ITUC-CSI-IGB

Strong Action Required to Combat Slavery in Ireland

2013-02-27T20:49:00Z

Migrant Rights Centre Ireland (MRCI) and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU), together with victims of slavery in Ireland today held a meeting in Dublin to discuss the increasing problem of slavery in Irish society. Forced labour in Europe today is largely a result of human trafficking and irregular migration. It involves deception, coercion, threats or actual physical harm, and debt bondage. The numbers of convictions of traffickers and unscrupulous employers are low, so trafficking (...) / Ireland, News , Child labour/Forced labour

Colombia: Armed Attack on Trade Union Leaders in Cali

2013-02-26T09:21:58Z

The ITUC has firmly denounced the attempt on the lives of Luis Miguel Morantes, the President of its affiliated organisation, the CTC (Confederación de Trabajadores de Colombia), and Adolfo Devia, vice president of the Cali municipal workers' union, the USE (Unión Sindical Emcali).

The attack took place on Saturday 23 February in the city of Cali. The trade union leaders had just left a meeting with International Labour Organisation (ILO) and government representatives, regarding the dismissal of over 400 public workers in Cali.
The assailants shot at the trade unionists' vehicle several times before being fended off by the team of bodyguards accompanying them. Fortunately the vehicle was armoured, saving the passengers from any injury.

This criminal act is one in a series of attacks marking an escalation in anti-union violence in Colombia since the start of the year.

"The situation is extremely grave. The Colombian government has made countless commitments at international level to tackle the climate of intimidation and violence against trade unionists. These latest incidents place us on red alert," said ITUC General Secretary Sharan Burrow.

In a letter to the Colombian authorities, the ITUC urged President Juan Manuel Santos to take every action necessary, and with every urgency, to ensure that the culprits are found and to guarantee the protection of the trade unionists.

For more information, please contact the ITUC Press Department on: +32 2 224 02 04 or +32 476 621 018

Stop violence against women and girls now!

2013-02-25T08:43:57Z

Next week, the 57th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW) will meet in New York on the issue of violence against women and girls. The ITUC urges the international community not to give in on any of the draft conclusions. Last year the Commission failed to reach agreement because of conservative governments questioning the very principle of gender equality. “This cannot happen again!” said Sharan Burrow, ITUC General Secretary, denouncing the current attacks on women's (...) / nologo, World-Global, Women , News

Algeria: North African Trade Unionists Arrested and Attacked

2013-02-22T14:36:39Z

The ITUC has firmly condemned the attacks on the rights of North African trade unionists visiting Algeria to take part in the first North African Forum to Fight Unemployment and Precarious Work.

"The police raided the hotel where the trade unionists were staying and proceeded to arrest five Moroccans, three Tunisians and three Mauritanians, including two women," reported the independent national public workers' union SNAPAP. They were then driven directly to the airport and deported from the country, without being able to inform anyone by telephone.

The trade unionists detained were due to take part in a meeting at the Maison des syndicats, hired by the SNAPAP in Dar El Beïda (Algiers). Police surrounded the trade union premises early in the morning and prohibited any attempt to access or vacate the building. The police also went on to arrest Abdelkader Kherba, a member of the Algerian League for the Defence of Human Rights, LADDH, and the National Committee to Defend the Rights of the Unemployed, CNDDC, along with three members of the SNAPAP National Executive.

Following a number of meetings in Tunisia and Morocco, the representatives of unemployed graduates and young precarious workers in the Maghreb established the North African Union to Fight Unemployment and Precarious Work (L'Union maghrébine pour la lutte contre le chômage et le travail précaire). The meeting in Algeria was organised in preparation for the World Social Forum (WSF) to be held in Tunis from 26 to 30 March 2013. The Tunis WSF will place special emphasis on the stakes in terms of rights and social justice in the Maghreb region.

In a letter sent to the Algerian authorities, the ITUC firmly condemned the attacks against the trade unionists and urged the government to take every action to ensure that those arrested are released without delay.

"The ITUC bitterly regrets this display given by the Algerian authorities, through these attacks on trade unionists, of the need to continue to fight for respect for trade union rights and freedoms. The ITUC firmly condemns the police's arbitrary action against members of the SNAPAP and their guests, and demands the immediate and unconditional release of all those still under arrest," said ITUC General Secretary Sharan Burrow.

For more information, please contact the ITUC Press Department on: +32 2 224 02 04 or +32 476 621 018.

Trade Union Rights Tackled at Meeting with Mexican Authorities in Belgium

2013-02-22T12:38:00Z

Trade union delegation meets with Mexican government representatives in Brussels within the framework of Mexico Days of Action

Representatives of the Belgian trade union centres and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) met today with Hermann Aschentrupp, head of chancery at the Mexican embassy in Belgium.

Representatives of the FGTB, CSC and CGSLB confederations, affiliated to the ITUC, attended the meeting.

The trade unionists presented the key demands of unions from across the world, which are taking part in the Global Days of Action for Labour Rights in Mexico. Efforts to tackle the serious violations of trade union rights in the country were among the main demands.

One of the most critical issues raised by the trade unions was the widespread imposition of "protection contracts", self-styled collective agreements drawn up by bogus unions and employers, with the backing of the judicial authorities.

As a result of this practice, the vast majority of Mexican workers are not even consulted when agreements are signed "on their behalf". Over 90 per cent of the collective agreements registered in Mexico are drawn up in this way.

The trade unionists also called for justice for the families of the 65 miners who died in Pasta de Conchos on 18 February 2006. Another issue raised at the meeting was the need to resolve the dispute over the dismissal of the 16,599 workers from the Mexican electrical workers' union SME (Sindicato Mexicano de Electricistas).

The embassy's Head of Chancery undertook to inform the authorities of the issues highlighted and stated that the present government is committed to trade union rights. The Belgian confederations and the ITUC will follow up on compliance with the commitments undertaken.

For more information, please contact the ITUC Press Department on: +32 2 224 02 04 or +32 476 621 018

India: Huge National Strike Marred by Death of Union Leader

2013-02-21T09:17:29Z

A two-day general strike organised by India's national trade union centres, which has had a massive impact across the country, has been marred by the tragic death of Haryana transport union leader Narendra Singh, who was killed by a bus at a transport depot yesterday. “We express our deepest condolences to Narendra Singh's family and colleagues, and expect the Indian authorities to carry out a full and impartial investigation into the circumstances of his death,” said ITUC General Secretary (...) / nologo, News , Human and trade union rights , India,

Fundamental Rights at Work in the Republic of Korea

2013-02-21T08:54:43Z

The Domestic Advisory Group (DAG) of the EU-Korea free trade agreement released an opinion on “Fundamental Rights at Work in the Republic of Korea”. The Group comprises trade unions, employers' organisations, civil society organisations and the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC). The Group's mandate is to advise the EU on the implementation of the Sustainability Chapter of the free trade agreement. A similar Group is established in Korea. The opinion identifies areas in which the (...) / News , Korea, South , ILO , Global economy

G20 Must Break the Circle of Rising Unemployment and Falling Confidence and Trust

2013-02-21T08:35:49Z

As the first G20 Employment Task Force meeting of 2013 opened in Moscow, international unions underscored that a jobs target from the G20 is essential to tackle unemployment and inequality and stem the social crisis which has followed in the wake of the financial crisis. Sharan Burrow, General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation, said a vicious circle is being set in motion with the jobs outlook remaining as bleak as ever. Unemployment is set to rise in 2013. More (...) / Global economy , World-Global, Russian Federation , News , Employment , Financial crisis , Decent work

Turkey: More Than 100 Trade Unionists Arrested

2013-02-19T15:19:00Z

The ITUC has strongly condemned the full-scale attacks against Turkey's public sector union carried out by the authorities. On Tuesday 19 February, the police issued arrest warrants for 167 people in 28 of the country's 81 provinces for alleged links with a terrorist organisation. It went on to arrest over 50 people in Istanbul, and raided the headquarters of public sector union KESK in Ankara. Over a hundred members of KESK, including Steering Committee member Akman Simsek, were arrested. (...) / News , Turkey , Human and trade union rights , Violence , Repression

Call-centre workers expose Deutsche Telekom double standards to global panel of inquiry into workers' rights

2013-02-19T11:10:01Z

Call-centre workers from T-Mobile, owned by Deutsche Telekom, gave evidence exposing the stark difference in workplace conditions between the US and Germany to an international hearing on 16 February in Charleston, South Carolina. The hearing came after a week-long visit to South Carolina workplaces from Berlin based call-centre workers from the ver.di union in Germany. The multinational communications company negotiates with the German union for workplace conditions with union (...) / News , United States, Germany, Human and trade union rights