Developing TU Policy, Strategy & Campaign on ILS

1. Developing TU Policy, Strategy & Campaign on ILS ILO/TURIN, Feb. 07 Pong-Sul Ahn ILO SRO, New Delhi

2. Globalisation

3. Plan of Action • Enhancing policy-creation capacity through researches on pertinent subjects • Policy coherence through a network with research institutions • Education and advocacy programmes • Implementation of OECD guideline on MNCs, in order to abide by the Labour Laws (having Int’l Framework Agreements at the national level)

4. Developing social insurance scheme Launching a campaign for a new ACT for the unorganised Application of a national minimum wage Social dialogue and workplace relations ILO Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work

6. Gender Equality

7. Solution Tree made by Women Union Leaders in Sri Lanka

9. ILO/ACTRAV Policy for Gender Equality • Guidelines and training materials including the gender dimension. • At least 33% representation of women in ILO activities and meetings. • Promotion of gender assessment in trade unions. • Promotion of social security schemes and training for female informal economy workers. • Promotion of information materials on Conventions 100, 111, 156, 183. • Strategic planning for the improvement of working conditions and safework for women. • Specific training courses for women in the ACTRAV/Turin Center program.

10. Women’s Participation Rate in ILC

11. Plan of Action for Gender Equality • Taking women’s issues as a priority of union activities • Creating women’s committee • Allocating separate funds for women’s activities • Increasing women’s participation in union decision bodies • Organising regular activities for women members and leaders • Networking women within trade unions and outside of the union • Launching a wide range of campaign on gender issues

12. 8th March – Int’l Women Day

13. Informal Economy

14. ACTRAV’s Organising Initiative Dhaka, 29-30 Sept 2004

16. Results of ILO/ACTRAV Organizing Activities

18. Plan of Action: Various Organising Strategies • Study circle model in Bangladesh • SYNDICOOP model in Africa • Income-Generation Programmes/ SHG • Healthcare service model in Nepal • Self-help group model in India • Summer school model in USA • Skills development and vocational training • Friendship House • Social mobilisation model

20. Out-migration

21. Plan of Action • Awareness-raising and advocacy • Collecting best practices on legal protection and social protection • Launching ratification campaigns for ILO conventions (Setting up of Steering Committee of Unions to campaign for ratifications of ILO conventions) • Organising the migrant workers • Providing helpline and legal services • Sharing information and networking between trade unions in both sending and receiving countries

22. Task Force/Working Group of Trade Unions to work together and bring out a declaration to protect the interests of emigrant labourers and subsequent mobilization among Members of Parliament and State Legislatures • conduct of a comprehensive study to the working conditions of migrant workers • Providing pre- and post-departure training • Organization of a National forum for helping the migrant workers with civil society, government representatives, trade unions and ILO

23. Initiation of National Consultations on Gender Issues relating to women emigrants • Regulation, Training and Sensitization for Recruitment Agencies • Setting up of a Welfare Fund for Emigrants and their families and manage them effectively • Rehabilitation training for returnemigrants

25. HIV/AIDS

26. Joint Employers’ and TUs’ Declaration of Commitment and Workplace Policy on HIV/AIDS in Nepal The Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) and 3 unions (Democratic Confederation of Nepalese Trade Union - DECONT, General Federation of Nepalese Trade Unions – GEFONT, and Nepal Trade Union Congress - NTUC), committing the following: • Recognition of the individual and collective responsibilities to provide and promote a healthy work environment for all workers , including those infected and/or affected by HIV/AIDS; • Ensure availability of accurate and gender sensitive information and prevention programmes and provide equal access to treatment for HIV/AIDS

27. Promote non-discrimination and gender equality, respect for individual rights and ensure confidentiality of all personal information, including information about HIV/AIDS status • Strengthen partnership and responsibility amongst the private and public sector, non-governmental organizations and the community to reduce vulnerability, prevent the spread of the epidemic and cultivate coping mechanisms Policies - Education, awareness and prevention programme - Testing and confidentiality - Managing illness - Occupational benefits - Non-discrimination and social dialogue - Monitoring and review

28. Policy of HMS on HIV/AIDS • Protection of rights and dignity of workers living with HIV/AIDS/STDs • HIV prevention and care programmes for workers in formal and informal economy • Establishment of a Task Force to plan and review HMS policy and programme on HIV/AIDS

29. TUs’ Joint Action Programme • Joint Statement of Commitment on HIV/AIDS By The Central Trade Unions in India

30. Plan of Action • Developing Policies of Individual unions on HIV/AIDS • Developing a TUs’ Joint Programme • Preparing a Joint Workers’ and Employment Statement • Developing training programmes and materials

31. Child Labour

32. TUs’ Joint Instiative In India there has been a long standing cooperation (since the early 1990s) between ACTRAV’s environment and child labour projects and a network of India industrial trade union network on one hand, and with a teachers’ network (all the Education International affiliates) on the other hand. These EI affiliates are covering the majority of India’s five million teachers.

33. Innovative Approach • Nepal has been one of the core countries for IPECs Time Bound Programme since the mid 1990s. Both the teachers unions and the industrial trade unions are working nicely together on the child labour issue. A union has broadcasted child labour issues through national radio stations

34. Collective Agreement through the ACTRAV Child labour project • Cambodia An agreement is reached by the local trade union at a rubber plantation in the Kamponchang province. Through the agreement, the plantation owners will provide 15 kilos of rice to parents for each child they send back to school. This has encouraged a lot of plantation workers as parents to send their children to school.

35. Plan of Action • Output Eliminating child labour in beedi making, agarbathi making, agriculture, construction, automobiles, hotels and stone quarrying at district and village levels • Activities Develop suitable Communication, training and counseling material on Child Labour appropriate to the Trade Union needs. - 150 digital banners deployed at appropriate places. - 10,000 Posters Printed and distributed. - 50,000 Pamphlets printed and distributed. - Training and counseling materials developed and printed

36. Strengthening the role and functioning of Trade Unions

37. Analysis of Trade Unions • Weaknesses Strengths Opportunities Threats (gaps)

38. Plan of Action • Low union density and penetration  organising • Fragmentation and rivalry  union unity • Political dependency  full political engagement • Unstable financial base  union due/ self-reliance scheme • Weak organisational structure  institutional development • Lack of human resources and skills  capacity-building/ training • Lack of information technology system  effective use of IT

39. Thank You