INTERVIEW: Swasthika Arulingam

Interview

From Global Worker No 2 November 2022

  

Country: Sri Lanka

Union: Commercial and Industrial Workers Union (CIWU)

Text: Kalyani Badola

How did you become a trade unionist?

“I finished my law degree in 2012, after which I joined the Legal Aid Commission of Sri Lanka (LAC) as a lawyer. LAC provides legal aid services to marginalized sections of society who cannot afford to pay for legal counsel. 

“When I joined LAC, the organization was just starting a project to set up centres in Northern and Eastern Sri Lanka to provide legal aid services to war-affected communities in the region. Since I speak Tamil and a significant portion of the population in the area is Tamil, I was asked to oversee the project. During this period, I spent a lot of time with the working class of the country, trying to understand their issues and providing support wherever it was possible. Since I was based out of Colombo, I was also part of the legal aid panel there. This gave me an opportunity to interact with workers from Free Trade Zones (FTZ) and familiarize myself with the situation of industrial workers in the country. We were doing a lot of pro-bono cases of workers’ rights violations in FTZ areas. This is when I encountered organizers from the Commercial and Industrial Workers Union (CIWU). My political ideology and the work that CIWU was doing intersected, and I decided to join the union in 2019. Since then, I have been working as an organizer with CIWU.”

Why is it important for unions to have young women leaders?

“In 2021 I was approached to be on the union’s executive committee. They believed the union and workers could benefit immensely from a young woman in the leadership position. Being a feminist, I couldn’t agree with them more. I decided to participate in the election and was elected deputy general secretary. Unfortunately, the union president, Linus Jayatilake, passed away earlier this year. After his demise, the executive committee approached me to take the post. And in July this year, I took on the role of the president of CIWU.

“In Sri Lanka, like everywhere in South Asia, a majority of trade union leadership is male-dominated. This greatly affects the types of worker's issues that unions take up. We see that in industries like garment, which has a disproportionately high number of unskilled and fluctuating women workers, having a male leadership makes it extremely difficult to raise issues like night work, harassment on the shop floor including sexual harassment, gender pay gap, transport facility, and childcare, as factory issues. These are frequently not regarded as worker issues, but rather as issues affecting women and are most of the time not made a priority. 

“Even when they are raised, the approach of a male leadership is very different. For example, sexual harassment is treated as a one-off incident which it is not; it is deeply embedded in the production process. For night work, male unionists usually say that women need to go home early as they need to take care of the household and children. So, we see patriarchy playing out even within unions and in the formulation of workers’ problems. 

“In such a scenario a woman leader or a woman organizer can make a huge difference. Women-led unions have demonstrated a strong feeling of camaraderie and a collective spirit. In contrast to male-led unions, where leaders assume the role of God and other members feel like they are pleading for help, in women-led unions, everyone feels like they are a part of the process. The union culture changes when women are in leadership positions. It is still good to have a woman who sounds like them even though I did not come to this position from the shop floor. It gives them hope that one day they will be able to lead.”

What challenges do young women face within union spaces?

“As I mentioned earlier, patriarchy plays out even within unions. Women unionists are constantly subjected to sexist remarks, harassment, and sub-delegation of tasks. Low-paid administrative tasks are usually assigned to women, and the face of the leadership is always a man.” 

How have unions, including CIWU, responded to you being elected president?

“CIWU has been very supportive. I am not treated any differently from our other senior leaders. They see it as an opportunity to articulate new positions, formulate new campaigns, and bring in more young people. But of course, it will take time to get used to a woman leader in the decision-making body. Our society does not view assertiveness as a quality that women should possess. They are ‘supposed’ to be subservient. The National Labour Advisory Council (NLAC) of Sri Lanka, which IndustriALL affiliates are also part of, was formed in 1995 but has just welcomed its first female trade unionist. 

“But then it’s not just about one woman. We need women at all levels. In our executive committee, there are three women out of 15 members. That figure must rise. Additionally, we must make sure that we do more than simply participate in the decision-making process in name alone.”

What is the situation for workers in Sri Lanka now?

“The current economic crisis is the making of the ruling class. We lacked an economic strategy when liberal economic policies were introduced in 1977. The ruling class wanted to appease individual employers and be in their good books. They did not think of methods to restructure the whole economy. There hasn’t been any industrialized growth in the country. There are no decent jobs. And the situation continued to get worse. And now with Covid and the current economic crisis, the economy has hit the rock bottom. 

“Exporters are keeping the funds outside the country. Employers are only worried about their interests and the political class is not holding them accountable. The current economic structure perpetuates the victimization of workers through diluting labour laws, eliminating social protection, paying starvation wages, and busting unions. Workers are being exploited by businesses, but there is no one to speak up to management about their exploitative practices. Where there are collective bargaining agreements, management is pressuring unions to settle for less-than-ideal agreements or to forgo having any at all. Even within NLAC which is a tripartite body, the position of unions is weaker as there is a strong presence of anti-union government officials and employers.

“Wages have stagnated. Overtime, attendance bonus, transport fares, or any other incentives, are not paid and the cost of living has shot up. Food inflation hit 94 per cent last month. We are paying thrice as much compared to what we used to pay earlier for utilities. Public transport and fuel have become expensive. Taxes, both direct and indirect, have risen. There is a huge burden on workers. it has become impossible to live. They are skipping meals because they can’t afford to pay for food items anymore. Nutrition has been severely affected. Children are not going to school. So, the overall situation is very pitiable.”

What are unions doing in the face of the crisis?

“We have been running a community kitchen programme for union members in FTZ by pooling resources, easing the economic pressure on individual workers and their families. We have written to the government several times to engage with trade unions and to convene a meeting of NLAC so that issues pertaining to workers’ rights can be discussed in the tripartite forum. 

“We have demanded that the minimum wage be raised from LKR16,000 (US$44) to LKR26,000 (US$71). We are also demanding a monthly economic relief allowance of LKR10,000 (US$27) for all workers. We wrote a letter to the Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF) requesting brands who source from Sri Lanka, to continue to place their orders in Sri Lankan factories so that economy doesn’t collapse further and workers can retain their jobs.”

Trade unions strategize for week two of COP27

Just Transition is crucial as the implementation of the Paris Agreement is negotiated. The term mustn’t be hijacked and Just Transition must be about workers’ rights, good jobs and social dialogue.

On Saturday the trade union delegation at COP27  joined the massive demonstration together with civil society organizations for the “global day of action for climate justice”.

The march was an opportunity for unions to communicate their perspective on just transition. Trade unionists held slogans like:

“Trade unions 4 just transition”

“there are no jobs on a dead planet” 

“there is no climate justice without labour rights”

The march was held inside the conference venue because free protests on the streets are not allowed.

On Sunday the trade union strategy day, organized by the ITUC and Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, brought together about 80 trade union delegates to COP from around the world to develop a strategic approach to the climate negotiations, as well as lobbying national governments and including Just Transition in collective agreements with companies.

The delegates were updated on the current status of the negotiations at the halfway point of COP27. The Paris Rulebook was finalized last year at COP26. This year focuses on implementation, and there are important negotiations on loss and damage, climate finance and the implementation of Just Transition in national plans. 

Participants broke out into group sessions to address three important elements of Just Transition:

  1. National Just Transition agreements and laws, with Boitumelo Molete (COSATU) and Anne-Beth Skrede (LO Norway)

"There is political momentum around Just Transition. More and more countries are incorporating it into their nationally determined contributions (NDCs) to the UNFCCC. Social dialogue and democracy are prerequisites  for Just Transition – so we can use this to demand freedom of association, create space for unions to organize and to raise their status and bargaining power at national level." 

said Walton Pantland, IndustriALL Global Union.

  1. Trade union climate action and mobilisation with Babacar Sylla (CNTS), Sacha Dierckx (ABVV) and Alex Callahan (CLC)

“It’s not simple to collaborate with civil society organizations due to the diversity of views in the trade union movement. We must look for areas to work together. We will not see eye to eye on everything, but we need to create space to communicate with civil society. We must educate on how trade unions function to build our base and create coalitions to strengthen our movement towards climate justice for all.”

Said Alex Callahan, Canadian Labour Congress

  1. Just Transition in collective bargaining with John Mark Mwanika (ITF) and Diana Junquera (IndustriALL Global Union)

“We need to be sure that Just Transition and climate policies are included in collective bargaining, at local, national, global and company level. Unions have to include specific language to cover workers through the different challenges that they are facing due to climate change and the energy transition“

said Diana Junquera Curiel, IndustriALL Global Union.

Samantha Smith from the Just Transition Centre presented the work of the Centre and the newly launched initiative of Just Transition on the Energy Sector.

“We are working hard with affiliates on Just Transition. Our members know that the transition is here, and they want to be ready, we are here to support this process. We have fought for a seat at the table, and we will win a Just Transition for our members!”

The strategy day concluded with closing words from Eric Manzi of ITUC Africa: 

“Let us continue to work hard in these negotiations. Next week is crucial, and we expect good outcomes.” 

Solidarity visit to Alang shipbreaking yards

The solidarity visit, by trade unionists from India, Bangladesh, Singapore, Japan, France, the Netherlands and the Geneva head office, was part of a series of activities organized through the shipbuilding and shipbreaking action group. The events included a workshop on the Hong Kong Convention on 6 November, a meeting of the action group on 7 November, the solidarity visit, and safety training delivered by the Dutch union FNV on 9-10 November.

Considered the world’s most dangerous job, shipbreaking has taken a terrible human toll in the shipyards of India, Bangladesh and Pakistan. However, India’s shipyards have improved dramatically since the local union, ASSRGWA got organized, and the country ratified the Hong Kong Convention on the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships in 2019.

Although there are still issues at the workplace, including low wages, long hours and precarious work, the situation is much improved. Delegates toured two shipbreaking yards where workers have the right to stop work they feel is unsafe. Workers are provided with protective equipment and safe working plans.

The delegation witnessed a demonstration by the union through Alang, and a rally at the ASSRGWA compound, which was built with funding from Japanese affiliate JBU. The rally was addressed by action group co-chairs Eileen Yeo and Kenichi Kanda, IndustriALL assistant general secretary Kan Matsuzaki and sector director Walton Pantland.

 

Kanda introduced listeners the Japanese greeting from JBU union members “Goanzenni!”, which means “be safe!”

Matsuzaki said:

“We have seen how much we can win through organizing. Our challenge now is to organize even more workers, so we can change the balance of power in the industry. We need to organize in Bangladesh and Pakistan and set those countries on the path towards sustainability that India has taken.”

The delegation visited several downstream operations. Outside the gates of the shipyards, men worked in a makeshift workshop, hand cutting steel plates into discs that would be used to make ploughs and other agricultural implements.

Fifty kilometres up the road, in Bhavnagar, the delegates visited women organized by SEWA who were processing e-waste and recycling old anchor rope into woven mats which are used to created chairs, beds and other furniture.

 

At the action group meeting, delegates discussed the situation in the shipbreaking industry, as well as trends in shipbuilding. The International Maritime Organization target of a 50 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from shipping is leading to changes in the way ships are designed, as well as experimentation in alternative fuels and propulsion methods. The meeting had a hybrid format with participants also joining online from Australia, Europe and Latin America.

On 6 November, stakeholders in the Indian shipbreaking industry met to discuss progress made towards the ratification and entry into force of the Hong Kong Convention. Employers were represented the Ship Recycling Industry Association and cash buyers, who play an important intermediary role between shipowners and yards, were represented by GMS. A representative of the Gujarat Maritime Board also attended.

The meeting was opened by the general secretary of Hind Mazdoor Sabha, Harbhajan Singh Sidhu, and Matsuzaki, who explained that 2023 is a crucial year for the ratification of the Convention, and that if Bangladesh fails to ratify during that time period, momentum will be lost. He noted that Pakistan had recently pledged to ratify.

Since India ratified the Convention, almost 80 per cent of yards have been upgraded to compliant standards. Unions believe that India is halfway through the process – tremendous improvements had been made, but significant work remains. Unions identified the immediate priority as the establishment of an industry wide joint safety committee.

Matsuzaki proposed the development of a tripartite Alang Standards Committee to agree common standards in wages, safety, workers accommodation, transport, training, downstream and other areas of concern to all stakeholders.

COP27 must deliver on a Just Transition for all

There is a lot of pressure on this year’s COP to deliver as we are far from the objectives set by the Paris Agreement. Global warming is increasing and financing the transition is at the heart of discussion. 

The New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) on climate finance which must be finalized by 2024 and is set to replace the US$100 billion climate finance goal set in Glasgow. It is clear that we should be looking at trillions to seriously achieve anything.

Developed industrialized countries in the Global North whose emissions have largely driven global warming are called on to pay up for this transition. However, we are far from and achieving an adequate financing as the discussion is moving very slowly with developed countries dragging their feet.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change. Its 2022 report says: 

The IPCC also estimates that much greater annual investment from all sources will be needed globally for the world to transition to a low-carbon future and avoid warming exceeding 1.5°C.

This year’s COP is also referred to as “Africa’s COP", as it must address Africa’s climate challenges and deliver on climate finance. 

Africa has challenges but a transition is possible. But how will it be done? Economies today are based on exploitation of natural resources; looking to Just Transition to create more decent jobs with investment in environmentally sustainable production is key.

600 million people in Africa don’t have access to energy, so improving access is key. There is a need in Africa to focus on renewable technologies in energy, agriculture, and transportation to improve the welfare of communities.

Barely one week into the conference and trade unions are working fiercely to ensure that Just Transition standards are included in all levels of the negotiations. Mobilizing around ministers and government representatives is important. Key areas unions are focusing on are climate financing, loss and damages, response measures and mitigation.

“We must ensure that the Paris Agreement commitments are implemented and that those who are the worst impacted by climate change are guaranteed real solutions. Workers cannot pay the bills of the climate, energy and price crisis, and as trade unions, we must ensure a Just Transition for all. No one can be left behind”

said Diana Junqera Curiel, IndustriALL energy director.

COP27 is taking place in Egypt. On Thursay morning a demonstration was held where everyone wore white in solidarity with jailed activists.

British-Egyptian Alaa Abdel-Fattah was jailed almost a decade ago by Egyptian authorities on charges of spreading disinformation. He has been on hunger strike for months and on Sunday stopped drinking water to bring attention to his struggle and that of rights activists like him during COP27.

"Human right abuses are our business, they are at the heart of our business. If we don’t have strong democracies committed to fundamental human and labor rights, then our fight to achieve just climate goals will be impossible!"

said Sharan Burrow ITUC general secreatry.

Madagascar garment workers formulate strategies to confront gender-based violence and harassment

For example, workers at Marine et Moi formed a committee to fight GBVH at their factory in Antananarivo. Speaking at a training workshop attended by 30 participants, 22 women and eight men, from IndustriALL affiliates SEKRIMA, SEMPIZOF, and SVS, from 7-8 November, which focused on sexual harassment and how to reduce the risk factors, the workers said the committee met and discussed an action plan. The workshop follows on a GBVH workshop held in July.
 
Participants said they were engaging their enterprise committees on GBVH and carrying out awareness campaigns to sensitize workers on fundamental rights at work. GBVH is also included in union recruitment and organizing activities. The workers also identified social dialogue as another platform that is useful to the campaign, and for the ratification of Convention 190 by Madagascar. The workers said the campaigns should include the workers’ rights to maternity protection, health and safety at work, and social protection.
 
The workers identified gender discrimination as stressful to women workers in the factories and made a commitment to confront it through their union activities and campaigns. The workers also said decent wages are key to addressing GBVH as low wages and precarious working conditions increase vulnerability of women.

 

In the many testimonies that were shared in the workshop, the workers said GBVH took many forms from demanding sex to extortion. Financial forms, especially bribes for women to keep their jobs, deprived the workers of their hard-earned wages. In some instances, women paid monthly bribes of up to 20 per cent of their wages.
 
At the factories, some women workers said they shared toilets with men, which violated their privacy. Further, some changing rooms used by both male and female workers were in open spaces next to offices and had no privacy. Sometimes supervisors stopped women workers from going to the toilet by yelling through the public address system in the factory that they must go back to their workstation.
 
Harmful cultural practices that discriminated against women, domestic violence, and a justice system that did not give stiffer sentences to perpetrators, increased the risk to GBVH.
 
There were deeper discussions on what is sexual harassment and its different forms in the world of work. Discussions included social practices that privileged men while oppressing women.
 
Holitiana Randrianarimanana, a gender expert, who facilitated at the workshop said:

“It is important for unions to work with non-governmental organizations and civil society organizations on ending GBVH in Madagascar.”

Remi Botoudi, the chairperson of the national council for IndustriALL affiliates in Madagascar said:

“Unions must continue to campaign for social dialogue on GBVH and educate members on the issue.”

Armelle Seby, IndustriALL director for gender said:

“As trade unions, we must break the cycle of GBVH because it happens on a continuum and is caused by unequal power relations between men and women. Gender inequality is worsened by patriarchy, harmful social and cultural norms, and discrimination. We must address these root causes, carry out risk management, and stop the abuse of power. Additionally, we must find ways to deal with reprisals that women face when they resist GBVH that include dismissals and other forms of harassment.”

Photo credit: ILO, garment factory in Antananarivo

Two factory fires in India in less than a week

Two workers were killed and eighteen others sustained serious injuries in the fire that broke out on 1 November in a footwear manufacturing and packaging factory located in Delhi.

According to media reports, the fire was caused by an explosion in a polyurethane (PU) machine used to produce the soles of the footwear. Around 300 workers were working in the factory when the fire broke out and many jumped out of the building to save their lives.

Prior to the explosion, workers had requested that the PU machine, which was faulty, be replaced but the factory owner took no action. In addition, the factory was operating without the relevant certificates from the fire department and had no firefighting equipment.

Just four days later, another fire broke out in another footwear factory in the same industrial area of India’s capital. Luckily no casualties were reported.
Most of the workers employed in these factories come from remote rural areas of the country. Workers reported to the media that they earn INR12,000 (US$147) per month, and work for around ten hours a day.

Apoorva Kaiwar, IndustriALL south Asia regional secretary, says:

“It’s horrific that workers continue to lose lives due to employers’ complete disregard for workplace safety. Factory inspectorate must ensure that factories adhere to safety norms.

"It’s also important that we hold retailers who purchase from factories that do not follow safety standards, accountable.”

The injured workers are under medical care. The deceased have been identified as 24-year old Sonu Thakur, and 20-year old Akhil Kumar.
Police have registered a case against the owner and the contractor of the factory.

IndustriALL forms gender equality task force

Addressing the delegates, IndustriALL general secretary Alte Høie said:

"Discussions within the women’s committee prioritizes due diligence and a Just transition as it is critical to ensure that IndustriALL develops gender receptive actions and policies. Women are always most affected by calamities. We strongly condemn the war in Ukraine and hope to find solutions to help rebuild.”

IndustriALL assistant general secretary, Christine Olivier, said:

“The Ukraine war is continuing and accelerates our struggles. Inflation is increasing and there is little protection for women. We must applaud ourselves for our completed work and the progress that we continue to make so that women have safe spaces to speak.”

Gender expert Jane Pillinger presented IndustriALL’s future pay equity toolkit. This resource focuses on why pay equity is an important trade union and workplace issue, bringing the issue into collective bargaining, and protection for workers in the informal sector. 
 
Business and human rights expert, Liz Umlas, addressed delegates about gender-transformative human rights due diligence (HRDD). She emphasized the need for due diligence. However, existing instruments are partially failing to develop a gender responsive approach. Trade unions have an important role to play to promote gender equality in supply chains. Investors have shown an increased interest in gender equality.
 
A panel discussion focused on three sectors and their work on gender mainstreaming. Speakers from FO Metal France, USW Canada and IndustriALL regional office in South Asia stressed how women should be enticed to entering technical or engineering STEM jobs in ICT Electronics, the beneficial outcomes of the GFA with H&M in advancing the fight against GBVH and the development of codes of conduct on sexual harassment for the suppliers of the brand, and how trade unions, including the mining sector, should integrate gender equality into Just Transition debates. 
 
IndustriALL’s sector directors, from mining, garment and textiles and ICT Electronics, discussed women’s challenges including discrimination and gender pay gap, GBVH, job segregation and under-representation in union structures and leadership. Directors also voiced the strategies that were being established to protect and grow women, including industry bargaining to set living wages for garment female workers, negotiation of similar agreements like the Bangladesh accords Accord securing the safety of thousands of women in this sector, establishment of women sectoral structures and development of tools for affiliates to develop gender responses to OHS.
 
An IndustriALL 2023 action plan to advance gender equality was presented. Campaigns for the ratification and implementation of ILO Convention 190 will continue. Everyone will closely monitor the outcomes of these campaigns. Further discussion and work around mainstreaming gender in IndustriALL action on HRDD and Just transition will be organized. Affiliates expressed a need for a mentoring programme for young women to grow women in all sectors. The Secretariat is working on putting together a project that will address this need.
 

Colombian coal workers discuss the need for a just transition

Glen Mpufane, IndustriALL’s global director of mining, told the meeting that unions need to discuss what will happen when coal mines close down in Colombia. He said it is important for workers to be involved in discussions in order to demand a just transition, pointing out that IndustriALL’s new trade union guide for a just transition contains a number of practical recommendations in that regard.

Sintracarbón’s Igor Diaz said that Glencore has already relinquished the mining concessions held by Prodeco, one of its subsidiaries in Colombia, while the concessions held by Cerrejón, another Glencore subsidiary, expire in 2035. He said that Glencore had called for talks on a just transition for Prodeco workers but nothing had happened.

"We were forced to look into diversifying production techniques so that the coal workers still had employment options. The fact is that Glencore has done nothing to ensure a just transition and now 1,200 Prodeco workers no longer have jobs."

Diaz also said that Glencore is required to maintain the Prodeco mine until it is handed over to its new owners. But unfortunately, Glencore is using outsourced workers for this rather than its own employees.
He called on Glencore to sit down with the workers to discuss the closure and ensure that resources are set aside for them to be retrained.
Glencore's business model includes both the extraction and sale of raw materials. Claudia Blanco from Sintracarbón pointed out that Prodeco relinquished the mining concessions but would continue to operate the railway and port, and the union found out that Prodeco is still moving coal by boat:

"The employer representatives then admitted that they were buying coal and exporting it by boat. They confessed that they were hiring other workers to do our work, outsourcing it to people who were not entitled to the benefits secured by the union.

"Almost all unionized workers are in redundancy proceedings. It is not fair that the company wants to evade its responsibilities and refuses to hold a dialogue with the union in order to reach an agreement. Glencore clearly has double standards and is uncompromising in its discourse."

Meeting participants agreed that it was necessary to press ahead with initiatives to retrain and prepare coal workers for a just energy transition. They will continue to work on a proposal for a just transition, based on the experiences of other countries. This will enable them to push for an inclusive dialogue in talks on mine closures.
Participants also said that they would seek a dialogue with the new government to promote policies aimed at creating decent jobs to replace coal jobs and to provide incentives for companies to ensure a just transition and not leave ghost towns behind when they leave.

IndustriALL’s assistant general secretary Kemal Özkan said:

"Colombia is in the process of creating a new society. There are discussions about the future of the economy, and we need to be part of those discussions. The trade union movement must demand a just transition that ensures high-quality jobs for workers.
Coal mining brings many challenges. It causes pollution and drives climate change, but shutting down all coal mines is not the solution. We need to make sure that Glencore is held accountable and demand fairness in the company’s operations.”

Sri Lankan unions continue to fight against crisis

Several political parties, progressive organizations and trade unions took to the streets in Colombo on 2 November demanding that the government stop using the police and armed forces to suppress peaceful protests emerging across the country.

Since the new President Ranil Wickramasinghe was elected, the government has detained university students and arrested protestors under false charges. The police deployed at protest sites regularly use tear gas and water cannons to intimidate protestors.

Last month, trade unions organized a public meeting in Colombo, presenting a 13-point resolution. In it, the unions strongly condemned the government’s anti-people and anti-worker policies.

“We strongly condemn the manner in which the Sri Lankan government is handling the current crisis. Putting protestors behind bars is not the solution. We demand that draconian laws such as the Prevention of Terrorism Act, which is used to crush citizen protests, be immediately abolished. The government must engage in a social dialogue with unions and other organizations,”

said Anton Marcus, general secretary of IndustriALL affiliate Free Trade Zones and General Services Employees Union.

Trade unions, including IndustriALL’s affiliates, have written extensively to the government demanding that the government engage with unions to discuss labour issues and summon the meeting of the National Labour Advisory Council, the tripartite mechanism established as per the Convention 144 of the International Labour Organization.

According to reports, the minister of labour arbitrarily increased the overtime service limit of 60 hours per month for female workers up to 75 hours ,and the limit of ten night shifts per month up to 15 days per month. Employers and the government have used the economic crisis to take steps to curtain the rights and privileges of the workers who are currently living under extremely difficult conditions with skyrocketing inflation and poverty wages.

In their resolution, trade unions put forth the demand that the government provide a monthly economic relief allowance of LKR10,000 (US$27) to all workers, and every two weeks, provides a pack of essential goods to each family generating an income less than LKR 50,000 (US$136) per month, irrespective of their employment status.

Apoorva Kaiwar, IndustriALL south Asia regional secretary, says:

“IndustriALL extends solidarity to the working people of Sri Lanka. We call on the Sri Lankan government to seriously consider the demands of trade unions and to take concrete steps towards improving the living conditions of workers in the country. The government should immediately call for a meeting of the NLAC and resume dialogue with trade unions.”

Unions prepare for COP27

IndustriALL has developed a series of building blocks to fight inequality, and a Just Transition is one of them. The purpose of the webinars this week is to share IndustriALL’s position on Just Transition and ensure that demands are clear ahead of COP27. 

“COP27 will focus on finance and implementation, we have to make sure that our workers’ voices are reflected in the Just Transition processes,”

said Kan Matsuzaki, IndustriALL assistant general secretary.

The first webinar focused on union demands at COP and the work around the transition, such as the initiative launched by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) , LO Norway and IndustriALL on Just Transition in the energy sector.

Bert De Wel, ITUC policy officer, explained that Just transition is about decent work and quality jobs.

“It is based on social dialogue between workers and their unions, employers, and governments. A plan for Just Transition provides and guarantees better and decent jobs, social protection, more training opportunities, and greater job security for all workers affected by global warming and climate change policies.” 

Link to first webinar:  Just Transition – COP27 and our demands

The second webinar focused on the fight for Just Transition throughout supply chains and in regions.

“What happens in supply chains globally affects all IndustriALL’s unions and workers and is important in the whole scheme of Just Transition,”

said Kemal Ozkan IndustriALL assistant general secretary. 

Today's exploitative business model is unsustainable. Voluntary corporate social responsibility commitments have failed to address abuse and violations, as we see respect for workers' rights in the supply chain decline.

IndustriALL mining director, Glen Mpufane, explained that there is a need for increased supply chain responsibility for companies and governments with accountability, traceability and transparency.

“The green economy fuels new metals and an energy super cycle, where battery production will be one of the fastest growing industrial activities in the years to come. The extraction of raw materials needed like cobalt, lithium, copper and nickel, is often associated with gross human and workers' violations and unacceptable environmental consequences.”

Global unions are calling for a gender transformative and inclusive Just Transition, that will tackle the root causes of inequality. The transition must include decent work for all, formalization of informal work, universal access to social protection and equal pay for equal value.

Link to second webinar: Fight for Just Transition throughout supply chain and in the regions

The last webinar was on Just Transition in the mobility sector – developing cross sector cooperation. The focus was on maritime sectors. "We need to build solidarity among workers and make a plan for a Just Transition,"

says Kan Matsuak,i IndustriALL assistant general secretary.

The requirement to decarbonize shipping by 50 per cent by 2050 will impact the maritime sector, and working together across sectors to ensure just transition for workers is imperative. David Heindel from ITF global union provided an overview on what sustainable shipping is and what is needed for a just transition. “We need strong actions on climate change,” said David.

IndustriALL’s director of shipbuilding and shipbreaking, Walton Pantland, focused on the trends in the sector and what this will mean for workers.

“Shipbreaking is an essential part of the circular economy – but it is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. With the Hong Kong Convention and strong unions in the yards, we can transform the industry and create high quality, unionized recycling jobs,” 

said Walton.

Link to third webinar: Just Transition in mobility sector – developing cross sector cooperation