UAW threatens to expand strike as deadline approaches

Shawn Fain emphasized that additional factories would join the ongoing strike at three plants if substantial headway isn't made in negotiations by noon on Friday.

“We are not going to keep waiting around forever while they drag this out and we are not messing around. I have been clear with the Big Three every step of the way and I’m going to be crystal clear again. If we don’t make serious progress by midday on Friday, more locals will be called on to Stand Up and join the strike. That will mark more than a week since our first members walked out, and it will mark more than a week of the Big Three failing to make progress in negotiations toward reaching a deal that does right by our members,”

said Fain.

On 15 September, Senator Bernie Sanders addressed workers in Detroit, urging working people nationwide to stand in solidarity with the ongoing strike. He sharply criticized the Big Three, who are likely to collect profits that will exceed $30 billion this year, according to forecasts.

“It is time for you to end your greed and it is time for you to treat your employees with the respect and dignity that they deserve. It is time to sit down and negotiate a fair contract. What we are seeing in the automobile industry is what we are seeing all over this economy. Greed on top, suffering on the part of the working class and people are tired of it,”

said Sen. Sanders.

The actions go beyond just UAW members at the Big Three. Autoworkers throughout the supply chain, spanning the nation, have also embarked on strikes. For instance, in Alabama, ZF workers who manufacture parts for Mercedes have rejected the company's latest contract proposal and are holding out for more favorable terms. Meanwhile, over 1,000 employees at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan are engaged in a strike, seeking a new contract addressing various concerns, including job outsourcing, wage disparities, and unfair labor practices.

More workers are waiting to be called to join the Stand Up Strike, which is a new approach to striking. Instead of striking at all plants at the same time, selected locals have been called on to stand up and strike. If the automakers fail to make progress in negotiations and bargain in good faith going forward, more locals will be called to join the strike. The union is demanding a decent standard of living, wages that grow with inflation, dignified retirement, worker protection and fighting against plant closures.

A key demand from the UAW is also an end to the two-tier wage system in the automotive industry. Currently, tier-two workers earn significantly lower hourly wages and receive fewer benefits compared to top-tier workers, leading to a division among union members. This system also results in prolonged periods for tier-two employees to reach top wages. The UAW argues that ending this tiered workforce is a top priority in their negotiations with the Big Three automakers to create greater wage equality and unity among their members.

"IndustriALL stands firmly behind UAW’s fight for a fair standard of living and wage increases that mirror the record-breaking profits these companies have amassed in recent years. It’s time for Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis to actively collaborate with the union and engage in negotiations in good faith. The workers, including those affected by the unjust two-tier wage system, play an instrumental role in the prosperity of these companies, and it is only just that they receive their rightful portion of it,"

said Atle Høie IndustriALL general secretary.

Union to contest unjust court judgment against Malagasy unionist

Sento, an SVS trade union representative at Etoile SA, was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment and fined 400 000 ariary ($89) for a social media post which provided feedback on a meeting with management at Etoile SA, a garment manufacturer and subsidiary of the ALSICO Group. This meeting discussed unpaid overtime, sick leave, workers’ concern over poor food quality in the factory canteen, and the outcome of union elections.

Sento, who was sentenced in August 2022, served eight months at Antanimora, one of the worst prisons in the world, before receiving a presidential clemency of three months. On his release he hoped to be reinstated to enable him to look after his family who suffered during his absence. But after losing the appeal his dreams of going back to work are shattered.

“I have limited options. I have to look for temporary and odd jobs. It will be very difficult to find a formal job with a criminal record. Self-employment in the informal economy seems to be one of the limited options that I have now,”

says Sento.

Despite ALSICO’s claims to support social dialogue, SVS says the company lawyers were determined to ensure that the appeal was thrown out, but the union will fight this.

SVS vigorously campaigned for Sento’s release. The union, IndustriALL and the ITUC submitted statements against the conviction at the International Labour Conference (ILC) where the report of the Committee on the Application of Standards said the government of Madagascar was violating International Labour Organization Convention 87 (Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize).

The committee report recommended urgent redress by the government of Madagascar through the following actions:

“Immediately and unconditionally quash the conviction of Mr Zotiakobanjinina Fanja Marcel Sento; refrain from using the criminal law to target trade unionists; amend all provisions of the criminal code hindering the right to freedom of association of workers and employers.”

Atle Høie, IndustriALL general secretary said:

“We support SVS in its sustained fight for workers’ rights in Madagascar. It is deceit for the ALSICO Group to talk about corporate responsibility while persecuting trade union leaders. IndustriALL concurs with the ILC that the conviction and sentence must be quashed.”

In rejoinders with ALSICO, which were facilitated by the Business and Human Rights Resource centre, IndustriALL wrote:

“This injustice is intended to intimidate and instil fear into trade union representatives with the intention of discouraging them from defending workers’ rights that are protected by the Constitution of Madagascar and the Labour Code.”

Organizing workers in Bangladesh remains a challenge

The situation is grim when it comes to organizing or collective bargaining in a sector whose export profits generate 85 per cent of Bangladesh's GDP. Employers benefit when workers' rights are consistently violated and trade union voices are silenced because if they are not, workers will start to demand better wages and working conditions, which would cost money that employers are unwilling to spend. Meanwhile, the Bangladeshi government is failing to ensure that employers respect workers' rights and the ILO roadmap is properly implemented.

A complex web of state machinery and private actors make organizing garment workers in Bangladesh difficult. Despite promises to uphold the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining, the government is failing to do so. Trade unionists have been killed for organizing and speaking out against employers to protect workers’ rights.

Justice for murdered trade union leader, Shahidul Islam Shahid, protest human chain – BGIWF – June 2023

Recently, an organizer from Bangladesh Garment and Industrial Workers Federation (BGIWF) was beaten to death in Gazipur by factory-hired goons for raising his voice against non-payment of workers’ wages. Another organizer, from National Garment Workers’ Federation (NGWF), was murdered, allegedly for trying to organize workers in Ashulia.

While the killings of trade unionists receive attention, the daily harassment faced by organizers for doing union work often goes unnoticed. According to IndustriALL affiliates in Bangladesh, employers, goons, local politicians and police work together to harass and pressure unionists trying to organize workers. Local goons acting on behalf of employers routinely threaten and physically assault factory-based union leaders. There are several instances of factory management forcing union leaders to resign from work in exchange for meagre payoffs. Should this tactic fail, then union leaders are simply terminated.

Owners of the houses that workers rent also cause problems, by for example not allowing the workers to hold study circles. In addition, local police disrupt public meetings organized by union leaders. Factory owners are also complicit in anti-union activities, constantly warning workers that they risk losing their jobs if they attempt to form or join unions. To stoke anti-union sentiment in workers, employers also try to link union leaders to actions that appear to be detrimental to workers' interests.

There have been instances of false charges pressed against local union leaders by employers and police. An organizer from IndustriALL affiliate BGIWF, says:

“We organized workers in one of the factories in Ashulia and submitted the application for union registration. The moment management heard about it they terminated the union leaders after failing to convince them to resign in exchange for meagre payoff. Workers in the factory went on strike when seeing this. Thereafter, factory general manager not only physically assaulted the unionists but also threatened to file a criminal case against them. Striking workers were harassed by hired goons. There is a criminal case pending against those union leaders.”

It is difficult to get a job at another factory for unionists who are sacked for organizing, as they are blacklisted in database of workers that Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) maintains. Terminating workers for organizing is used as a scare tactic to discourage workers for organizing.

Trade union federations can submit complaints of unfair labour practices or anti-union discrimination to the labour court or with the Department of Labour (DoL). However, it takes a long time for the complaints to be processed. Government officials are often reluctant to even lodge the complaint, occasionally alleging that the union leaders are trying to destroy the country’s economy.

Says an organizer from IndustriALL affiliate Sommilito Garments Sramik Federation:

“We had organized about 500 workers in a factory of 1,100 workers in Gazipur. As soon as we submitted the application for union registration, management fired the union president. The union president was also threatened by local goons on behest of the management to voluntarily resign. But he did not succumb to the pressure and was fired. We filed a case in the labour court and sent a letter to the DOL but there has been no response.”

Organizers frequently get summoned by the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) and industrial police, sometimes at odd hours in the night. They are interrogated and dissuaded to do union work and frequently threatened with death. Instances of physical assault of unionists during police custody in Bangladesh are not unheard of.

Stock image garment factory – IndustriALL

An organizer from IndustriALL affiliate NGWF shared an incident of violation of trade union and workers’ rights in the Export Processing Zone (EPZ), an area where forming unions is illegal:

“When I was working in one of the factories in the EPZ, I tried to organize workers. Protesting or striking is not allowed and there are no unions. They have workers welfare committees for which I contested once. But the Bangladesh Export Processing Zone Authority (BEPZA) did not want me on the committee and instead got their person in the committee. Then the pressure tactics to force me to resign from work started. Even the smallest mistake would result in shouting; my leaves would not be granted; and going to the washroom more than once would be questioned. The factory eventually shut down its operations, but we protested and won all the legal benefits awarded following factory closure. This entire time local goons threatened to kill me. I was even interrogated by National Security Intelligence for trying to organize in the EPZ.”

Not only organizing efforts are disrupted by the employers, the collective bargaining process is also very challenging. Affiliates have experienced situations where management did not negotiate in good faith and responded negatively to the union’s charter of demands.

Apoorva Kaiwar, south Asia regional secretary of IndustriALL says:

“We believe it is not only the government’s responsibility to ensure that workers’ right to freedom of association is upheld, but it is also the responsibility of employers and brands that source from Bangladesh to make sure that workers’ rights are respected and that trade union leaders are not targeted for organizing.”

We need mandatory human rights due diligence laws now

Consensus is escalating that voluntary measures on human rights due diligence and responsible business practices are not sufficient to ensure corporate accountability because they are not binding.

The speaker series is described as a platform for advocates working in business and human rights, drawn from business, investors, civil society, and governments who are fighting to end corporate impunity and empower workers and communities to stand up against violations. The series was hosted by the Business and Human Rights Resource Centre.

Mary Robinson, the first female president of Ireland asked:

“Is this a turning point for business and human rights? Are we finally reaching the moment when powerful governments in the north and south are confident enough to direct businesses through new regulations and incentives to address unsustainable inequality and climate breakdown in their operations and supply chains. A new social compact on businees and human rights is needed.”

Kalpona Akter, executive director of the Bangladesh Centre for Worker Solidarity and president of the Bangladesh Garment and Industrial Workers Federation, an affiliate of IndustriALL, said:

“Trade union organizing, workers’ rights protection, freedom of association and safer working conditions will be enhanced by mandatory due diligence. This will act as a counterbalance to shrinking spaces of trade union organizing.”

She added that environmental and social governance approaches were now tools for green and ethical washing as they failed to stop workers’ exploitation through low wages, long working hours, child labour, and other human rights abuses.

Glen Mpufane, IndustriALL mining director, who was also one of the speakers said:

“Workers through trade unions are the most organized formation of civil society and powerful partners in ensuring sustainability. Unions are cautiously optimistic that the German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act is changing the narrative.”

He explained that there are several cases where the law has been used to challenge corporate violations. These include cases against automotive manufacturers VW, BMW, and Mercedes Benz, garment manufacturers, and Amazon for failing to meet due diligence requirements.

To build trade union capacity, Glen Mpufane said:

“IndustriALL is carrying out awareness training on human rights due diligence jointly with IndustriAll Europe. Recently there was training of the automotive sector unions in Turkey and there will be a human rights due diligence in mining conference in Kenya, in October, which is being organized by the IndustriALL Sub-Saharan Africa regional office”.

The participants in the webinar heard that the African Union is integrating human rights due diligence through the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights while the same is happening in Latin America and the Caribbean where similar initiatives were aiming to stop corporate human and workers’ rights violations.

Building organizing power in South East Asia

The programme was developed in response to the need to build stronger unions in the region and to organize throughout the global supply chain. Over the three years, ODP participants have been trained on strategic organizing campaigns, access to potential activists and union members, union-busting, online organizing tools, building a strong base, and different aspects to help unions build power for organizing.

“As an organizer for 20 years, ODP has reminded me to do mapping, strategic planning and analysis of each stage, as well as of our own resources,”

said Paitoon Bangrong, CILT, Thailand.

The programme started in 2021, focusing on multinational companies and their supply chains to identify how trade unions can tackle them by exploring the power resources approach. Following the first year, participants were asked to start working on their organizing targets with the acquired knowledge.

Their individual strategic organizing campaigns and progress were monitored and evaluated by the project. Many participants successfully formed a union at their targeted companies.

“We greatly appreciate our participation in the ODP. We learned to do an effective organizing campaign, as well as all the elements needed for a stable and strong union,”

said Elvira Castro Panes, PIGLAS, Philippines.

Many participants said that they had learned that listening to a worker rather than explaining what the union stands may prove more effective. Many started identifying organic leaders for the first time, realizing that the union’s power comes from the members.

“From personal communications to structural management, the mix of micro and macro strategies introduced in the programme was very tangible and comprehensive. This programme is definitely optimal in contributing to the development of organizer’s skills,”

said Hiromitsu Takagi, JCM, Japan.

The last workshop, co-funded by FES Thailand, was held on 21-25 August. It provided further techniques and knowledge on strategic organizing and included a session on human rights due diligence. Participants highlighted that the strategic thinking and different skills and knowledge acquired through the ODP has helped them to reach better working conditions for union members.

“Without ODP we can form a union, with ODP we now know how to gain more power and win our demands,”

said Sifa Nurul Azmi, FARKES, Indonesia.

5 steps for trade unions to close the gender pay gap

Pay Equity Toolkit

(ENGLISH)

Guía práctica sobre igualdad salarial (SPANISH)

Ücret Eşitliği Araç Kiti (TURKISH)

Boite a outils sur l'équité salariale (FRENCH)

COMING SOON

Globally women are paid around 20 per cent less than men (ILO, 2022). The gender pay gap continues to persist, even though many countries have passed equal pay legislation and have also ratified the ILO Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951, No. 100 (which has a 93 per cent ratification rate).

Jane Pillinger (PhD) is the author of the Pay Equity Toolkit. She is a global expert on pay equity and gender-based violence at work and has been working with trade unions on gender equality for the last 35 years.

Pillinger summarizes in five steps how trade unions can work to close the gender pay gap:

Raise awareness about pay inequalities between women and men, the causes of the gender pay gap and why it’s a key trade union issue.
Address the structural causes of the gender pay gap, such as women’s burden of care responsibilities and the critical issue of the undervaluing of women’s work and skills.
We need pay transparency. Unions can’t bargain on the gender pay gap if we don’t have data. Unions must seek data about the gender pay gap and build negotiating strategies around it.
Address the issue for low paid workers, in the informal economy by building strategies around living minimum wages both in the law and in negotiation strategies with employers and public authorities. And for informal workers to build their rights to social protection and recognition for the work that they do.
Find tools and structures to bring the gender pay gap into core trade union bargaining, rather than it being a sideline of a gender equality issue, it should come into the center of pay bargaining for example, an important strategy in the future for trade unions.

“The decision to develop this gender pay gap toolkit comes from the many discussions in our women’s committee.
We realize that there is still a misunderstanding when it comes to demanding equal pay for equal work and equal pay for jobs of equal value which the toolkit addresses outstandingly. We encourage our affiliate to use this toolkit to assist them in their efforts to close the pay gap,”

says Christine Olivier, IndustriALL assistant general secretary.

United Auto Workers on strike for share of profits

The union is demanding a decent standard of living, wages that grow with inflation, dignified retirement, worker protection and fighting against plant closures. UAW says that the corporations can easily meet their demands because their combined profit over the last 10 years has been a $1/4 trillion, a combined bottom line profit of $21 billion in the first six months of 2023 and $1.25 billion federal subsidy that a battery cell plant could receive every year.

Under the 2019 agreements with automakers, the members’ wages only increased by 6%, while inflation skyrocketed by 18% during that same time. Despite massive profits for these companies, factories continue to close, jobs move and worker conditions continue to deteriorate.

This round of negotiations is the most consequential that the union has faced in decades. With the auto industry’s rapid transition to electric vehicle production the future of the industry is being decided right now.

UAW president Shawn Fain says:

“The Big Three have been busy forming joint ventures to circumvent our master agreements and their commitments to our members. Meanwhile, the United States government continues to funnel billions of taxpayer dollars into subsidizing the electrical vehicle transition with no protections for workers. I can’t stress this point enough, the transition to electronic vehicles must be a just transition, where workers’ jobs and standard of living are protected.”

“Our members today aren’t asking for the moon. We are simply asking for our fair share. I firmly believe we are in a strong position to win a better future in this contract cycle – but only if we are organized, ready to strike, and willing to hold the line for as long as it takes. This is our generation’s defining moment. What we win will set the standard not only for our members, but for the entire working class. The Stand-Up Strike begins with all our locals, from parts distribution centers to assembly plants maintaining a constant strike-readiness. Then, based on what is happening in bargaining, I will announce more locals that are being called to stand up and strike. This is our time to fight; for our families, for our communities, and for working people everywhere.”

Atle Høie, IndustriALL general secretary says,

“IndustriALL congratulates UAW on their courage and resolve in standing up for their members. We stand in solidarity with you for a strong contract. It is imperative that Ford, General Motors and Stellantis engage in negotiations with UAW in good faith and recognize that the workers are an integral part in creating the companies’ wealth.”

Photos: UAW website

G20 falls far from workers’ demands

The G20 Leaders’ Declaration made no meaningful reference to the plight of working people, let alone any concrete actions to address the challenges they face. The concern of the G20 leaders remains fixated on improving long-term growth, with only a passing reference to the cost of living crisis, calling for a temporary and targeted fiscal measures to protect the poor and the most vulnerable.

This comes at a time when unions across the globe are calling for wage increase and social protection given the rising inflation. In the online L20 summit, organized by ITUC on 4-5 September following the Indian government’s decision to interrupt the participation of independent unions in G20 and instead appoint right-wing union Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh as chair of the L20 meetings, unionists and academics argued for strong minimum wage plans in all countries. However, the G20 leaders failed to outline a plan on this, instead alluding to the need for universal social protection coverage in the context of the transitioning world of work.

The Declaration makes no reference to workers’ rights or their access to livelihood. There is a hollow promise of implementing ‘digital upskilling and reskilling programmes’, but nothing on who will do or how it will be done. The global trade union movement is demanding to be included in the discussions on transformations that the world of work is likely to experience to mitigate the impacts of climate change. The G20 summit refused to recognize the role of unions and engage in a dialogue with them.

IndustriALL Global Union assistant general secretary Kemal Özkan chaired a session on industrial policy for just transition in the G20 and beyond during the L20. Speakers talked of the need for a state-led transition, not one that is driven by private companies. People must come before profits as the transition towards cleaner economy happens; only strong tripartite structures can guarantee this.

Unfortunately, the G20 Declaration emphasised the ‘critical role of private enterprise in accelerating growth and driving sustainable economic transformations’, and the need to ‘promote the ease and reduce the cost of doing business’. This is already set in motion in many countries, leading to an erosion of workers’ rights.

The Declaration refers to the need for ‘revitalized multilateralism’. While trade unionists and academics at the L20 summit vehemently argued for a change in the traditional systems of operating the global economy, including structural transformations in the global financial architecture and international trade system, the Declaration focuses on further strengthening the role of multilateral development banks.

During the L20 summit, professor Jayati Gosh raised the issue of the relevance of G20, given that some of the G20 countries’ governments do not represent the interests of its working population. IndustriALL affiliates have consistently raised their voices against the anti-worker solutions to the country’s debt problems.

The G20 leaders failed to provide a concrete plan to transition from fossil fuel to renewable energy, or how the renewable energy capacity is to be tripled.

Says Kemal Özkan:

“We are outraged to see that the G20 summit in India fails to address the burning needs of the working class in the world. No action to eradicate poverty, to fight against inequality, to bring accountability and responsibility for global supply chains, to overcome the challenges around the climate change through sustainable industrial policies with well-thought, structures and financed Just Transition.
"Our movement will continue to raise our concerns, expectations and demands through mobilizations throughout the world. Another world is possible and necessary, but this requires genuine political intention and action.”

How will due diligence legislation impact trade union rights?

The conference titled "Fundamental Workers’ and Trade Union Rights in Turkey, Vol. 2" featured detailed discussions, informative presentations, and engaging dialogues on the issues surrounding the automotive supply chain and its complexities as it relates to due diligence. They also questioned how trade unions can make use of the new supply chain due diligence legislation in Germany and prepare for the upcoming EU legislation.

Kemal Özkan IndustriALL assistant general secretary, set the tone for the conference by emphasizing the historical backdrop of workers' rights struggles in Turkey. He acknowledged the tough challenges faced by Turkish workers and highlighted the importance of safeguarding fundamental rights, particularly within the intricate web of global supply chains.

“It is imperative that we collaborate and plan strategically among unions to ensure the effective implementation of human rights due diligence laws.”

Said Özkan

Deputy General Secretary of IndustriAll Europe, Judith Kirton-Darling, shed light on the critical juncture at the EU level concerning legislation relating to human rights due diligence. She stressed the need for this legislation to evolve into an effective tool for the trade union movement.

“It is important to put a strong emphasis on the necessity of building internal capacity and streamlining processes to guarantee that the legislation translates into tangible action on the ground.”

said Kirton-Darling.

Henrik Meyer, Head of Turkey Office at Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, offered valuable insights into the German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act and its far-reaching impact on Turkish-German business relations. He explained that this legislation introduces stringent regulations for multinational companies.

“We spoke about the new legislation in very theoretical terms in volume 1 of this conference but a year later we are going to discuss the legislation in more practical terms”

said Meyer.

Company representatives from Audi AG emphasized the role of grievance mechanisms in ensuring transparency and accountability within supply chains. Ayça Gözmen Yalçın, Managing Director of DEinternational Servis Hizmetleri A.Ş., highlighted the challenge of effectively communicating the German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act and similar legislation to a diverse range of stakeholders.

The critical role of risk analysis in supply chain due diligence was discussed. Helmut Philipp from Ford-Werke GmbH illustrated the complexity of risk analysis in a company with over 14,000 suppliers, emphasizing that a solid approach was needed to ensure a good risk analysis.

The conference featured presentations on projects designed to bolster the implementation of the German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act. These projects underscored the significance of accountability, transparency, and legal compliance around Responsible Business Conduct, aligning with the overarching objectives of the German law.

IndustriALL and IndustriAll Europe Affiliates from various sectors in Turkey shared their expectations regarding the German legislation. While cautiously optimistic, they articulated the challenges posed by political and economic interests.

Turkish affiliates also expressed their commitment to the cause of defending workers' rights and remained committed in their belief that even incremental progress can bring about a substantial positive change.

In conclusion, organizers stressed the imperatives of prevention, capacity building, and proactive engagement to harness the full potential of the German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act and prospective EU legislation as powerful tools for defending workers' rights.

The importance of trust, both among stakeholders and within the trade union movement, was highlighted as an essential element in the collective effort to empower workers and fortify global supply chains.

The conference gathered insights and provided an invaluable platform for dialogue on pressing issues concerning workers' rights, corporate accountability, and the ever-evolving landscape of supply chain due diligence.

After 1.5 days of in-depth discussion on the technical aspects of the impact of due diligence legislation and its ramifications for Turkish workers, trade union representatives collectively convened to strategize on the path forward.

“Our aim is clear: to ensure the effective implementation of these laws, transforming them into real-world safeguards for workers worldwide,”

said Georg Leutert IndustriALL automotive director.

Unions demand African Union include labour provisions in business and human rights policy

On 6 and 7 September over 300 delegates from 47 African countries participated in the second African Business and Human Rights Forum (ABHRF) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The theme of the forum was: For Africa, from Africa. The forum discussed the draft African Union (AU) business and human rights policy, businesses responsibility to due diligence and access to effective remedies when violations occur.

However the ITUC Global Rights Index 2023, published before the coups in Niger and Gabon, states that workers’ rights violations were increasing with dire implications on business and human rights in Africa.

The Friedrich Ebert Stiftung-African Union (FES AU) cooperation office and the IndustriALL Sub- Saharan Africa (SSA) regional office hosted a workshop prior to the forum which discussed union strategies. The unions, which are affiliated to IndustriALL, BWI, ITF, and IUF are from Kenya, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, and represented workers in the agriculture, building, cement, construction, forestry, mining, oil and gas, textile and garment, transport, wood, and other sectors.

On the critical role of unions, Alex Geiger, FES AU director said:

“The central role of trade unions should be emphasized in the ABHRF and NAP processes. NAPs are important for social dialogue at national level and unions, human rights institutions, and other stakeholders should utilise them to promote human and workers’ rights.”

In closing remarks at the forum, Paule France Ndessomin, IndustriALL regional secretary for SSA said:

“We are demanding the recognition of trade unions by the AU and for their inclusion as key stakeholders in business and human rights as distinct organizations that serve workers’ interests as mandated by their members.
Unions are interlocutors on workers’ rights and including them under the broad umbrella of civil society organizations in most instances tend to compromise the labour agenda. Further, the inclusion of ILO standards are important for the AU policy business and human rights as well as the African Continental Free trade Area agreement.”