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Youth and women in Bangladesh vow to build more inclusive unions

28 November, 2022:   Women and young trade unionists in Bangladesh are calling for women and young workers to be included in union leadership and decision-making processes.

Leaders discussed the necessity of building inclusive, democratic and stronger unions at the national youth meeting on 12-13 November, and at the national women's meeting on 17-18 November, held in Dhaka, in which 15 of IndustriALL's affiliates in Bangladesh participated.

Women and young workers' engagement in the labour market is steadily expanding, and they often end up undertaking precarious employment with no social security benefits. Despite forming a large chunk of the workforce, women and young workers are invisible from union spaces, let alone leadership roles. Young workers and women have felt left out and not relevant in trade unions, sometimes a reflection of the issues raised by the unions.

In the meeting, women trade unionists stressed that women's issues be included in CBAs and that discussions on occupational health and safety should not be gender blind. They made an action plan to address inclusiveness in unions, as well as the gender pay gap, gender-based violence and discrimination, and ratification of ILO C190. In Bangladesh, only six per cent of paid employees have access to daycare and separate toilet facilities. And as per the newly amended labour rules, maternity benefits have been further reduced.

"Our government is not bothered about women workers at all. It's important that trade unionists consider issues faced by women workers, who form a large proportion of the workforce. Women's issues must be taken seriously to advance workers' struggle. We cannot build stronger unions unless we include women's voices," said, Tehmina Rahman, general secretary of Bangladesh Apparels Workers Federation (BAWF).

In the national youth meeting, young unionists extensively that youth be made part of the decision-making bodies within unions. They also decided on priorities from IndustriALL's youth resolution, to work on in the coming years:

• Equal jobs, equal pay and equal rights
• A better work-life balance
• Continuous transmission of experience and knowledge

A national working group with 15 members to oversee the implementation of the youth resolution in Bangladesh was formed.

Hasan Ali, a young trade unionist from Bangladesh Garments, Textile and Leather Workers' Federation (BGTLWF), said: "Each federation must have their own youth committee to fight for the causes of young workers and strengthen the union movement. We need to coordinate amongst ourselves to successfully implement the youth resolution in the country."

Source:  IndustriALL Global Union--IndustriALL represents 50 million workers in 140 countries

New Wave of Black Friday Strikes and Protests in Over 30 Countries, Organized by the Make Amazon Pay Coalition

24.11.22:   On 25 November 2022, Black Friday, the busiest shopping day of the year, Amazon will face strikes in at least 18 warehouses in France and Germany, worker walkouts in the US and protests in over 30 countries around the world in a massive day of action coordinated by the Make Amazon Pay coalition. The campaign charges Amazon with "squeezing every last drop it can" from "workers, communities and the planet" in the face of the cost-of-living scandal, global debt crisis and climate emergency.

The Make Amazon Pay coalition, which is co-convened by UNI Global Union and the Progressive International, is made up over 80 trade unions, civil society organisations, environmentalists and tax watchdogs including UNI Global Union, the Progressive International, Oxfam, Greenpeace, 350.org, Tax Justice Network and Amazon Workers International. The coalition demands Amazon pays its workers fairly and respects their right to join unions, pays its fair share of taxes and commits to real environmental sustainability.

This is the third year that Make Amazon Pay has organised a global day of action on Black Friday. Highlights from previous years include: thousands of workers striking at facilities throughout Germany, major workers' protests in Bangladesh, demonstrations projecting the Make Amazon Pay logo at Amazon headquarters all over the world, projecting "pandemic profiteer" onto Jeff Bezos mansion, and Extinction Rebellion blockading distribution centres in the UK.

Highlights from Make Amazon Pay day 2022 include:

• In France and Germany, workers will strike in 18 warehouses on strike, organised by trade union ver.di and CGT;
• In the United States, warehouse workers will stage a walkout, as protests and rallies take place in over 10 cities from coast to coast, including outside Jeff Bezos' Manhattan penthouse;
• In India, thousands of workers, street vendors and supporters will rally in over 20 cities including outside parliament in New Delhi;
• In Japan workers in the recently formed Amazon Workers Union will protest in front of the headquarters of Amazon Japan LLC. in Meguro, Tokyo;
• In Ireland, environmentalists will protest outside the Amazon HQ in Dublin against tw new planned data centres in the city;
• In South Africa, the Liesbeek Action Campaign protest Amazon's new Africa HQ, which is being built on sacred land;
• In Bangladesh, thousands of garment workers in Amazon's supply chain will rally and march for union recognition, better pay and conditions and for Amazon to sign the Bangladesh Accord.

Christy Hoffman, UNI Global Union's General Secretary, said: "Today, unions, civil society and progressive elected officials will stand shoulder to shoulder in a massive global day of action to denounce Amazon's despicable multimillion dollar campaigns to kill worker-lead union efforts. It's time for the tech giant to cease their awful, unsafe practices immediately, respect the law and negotiate with the workers who want to make their jobs better."

Nazma Akhter, President of the Sommilito Garments Sramik Federation, Progressive International council member and IndustriALL executive board member, said : "Garment workers, like those I represent, toil to swell Amazon's coffers often without any recognition that we are even Amazon workers. Amazon is the third largest direct employer in the world, but when you take us in the supply chain into account, it is even larger. At work we can face sexual harassment from management and victimisation when we try to organise in a trade union against that violence and for better pay and conditions. "In Bangladesh, we are on the frontline of climate breakdown, so we know climate justice and social justice cannot be separated. We have to Make Amazon Pay all its workers a decent wage in dignified workplaces and for its environmental damage."

Daniel Kopp, the Progressive International's Make Amazon Pay coordinator, said: "We all know that the price of everything is going up, as is the temperature of our planet. Instead of paying its workers fairly, its taxes in full and for its damage to our environment, Amazon is squeezing every last drop it can workers, communities and the planet. "As workers around the world struggle with the cost of living scandal, Amazon, despite its enormous profits, is forcing real terms pay cuts on its workers. It shirks its taxes and its CO2 emissions are soaring - up 18% in 2021 - even though Amazon only counts the emissions of 1% of its products sold."

"In the face of the cost of living scandal, global debt crisis and climate emergency, we are coming together to Make Amazon Pay."

Source:  UNI Global Union--UNI represents more than 20 million workers from over 150 countries

ITUC World Congress: Luca Visentini new International Trade Union Confederation General Secretary

21-11-2022:   The vote took place at the 5th ITUC World Congress in Melbourne, Australia - the global workers' parliament where nearly 1,000 trade unionists from over 120 countries met to set the global agenda for trade unions.

After his election, Luca Visentini said: "I feel incredibly proud to have this opportunity to lead the ITUC and to represent the voice of working people on the world stage. Thank you for putting your trust in me.

"I pay tribute to Sharan Burrow for her amazing leadership of the ITUC. Her achievements, together with her amazing team, speak for themselves and she has built a strong and respected organisation that is truly the global voice of workers. "But I realise that this is a historically difficult time for working people. The world is on the brink of an economic downturn and working people are on the frontline of this. Many people are already living through the consequences.

"Peace and democracy are under threat and emerging far right movements are putting human, workers' and trade union rights at high risk.

"But we know what is needed. The ITUC will lead the call for a new economic model based on a new social contract. We want climate-friendly jobs, workers' rights, just wages, social protection, equality and inclusion. This must be at the centre of the plans of all governments. "This is about social justice, peace and survival, and I will not rest in fighting for this for working people. Defending fair living and working conditions for all people is the best way to build democracy and peace all over the world."

Luca Visentini is currently the General Secretary of the ETUC.

Source:  International Trade Union Confederation--ITUC represents 200 million workers in 163 countries and territories and has 332 national affiliates

LabourStart: We cannot remain silent

An entire trade union movement in a European country is now facing extinction as courts declare unions to be "extremist" or "Western agents" - simply for doing what unions do. If this happened today in your country you would have every right to expect solidarity from your fellow union members elsewhere.

That is the situation today in Belarus. A national trade union centre and major unions have been made illegal. Union leaders are in jail facing long prison terms. The regime has unleashed defamation campaigns targeting unions and their allies. As as result, the Governing Body of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) has begun a process that will lead to further sanctions on the government of Belarus.

Pressure on the regime in Belarus is intensifying. We in the trade union movement have a moral obligation to stand side-by-side with our brothers and sisters in Belarus, right now. We join them in demanding the immediate release of all the jailed activists and the restoration of independent, democratic trade unions in the country. Please take a moment to show your support by clicking here.

And please help us grow this campaign - we need thousands of messages to be sent in order to persuade the government in Belarus that their behaviour is unacceptable. Please share this message widely in your union.

Thank you! Eric Lee - LabourStart

Eswatini: ITF condemns violent attacks on transport workers

17 Nov 2022:   The International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) has called on the Government of Eswatini to end violent attacks on transport workers.

Last week, on 10 November, Eswatini's armed forces opened fire on a group of transport workers protesting the arrest and detention of five colleagues, leaving several injured. According to reports, three people were hospitalised with gunshot wounds.

The ITF is increasingly worried about reports from our affiliate Swaziland Transport Communication and Allied Workers Union (SWATCAWU) about state violence against workers exercising their basic civil liberties, and the violence used by Eswatini authorities to stifle dissent.

Stephen Cotton, ITF General Secretary said, "The ITF condemns the actions by the Eswatini authorities and the denial of fundamental workers' rights and civil liberties. Transport workers' keep Eswatini moving, the brutal attacks by the armed forces opening fire on bus drivers are an attack on both workers and the economy." "Murders of transport workers have increased over the past year, in 2021 a bus driver was shot dead and another injured as drivers took part in a wage protest. The ITF will hold the Eswatini authorities accountable to its actions at all international levels including the International Labour Organisation (ILO)" said Cotton.

Sharan Burrow, ITUC General Secretary said, "We condemn this latest case of violence against transport workers. We are deeply concerned that the government attacks continue to undermine its obligations to the ILO and disrupts people's working lives. The authorities must return to working with the ILO and social partners to ensure that there is a climate of respect for civil liberties and freedom of association and that social partners can effectively contribute to addressing the cost of living crisis which is leading to crippling poverty with no social protection to support workers." "We implore the Eswatini government to stop the violence, respect the right to peaceful assembly and engage in meaningful dialogue with the people of Eswatini to build a democratic and resilient society," said Burrow.

Eswatini is one of the ten worst countries in the world for workers according to the 2022 ITUC Global Rights Index.

The demands of the Eswatini trade union movement for peace, stability and a democratic government include:

• An end to the ongoing intimidation, threats of arrests, raids, unprovoked brutal beatings of the members of the public by the police, soldiers and agents of the government.
• The release of all protestors in detention.
• An independent investigation under the supervision of the ILO into the killings and attacks on peaceful protesters, and those responsible be identified and brought to justice in fair trials.

Source:  International Transport Workers Federation--ITF representing 20 million members in 700 affiliated trade unions from 150 countries

Colombian coal workers discuss the need for a just transition

9 November, 2022:   Members of Sintracarbón, IndustriALL's mining affiliate in Colombia, recently met online to highlight the need for Glencore to ensure that there is a just transition, that workers don't lose their jobs and that it doesn't leave a ghost town behind it.

Glen Mpufane, IndustriALL's global director of mining, told the meeting that unions need to discuss what will happen when coal mines close down in Colombia. He said it is important for workers to be involved in discussions in order to demand a just transition, pointing out that IndustriALL's new trade union guide for a just transition contains a number of practical recommendations in that regard.

Sintracarbón's Igor Diaz said that Glencore has already relinquished the mining concessions held by Prodeco, one of its subsidiaries in Colombia, while the concessions held by Cerrejón, another Glencore subsidiary, expire in 2035. He said that Glencore had called for talks on a just transition for Prodeco workers but nothing had happened.

"We were forced to look into diversifying production techniques so that the coal workers still had employment options. The fact is that Glencore has done nothing to ensure a just transition and now 1,200 Prodeco workers no longer have jobs."

Diaz also said that Glencore is required to maintain the Prodeco mine until it is handed over to its new owners. But unfortunately, Glencore is using outsourced workers for this rather than its own employees. He called on Glencore to sit down with the workers to discuss the closure and ensure that resources are set aside for them to be retrained.

Glencore's business model includes both the extraction and sale of raw materials. Claudia Blanco from Sintracarbón pointed out that Prodeco relinquished the mining concessions but would continue to operate the railway and port, and the union found out that Prodeco is still moving coal by boat:

"The employer representatives then admitted that they were buying coal and exporting it by boat. They confessed that they were hiring other workers to do our work, outsourcing it to people who were not entitled to the benefits secured by the union. "Almost all unionized workers are in redundancy proceedings. It is not fair that the company wants to evade its responsibilities and refuses to hold a dialogue with the union in order to reach an agreement. Glencore clearly has double standards and is uncompromising in its discourse."

Meeting participants agreed that it was necessary to press ahead with initiatives to retrain and prepare coal workers for a just energy transition. They will continue to work on a proposal for a just transition, based on the experiences of other countries. This will enable them to push for an inclusive dialogue in talks on mine closures. Participants also said that they would seek a dialogue with the new government to promote policies aimed at creating decent jobs to replace coal jobs and to provide incentives for companies to ensure a just transition and not leave ghost towns behind when they leave.

IndustriALL's assistant general secretary Kemal Özkan said:

"Colombia is in the process of creating a new society. There are discussions about the future of the economy, and we need to be part of those discussions. The trade union movement must demand a just transition that ensures high-quality jobs for workers. Coal mining brings many challenges. It causes pollution and drives climate change, but shutting down all coal mines is not the solution. We need to make sure that Glencore is held accountable and demand fairness in the company's operations."

Source:  IndustriALL Global Union--IndustriALL represents 50 million workers in 140 countries

BWI: Climate crisis calls for real action, COP27 leaders must deliver

Sharm El Sheik, Egypt, 8 November 2022 :    For most workers in the construction, wood and forestry, and building materials sectors, the dangers of climate change are a stark reality. With the increase in extreme climate events, from droughts and forest fires to tornados, hurricanes, flooding, and extreme heat, risks have become visible, widespread, and tangible, jeopardising health and safety in workplaces and communities.

The Building and Woodworkers' International (BWI) General Secretary Ambet E. Yuson said: "Workers in BWI sectors from various regions are experiencing the direct impacts of climate change, which will increase in number and severity. Workers have already started to take the matter into their hands. They need to be a part of the conversation at COP27. As BWI, we are ready to put forward proposals and innovations that place workers' rights and interests at the centre. Climate justice can be obtained only if it goes hand in hand with social justice. The market alone and its corporate actors during globalisation have not and will not bring either."

A growing number of workers in BWI sectors have been displaced because of the impacts of climate change, or have migrated to support family members whose lives have been upturned by the effects of the climate crisis. In the quest for climate justice, they must not be forgotten as their labour and human rights are fundamental to uphold and remediate when climate change adversely impacts them. All workers must be brought under full labour protections in line with international core labour standards. Fundamental labour rights like the right to organise, to associate freely and to bargain collectively are crucial for all workers regardless of their status, as they seek access to decent work in the face of extreme climate impacts.

With the issue of loss and damage at the centre of the COP27 debate, high priority needs to be placed on the economic and non-economic detrimental effects of the climate crisis on workers' livelihoods and their communities. Governments must reach an agreement that includes a financing mechanism for loss and damage while scaling up mitigation ambition and social protection in adaptation.

BWI General Secretary Ambet E. Yuson continued: "Workers need to be part of the solutions. Hence, as they address climate change, leaders at COP27 must ensure justice, respect and dialogue with trade unions in BWI sectors today and in the future, and promote policies that effectively address both climate change, social and economic justice."

In October, BWI published a report on 100 union actions for climate justice, highlighting the critical role workers play in the shift towards a low-carbon and climate-resilient world and presenting a series of recommendations for policymakers and the industry.

At COP27, BWI is calling Governments to:

• Foster social dialogue and ensure workers in BWI sectors and their unions are at the table for developing Nationally-Determined Contributions and other national and regional plans on climate change
• Advance bold policies for climate change and economic justice that guarantee human and labour rights, and inclusive participation
• Monitor, supervise, inspect and enforce labour standards for climate-related sectors and projects and ensure accountability for violations
• Harness responsible procurement for national and local climate-related projects, including green building, retrofits, renewable energy infrastructure and green transit
• Invest in workers' skills, and develop new economic opportunities in affected regions

BWI joins the global labour movement in demanding Governments to:

• Raise mitigation ambition and create quality jobs with just transition
• Include social protection plans and funding in adaptation
• Deliver on a Loss and Damage facility
• Provide the urgently needed climate finance to invest in just transition

Source:  Building and Woodworkers International--BWI uniting 12 million workers in 351 trade unions in 127 countries

UK: IDC and ITF stand together with Unite the Union for dockers' rights at Port of Liverpool

02 Nov 2022:   Joint ITF Dockers - IDC Press Release

The International Dockworkers' Council (IDC) and the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) have jointly sent a letter to the management of the Peel Ports Group in the port of Liverpool (UK) to convey the united and unwavering support of their more than 640,000 international dockworker members in the struggle of the fellow dockers of Unite the Union, a British union and active member of both organizations, in legitimate defense of the labor rights of our colleagues.

Both international trade union organizations are working together with governments, investment funds, ports and the main shipping companies to make visible the unfair treatment that the company is giving to the dockers, especially after having obtained record profits in recent months. A working group made up of members of the IDC, ITF, Unite the Union and some of the founders of the IDC has been set up to decide what measures can be taken on a global scale to address the unfair corporate positioning of Peel Ports Group.

We dockworkers demand Peel Ports Group to return to the dialogue table and an end to threats of dismissal as a form of coercion. We demand a fair wage for our colleagues, in accordance with the increase in the standard of living. Currently Liverpool dockers are paid less than the average for major British ports and, in addition, the inflationary trend in the UK has seen unprecedented growth in recent years. Dockers are calling for the just demands of our colleagues to be considered.

The IDC and ITF will remain expectant of Peel Ports Group's response and will act globally and united in the event there is no effective response in the interests of Unite the Union dockers.

Source:  International Transport Workers Federation--ITF representing 20 million members in 700 affiliated trade unions from 150 countries