Increase minimum wage to 177USD in Cambodia: start of online campaign!

 Is 177$ for Cambodian garment workers really too much to ask for?
Standing in solidarity with Cambodian workers today who make clothes.

Tweet it: Cambodian workers need $177 a month. @hm @ca_europe @levis #weneed177

Put it on their facebook pages:
- http://www.facebook.com/ca.belgium
- https://www.facebook.com/#!/hm/timeline
- https://www.facebook.com/#!/Levis.benelux
- https://www.facebook.com/Zara/?fref=ts

Take a picture with the sticker and post it online, and send it to wouke.oprel@wsm.be

Place of elderly in Belgium and Bangladesh: look and learn visit between OKRA and GK

With population growing ever grayer, both the north and the south are faced with realities and challenges of how to care for these elderly, integrate  them and offer them a dignified retirement. Clearly, social protection plays a major role in this. To share practices, a look and learn visit from OKRA, a Belgian member organisation of the Belgian Christian workers movement which caters for the specific needs of the 55+, to GK in Bangladesh. 12 volunteers from OKRA, including Jef Van Hecken, who was previously based in Dhaka for WSM, and two colleagues from WSM are participating for two weeks. 

You can follow their blog (in Dutch) here.

MoU to assist Nepali migrant workers in Qatar

In a bid to protect the rights of Nepali migrant workers in Qatar, which numbers to over 450,000 workers in varied sectors, the National Human Rights Commission of Nepal and the National Human Rights Committee of Qatar signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and activation plan.

National Human Rights Commission Nepal Chair Anup Raj Sharma and National Human Rights Committee Qatar Chair Dr Ali Bin Al Marri signed this agreement to provide mutual assistance for the protection of migrant workers. The Nepalese delegation consisted of Mr Kamal Thapa Chettri and Ms Kalpana Jha as commission officers. Mr Laxman Basnet, SARTUC General Secretary, also accompanied the Nepalese delegation. SARTUC played a crucial role in bringing the two Human Rights Commissions together for facilitating the signing of this MoU. Solidarity Centre provided assistance for this accomplishment. Mr Laxman Basnet hailed the signing of MOU as a great step towards protecting Nepali migrant workers’ rights, and also stressed that such agreements shall be facilitated between NHRC Nepal and other countries of destination for Nepali migrant workers.

During the Qatar visit, SARTUC organised meetings and held discussions with Qatar-based Nepali organizations and groups regarding their conditions. The NHRC Nepal team and SARTUC General Secretary visited labour camps and the Nepalese Embassy in Qatar.

WSM Asia partners support the Social Protection 4 All campaign

All WSM Asia partners expressed their support to the Social Protection Campaign 4 All during the Continental Planning Workshop in Indonesia...

Youth and social protection

One of the challenges, not only in Asia but also in Europe and around the world, is how to get youth involved in social movements and prioritized by policies and social protection. At the beginning of 2012, the world population surpassed 7 billion with people under the age of 30 accounting for more than half of this number (50.5%). According to a UNESCO survey, 89.7% of people under 30 lived in emerging and developing economies. But to which extent are they involved in the political choices of the societies they live in, have access to decent jobs and decent wages, and how much of a priority are youth for politicians? Most youth and especially young workers are excluded and ignored, very often working in the informal sector or leaving the country as migrant workers, and so they fall outside of the regulations and labour laws.

This is the topic some of the WSM partners discuss currently in Hong Kong, during a seminar conducted by the Young Christian Workers movement, where both the national YCW movements, meet with some of WSM trade union partners.

It is organized by the regional secretariat from YCW Asia and Pacific, and had input and facilitation from WSM, the International YCW, IMA and AMRC. One of the suggestion that came out of the workshop was to consider youth as a crosscutting issue, same as gender and environment, an angle that should be examined for each topic discussed. When we look at social protection, migration but also aspects from the organisations, like leadership or capacity strengthening, we should each time ask ourselves the question to which extent youth are affected and involved.

The meeting also offered the opportunity to explore some of the labour issues in Hong Kong, and field visits were done, first to KUCE place, in which IMA functions and where there was an interaction with some of the migrant workers. Participants also posed for a picture for online protest against the forest fires in Indonesia and the subsequent haze, which is causing air pollution and victims in the region. Sunday, Victoria Park in central Hong Kong was visited, where Indonesian migrant workers, mostly domestic workers, gather to share meals, perform dances and cultural events, and in general have fun and organize.

CFTUI from India gets full membership with ITUC

After many years of associated membership, CFTUI, a WSM trade union partner in India, was finally granted full membership during the 15th Meeting of the ITUC General Council in Sao Paulo, Brazil. This is an important achievement, as it will serve to increase the recognition of CFTUI as a social partner in India, alongside the three other affiliates to ITUC from India: INTUC, HMS and SEWA.

In India, there are 13 Central Trade Unions, almost all with links to different political parties, and which are included in social dialogue and tripartite structures. CFTUI still has to go through a verification process in which the Indian central government audits its membership. There seems to be little doubt however that CFTUI meets the formal criteria (minimal 800.000 members and presence in at least eight states and eight industries). It is hence a main priority for CFTUI to lobby for, meticulously prepare and participate in any upcoming verification process by the Indian authorities, hopefully within the next five years. These General Verifications do not take place very often: in 1980, 1989, 2002 and the latest in 2013. Results of the verification are published by the Ministry of Labour (link).

CFTUI is an Indian Confederation of Trade Unions, Trade Federations, Associations, Societies and other organizations of India, dedicated towards welfare and development of the society in general and workers in particular. CFTUI is absolutely free from any control or attachment with the political parties or groups. It relies solely on the workers unity to fulfill its objectives. It believes that there cannot be a true labour movement unless the Trade Unions are independent in thinking and free to decide their strategies.As of 2014, CFTUI has 277 affiliated trade unions across 21 states representing 12 sectors in India with a total membership of 1.313.747.

CFTUI looks forward, though a full membership status with ITUC and ITUC-AP to increase its credibility and increase our fight to promote workers’ rights, in India, Asia and the world.

Cambodia: garment minimum salary from 128USD to 140USD, still below demanded 160USD

The Pnomh Penh Post reported today that, following an at-times turbulent process, Cambodia yesterday set the 2016 minimum wage for garment workers at $140 per month, a $12 increase from the current rate of $128 but well below union demands for $160.

Labour Minister Ith Samheng announced yesterday that the government’s wage-setting group, the Labour Advisory Committee, first voted on increasing the wage to $135, after which Prime Minister Hun Sen mandated an additional $5, as he did last year.

Ath Thorn, president of the Coalition of Cambodian
Apparel Workers’ Democratic Union,
places his vote at the Ministry of Labour yesterday
for the garment industries 2016 minimum wage. Heng Chivoan

The 28-member LAC, 14 from the government and the other 14 equally split between unions and employers, overwhelmingly voted for the government figure of $135 submitted by a tripartite working group on Wednesday night.

The announcement of the final $140 rate, far less than union demands, angered some. Ath Thorn, president of the Coalition of Cambodian Apparel Workers Democratic Union, said he would begin talks with other unions to potentially hold mass strikes after the Pchum Ben holiday. “I cannot accept this figure. I need $160. I expect that there are between 50 to 60 per cent of workers who will not accept this figure,” he said.

Full article here.

7 Oct - Decent Work Day globally supported, and in Asia!

Trade unions around the world are once again mobilising on October 7, the World Day for Decent Work, under the banner “End Corporate Greed”, with activities stretching from Japan to Ecuador and South Africa to Russia. Also WSM and ACV-CSC mobilized in Belgium, while many of our partners organized activities in India, Bangladesh, Indonesia or Cambodia.


According to the ITUC website, activities in 33 countries have already been registered on the special website http://2015.wddw.org, and many more are uploaded to the site  here.

Brussels, the “Capital of Europe”, came to a standstill with a huge demonstration organised by the Belgian trade unions against austerity, while unions from the manufacturing sector will hold events across the globe to demand an end to precarious work, organised by Global Union Federation IndustriALL. In India, domestic workers raised their hands and voices to demand decent work.

“Once again the voice of working people will be heard around the globe on the World Day for Decent Work. The global focus this year is on ending corporate greed, eliminating precarious work and formalising informal jobs, as well as living minimum wages. We need to transform the exploitative supply chain model which robs workers while filling the coffers of multinational companies, many of which are culpable of the most egregious exploitation including the use of modern slavery. The trade union movement stands with the most exploited and vulnerable in the global economy, and on this day, the World Day for Decent Work, we will show our determination to build a better world for working families and for the generations to come,” said ITUC General Secretary Sharan Burrow.

Labour migration and informal economy on SAARC agenda....

Currently, an exciting opportunity has come up on the South Asia level to tackle labour migration and the informal economy. Since the SAARC Declaration of November 2014, South Asian leaders had agreed to come up with policy papers on certain issues: labour migration (which would be developed by Nepal), minimum wage (Bangladesh), social security (Pakistan) etc. For more on SAARC and its relevance, see this post.

To influence this process, SARTUC organized a conference in Colombo, Sri Lanka 28-29 September 2015 with delegates from the trade unions from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and India. ITUC-AP, some TUSSOs (trade unions support and solidarity Organisation, like the Danish LO/FTF or WSM and Global Union Federations, like UNI, as well as Migrant Forum Asia (MFA) also attended and provided input.

The meeting led to a couple of important documents to be used for advocacy: recommendations on labour migration and informal economy, draft minimum standards for bilateral agreements for labour migration to Gulf Countries and a draft standard contract which all SAARC countries could start using and which would provide better workers’ protection.

Since the WSM partners from SAARC also had a position paper regarding labour migration, WSM and its partners which were present convinced the other participants of three key issues to be included:

• Reference to minimum wages in accordance to ILO Convention art. 3 on Minimum Wages, though the proposal of a common minimum amount of 500USD per month was not kept;
• Ensuring access to social protection by hosting countries, the request for Welfare funds in sending countries was not retained however;
• To avoid abuses by recruitment agencies: “All costs linked to recruitment and travel should be employer based and made transparent and publicly available”

All affiliates will now lobby for these agendas in their respective countries, since SAARC doesn’t interact directly with civil society but only functions as a multilateral institution. For one of the first times however, SARTUC itself will also be attending the meeting of the focal points beginning of December in Pokhara, Nepal.  Let’s hope some of these recommendations make it through…

Amin from NGWF honored Nuremberg International Human Rights Award

Amirul Haque Amin, President of the National Garment Workers Federation (NGWF) today received the Nuremberg International Human Rights Award for his more than 3 decades long fight for the rights of garment workers in Bangladesh, for the improvement of their living conditions.

Does the new Nepali Constitution work for the workers?

After five years, six months and 26 days of work as well as two elections, two major earthquakes and close to 500 aftershocks, a new dawn supposedly rises on Nepal: the new Constitution is proclaimed today. But who supported and opposed, and what kind of provisions does this new Constitution reserve for the workers and the right to social protection?

Policy Paper regarding Labour Migration: SAARC

Labour migration is a crucial issue for the SAARC region and it directly and indirectly affects rights of workers and rights to social protection, so the SAARC Network on the Right to Social Protection, supported by WSM, jointly drafted this policy paper in Kathmandu on 18th of September 2015.

Migrant workers from Nepal to Gulf States
(c) AWO

SAARC is due to launch a policy paper on labour migration by beginning of 2016, and has mandated the Nepali government to draft this. SARTUC, which gathers trade unions from the SAARC region, had already initiated a process where per country, all affiliated trade unions drafted a joint position paper on migration. The network based these positions on the common position paper drafted on migration by the Nepali affiliated trade unions as facilitated by SARTUC. During the SARTUC meeting in Sri Lanka 28-29 Sept 2015, this and papers from the other SARTUC countries will be discussed. For Nepal, two members of the network, NTUC and GEFONT, will be attending as well as ANTUF. Seeing the objective is to reach a common position paper for SAARC regarding labour migration, the Network advocates for the following items to be included:

a) Decent living Wages

SAARC invites its member states to include a common decent living income as minimum wage standard, taking into consideration, cf. art. 3 ILO Minimum Wage Fixing Convention, 1970 (No. 131):

• the needs of workers and their families, taking into account the general level of wages in the country, the cost of living, social security benefits, and the relative living standards of other social groups;
• economic factors, including the requirements of economic development, levels of productivity and the desirability of attaining and maintaining a high level of employment.

Seeing these factors, the network endorses 500 USD/month for all workers, while it can be increased regarding the hosting or sending country, specific skills or sectors.

 

b) Social Security

SAARC invites its member states to include in bilateral labour migration agreements that:

• Hosting countries are to ensure access to Social Protection services in accordance with ILO R202, so that all migrant workers as residents have the same access and quality of social protection services in the hosting countries as nationals;
• Sending countries are to set up and manage Migrant Welfare Funds with contributions for the specific migration related costs, such as repatriation of workers after death or sickness. Both hosting and sending countries shall contribute to the Migrant Welfare Fund, which will be administered by the sending countries’ governments. The management of these national Migrant Welfare Funds will be ensured with the inclusion of social dialogue partners, from the trade unions or organisations which are representative of migrant workers’ interests.

c) Voting rights

SAARC invites its member states to grant and organize voting rights for migrant workers through the diplomatic representations of the sending countries in the hosting countries.

 

d) Recruitment Agencies

SAARC invites its member states to promote government to government recruiting. Any private agencies or agents have to be registered and meet national regulations and criteria.

 

The Network on Right to Social Protection is composed out of trade unions, organisations and social movements in India, Nepal and Bangladesh, and is supported by World Solidarity (WSM). Other issues the network focuses on are Decent Living Income, access to social protection for the informal Economy and Access to Health.

From Fear to Freedom: WSM Asia partners look at gender violence

During the Asia workshop which gathered all partner organisations from Asia to Kathmandu, Nepal, a moment was also dedicated to the gender aspect, by showing a movie on gender violence.



Participants highlighted afterwards that some empowerment has taken place, despite cultural barriers and legal discrimination. Violence against women does not have as a single victim the women, but the entire society suffers from this. Participants felt culture allows or facilitates this but is made by people, who can change. The role of religion is also underlined. One felt that there was too much focus on southern countries in the movie, while there is also still a lot of discrimination in the West. Conventions and laws are adopted, but mentalities and practices change only slowly.

Does more freedom lead to less violence, questions one participant? One participant felt that since watching the movie, he better understood the size of the issue and how present it is worldwide, and how he was shocked by some men proudly stating how many women they had raped.

Some good messages and actions were shown or suggested, which we can use as inspiration. However, while the movie focused on physical and emotional violence, what was less shown was the burden placed on women, workwise, taking care of the family, to provide etc. These are structural injustices that need to be addressed. There are many political aspects behind each conflict, of which women are those first victims.

Bruno concluded by stating that in 2014, 56% of the beneficiaries of the SAARC WSM programme were women, which might seem like a good result, but taking into consideration the partners which are strongly or exclusively focusing on women (domestic workers, informal economy, garment and health workers), it could and should be a lot higher. As it is one of the five areas which is dealt with in the capacity strengthening tools of WSM, which some have prioritized, but too often, it is limited to attempts at increasing women presence or quotas, but not really mainstreaming gender inside the organisation.

Halfway through the 2014-2016 WSM programme in Asia

During the Kathmandu meeting, a 10 min video showcased some of the results halfway through the programme, as another way to show some of the issues and achievements from the partners and what kind of support is provided by WSM.



Besides the synergies and issues shown in the video above, partner organisations also worked with their own beneficiaries with the support from WSM.
SAARC: the PO’s in the SAARC region delivered 411.823 services (legal aid, vocational training, organising, etc.) in 2014, which is already 65% of what is to be achieved throughout the whole programme.
ASEAN:
• Cambodia: the campaign for a higher minimum wage mobilised over 100.000 garment workers from 139 factories, leading finally to an increase from 100 to 128 USD. It is a substantial increase, but not yet what CLC and C.CAWDU aspired, i.e. 177 USD. That’s of course due to the fact that minimum wages are set in dialogue with the employers. 1.400 Cambodian employees went from short term contracts to contracts of indefinite duration. CLC organised over 1.000 workers in 3 new sector (plantations, transport and private services).
• Indonesia: the PO’s have undertaken surveys among their membership to get a clear idea of what the needs are of the workers. This research constitutes the basis for their proposals which they defend in social dialogue. A CBA led to improved working conditions for 2.000 garment workers. The collaboration between KSBSI and SBMI centers on migrant workers. 6 centers to assist migrant workers were created, with training in labour rights for at least 100 migrant workers.
• Philippines: 400 health workers were trained regarding short-term contract workers and the consequences of privatization, which was taken up in at least 2 CBA procedures. During 14 medical missions over 320 marginalised patients were treated.