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EI/PSI TRADE UNION RIGHTS NETWORK Asia Pacific Region. Commonly Asked Questions about TUR Network. What is the TUR Network?.
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Commonly Asked Questions about TUR Network
What is the TUR Network? • A joint project of Education International (EI) & Public Services International (PSI), two of the largest GUF’s with combined membership of over 49 million trade unionists • Piloted in South East Asia sub-region with Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines as participating countries
Why it was formed? A response to the continuing violation of the trade union rights of existing and potential members Violations include: • Persecution of union members who seek to exercise their trade union rights • Severe legal restrictions on freedom of association • Prohibitions and/or restrictions on collective bargaining • Gender-based discriminations
How about your mission? To develop an effective model for a trade union rights network through a long and systematic approach in three stages: Stage 1 (1999) Develop and pilot education materials and a network resource handbook Stage 2 (2000-2003) Implement a trade union rights network in the South East Asian sub-region Stage 3 (2004-2005) Extend the South East Asia TUR Network to the Asia Pacific region
What are your objectives? Our Project Objectives are as follows: • Develop and test a model for establishing an effective trade union rights network • Evaluate and form the basis of a strategy to extend the network to the entire Asia Pacific Region
Our Development Objectives are as follows: • Improve the trade union rights of public sector workers, teachers and other educational staff in the AP region with particular emphasis on the ILO core labor standards • Improve the understanding of public sector workers, teachers and other educational staff of core labor standards and their rights
Our immediate objectives are the following: • Develop and test appropriate curriculum and education materials and their translation into local languages • Train 20 union activists as trainers focused on trade union and human rights • Establish a network of over 400 trained trade union rights activists in the pilot area • Publish a quarterly trade union rights newsletter that is distributed to network members • Develop and commence implementation of proactive national level TUR campaigns, as part of an international strategy on trade union rights
Who comprise your target group? Members of EI/PSI affiliates who are: • Elected officials including executive board members • Workplace representatives • Union trainers • Women and Youth Committee members • Unionists who indicate a particular interest and commitment to become members of the TUR Network
How is the Project managed? • A Steering Committee oversees the project, consists of: 1. EI Chief Coordinator 2. PSI Regional Secretary 3. Two Representatives of EI/PSI affiliates for each participating country (gender-balance) 4. Project Coordinator- Secretary of the SC • National Coordinating Committees
What are your major activities? • Development of modules and resource kits • National workshops for key officials of participating unions • Training of Trainers • Network Member Training • Skills Training • Translation of Education Materials • Trade Union Rights Campaign/Lobbying • Urgent Appeals • Protests/mobilization • Reporting and Documentation of TUR Violations • Research on Legislation and Practice • Production and distribution of newsletter • Steering Committee Meetings • Internal and External Evaluation
How is the Project financed? Stage 1- partly funded by ILO and counterpart contributions from EI and PSI Stage 2- primarily funded by LO-Norway and counterpart contributions from EI and PSI Stage 3- proposal will be developed in detail at a later stage Most of the participating unions also give contributions: office space, transport, web-site hosting,etc.
Summary of Progress • More cases of violations reported • Joint protests and actions of affiliates • Replication of training in workplaces on the initiative and funding by affiliates (sustainability) • Exchange of information by the network members • Improved joint efforts with strategic partners and general public • Inclusion of sessions on ICLS & TURN in union education programs • Consolidated the fragmented unions • Better newsletter
Challenges & Constraints • Insufficient number of trainers • Lack of face to face meetings of TURN-NCCs • NCCs have no secretariat nor full time support staff • Difficulties in getting leaves • Efficient and effective communication process • Anti-union management • Threats and victimization faced by activists • Governments’ resistance to favorable labour laws
TRADE UNION RIGHTS ARE HUMAN RIGHTS