Ethiopia’s Bole Lemi industrial park sets up workplace daycare centres

There are over 25 000 workers employed at Bole Lemi mainly in the textile and garment industries of whom 85 per cent are women. The two daycare facilities that IndustriALL Global Union visited on 28 October cater for up to 100 infants starting from one-year old and will accommodate toddlers of up to four years old in the future.
 
According to the Ethopian Industrial Park Development Corporation (IPDC,) factory owners found out that most workers did not return to work after maternity leave as they had no one to look after their babies if they resumed work. To address the workers plight, the IPDC, in consultation with trade unions, set up a daycare centre as a model that factories could replicate in their factory premises in the industrial park.
 
The daycare centre has child-friendly facilities for playing, sleeping, and bathing, and mothers leave their children in the morning when they start work, and pick them up at the end of their shifts in the afternoon. The centres also provides nutritional education to mothers as well as early childhood education.
 
The first of the 14 factories to heed the call to set up a daycare centre is garment manufacture, Shints, which employs about 6,500 workers. About 2,000 workers including the mothers of the children at the Shints daycare centre live off the park. While 4,500 workers are housed in dormitories. Shints said it provided meals to the residential workers whilst those who lived outside were given transport allowances. However, the dormitories have no facilities for children or families.
 
The Industrial Federation of Textile Leather and Garment Workers Trade Union (IFTLGWTU), affiliated to IndustriALL, says the wages of 4,700 Ethiopian Birr (ETB) or US$39 paid to the workers in the park are not enough for mothers to hire caregivers for their children when they go work. Neither are the wages enough to pay for other expenses that include accommodation and food. Currently, Ethiopia has no minimum wages and experts estimate that a living wage for Addis Ababa is at least ETB 36,422 or US$300.
 

“Most young mothers were resigning from work to look after their infants and we realized that daycare centres, where the women can leave their children and go to work, would help workers,” 

said Engidu Tsegaye, investor support and follow up service head at Bole Lemi Industrial Park. 
 

“Our basic union’s executive members are participating in the running of the daycare centres, and this is an initiative that is supported by our federation because it benefits workers,”

added Angesom Gebreyohannes, IFTLGWTU president. 
 
Paule France Ndessomin, IndustriALL regional secretary for Sub-Saharan Africa said: 
 

“Introduction of daycare centres at Bole Lemi is a crucial step to promoting women’s labour force participation in the textile and garment sector in Ethiopia.”

 
Industrial parks are special economic zones or industrial clusters owned by state-owned enterprise, the Ethiopian IPDC. The industrial parks were established to promote government policies on export growth, employment creation, technology transfer, and economic development through private sector investment in manufacturing industries.

Trade unions want a developmental approach to business and human rights in Africa

The forum which had over 500 participants from communities, civil society organizations, governments, employer organizations, human rights organizations, trade union organizations and others was held under the theme: “Promoting responsible business conduct in a rapidly changing context.”

Discussions that took place included on Africa’s potential for economic growth based on beneficiation of critical mineral resources and the benefits from the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Other benefits could also be derived from the transition from informal to formal economies. There was emphasis that this development should be sustainable and attained under conditions of responsible business conduct and the protection of the environment. For example, companies that included automotive manufacturer Isuzu East Africa said it supported contracts with suppliers from the informal economy and small to medium scale enterprises thus contributing to growth of the enterprises.

Vacus Kun, United Workers Union of Liberia’s director of education and training, who participated in the national action plan (NAP) processes on business and human rights in Liberia and was on a panel with other trade unionists and global union federation, BWI Africa, said union involvement ensured the inclusion of labour clauses.

“After initially being excluded in the NAP development process, we fought hard for the inclusion of labour issues in the plan when we were invited. We also reached common positions with civil society organizations on climate justice issues.”

UWUL is affiliated to IndustriALL Global Union, and the panel discussions were supported by the FES-AU office.

The NAP has provisions to protect workers against discrimination, casualization, child labour, and included union demands for implementable business and human rights reporting mechanisms and access to remedy using existing laws. Other countries that have developed NAPs are Kenya, Uganda, and Liberia. According to the UNDP, there is progress towards NAPS in Senegal, Ghana, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and other countries. The African Union has also developed a draft business and human rights policy which will be adopted by heads of state and government.

Alex Nkosi, ITUC-Africa coordinator of human and trade union rights, who participated online, said due diligence is important:

“Trade unions are defenders of workers’ rights and are collaborating using on diligence frameworks to defend freedom of association, collective bargaining, and the right to strike.”

Paule France Ndessomin, IndustriALL regional secretary for Sub Saharan Africa said:

“Insisting on responsible business practice allow unions to engage with multinational corporations along the supply chains. This is important as unions seek to engage mining and manufacturing MNCs, ask states to protect workers, as well as enforce remedies against offending employers.”

The forum was organized by the African Commission for Human and Peoples Rights, the UN Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Business and Human Rights Africa, UNICEF, the Working Group on Business and Human Rights, and the UNDP with support from various local, continental, and international organizations.
 

African organizing and collective bargaining forum launched in Rwanda

The forum brought together over 80 trade unionists from 28 African countries – over 50 per cent of the African Union’s 55 member states – with some participants coming from Belgium, Turkey, and Ireland. Participants included affiliates of the conference organizers, ITUC-Africa, ITUC, regional trade union organizations, and global trade union federations BWI Africa and Middle East, UNI Africa, and IndustriALL Sub Saharan Africa. The forum was hosted by the Central des Syndicats des Travailleurs du Rwanda (CESTRAR) – Rwanda’s workers trade union confederation.

The forum’s theme, organizing and collective bargaining: collaborating to improve defence and protection of workers' rights and trade union regeneration found resonance with the discussions. The issues discussed included on the critical need to strengthen union power and the unity of African workers through organizing and collective bargaining. Further, unions could also build power through cooperating with civil society organizations.

The forum comes as a result of the global union federations engagement on working closely to address workers’ issues on the continent.

The forum highlighted several barriers facing African trade unions which weakened their bargaining power and how these could be overcome. The barriers included low union density and fragmentation in most sectors. There was also competition among unions as different unions organized the same workers. It was recommended that unions should instead focus on unorganized workers. There were also weak strategies to engage the informal economy where most workers on the continent earned a living.

On precarious work, it was discussed that the rise of informal and platform work, characterized by short-term contracts, casualization, low wages, and lack of social protection eroded job security.

The forum expressed concern over the underrepresentation of youth and women in union activities, despite them making up a significant portion of the workforce. Although there is a bulging youth population in Africa, with over 60-70 per cent under the age of 35, it was mentioned that unions seemed not to have appropriate strategies to organize the young workers.

The use of the judicial systems to oppress workers through union bashing and busting, which is common in countries like Madagascar, Swaziland, and Zimbabwe, was identified as a threat to union organizing as it limited collective action especially the right to strike and picketing. It was mentioned that some African governments were reluctant to ratify and implement international labour conventions.

Akhator Joel Odigie ITUC-Africa general secretary said:

“Decolonization remains an unfinished project, with political, economic, and environmental systems failing to meet the aspirations of African workers. This means that a strategy to build a strong trade union movement through technology is needed.”

“Amidst unprecedented challenges such as senseless wars, attacks on living standards, and job insecurity unions must unite and also use social media as an organizing tool,”

emphasized Keith Jacobs, UNI Africa regional secretary.
 
Rose Omamo, ITUC-Africa deputy president and IndustriALL vice president added:

“Innovative organizing strategies that emphasize the need for unions to adopt new methods, such as organizing along supply chains and negotiating for workers in the platform economy are key. Further, unions must develop internal democratic governance while prioritizing on inclusivity, particularly for women, youth, and migrant workers.”

The forum pledged to focus on workers education, skills training on collective bargaining and negotiations, promote workers unity, and develop strategies to organize informal and platform workers. Strategies will also be developed for young workers and women as part of the forum’s action plan.

Organizing under tough economic conditions in Zimbabwe’s garment industry

According to reports unemployment is close to 90 per cent as the economy is largely informal and recovery is slow as industrial manufacturing activities remain stagnant. However, even under the difficult economic environment in which retrenchments have depleted union membership, trade unions remain resilient.

The National Union of the Clothing Industry (NUCI), which is affiliated to IndustriALL Global Union, said what is contributing to its retention of members is an organizing strategy anchored on better industrial relations and collective bargaining. However, the union is still pushing for living wages and better working conditions. Currently the workers are paid wages that are agreed upon by unions and the National Employment Council for the Clothing Industry in the sectoral collective bargaining agreement. The minimum wage for garment workers is US$180 and the union is campaigning for living wages of over US$250.

One of the factories covered by the collective agreement is school uniform manufacturer, Enbee, where NUCI has over 100 members. Some union members at Enbee told IndustriALL during a factory visit in Harare on 27 September that they have worked at the company for over 40 years during which time they contributed to the success of the uniform brand. Further, the workers said they also remained committed members of their trade union.

The union said the generational mix in the factory allowed for the sharing of skills between the youth and senior workers some of whom are now supervisors. Amongst the supervisors are women who are employed in different capacities. Some youth from NUCI have also actively participated in trade union organizing activities that have been facilitated by the IndustriALL regional office for Sub Saharan Africa.

On Zimbabwe’s economic crisis, NUCI said most of the country’s large textile and garment factories closed due to hyperinflation, a currency crisis, unreliable electricity, and water shortages. Further, the influx of imported garments and textile imports which are about 95 per cent, and used clothes made locally produced garments uncompetitive and expensive. For instance, a locally made formal shirt from the factory costs as much as US$15 while a preowned shirt donated from Europe costs only US$2. Additionally, high production costs, and an exodus of skilled workers to neighbouring countries also affected the textile and garment industries.

The once vibrant locally grown cotton to clothes value chain has also declined. However, the cotton that is still grown is exported instead of being used locally. Government information confirms that small-scale farmers prefer the export market for their cotton because of better prices.

However, despite the dire economic situation, there are glimmers of hope for the industry, says Joseph Tanyanyiwa, the National Union of the Clothing Industry, general secretary.

“The union continues to provide services to its members even under the unfavourable economic environment. At policy level, we continue to engage the government and municipalities on the revival of the textile and garment industry through local procurement and sourcing policies that create local jobs. We are optimistic that with appropriate policy interventions the garment industries will be revived.”

“We commend the resilience of trade unions in Zimbabwe’s textile and garment industry who are organizing under tough conditions amid a cost-of-living and economic crises. This underscores the importance of union commitment to always servicing members,”

says Paule France Ndessomin, IndustriALL regional secretary for Sub Saharan Africa.

Other Zimbabwean IndustriALL affiliates that organize in the textile, garment, shoe, and leather sectors are the Zimbabwe Textile Workers Union and the Zimbabwe Leather, Shoe, and Allied Workers Union.
 

Ghanaian government cancels mining licence for Bogoso-Prestea Mine after union petition

One of the reasons for the cancellation is failure to pay wages and benefits on time. Workers only received wages for December 2023 and January 2024 and have not been paid since. Their pensions and other benefits are also in arrears. 
 
UK registered Future Global Resources (FGR) acquired the mine in 2020 on condition that the mining company would invest into the mine. However, FGR, which holds 90 percent of the mine, failed to invest and develop the mine and instead became indebted to its suppliers. The government of Ghana owns the remaining 10 percent.
 
For many years, the community of Prestea has expressed concerns over pollution of water sources by gold mining companies including FGR. Community fears have been worsened by the flooding of the Central shaft, and the Bondaye shaft had only one working pump while some open pits were taken over by artisanal and small-scale miners.

Further, some sections of the tailing storage facility have been neglected, and the processing plant is in a state of disrepair, according to the government notice of termination. The union says this points to FGR’s failure on its environmental, social and governance (ESG) responsibilities.
 
“FGR lacks the financial capacity to inject the needed capital into the Bogoso-Prestea Mine and indeed has demonstrated its inability to show cause to the minerals commission during the 120 days’ notice period why the mining lease should not be terminated,” wrote the union in a petition to the Ghanaian Parliament.
 
Heeding the union and other stakeholders’ petitions and demonstrations, the ministry of lands and natural resources terminated the mining licence on 18 September.
 
“The decision to terminate the mining licence was taken after reviewing various reports from a minerals commission as well as a ministerial committee constituted to review the operations of the company, and after extensive engagement with all stakeholders involved in this matter,” wrote the ministry in a statement. The ministry stated that it was looking for other investors to take over the mine and has since appointed a caretaker team to oversee operations.
 
The GMWU, an IndustriALL affiliate, is in favour of the resumption of production at the mine which will benefit workers.

“A union meeting resolved to embark on a series of demonstrations, picketing, and protest marches if the minister refused to terminate the mining lease and allow other prospective investors to take over the mine and run it for the greater good of all stakeholders,” 

 said Abdul-Moomin Gbana, GMWU, general secretary.

Paule France Ndessomin, IndustriALL Sub-Saharan Africa regional secretary said: 
 

“FGR must pay outstanding wages and benefits, and the caretaker team must ensure that jobs are protected. Further, the government must enforce compliance with environmental laws to ensure the protection of community water sources against pollution.”

New centre for Tunisia’s women garment workers

Welcoming the opening of the women’s centre, Christina Hajagos-Clausen, IndustriALL textile and garment director, said: 

“This is about shining a light on the challenges women in the garment sector face daily—whether it's issues around occupational health and safety or gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH). Workers deserve access to remedies, and we are acting in line with international conventions, including ILO C190, to ensure that they get that."

FGTHCC-UGTT general secretary Habib Hazemi stressed the need for awareness raising and educating women workers about their rights.

IndustriALL regional secretary Ahmed Kamel said:

"This is another step forward in the implementation of our action plan to support women workers in the industrial sector and a unique initiative to use the GFA in the region. Our sister leaders of IndustriALL MENA women network and IndustriALL Tunisian women network fight every day for more space for women. We trust that this new centre will contribute to the promotion of women's actions and the workplans of the respective women's structures."

Emphasizing ASOS’ commitment, as well as the importance of the centre, Ceren Isat from ASOS’ human rights department, said:

“We’re proud to be part of this project. This will be a place where women can access the support they need, including legal advice, and feel empowered to stand up for their rights,”

In 2017, IndustriALL signed a global framework agreement with ASOS. The women’s centre is part of a larger effort, ensuring women in the garment sector have the support they need to fight for better conditions and fair treatment. ASOS’s sponsorship of the women’s centre aligns with the company’s Fashion with Integrity strategy, which aims to address human rights issues throughout its supply chain.

Speaking about the company's broader goals, Adil Rehman, head of human rights at ASOS, said:

“For us, it's not just about ticking a box when it comes to corporate social responsibility. We’re committed to making real progress by investing in resources on the ground and ensuring long-term sustainability.”

Unions unite for women’s rights

The centre was opened during the MENA textile workers’ week, which included a women’s meeting and session on promoting women engagement and leadership in TGSL unions.

At the meeting, global issues facing women in the garment industry were brought to the forefront. Delegates from across region and Africa spoke about the harsh realities women face.

Women union leaders from Palestine, Morocco, Tunisia and Jordan emphasized women’s exposure to violence in the workplace and the need for creating space and power for women inside the unions, as well as in the workplace. There is not enough legislation protecting women, and where there is, enforcement is often lacking. Unions are calling for the ratification of ILO C190.

A representative from Mauritius pointed to the poor sanitary conditions in some factories, where hundreds of workers are forced to share a single toilet.

In Lesotho, sexual harassment and exploitation is rife in the industry. Last year, the country ratified ILO Convention 190 and a new occupational health and safety law has been introduced. This, along with national committees focused on ensuring compliance in companies, is giving trade unions the tools to fight back.

Lieketseng Leteka from Independent Democratic Union of Lesotho provided key points on the need to ensure an enabling environment for women workers to report violence and harassment at work. She noted that it is important to make women feel safe by establishing a system that takes into account workers native languages, provides expert councilors/educators and a functioning grievance mechanism.

Malawi: Conference strategizes on skills training in just energy transition

The conference emphasized on technical and vocational skills training in the renewable energy sector in Malawi which includes solar and wind, highlighting the Zantchito – Skills for jobs programme which is providing short-term vocational skills training courses on renewable energy which also caters for small to medium-sized enterprises. The training is being held jointly with trade unions as represented by the Malawi Congress of Trade Unions and the Malawi Technical Entrepreneurial and Vocational Education and Training Authority (TEVETA) includes the installation of solar panels and on renewable energy technologies. The conference highlighted that this is key to upskilling and job creation during the energy transition.
 
The skills training supports Malawi’s national energy policy which aims to increase affordable and reliable access by improving electricity access by 80 percent in 2035 through investment in solar and other renewable energy sources. Further, the policy aims to reduce the energy deficit through investments in decentralized mini-grids, independent power producers, and energy technologies. Currently only 15 percent Malawians have access to electricity. This leaves over 15 million Malawians without electricity access and relying mainly on biomass – firewood, charcoal, and crop residue – for cooking according to government reports.
 
Malawi’s energy mix is dominated by hydropower which generates 95 percent of electricity and renewable energy that includes solar and geothermal, imported petroleum-based products such as liquefied petroleum gas, and biomass. However, hydropower is vulnerable to floods and droughts.
 
There were also discussions on the challenges of the unbundling and privatization of state-owned enterprises in Malawi, South Africa, and Zimbabwe and the implications on trade union organizing.
 
Over 50 participants who participated at the conference were drawn from Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. The conference was supported by the United Federation of Danish Trade Unions (3F) and other partners including the British Council, Danish Industries, Danish Trade Union Development Agency (DTDA), and the European Union who are also supporting the skills training programme.
 
Other organizations that participated in the conference are the ministry of labour, Ministry of Energy, Employer Consultative Association of Malawi (ECAM), Malawi power utility Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM), Electricity Generation Company of Malawi (EGENCO), Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (MERA), TEVETA, Mzuzu University, and others.
 
The Sub-Saharan Africa regional office and IndustriALL affiliates from Ghana, Malawi Zimbabwe and participated in the conference. The conference was hosted by the ESCOM Staff Union (ESU) while other IndustriALL affiliates in Malawi – the Chemical Energy Mining and Allied Workers Union (CEMAWU) and the Textile, Garment, Leather, and Security Services Workers Union (TGLSSWU) also participated. ESU is part of the Sub-Saharan Africa Energy Network (SSAEN).
 

“The conference welcomed feasibility partnerships with TEVETA on green energy transition learning from a practical project under the European Union,”

said Bjorn Haar, 3F programmes coordinator.
 
William Mnyamula, ESU secretary general said:
 

“The just energy transition is a crucial topic in global and African development, and in Malawi as it focuses on sustainable, affordable, and long-term energy solutions critical to achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs).”

“Skills development is an integral part of the energy transition as new jobs are created in the renewable energy sector, and it is critical for unions and vocational training colleges to work together as is currently happening in Malawi,”

said Paule France Ndessomin, IndustriALL regional secretary for Sub-Saharan Africa.

Photo: Shutterstock
 

Making the textile and garment industry in MENA and Africa safer

In his opening remarks, UGTT general secretary Noureddine Taboubi welcomed participants and stressed the union's commitment to work for legislation that strengthens human and labour rights. He was joined by Habib Hazami, general secretary of Tunisia's General Textile Federation who reiterated that occupational health and safety is a fundamental pillar of the union's work in the country's textile and garment sector.

The textile and garment industry represents hundreds of thousands of workers in the MENA region. This year marks ten years of IndustriALL work in the sector in the region.

Says IndustriALL regional secretary Ahmed Kamel:

"When we started, workers faced issues on collective bargaining, the right to organize, occupational health and safety, sectoral agreements and precarious work. After ten years of intensive work together with our affiliates, we have addressed many issues and see an increasing participation of women and youth, implementation of global framework agreements, social dialogue with brands that produce in the region.

"But the main challenge is the sustainability of the work we have achieved, like women participation at union leadership positions, industry wide agreements, and incorporation of legally binding agreements like the International Accord."

The meeting heard of serious challenges to health and safety from participating unions. The situation in Ethiopia's textile and garment sector is alarming, where massive retrenchments are causing suffering and increasing poverty among garment workers.

Wage theft is a recurring problem in the sector throughout the whole region, as is gender-based violence and harassment. Not least in Lesotho where female garment workers are often asked for sexual favours in exchange for jobs.

But despite a dire picture, women in Lesotho now has a framework to come forward and report GVBH, thanks to a partnership co-chaired by the US government and the ITUC. This has led to progress in addressing GBVH violations in the factories. In addition, the country has adopted a new labour code and has also ratified ILO Convention 190.

Showing how addressing wage theft through collective bargaining, IndustriALL regional secretary Paule Ndessomin shared the example from South African union SACTWU.

"The CBAs they have negotiated for the sector allow for the maintenance of living wages and better working conditions. The agreements are also extended to non-union members."

In both Jordan and Mauritius, migrant workers make up a large part of the workforce in the industry. Migrant workers in Mauritius don’t benefit from same laws as domestic workers; as they don’t contribute to social protection, at the end of their contract, workers don’t benefit from pension etc. Health and safety conditions are often ignored, with some workers getting injured at work while squalid conditions in workers dormitories are common. To counter exploitations, in 2022, IndustriALL affiliate CTSP and ASOS teamed up together with Anti-Slavery International to open a migrant resource centre.

A lack of standards and dated labour laws form part of the challenge with occupational health and safety in Morocco and Tunisia. Although Tunisia has ratified ILO C187 OHS, unions say the Convention has yet to be translated into practice.

What is needed for the textile and garment industry to become safer?

In 2022, the ILO adopted a resolution making a safe and healthy working environment a new fundamental principle and right at work. As the declaration is universal, it means that ILO member-states have an obligation to respect, promote and realise the principles concerning fundamental rights.

Beatriz Cunha, sectoral specialist at the ILO presented the ILO code of practice for textile and garment industry, a reference for guiding industrial practices that has been translated into 15 languages. Although not legally binding, among other things, unions can use it to
raise awareness of the importance of safety and health, to identify the main risks in the sector or workplace, and to provide guidance for the development and negotiation of control measures to address risks.

The OECD due diligence guidance for responsible supply chains in the garment and footwear sector recommends that businesses engage workers and trade unions on labour rights through the six steps of the due diligence framework, and uphold rights of freedom of association and collective bargaining.

Says Christina Hajagos-Clausen, IndustriALL textile and garment director:

“IndustriALL’s campaign Garment workers need safe factories continues. We need legally binding agreements in the sector and continue to advocate for due diligence legislation and working to raise institutional investor awareness and encourage investors to engage their companies to become signatories.”

The International Accord for Health and Safety in the Textile and Garment Industry was established in 2013 following the tragic Rana Plaza factory collapse in Bangladesh, which claimed the lives of more than 1,100 garment workers who didn't have the right to refuse unsafe work. Reflecting on the progress in Bangladesh, Clara Kamphorst from the Accord told participants that to date the Accord has

In 2022, the Accord was extended to Pakistan, where it

Says IndustriALL general secretary Atle Høie:

"The textile and garment sector has experienced some of the worst tragedies in the world of work, making the work on occupational health and safety even more critical. Listening to participants, this meeting has shown that there are similar challenges in all countries in both MENA and Sub-Saharan Africa. This provides a strong incentive for further cooperation to find solutions.”

Labour inspection exposes sexual exploitation at Dharm Cutting Works Botswana

Dharm’s whose head office is in India which is its top sourcing country for the diamonds.
 
After a complaint was made by Botswana Diamond Workers Union (BDWU), an IndustriALL affiliate, to the ministry, labour inspectors carried out an investigation at Dharm and interviewed six women workers who were sexually harassed. The inspectors also interviewed three women, who have since left the company because of the sexual harassment by the manager who has since been suspended pending an investigation.
 
According to the inspectors’ report, the forms of sexual harassment brought against the general manager included rape, inappropriate touching and quid pro quo sexual harassment – which happens when employment, pay, and benefits are promised on condition of submitting to unwelcome sexual advances. In one of the incidences, cited in the report, the general manager sexually harassed some diamond polishers after asking them to clean his house. The inspectors said this violated the National Industrial Relations Code of Good Practice (Models Procedures and Agreements) 2006 which defines sexual harassment as “persistent, unsolicited, and unwanted sexual advances or suggestions by one person to another. There is a clear case of sexual harassment, and the perpetrator is the general manager.” 
 
The inspectors wrote that the manager used his financial power to sexual harass the workers in violation of even the company’s human resources manual. The manual, which aims to stop sexual harassment, states that “sexual harassment includes conduct of a sexual nature, including unwelcome jokes, touching, comments, pornographic displays and the like which unreasonably interferes with an employee’s ability to perform his or her job because of the hostile environment.”
 
Further, the inspection condemned the inclusion of the general manager in the investigation of the sexual harassment and questioned how an alleged perpetrator can play a dual role as “player and referee.” “By sitting through the proceedings of an investigation against him he pre-empted the findings of the investigation and rendered the process null and void,” states the report which was sent to Dharm. 
 
Beside sexual harassment the inspection report also mentioned that Dharm had restored workers benefits that it had withdrawn without engaging with the union.
 
Dominic Obusitse Mapoka, BDWU chairperson said: 

“While we welcome the action taken by Dharm against the general manager, we look forward to the adoption of workplace policies to curb sexual harassment. As a union, we are hoping for an amicable solution on other issues that we have raised with the ministries of labour and home affairs.”

“It is shameful that a general manager who is supposed to provide oversight on sexual harassment is the perpetrator. We applaud the BDWU for standing up for the rights of women workers against sexual harassment and for taking up this issue with the ministry of labour and social protection,”

said Paule France Ndessomin, IndustriALL regional secretary for Sub-Saharan Africa.

Photo: Shutterstock

Belgian and Malagasy unions cooperate on building union power

The critical role of international trade union solidarity was emphasized at a union building workshop in Tamatave, 20 and 21 August. Additionally, the workshop stressed on the importance of locating Just Transition debates within a workers’ rights framework that included women miners’ rights at work. Malagasy unions campaign for the ratification of International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention 190 to end violence and harassment in the world of work were also highlighted. Further, there were recommendations on the government of Madagascar to implement national labour laws including the mining code to enhance decent working conditions.
 
The participants included three union leaders from CSC-BIE and mine workers from Ambatovy’s nickel-cobalt mining sites in Moramanga and Tamatave. The mineworkers are members of Syndicalisme et Vie des Societes (SVS). Both CSC-BIE and SVS are affiliated to IndustriALL Global Union. Besides Madagascar, CSC-BIE also supports human rights due diligence along the supply chains in Sub-Saharan Africa and union building activities in Senegal that include innovative recruitment and organizing.
 
The workshop discussed how the energy transition from high carbon to low carbon economies impacted on workers and communities in Madagascar and is an opportunity to build union power. Participants also mentioned that Madagascar is a producer of cobalt, nickel, ilmenite, and chromium ores – which are some of the critical minerals needed for the energy transition. Additionally, the beneficiation of these minerals had potential to create decent jobs and spur economic development on Africa’s biggest island.
 
The workshop emphasized on increased efforts to recruit more members to the union. For example, there were recommendations for unions to develop a gender responsive organizing strategy, to counter discrimination when hiring women and increase women’s access to unions. The strategy would also include minimum living wages, ending precarious working conditions for women, and reducing the gender pay gap.
 
On human rights due diligence, Jan Franco, CSC-BIE international officer, said:

“This is an approach that unions can use to discuss Just Transition plans. The importance of human rights due diligence is that it addresses labour violations along supply chains, and seeks remedies from the violating companies or businesses, and that cases can also be heard in European courts.”

In May the European Union approved the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive.
 

“Global solidarity on trade union organizing is key to cooperation between unions in the global north and global south. It gives the labour movement the chance to learn and reflect from experiences in different countries that are far apart and yet committed to advancing workers’ rights and interests,”

said Paule France Ndessomin, IndustriALL Sub-Saharan Africa regional secretary.