N° 122 / 1 March 2001
8 March 2001 - International Women’s Day
8 March 2001 - International Women’s Day
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WCL launches "Maternity" campaign
The WCL has chosen International Women’s Day, 8 March, to launch an international campaign for the ratification and application of ILO Convention no. 183 on the protection of maternity. The text was adopted in June 2000 during the International Labour Conference, but the states must now ratify and - especially - implement it. In a message to the women workers and to its affiliates the WCL call on the men and women trade unionists to combine efforts, each on his or her level, to protect the right of women workers to be mothers without unfavourable effects on their jobs and working conditions. The message also announces the fifth WCL Women’s Conference, which will take place in October 2001, just before the Confederation’s 25th Congress. Everything indicates that it will be a "creative and positive" Conference, one that will "struggle for the advancement of the women workers’ rights" in a context of globalisation. The debates will be aimed to develop initiatives in favour of families, trade unions and society as a whole.
Public Services in Africa: Future Prospects
On 4-8 December, the Pan-African Federation of Public Services (PFPS) conducted its 3rd Congress/Seminar at the Lomé-based head office of the DOAWTU to debate on "Social rights of public-service workers in Africa in the context of globalisation". The presentation of the situation in each country went to show concerns and difficulties the entire continent has in common: dismantling of the structures set up by the states, degradation of the public administration, growing precariousness and impoverishment of the workers, lack of motivation and de-unionisation, politicisation of public life. In his address Bert Van Caelenberg, General Secretary of INFEDOP, proposed alternatives. In the opinion of the international federation three major challenges have to taken up: 1) give precedence to the social dialogue between the state-employer and the trade unions, to the ethical aspect which has to find expression in new labour relations, and to the human resources management; 2) renovate the state of mind by integrating the new concept of responsibilisation and individual involvement of state agents; 3) master the new information and communication technologies (NICTs) by ensuring the employees an appropriate and recurrent training.
The Congress elected a new General Secretary: Kabbaj Mohamed Larbi (Morocco), who succeeds to Awadh Balluck (Mauritius). It also elected a seven strong Board, two of whom are auditors. It will be the task of the new Board to carry out the four-year plan of action (2001 - 2004).
Through its proceedings the Congress reactivated the PFPS and prepared its full participation in the next congresses of the WCL and INFEDOP.
Cameroon - USLC: a Decisive Stage
The Union des Syndicats Libres du Cameroun (USLC) organised its first Congress in Yaoundé on 15-17 November 2000, the keynote being strengthening of trade union democracy.
This organisation, constituted in 1995, unites seven trade federations, four national federations, eighteen departmental federations and 72 departmental unions; it has more than 50,000 members and has been affiliated to the DOAWTU and the WCL since 1997. The stock-taking of the activities in the years 1995-2000 revealed that this period had been decisive for establishing the USLC’s structures throughout the country and in the various sectors. The Congress made it possible to determine the main lines of the action and to renovate the basic structures. Mr Adama Sadjo and Mr Jules-André Mousseni were re-elected President and General Secretary respectively of the organisation.
DR of Congo: CSC in Favour of Resuming the Social Dialogue
On 7 February, the three main confederations in the Democratic Republic of Congo (among which the CSC, affiliated to the WCL) united in a inter-union group in order to bring the political authorities of the country to resume the social dialogue. The trade unions want the new President of the Republic, Joseph Kabila, to reinstate the National Labour Council, which has never assembled since father Kabila acceded to power in May 1997. The Congolese trade unions label the social situation as disastrous on account of the countless close-downs, the galloping inflation and the instability of the currency. So, the resumption of the tripartite negotiations is indispensable in an attempt to improve the situation of the workers.
BATU: Towards a Transport Workers’ Federation
BATU had launched a regional Conference of Workers in the Transport Sector under the theme "Development and Trade Unionism in the 21st Century" in Manila from 19-25 January 2001 in collaboration with WCL, FIOST, CNV-Actie Kom Over and WSM.
The Conference was attended by Eelke Jongsma, Vice President & Treasurer of FIOST and Freddy Pools, WCL Executive Secretary for Trade Action. Delegates from the Asian transport workers sector included CFTUI (India), BIG-SPTU (Indonesia), FFW (Philippines), APTUC (Pakistan), BSSF (Bangladesh), NWC (Sri-Lanka), MKTR (Malaysia), NCPE (Thailand), NAFITU (Taiwan), JOU (Hong Kong), and Korean Auto Transport and Taxi Workers Union (BATU-KOREA).
After having deliberated upon and discussed issues & concerns that impact upon Asian transport workers, the conferees committed to implement the agreed plans of action & strategies and firmly resolved to create an Interim/Preparatory Committee to draft the Statutes of New Asian Trade Federation of Transport Workers, as well as to pursue plans to conduct its inaugural congress including its affiliation to FIOST.
The Opening Ceremony held on 20 January 2001 was graced by the WCL, WFCW, WCT, CNV-AKO, CSC representatives who attended the earlier conference on BATU Strategic Trade Action Program.
Côte d’Ivoire: Victory for Carena and Dignité
On 28 January, the President of Côte d’Ivoire ordered the reinstatement of the workers of the ship-building company CARENA, at the shipyard of Abidjan. It is the end of a serial that started in 1997. In that year, 380 workers of the companies were sacked with hardly a chance of finding a new job. Their misdeed: they went on strike after a wage agreement, signed by the employer, had remained dead letter. Ever since, and despite support from the ILO, none of the country’s authorities had enforced the law by giving the workers their jobs back. This has now been done. This result is a victory both for the workers concerned and for the confederation DIGNITE (affiliated to the WCL), the only on in the country that stood up, addressing even the international bodies, for those expelled from CARENA.
Malta UHM Congress: for a More Social Europe, Marked by Solidarity
On 6-7 February, the UHM, member of CMTU, affiliated to the WCL, held its 28th Annual Convention. Being originally a civil servants’ federation, the UHM has recently developed in a flourishing union representing seven sectors. As the second Maltese trade union, with 25,000 members, it is an important actor in the debate on the expansion of the European Union. In his address President Gaetano Tanti pointed out that the UHM had struggled for a long time for more social justice, better working conditions, more participation and a better training of the workers. The best way to give concrete shape to these values will be in the context of the European expansion, according to the President. The fact that the UHM pleads for entry into the EU is not a political position but the expression of the hop to arrive at a more social Europe, marked by solidarity. The Prime Minister and the opposition leader listened attentively. Then they expressed their political views on the entry. In a full convention hall, where the atmosphere was good, also a number of speakers of the UE, the business and the academic world took the floor. Freddy Pools, present at this Congress, took part in this assessment of the social situation in Europe. A successful Annual Convention the UHM and the CMTU can be proud of.
Schedule of Activities
15-18 March: WVIW: mission to Russia
21-22 March: ETUC: Executive Committee, Stockholm, Sweden
23-24 March: European Section, Gdansk, Poland
26-31 March: DOAWTU Trade Action, Casa Blanca, Morocco
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