No. 89/15 October 1999
BATU successfully concludes trade action seminar
TopBATU, in collaboration with the CNV-Actie Kom Over, recently concluded a Regional Workshop on Trade Action, entitled Building a Better World Through Trade Action : Towards a Trade Union Social Movement. The Seminar was conducted at the Federal Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from 9 to 15 September 1999, with MKTR, the BATU affiliate in Malaysia playing host to thirty participants from fourteen organisations affiliated to BATU in twelve Asian Countries. The participants likewise come from four Asian Trade Federations including the Asian Brotherhood of Clerical Workers (ABCW), the Asian Confederation of Teachers (ACT), the Asian Federation of Workers in the Public Sector (ASIAFEDOP), and the Asian Federation in the Mixed Industries (ATF-MIG). Two of the participants were newly initiated into the BATU Activities, the President of the Free Trade Unions of Workers in the Kingdom of Cambodia (FTUWKC) and the Secretary General of the Indonesia Civil Aviation Workers' Union. Employing the participatory development planning technique, called the Technology of Participation (TOP), facilitators and participants assisted each other in coming out with a concrete TRADE ACTION PLAN for the year 2000. The plan includes a specific agenda, an analysis of the concerns and issues pertinent to each item of the agenda and proposed strategies to be implemented in pursuance of the Agenda, which is summarised as follows : expansion of membership and widening of activities; institutional capability building; women and special sectors and international standards.
TopThe 16th Congress of SEKRIMA (Sendika Kristiana Malagasy) assembled in Benasandratra (at around 15 km from Antananarivo) on 23-25 September 1999 in the presence of 80 delegates, including representatives of regional unions and trade federations. It was preceded by a one-day seminar on Action strategy and new solidarity against social injustice and poverty. Alioune Sow, General Secretary of the DOAWTU, Toolsyraj Benydin, Confederal Secretary of the WCL, and the former leaders of SEKRIMA Blaise Robel and Ranaivo Luis de Gonzacue took part in the event. The Congress coincided with the 35th anniversary of SEKRIMA and the 60th anniversary of Christian trade unionism in Madagascar. In his speech the Confederal Secretary of SEKRIMA, Mr J.C. Razafimandimby, pointed out the rather difficult circumstances due to the fact that the workers were subject to a variety of increasingly obvious social injustices. The country is suffering the ill effects of the globalised market economy with its repercussions on the entire world of labour on which deregulation is imposed. He went on to say what follows: "In the industry sector night work of women and wrongful dismissals of trade union leaders have become common practice, particularly in the Free Industrial Zones in which the employers take advantage of the high rate of unemployment in Madagascar. The privatisation of big state-owned industrial companies, eg sugar and oil refineries, causes in many cases social crises among the workers and the managers as well as at state level, when the liquidation of those companies does not take place in an as transparent as possible manner and the workers' rights are not respected." To date 46 companies have been privatised, and around one hundred are on the list. After this 16th Congress a new programme will be started up to struggle against social injustice in all its forms. During their stay the general secretaries of the DOAWTU and the WCL had a working session with the top leaders of the Union des Syndicats Autonomes de Madagascar (USAM) at the organisation's head office. They also travelled to Diego Suarez and Ambilobé for a meeting with the leaders and activists of the grassroots union at the sugar company.
TopIn view of the current evolution of the political situation in Venezuela, where its head office is established, the CLAT has published a declaration on the current events in this country. In the opinion of the CLAT, prudence is called for, because we are witnessing here a delicate evolution towards a supposedly more democratic, more participatory and more social regime that will see arise new political, social and trade union actors as well as new managers. It seems to be a favourable evolution, yet one that holds a number of uncertainties which, according to the CLAT, make a final diagnosis impossible. Our Latin American regional organisation is keeping a close eye on the talks about a new Constitution, which have been correct so far. Though the Venezuelan process has special characteristics, the CLAT remains vigilant on account of the multiple experiences confronting several Latin American and Caribbean countries.
TopOn 17-18 September the European WCL affiliates held their autumn meeting at the ACV-CSC research centre "Ter Nood" in Overijse, Belgium. Following up the activities within the framework of the "Socrates" programme, which was started up during the spring meeting, the Section heard the reports from the various countries and examined the proposals related to the organisation of education and training programmes. The Section also reviewed the trade union situation in the separate countries; we point out in particular the report from the brothers and sisters of the NFWC, Hungary, on their good result during the latest trade union elections. Things are really moving in most CEE countries. The WCL affiliates are involved in almost all important developments and in many cases they are the driving force behind them. Let us hope that they can keep this up. After the discussion on the outcome of the Malta Executive Committee meeting the General Secretary explains that the position to the next WTO Ministerial Conference will be decided during the Confederal Board session in Washington. After a thorough examination of the application for affiliation by PROMYANA, Bulgaria, the Section decided to give the Confederal Board a favourable advice. The meeting of the European affiliates will propose that the Confederal Board should take up Luc Cortebeeck, the brand-new ACV-CSC President, as a member in succession to Willy Peirens. In conclusion of a very active meeting the Section paid tribute to Willy Peirens and his wife: thank you, Willy, and all our best wishes during your well-deserved retirement.
TopOn the occasion of the IMF Interim Committee meeting, on 26 September 1999, the WCL asked the governing bodies of the IMF to admit once and for all that the social concern cannot be kept in the margin of the economic debates. It presented to the IMF a series of concrete measures to integrate the social into the economic aspect: to include explicitly in the structural adjustment programmes measures to improve the economic and social situation of the workers and the poor; control budgetary deficits and inflation against the background of social progress, with clear-cut goals regarding the scope and duration of the reduction of poverty; encourage the building of a new international financial architecture; and struggle against corruption and bad governance. The WCL reminded of the fact that respect for the core labour standards is an essential element of the integration of the social dimension into globalisation and structural adjustment.
TopCôte d'Ivoire : The WCL has been informed by DIGNITÉ, its affiliate in Côte d'Ivoire, that the advent of the independent union SYNTRAC-CI, affiliated to Dignité, has led the management of CASTELLI-Côte d'Ivoire to systematically intimidate the workers and to wrongfully punish the trade union activists. Following an action of all the workers in connection with their holidays, thirteen activists of Dignité, four of whom are leaders, were dismissed. The WCL has sent a letter of protest to the manager of the CASTELLI company in Italy, demanding the reinstatement of the dismissed workers and respect for the workers' rights.
Colombia : It is with deep sadness that the WCL has learned of the assassination of Hernán MORA MORA, a trade unionist held in high esteem, Chairman of the Sindicato de trabajadores del Ingenio Risaralda and leader of the Central General de Trabajadores Democráticos (CGTD) in the district of Risaralda in Colombia. The WCL has condemned this act of barbarity and demanded that the Colombian government track down the culprits and try them.
Indonesia :
Top15/10 WFIW: celebration affiliate CGM Germany
11/10 FCG/ÖGB Congress
12-15/10 ÖGB Congress Vienna (Austria)
24/10 Infedop World Board
25/10 Executive Committee
26-28/10 WCL Confederal Board Washington
29/10 Executive Committee
25-28/10 ILO Tripartite Meeting on the Human Resource Implication Geneva (Switzerland)
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