2014-2016 impact: Standards and rights at work

This is the area most of our partners focus on, and not only the trade unions. International labour standards are first and foremost about the development of people as human beings. In the ILO's Declaration of Philadelphia of 1944, the international community recognized that "labour is not a commodity". Indeed, labour is not like an apple or a television set, an inanimate product that can be negotiated for the highest profit or the lowest price. Work is part of everyone's daily life and is crucial to a person's dignity, well-being and development as a human being. Economic development should include the creation of jobs and working conditions in which people can work in freedom, safety and dignity. In short, economic development is not undertaken for its own sake but to improve the lives of human beings; international labour standards are there to ensure that it remains focused on improving human life and dignity. Though international and national standards often exist to protect workers, their knowledge of these rights are essential to their respect and implementation.

During 2014-2016:

• nearly 43.000 workers benefited from training and got better knowledge of the Right to Social Protection, or 104% of the planned impact. 
• Over 140.000 workers were informed of their labour rights through awareness raising campaigns. 
• Nearly 9.000 workers benefited from legal assistance. 
• Trade unions providing quality services to workers also translates into increased membership, which was achieved at 130%, as partner organisations were reinforced with 77.803 new members, mostly through CFTUI in India which grew with 30.840 members.

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2014-2016: Strength in numbers

709.542: the number of people whose lives improved in some way because of contributions from the 2014-2016 programme, instead of the planned 537.250 people.

What do we understand by “improve” in this case? Two main areas:

1. Better jobs: 42.854 workers can defend their labour rights better after training, 139.850 have increased awareness and legal aid allowed 8.977 vulnerable workers to improve their jobs. These improved services also led to an increase in organized members, with 77.803 new members, 30% more than planned. Also, 3.712 people saw their income improve through income generating activities.
2. Coverage: after three years, 42.440 workers have better social security and 351.466 people had an increased access to health.

2014-2016 impact: Social economy illustration: Cooperative of domestic workers

The National Domestic Workers Federation (NDWF) in India started up an innovative project to organize domestic workers into cooperatives with the assistance of ILO. Though currently piloted only in Jharkand, one of the Indian states, 132 domestic workers bought into a newly created cooperative by buying 300 shares at 1,5€ a piece. Once joined, this cooperative trained the members, all women domestic workers and jointly, they drafted a standard two page contract which specifies their working conditions. This is a procedure almost unheard of, as hardly any domestic workers have specific or explicit contracts, let alone written ones. They approached their employers and 51 of them agreed to sign, which meant the domestic workers had guaranteed advantages, like one paid leave day per week, maternity leave, fixed salary etc. The employer also agrees that an additional 5% to the salary is contributed for social security, which the cooperative organizes for all members, enrolling them in welfare boards, paying health insurances, contributing to pension schemes etc. Next to that, the cooperative can also make loans to its members or start producing food items to sell, of which the proceeds would go to the cooperative and be shared among the members as shareholders.

2014-2016 impact: Looking at the new Indonesian Social Security: interview with Rekson

In the past three years and thanks to continued pressure from the trade unions, Indonesia has set up a historical system of universal social security and health with a tripartite structure. We met with Rekson Silaban, Commissioner BPJS Ketenagakerjaan (Employment), one of the two elected board members on behalf of the trade unions to discuss the achievements and challenges of this system.

History
After independence, Indonesia had only a couple of limited specific schemes, only for formal and public sector. In 2004, Indonesia passed law n°40 for a social security institution, Jamsotek, which was trying to expand social security schemes to the private sector but which faced many challenges in its implementation, with limited payouts and where any profits went to the state. After three annual general strikes demanding social security, legislation n° 24 was passed in 2011, which organized social security related to work, BPJS Ketenagakerjaan.
BPJS Employment was established in January 2014 and is fully operational since July 2015 with 336 offices countrywide. Their philosophy is based on the independency philosophy and pride to settle socio-economic risks. Independency means no dependence on other people in financing healthcare treatment, senior age life, and family following a death. Pride means such security is obtained as a right instead of other people's act of sympathy. To accomplish optimal financing and benefits, the BPJS Ketenagakerjaan programme is conducted collectively, in which the younger generation assists the older generation, healthy people assist ill persons, and higher-income persons assist lower-income people. This system was newly non-for-profit, which for the first time doesn’t return profit to government but is being re-invested in the social security (in 2015, profit of almost 40 million€ or 624 billion IDR). By end 2015, 2.000 companies and 20 million workers were covered, out of Indonesian total workforce of 100 million people. In 2015, they have seen a 15% increase from 16,79 million to 19,27 million workers affiliated, which is still only one out of five workers.

Garment workers emergency solidarity fund for Rohingya

Leaders of five Bangladeshi garment workers federations call to the international community, including Europe, USA & Canada, to cancel trade concession to Myanmar for unleashing genocide against Rohingya. They have praised the government for taking courageous decision to provide shelter to Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.

The trade union leaders made the call on October 4, 2017 from in front of the National Press Club in Dhaka city at a launching ceremony of the ‘Garment workers’ emergency solidarity fund for Rohingya’. The five garment workers federations which jointly organized the fund to help Rohingya refugees are the Garment Workers Employees Federation, National Garment Workers Employees Federation, Ekota Garment Workers Federation, Bangla Garment Workers Federation & National Garment Workers Federation (NGWF).

Please find the Press Release here.

2 Indonesian union leaders of FKUI-KSBSI arrested at DAP Palm Oil Plantation

In June 2017, Riau Police (Polda) arrested two militant workers of the General and Informal Construction Federation (FKUI-KSBSI) Commissariat Board of PT Dian Anggara Persada (DAP), and they have still not been released. The company DAP is a supplier of Olenex, which is owned by ADM and Wilmar with headquarters in Switzerland and operating in Netherlands and Germany. Olenex also a member of the global platform Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO).
Both Jhon Veri Panjaitan is the chairman and secretary of Herianto who is Plant Level Union leaders of FKUI-KSBSI at PT Dian Anggara Persada (DAP) operating in Kandis, Siak. The arrested have been held since Monday at Riau Police Headquarters.
Behind this case is a great struggle over rights when 56 company workers were dismissed unilaterally by the company. The value of rights that have been calculated reached 2.4 billion IDR, consisting of 867 million IDR for salaries paid by the company and 1.6 billion IDR for the severance fees.

Call to action: Sign the petition for a Treaty to address human rights abuses committed by transnational corporations and other business enterprises

The Treaty Alliance has released it's fourth statement to coincide with the 2nd meeting of the UN Intergovernmental Working Group on Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises (TNC-OBE). This alliance of committed networks and campaign groups around the world are joining to collectively help organise advocacy activities in support of developing a binding international instrument to address human rights abuses committed by transnational corporations and other business enterprises. The Treaty Alliance has called on civil society organisations (CSOs) everywhere to take action to combat corporate capture. At the recent treaty Alliance gathering in Brazil they particularly called on CSOs to demand that the forthcoming United Nations (UN) binding treaty contain strong provisions that prohibit the interference of corporations in the process of forming and implementing laws and policies, as well as administering justice, at all national and international levels.
We call States to participate actively in upcoming negotiations of the international treaty to ensure protection of human rights from the activities of transnational corporations and other business enterprises

Sign the petition here!

CFTUI 5th Congress

WSM India partner, the Confederation of Free Trade Unions India (CFTUI) celebrated tripling its membership to 1,6 million workers and its new affiliation to ITUC and ITUC-A during its 5th Congress on 10 and 11th of September 2017 in Visakhapatnam, Andra Pradesh, India. Besides passing resolutions regarding the economic, political and social situation and planning CFTUIs participation in October’s General Strike, the reports from the various states shared some impressive achievements:

• Including 150.000 domestic workers through the recently joined unions;
• Combatting 10 Special Economic Zones and providing 3.000 acres of government land to landless farmers;
• Ensuring social security for informal workers, such as pension and dearness allowances for the home guards in Tripura;
• Nearly doubling the minimum wage for informal economy workers in Delhi through the Shops and Establishment Union.

The 365 delegates and participants representing 14 sectors and 21 states also decided during this 5th Congress to accommodate this growth by enlarging the Executive Bureau of CFTUI, one of the few non-political trade union in India, from 34 to 50 members and unanimously re-elected M Kanaka Rao as President and M Neeraj Chauby as General Secretary for another four years.

WSM Asia Coordinator Bruno Deceukelier attended as Chief Guest and South Coordinator Francina Varghese also attended, and gave interviews (link).

After Nepal gets Social Security, New Labour Act

After the Social Security passed, the New Labour Act was adopted last week by the Nepali Parliament. Following are some the reported major features:
1. Proposed law covers entire world of work including domestic workers.
2. This law has been agreed as the basic law; all employees will get wages and benefits as required by this law.
3. All forms of exploitative labour practices including child and forced labour is banned. Employers are restricted to make any agreement banning person from joining unions.
4. Employment structure is categorised as casual work, time-bound work, task based work and regular work. Whatever structure is made in employment contract- there will be no discrimination in terms of wages and benefits.
5. Basic Social protection measures such as gratuity, accidental benefits, sickness benefits, Medicare including workers saving– the provident funds is payable from day one of employment. Trainee and part time workers are also covered.
6. Outsource job is made more responsible, if the non-licensee recruiting agencies supply labour to any workplace; in principle, the employer is responsible to meet all benefits.
7. Making work appraisal transparent.
8. Without valid reasons and fulfilling lawful obligation, no one is to be fired from employment. In case of unlawful firing, the employer can be held accountable .Union leaders are protected during retrenchment.
9. Retiring age increased from 55 to 58 years.
10. Women workers enjoy better protection compared to the previous law:

• Transport facilities are to be provided if women are working in night shift;
• 98 days of maternity protection leave, 60 days paid;
• In case of miscarriage of 7 months and above pregnancy, benefit is provided as of maternity;
• There will be no discrimination based on gender;
• Strong disciplinary action proposed against harassment.

11. Social dialogue

• a. Every two years, the minimum wage is reviewed.
• b. Common bargaining committee in agreement of multi-unions on enterprise level is added besides the right to take part in CBA by the authentic union.
• c. 21 days given for bilateral negotiation and 30 days given for labour office to reconcile collective disputes. In case no agreement is signed during that time, union may call for strike by giving 30 days notice except essential service or state of emergency or dispute in EPZ or parties agreed for arbitration or government refer the case to arbitration. Much emphasis on given to arbitration in labour dispute by providing the right to government to refer the case to arbitration. However, such arbitration award may be challenged within 5 working days.
• d. The collective agreement is valid as equivalent to law for 2 years and remains valid if it is not changed by the next CBA.
• e. Strike action should not be prohibited without providing an alternative mechanism for collective dispute settlement.
• f. There is no agreement on sectoral central bargaining, though Nepal already ratified ILO convention 98.

12. Leave facilities and Paid public holidays are increased and May Day and 8 March included.
13. Existing factory inspection system is broadened to labour inspection system.
14. Mechanism such as enforcement of agreement and judgement is included.
15. Few flexible provisions of the Act may invite negative consequences if union became less smart:

• a. Contractual, time-bound categories of employment may escalate, though workers of all categories are entitled to enjoy all benefits and social protection measures.
• b. Period of trainees may extend to 1 year, however with no difference in entitlement.
• c. Retrenchment can be done in consultation of union, here union need to be more responsible.
• d. Everyone is entitled to get minimum facilities as stipulated in the law, but more than minimum can be reduced through CBA- here union needs to be smart
• e. There is fixed list for termination of the workers, however, additions can be made through CBA. If a union plays foul, there will negative consequences.

Nepal Parliament passes Social Security Bill

The Nepal Parliament on Monday ratified the much-awaited Social Security Bill, laying the groundwork for implementation of a provision on ‘no work, no pay’ as envisaged by the new Labour Bill.

The Bill, which will soon be signed into law by President Bidya Devi Bhandari, has paved the way for the government to introduce contributory and non-contributory social security schemes. This means citizens who make financial contribution every month and even those who do not make any contribution will be entitled to certain benefits.

People, who do not make any contribution, for instance, can claim for unemployment allowance, and gain access to basic healthcare services and free education till secondary level. The government will also ensure housing and food security for people who do not make any financial contribution.

The contributory social security schemes, on the other hand, are aimed at all those working in formal and informal sectors.  These schemes will entitle one to unemployment, maternity, health, accident, old age and disability benefits. The contributory social security scheme also extends benefits to those who are denied payments by employers.

Article appearing in the Kathmandu Post here.

AFWA released the documentary “Living Wage Now”

Asia Floor Wage Alliance released a video calling for living wages in the garment sector:

Fatal explosion kills at least 13 at Bangladesh garment factory

Multifabs factory is situated on the outskirts of Dhaka

At least 13 people were killed and up to 50 injured after a boiler exploded at a garment factory in Bangladesh on Monday, Aljazeera reported (link). Dozens of labourers were on site at the facility in an industrial district outside the capital, Dhaka, when a blast tore through the six-storey building, causing its walls and a roof to collapse.

InudstriALL released as statement (link):The explosion at the non-unionized Multifabs factory highlights the urgent need to address boiler safety in garment and textile factories in Bangladesh. As a factory covered under the Bangladesh Accord on Fire and Building Safety, Multifabs has been inspected by Accord engineers. It had completed fire separation of the boiler room, and all other fire and structural safety renovations, except for installation of sprinklers. The Accord does not cover boiler inspections, which are monitored by the Bangladesh government.

There is still an enormous amount to be done to improve safety in the Bangaldeshi garment industry. This latest tragedy underlines the need for the work by the Bangladesh Accord to continue, and union signatories to the Accord will demand that it be expanded to include boiler safety as soon as possible.
Since the Rana Plaza tragedy of 2013, when over a thousand garment workers were killed, the Accord has completed fire and building safety inspections at 1,800 garment factories supplying more than 200 signatory brands. Accord engineers have identified over 118,000 fire, electrical and structural hazards at these factories. Today, 79 per cent of workplace dangers discovered in the Accord’s original round of inspections have been remediated.

Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh extended

The global union federations IndustriALL and UNI announced here that the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh will be extended with a new agreement. To date, 13 brands and retailers have signed and 8 more committed to sign the new agreement, with many more likely to follow in the weeks ahead.

The Rana Plaza collapse in April 2013 claimed the lives of more than 1,100 workers, injuring 2,500 more. Six weeks later, unions, non-governmental organizations and brands announced the Úrst Bangladesh Accord. Currently, the Accord covers more than 2.5 million workers. The Accord is a groundbreaking building safety agreement based on binding commitments by apparel brands to ensure that hazards in their factories are identified and corrected. The Accord has overseen factory renovations – from installation of fire doors to strengthening of dangerously weak structural columns – that have improved safety for millions of garment workers. The current Accord expires in May 2018.