launched its centenary with the presentation of the final report of the Global Commission on the Future of Work. As the name suggests, this Commission focused on the Future of Work. Former World Solidarity Chairman and until recently, chairman of the Board of Directors of the ILO, Luc Cortebeeck, also participated in this Committee.

The ILO, when blowing its 100th candle, aims to do 2 things. On the one hand, it looks back on the past as the only tripartite organization in the UN system, where governments, trade unions and employers jointly set out guidelines for social policies worldwide. On the other hand, it wants to look ahead: what challenges do we face in the world of work and what answer can the ILO offer? The Global Commission has focused on this key question since October 2017. Its analysis and recommendations can be found in the report 'Work for a brighter future'.

Video on the Global Charter for Social Protection Rights

The Social Justice Cluster of the Asia Europe People's Forum presents this video on social protection and on the Global Charter for Social Protection Rights. The video was made with the help of the NGO Forum on ADB. 

The Steering committee of our Asia Network on the Right to Social Protection (ANRSP) has decided to support the charter which will also be discussed at our Asia Seminar in Kathmandu in February 2019.

Please watch the video and distribute it if you can. You can access it by clicking on this link.

Nepal making strides towards social security

 While in many places, social security is under threat, in Nepal, new historic social security legislation was passed and last week they started the implementation.

In July 2017, after 18 years of lobbying by the trade unions, WSM partners, a universal social security bill was passed which has paved the way for the government to four main social security schemes. For the very first time, all those working in formal and informal sectors will be covered by unemployment, maternity, health, accident, old age and disability benefits. Workers will contribute 11%, while employers 20% and the government will ensure the management of the system.

Of course, passing legislation is an important step, but to guarantee implementation, it needs to be widely known and accepted. In an unprecedented PR move, the government took out adds in all newspapers, covering the entire first page with this news, SMS were send to subscribers, billboards were placed all over town to graphically show the four schemes. The 27th of November was declared National Social Security Day, to be celebrated yearly and offering an opportunity to yearly remind the government of its now very public commitment.

And of course, WSM partners as trade unions gathered many of their members across the country to celebrate and inform workers of these new rights, and they'll be there to help ensure the government rolls out all schemes and doesn't just stop at these four basic schemes.

ANRSP attends the ASEAN People's Forum

The ANRSP, represented by Bismo and Ath Thorn (Cambodia Steering Committee Member), attended the ASEAN Civil Society Conference/ ASEAN People Forum in Singapore from 2 till 4th of November 2018. ACSC/APF is a gathering of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Southeast Asia to engage with ASEAN on the issues affecting the region. ASEAN is composed out of 10 countries in South East Asia; Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Cambodia, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei Darussalam, Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar. The 10 states of ASEAN have very different political systems, which are reflected as well in their representatives attending the forum. After initially focusing on lobbying towards, due to the lack of response, ACSC/APF will mainly build an alternative model of regional integration and people’ solidarity across the Southeast Asia region. In Singapore, delegations were limited to maximum 200 peoples or 20 delegations per country -compared to a total of more than 1.000 people in the ACSC/APF Philippines in 2017, certain topics were considered ‘sensitive’ and there were no officials present from ASEAN or Singapore.

2018 Update on the Bangladesh OHS Initiative

In Bangladesh, WSM and its partners have supported in 2016 till 2018 the OHS Initiative. You can find their latest newsletter here. 
As an extract, here an email interview with Masud Parvez, previously the Training Manager and now the Project Coordinator of the Bangladesh OHS Initiative for Workers and Community.

What have the participants in the 2017 training course done with their new skills and information?
At the end of the 20-day training course, the first group of participants carried out several training programs for their own organizations, part of the general effort of the participating organizations to make occupational health and safety a part of their regular project activities. Our records show that 20
of the program graduates from the five organizations participating last year carried out a total of 106 training sessions, each lasting from two hours to all day long, for 2,400 participants. Each organization tends to focus on specific topics. For example, some focused on labor law and the role of safety committees, others on hygiene in the workplace, and still others on gender and domestic and workplace violence.
According to our follow-up training plan based on discussions with the member organizations, they will conduct another 108 trainings reaching 2,160 participants by November. These trainings will be
conducted by graduates of both groups, with the new graduates leading two sessions each.

Bangladesh Labour amendment bill passed

The Bangladesh Labour (Amendment) Bill, 2018 was passed in Parliament on 24th of October 2018 aiming to give more facilities to workers and reducing the workers' threshold to 20 percent from the existing 30 percent for forming trade unions. State Minister for Labour and Employment (Independent Charge) Md Mujibul Haque Chunnu moved the Bill in the House and it was passed by voice vote.The bill was prepared and updated following the observations of the International Labour Organization (ILO) which will be a labour-friendly one.

Under the new law:

1. the percentage of workers' participation required for forming trade unions at factories will be reduced to 20 percent from the existing 30 percent;
2. no child will be allowed to work in factories. If anybody employs child workers, then he or she will have to pay a fine of Tk 5,000;
3. the punishment of workers for violating laws has been reduced by 50 percent while new facilities included for them;
4. the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishment has been upgraded to the level of Directorate;
5. The post of the chief inspector of the department is now inspector general, while deputy director general is additional inspector general, and the post of labour director has been upgraded to the rank of director general;
6. Mentally and physically-challenged labourers cannot be employed in any risky works;
7. According to section 47 of the Bill, if any female worker gives birth to a baby before informing the authorities, she will get an eight-week leave within three days after informing the authorities. If the factory authorities do not allow her to go on leave, they will be fined Tk 25,000. 
8. Besides, if any worker does his or her duty during festival, he or she will get a one-day leave and wage for two days after the festival. 
9. Both owners and workers will be sentenced to one-year jail with a fine of Tk 10,000 for misconduct, which was two years in the previous law. 
10. Section 195 of the law will be applicable for factory owners and section 196 for labourers and workers. 
11. In case of natural death, the family of the worker concerned will get Tk 2 lakh as compensation, which was Tk 1 lakh in the previous law, and in the case of injury, they will get Tk 2.50 lakh, which is now Tk 1.25 lakh. 
12. if the owner is forced to sign or accept anything applying force, issuing threat, confinement, torture and detaching gas, power and water connections, this will be considered as misconduct.
13. the punishment for enforcing strike illegally has been reduced to six months from one year.
14. the support of 51 percent workers is needed against present two-thirds of total workers to call a strike. Illegal enforcement of strike will also be considered as misconduct. 
15. If anyone is found to be a member of a number of trade unions at the same time, he or she will be sentenced to one month's imprisonment which was six months in the previous law. 
16. According to the ILO convention, the draft law has a scope to form a tripartite advisory council consisting of the government, owners and workers.
17. the Labour Court will have to deliver judgment in a case within 90 days from the date of filing it and if it is not possible to announce the verdict in the stipulated time, the court must deliver its judgment in the next 90 days. In case of appeal petition, the court will have to pass its order within 90 days. 
18. the government will have to give registration to a trade union within 55 days from receiving the application which was in 60 days in the previous law.