Unions must be part of LGBTQI+ dialogue

“We have a lot of work to do to make sure that workers feel safe in their workplaces, in their communities and in their unions.”

said James Cavoluzzo from PSI and Global Unions LGBTI+ project coordinator.

National union representatives expressed that so many unions are working hard to ensure that they are developing workplace policies inclusive of LGBTI+ rights in the aim to build a more inclusive movement.

“But how do we connect this work to the work on global level? How do we create networks to share the good practices and valuable tools and resources?”

Unions globally are at very different stages when it comes to including and protecting LGBTQI+ workers and advancing their rights. The main objective of this roundtable was to take stock of the work done and to set a strategic plan. Working with allies and connecting union LGBTQI+ activists with one another is going to be valuable in amplifying workers voices on these issues. Global Unions present were keen to facilitate this.

“It matters that unions support LGBTQI+ communities. Why? Because their issues matter, and while some union members are not from the community, their kids or grandkids are, and they want to see their union take it seriously.

An injury to one is an injury to all,”

said Michele Kessler from the UFCW in Canada.

Nthabi Maine ,“Chris”,  from, IndustriALL affiliate, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) shared her experience of coming out as gay in her union. She described the types of discrimination that she experienced as she moved up in her union role. For Chris, speaking to people about who she is and educating them on her sexuality was key. Her experience led to LGBTQI+ rights at work being taken more seriously by her union and more importantly it led to more union members feeling safe to come out in their workplaces and in their communities.

Intersectionality and decolonization are terms used frequently today when we speak discrimination. A session led by the South Feminist Futures group explained the concepts and clarified how it can be an essential tool for trade union work on social justice. 

When addressing LGBTI+ discrimination, Intersectionality is a crucial and essential tool, which help to see and understandthe multiple and overlapping structures of oppression that impact people. Coloniality is the continuation of western imperialism even after the end of political colonialization it is the imposing of Eurocentric thinking values and control over key aspects of life. It’s more, imposition of racial and gender classification of the global population is in fact the corner stone of that model of power.

“Trade unions have an important role to play in building an inclusive world free from discrimination and intolerance. In the trade union struggle for social justice, intersectionality reminds us that there are inequalities within inequality and oppressions within oppression,”

said Nancy Kachingwe from South Feminist Futures.

Understanding the complexity of societies and how social inequalities are historically constructed is key if trade unions are to be representative of their members and potential members. Understanding how different forms of discrimination work together to oppress and perpetuate social inequalities in society and the workplace is an important tool for trade unions to contribute in building an inclusive world free from discrimination and intolerance  on national and international level. 

“We face serious pushback when it comes to the promotion of gender equality and LGBTQI+ communities’ rights worldwide, unions must play a role in resisting to the progression of discrimination and hate speech.

Our organisations should be agents of change and promote inclusion.  IndustriALL understands that to be inclusive we must practice lifelong learning. We need to learn about the types of discrimination that our members face 

Listening to trade unionist stories about their journey to be themselves within their families and their movement is inspiring. 

Discrimination due to sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, is unacceptable. IndustriALL must act and take a leading role in promoting LGBTQI+ rights in its sectors. 

We will continue our work with our affiliates and with GUFs to strengthen our fight against all forms of discrimination” 

said Armelle Seby, IndustriALL gender director.

The organisation of online global unions joint meetings/trainings and webinars on LGBTQI+ rights, increased engagement of, exchange with, affiliates in the work on LGBTQI+ communities, and development of a manual on best practices, are among the actions that have been identified under the project for 2023. 

Background:

GUFs representing workers throughout all sectors formed this working group in 2018, following a CGU decision to exchange, build on good practices and strengthen existing networks, cooperation and visibility of TU initiatives on LGBTI+ workers’ rights. With the aim of educating on LGBTI+, building structures, and strengthening existing structures. 

This website shares the global union work in promoting LGBTI+ rights at work at national, regional and international levels. On the website, affiliated unions can share their work onpromoting LGBTI rights at work across the world. The website also provides a dedicated space (forum) where trade union members all over the world can discuss LGBTI issues, and what they and their unions are doing to build a more tolerant and discrimination-free world.

IndustriALL stands in solidarity with working people in Sri Lanka

Food inflation has been at an all-time high and there has been an 80 per cent increase in the prices of imported goods. This, along with the devaluation of the Sri Lankan currency, has been devastating for the working people.

Swasthika Arulingam, president of the Commercial and Industrial Workers Union (CIWU), says:

“While food prices have skyrocketed, wages have seen a sharp decline. Workers are unable to afford even two meals a day. Malnutrition has become a serious cause of concern in the country. There are reports of children fainting in schools due to insufficient food intake.”

Ahilan Kadirgamar, a senior lecturer at the University of Jaffna, said that the economic crisis has been brewing for a long time. The Sri Lankan government’s economic policies since the country opened up its markets are primarily responsible for the current situation. Even during these a difficult times, the government has not shown any intention to change its policies, as reflected in the budget for the upcoming year. There is no attempt to address the food crisis or provide any relief to the country’s working people.

Earlier this year, peaceful protests over the food and fuel crises were suppressed by the government using military force. Democratic and trade union rights are under severe attack in Sri Lanka.

Akira Takakura, IndustriALL vice president, said:

“Workers’ rights are under threat in Sri Lanka. Employers are taking advantage of the economic crisis to undermine trade union rights. We stand in solidarity with our affiliates in Sri Lanka who are at the forefront of the struggle to protect workers’ rights.”

IndustriALL affiliates said that the government has refused to engage with unions on labour-related issues. Despite the unions’ repeated requests to the government to convene the meeting of the National Labour Advisory Council, it has yet to happen.

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

“Workers and unions are putting up a strong fight. The country needs a union-led social movement bringing together all working people. We have to stand united if we want to safeguard our democratic and trade union rights.”

Atle Høie, IndustriALL general secretary, said:

“Workers have seen many hardships since the start of the crisis. IndustriALL firmly stands with unions and workers in Sri Lanka in these difficult times. We call on the Sri Lankan government to immediately look into the unions’ demands.”



 

Top photo: Demonstration against the cost of living crisis earlier this year. 

Myanmar military arson attack leaves garment workers homeless

The workers are employed in garment and textile factories in the region, and they say that the military destroyed the houses following a list of people involved in the civil disobedience movement.

NGO Data for Myanmar reported in August that as many as 28,434 civilian houses had been burned down by the military. Sagaing region is the most affected region.

News website The Irrawaddy cited a source from the Civil Defence and Security Organization that there was no clash between the resistance movement and the military in the villages. The purpose of the arson attack is to cut off the villages' support to the resistance movement.

“I believe more IWFM members' houses could be burned as we have about 900 members from two textile factories in those areas. IWFM calls on the international community to stop feeding the military with business profits, workers are suffering, and their lives are at stake under the military regime,”

says Khaing Zar, IWFM president.

“The merciless arson attacks again show that it is just not possible to do business ethically in Myanmar. The multinational companies still operating in the country should accelerate their divestment and make a responsible exit from Myanmar,”

says IndustriALL general secretary Atle Høie.
 
In September, Ethical Trading Initiative published a report that it is impossible to conduct responsible business in Myanmar. IndustriALL is engaging garment brands on a responsible exit from Myanmar.

Photo credit: Nway Oo Naing
 

Belarus must respect human rights

The list of violated rights and freedoms includes the freedom of opinion and expression, freedom of peaceful assembly and association, right to form and to join trade unions for the protection of interests, right to be entitled to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal.

The Nobel Peace Prize 2022 was awarded to Ales Bialiatski, who has worked to promote human rights and democracy in Belarus since the 1980s. He won’t be able to attend the award ceremony in Oslo, Norway, on 10 December, as he has been in prison since July 2021.  

Since 1901, the Nobel Prizes have been presented to Nobel Prize laureates at ceremonies on 10 December, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death.

Also, Human Rights Day is observed every year on 10 December, the day the UN General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948.

Ales Bialiatski founded the human rights group Viasna (which means spring) in 1996, after the constitutional amendment that gave President Alexander Lukashenko dictatorial powers, triggering mass protests. Viasna provided help for jailed protesters and their families. Over decades, the organization has also documented the authorities’ abuse against and torture of political prisoners. Its main goal is to contribute to development of the civic society in Belarus, based on respect for human rights.

Authorities have been trying to silence Ales Bialiatski for his work. In 2011, he was jailed for three years for alleged tax evasion. In July 2021, in the wake of the mass protests against Lukashenko’s dictatorship that broke out after the presidential election in August 2020, Ales Bialiatski was again jailed, this time without trial or conviction.

Ales Bialiatski shares the the Nobel Peace Prize 2022 with Memorial from Russia and Center for Civil Liberties from Ukraine.

As of today, there are 1,441 political prisoners in Belarus according to Viasna and the number is growing.

The ITUC Global Rights Index 2022 ranks Belarus among the ten worst countries for working people due to repressive criminal laws, mass arrests of trade union leaders and forced dissolution of unions.

On 18 July, the Supreme Court decided to liquidate and dissolve the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions (BKDP), and its four members, three of them affiliated to IndustriALL – the Belarusian Independent Trade Union (BITU or BNP), the Union of Radio and Electronics Workers (REP) and the Free Trade Union of Metalworkers (SPM), as well as the Free Trade Union of Belarus (SPB).

Mass detention of leaders and activists of the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions (BKDP) and affiliated unions for exercising their legitimate right to freedom of association took place on 19 April. The majority of the arrested unionists remain in custody. Some have been already sentenced to lengthy prison terms or restriction of freedom without imprisonment, while other trials are about to start.

Aliaksandr Yarashuk, BKDP chairperson, Siarhei Antusevich, BKDP vice-chairperson, and Iryna But-Husaim, BKDP media team officer and book-keeper, have been held in a pre-trial detention center since 19 April, the trial is scheduled to start on 20 December.

Aliaksandr Mishuk, BITU vice-chairperson at JSC Belaruskali, was sentenced to 2,5 years in prison on 15 November. Andrey Khanevitch, BITU local chair at Hrodno Azot, was sentenced to five years in prison on 16 November. Ihar Povarau and Yauhen Hovar, BITU activists at Belarusian Metallurgical Plant, BMZ, were sentenced to three years and 2,5 years in prison respectively for an attempted warning strike in August 2020.

The trial of Vasil Berasnieu, acting REP chairperson, Hennadz Fiadynich, REP vice-chairperson, and Vatslau Areshka, REP activist, started on 25 November. They have been held in a pre-trial detention center since 19 April. Zinaida Mikhniuk, REP deputy chairperson, was arrested on 25 March, charged with insulting the President and sentenced to two years in prison.

Yanina Malash, SPM deputy chairperson and organizer, was sentenced to 1,5 years in prison on 14 November. Artsiom Zhernak, SPM chairperson at Minsk automobile plant, was arrested on 17 November 2021 and sentenced to four years in prison. Vitali Chychmarou, SPM council member and labour inspector, Mikhail Hromau, SPM сouncil secretary, and Miraslau Sabchuk, SPM activist, were arrested on 19 April and recently sentenced to three years, 2.5 years and 1.5 years of restriction of freedom without imprisonment respectively.

IndustriALL Executive Committee adopted a resolution on Belarus in November:

LabourStart has launched a new campaign calling for the immediate release of jailed unionists in Belarus, please sign and share it.

 
 
 

Union wins against ArcelorMittal's attempt to stifle right to strike

According to the Labour Relations Act, essential service workers may not take part in strike action. Although the right to strike is protected by the South African constitution, there are limitations when it comes to essential service workers. For example, if essential workers go on strike, the strike will be unprotected, and they may face dismissals.

For an industry to be declared as essential services an application must be made and approved by the ESC. In this case, AMSA made the application hoping to delay the strikes for six days to allow the company to shut down its two blast furnaces.

However, NUMSA argued that this was an attempt to delay strikes and extend the 48-hour notice that is required by law before a strike commences.
 
NUMSA, affiliated to IndustriALL Global Union, provided strong arguments to the ESC. The metalworkers’ union argued that

“the only way the strike notice period can be changed is through the conclusion of a collective agreement between the parties, or by legislative amendment, because the Labour Relations Act does not confer on the ESC the power to perform these functions. Additionally, there is no causal link between the interruption of coke batteries and an imminent danger to life, safety, or health of the whole or part of the population.”

The ESC found that although there are safety risks in the operations of blast furnaces and coke batteries if not shut down in a controlled and well managed manner, the risks are not sufficient to infringe on workers’ rights. The ESC concurred with NUMSA when it concluded that

“there is no basis to limit the right of the employees to strike by designating the service as essential.”

“This is a victory for workers’ and their families because they can exercise the right to strike freely, as part of their negotiating power. AMSA management was defeated in their attempts to limit the right to strike. We call upon workers at AMSA to join NUMSA because we will always fight to defend their interests and would like to thank our officials who worked tirelessly to ensure that we have a positive outcome,”

says Kabelo Ramokhathali, NUMSA regional secretary for Sedibeng.
 
Paule France Ndessomin, IndustriALL regional secretary for Sub Saharan Africa says:

“AMSA should resolve its grievances with workers instead of looking for devious ways to limit workers’ rights. The company must improve working conditions by ending precarious working conditions through permanent contracts, adopting better health and safety standards, and paying living wages.”

AMSA, listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, is the largest supplier of flat steel in Sub Saharan Africa. The steel is manufactured from iron ore, coke, and dolomite.

Stand with imprisoned trade unionists on Human Rights Day

10 December is Human Rights Day, commemorating the adoption of UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This Human Rights Day, we remind the world that workers’ rights are human rights and renew our call for all imprisoned trade union activists to be released.

Legal persecution, up to and including arrest and imprisonment, is a widespread concern for union activists in many countries. Trade unionists are frontline defenders of democracy. Because they are organized and rooted in workplaces and working class communities, they are often the first to resist when democracy is under attack – and the first to be persecuted.

Today, oppressive governments and exploitative employers work together to suppress unions, and activists are charged with terrorism, sedition, being foreign agents, illegal assembly, creating unrest, or destroying company property and undermining commercial operations.

The problem is particularly acute in some countries: In Myanmar, trade unions have been outlawed and more than 60 trade unionists are in jail on trumped up charges since the violent military coup in February 2021.

“We demand the immediate dismissal of the trumped-up charges filed against all jailed democracy activists, strong assurances that their health and safety inside the prisons are secured, and their swift and safe return to their loved ones.”

Global union statement, October 2022

Free and independent unions in Belarus have been effectively disbanded by the country’s Supreme Court. 16 union leaders and activists have been arrested, some are awaiting trial, with some sentenced to restriction of freedom, and at least three sentenced to prison terms for warning strikes and defamation of the President. Unions have also had their assets and membership data confiscated.

In November, IndustriALL’s Executive Committee adopted a resolution, condemning the dissolution of the independent trade unions, demanding the immediate release of all trade unionists in Belarus.

In Madagascar, a trade unionist is in jail for putting the spotlight on violations against workers in the factory where he worked.

In Iran, a country currently in the throes of pro-democracy protests, workers attempting to form free and independent trade unions frequently find themselves in prison.

The arrest and imprisonment of trade union activists is also a regular feature of industrial relations in Turkey, Egypt, Colombia and many other countries.

Government oppression creates a climate which leads to other crimes, including murder. In the Philippines, where workers face arrest for participating in strike action, the government and others “red tag” trade unionists, labelling them as terrorists and making them targets of attacks, leading to the murder of several trade unionists.

Unfortunately, the list of persecuted trade unionists is too long, as highlighted in the ITUC annual Global Rights Index on violations of workers’ rights, with the latest index showing violations at an all-time high.

What we do know, however, is that international solidarity campaigns to free imprisoned trade unionists do work. In 2017, for instance, 35 Bangladeshi trade unionists were imprisoned as part of a government crackdown – encouraged by local business owners – against union organizing. By putting pressure on the government, as well as brands sourcing from the country, a global campaign succeeded in freeing all the imprisoned trade unionists.

Says IndustriALL general secretary Atle Høie:

“We need to stand with our imprisoned brothers and sisters, and keep up the pressure – both on oppressive governments, and on multinational corporations sourcing from countries where workers’ rights are violated. We need to ensure that human rights due diligence includes workers’ rights, and that companies are held accountable for abuses in their supply chains.”

 
 

Daimler Truck's World Employee Committee calls for fair transition

The conclusions were reached by members of the newly constituted European Works Council and the World Employee Committee (EWC/WEC) at a two-day meeting at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Woerth, Germany.

“The newly established body, in cooperation with IndustriALL Global Union and industriAll European Trade Union, provides a strong platform to enforce workers' rights up to smallest suppliers of Daimler Truck and to protect human rights in the supply chain as a whole,”

says Michael Brecht, chairman of the General Works Council of Daimler Truck and EWC/WEC chairman.

The EWC/WEC represents the interests of all employees at Daimler Truck Group worldwide. Currently, 23 countries are in the body based on the number of employees, with a total of 34 representatives. The EWC/WEC is headed by a chairperson and a vice chairperson elected by the members. A six-member presidium is responsible for coordinating European affairs. Global issues are coordinated by an executive committee consisting of four members.

“We have created a EWC at Daimler Truck, which applies to the global world of Daimler Truck. As a result, countries outside the European Union have the same rights and obligations as those of the EU to which the EWC guideline directly applies. From our point of view, this is outstanding and of the greatest international relevance with regards to the enforcement of human and trade union rights,”

says Ralf Goetz, IG Metall.
 
Meeting participants discussed supply chain constraints and the resulting limited production with consequences on economic figures and employment. Delegates were concerned about high inflation and, in some cases, sharp increases in energy prices. Representatives from countries with lower income levels demanded compensation for employees to ensure a basic standard of living.
 
Participants expressed a need for information on new investments, the future production programme, especially for zero-emission vehicles, and the possible impact on employment. According to Michael Brecht, a subsidy race is emerging for new technologies, fuelled by the USA and China, while the European Union currently has little to oppose.

Human rights and obstacles to union work was an important topic on the agenda.

“We should use the increased attention to human rights due diligence to promote workers' and union rights, because workers' rights are human rights. We must make sure there are no obstacles to the fundamental rights to join a union and to bargain collectively, especially in countries where this regularly happens, like Turkey, Thailand, the US and some countries in North Africa,”

says Geort Leutert, IndustriALL auto director.

“Germany’s new supply chain due diligence act will come into force in January and a legislative process is underway in the European Union to improve the protection of human rights and victim protection in third countries. With the EWC/WEC, we as worker representatives at Daimler Truck, are well prepared. In addition, we can represent the interests of employees in solidarity across national borders,”

says Joerg Lorz, member of the General Works Council and vice chairman of the Group Works Council.

The General Works Council (GWC) of Daimler Truck AG represents the interests of more than 33,000 employees in Germany. The GWC makes general works agreements with company management, which then apply to the entire workforce of Daimler Truck AG. The body consists of 13 members who are elected for four years. The basis for this is the Works Constitution Act.

The central concern of the GWC is the preservation and expansion of jobs and the creation of good and fair working conditions. The GWC also takes a stand on the design of framework conditions that go beyond everyday business life, as well as on political and social issues.

OECD outlines transition pathway for shipbuilding

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) – the global club of developed democracies – hosted the WP6 meeting at its Paris headquarters on 28 and 29 November, bringing together countries with a shipbuilding industry and industry experts to explore policy options. Trade unions participate in WP6 through the Trade Union Advisory Committee to the OECD.

The meeting was followed on 29 November by a joint workshop between WP6 and the Steel Committee on the economics of shipbuilding and predictions for development pathways.

Participants outlined the current situation: new build prices are high, due to the interrelated  crises of Covid, climate and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as well as high freight rates and steel prices. The industry is at an inflection point, with many investors adopting a “wait and see” attitude before ordering next generation ships. Despite this, the industry is expected to grow rapidly over the next 15 years. A large proportion of the global fleet has reached replacement age and will need to be recycled and replaced. In addition, thousands of mid-life ships will need retrofitting to meet new environmental and technological standards.

Shipbuilding is typically cyclical, but market forces will have less impact on the sector, which will increasingly be driven by environmental policy. The need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions will be the primary driver of change, due to policies such as the EU’s Fit for 55 and the proposed US Clean Shipping Act.

While the International Maritime Organization (IMO) currently has a target of a 50 per cent emissions reduction in shipping by 2050, this was not felt to be ambitious enough, especially in the wake of COP27 and plans to develop green corridors and produce green hydrogen as part of a plan for the sustainable industrialization of six African countries. The IMO is expected to release revised targets in June 2023.

The current challenge is to maintain the industry until demand grows. The sector is currently operating at around 65 per cent capacity, which is unevenly distributed.

Participants observed that “industrial policy is back”, and there was a need to coordinate policy to give clear signals about future pathways to unlock investment. The next generation of ships will face the twin transitions of digitalization and decarbonization. These developments are already impacting the sector – currently, 44 per cent of ships on order have alternative fuel requirements, compared to just 14 per cent in 2017. The dominant alternative fuel is liquefied natural gas (LNG), which is seen as a transition fuel until methanol, hydrogen and ammonia are scalable.

Energy saving technologies, like hull and propeller design and wind propulsion, have already been fitted to 24 per cent of world tonnage. The OECD observed an upward trend in patent applications for marine equipment and expects shipbuilding to be increasingly technology intensive. Rather than a focus on volume, we will see the development of high value-added “technomax” ships.

IndustriALL industry director, Walton Pantland, said:

“The industry vision is for high tech green shipping, coordinated through global policy. This is a vision that the labour movement shares, because it will require a highly skilled workforce. We need industrial policy that supports the development of the sector, ensures that workers are provided with the skills they need, and provides a just transition if there are changes to the production process.”

Judith Kirton-Darling, industriAll Europe deputy general secretary, added:

‘’Workers are at the heart of the green and digital transitions of the shipbuilding sector, and we insist that they are involved at all stages of the transformation. We need a real global effort to decarbonise the entire sector and we need fair competition at international level. We therefore call on all OECD states to step up their efforts. Trade unions are ready to play their role in the transitions and will fight for a Just Transition for all workers and regions.’’

Enhancing health and safety in rubber and tire sectors in Asia Pacific

During the Asia Pacific rubber and tire union network meeting on 12-13 November in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, 20 unionists identified health and safety as a priority campaign issue that unions will coordinate on.

The IndustriALL Asia Pacific rubber and tire union network support the rights-based approach to safety. It seeks cooperation and improvements from employers on health and safety, including strengthened OHS committees.

Through two breakout workshop sessions, the network agreed that adequate safety training must be provided to all workers. Employers should send unionists to attend professional courses and obtain certificates at the company’s cost. OHS committee members must be qualified and competent in carrying their tasks.

While Malaysia’s NUECMRP urged employers to ensure proper labelling on chemical substance containers as precautionary steps to prevent injury or accident, Philippines’ PTGWO stressed the importance of inclusion of hazardous allowance in collective agreements.

Many raised the concern that rubber and tire workers might fall sick after years of working in hazardous working environments. They looked for good practice in Vietnam, which allows such workers to retire earlier at 53 to 55 years with lifelong retirement benefits.

“Rubber and tire workers must fight for decent working conditions. We call on employers to retain benefits provided to workers during the Covid-19 pandemic. We want the government to reform labour laws in accordance with international labour standards,”

said Saman Pornprachatham, president of the Rubber Workers Union Group of Thailand.

In the region, low automation or digitalization is observed. But unionists are planning ahead, suggesting unions to include new provisions such as reskilling, job transfer and layoff avoidance in collective agreements.

"Let's continue to build solidarity in the network to protect the rights and jobs of workers. Companies need to be aware that workers are the one who creates values and products, they deserve everything including living wage and a quality life,"

said Tom Grinter, IndustriALL director of rubber Industries.

The tire industry has significant production in the region, particularly Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam. IndustriALL affiliates are representing tens of thousands of workers including at the leading multinational companies. Indonesian unions formed a national tire industry forum and hold regular meetings to exchange information.

The regional union network meeting was attended by unionists from Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.

Youth and women in Bangladesh vow to build more inclusive unions

Leaders discussed the necessity of building inclusive, democratic and stronger unions at the national youth meeting on 12-13 November, and at the national women’s meeting on 17-18 November, held in Dhaka, in which 15 of IndustriALL’s affiliates in Bangladesh participated.

Women and young workers' engagement in the labour market is steadily expanding, and they often end up undertaking precarious employment with no social security benefits.

Despite forming a large chunk of the workforce, women and young workers are invisible from union spaces, let alone leadership roles. Young workers and women have felt left out and not relevant in trade unions, sometimes a reflection of the issues raised by the unions.

In the meeting, women trade unionists stressed that women's issues be included in CBAs and that discussions on occupational health and safety should not be gender blind. They made an action plan to address inclusiveness in unions, as well as the gender pay gap, gender-based violence and discrimination, and ratification of ILO C190.

In Bangladesh, only six per cent of paid employees have access to daycare and separate toilet facilities. And as per the newly amended labour rules, maternity benefits have been further reduced.

“Our government is not bothered about women workers at all. It’s important that trade unionists consider issues faced by women workers, who form a large proportion of the workforce. Women’s issues must be taken seriously to advance workers’ struggle. We cannot build stronger unions unless we include women’s voices,”

said, Tehmina Rahman, general secretary of Bangladesh Apparels Workers Federation (BAWF).

 

In the national youth meeting, young unionists extensively that youth be made part of the decision-making bodies within unions. They also decided on priorities from IndustriALL’s youth resolution, to work on in the coming years:

A national working group with 15 members to oversee the implementation of the youth resolution in Bangladesh was formed.

Hasan Ali, a young trade unionist from Bangladesh Textile and Garment Workers' League (BGTLWF), said:

“Each federation must have their own youth committee to fight for the causes of young workers and strengthen the union movement. We need to coordinate amongst ourselves to successfully implement the youth resolution in the country.”