ICFTU OnLine
194/180998/DD
The Week in Review: September 12 - 18
Brussels September 18 1998 (ICFTU OnLine): The following is a summary of main trade union news for the last week.
China: Continuing Concern over labour activists: The ICFTU has written to the Chinese authorities over the seven year sentence imposed on LI Bifeng for "fraud". The ICFTU believes that LI is being imprisoned because he circulated information to trade union and human rights organisations about workers' protests in Sichuan in August. He has already served five year's imprisonment for his participation in the 1989 pro-democracy protests. Further harassment of trade union rights activists occurred during the visit of UN Human Rights Commissioner Mary Robinson to China last week. Chu Hailan, the wife of jailed union rights campaigner Liu Nianchun, was arrested and beaten up by police when she tried to deliver a letter to Mary Robinson about her husband who is seriously ill in a prison camp.
Expulsion of displaced Eritreans from Ethiopia: The ICFTU has approached the European Union President asking the EU to increase. assistance to Eritreans who have been deported from Ethiopia. Eritrea proclaimed its independence from Ethiopia seven years ago. Mass deportations reached a peak this May, following hostilities between Eritrea and Ethiopia over border disputes. So far over 11,000 people have been snatched from their homes, schools, workplaces and farms, and dumped near the Eritrean-Ethiopian border, most arriving in Eritrea with no money or clothing. The ICFTU affiliate National Confederation of Eritrean Workers has drawn the attention of the international trade union movement to the terrible plight of the displaced people.
Cote d'Ivoire: Francophone Seminar: An ICFTU/AFRO Seminar on the Strengthening of Social Security systems in French-speaking Africa is being held this week in Abidjan. During the Seminar, an AFRO delegation of trade union leaders from French-speaking African countries met President Konan Bedié of Côte d'Ivoire. They discussed new government initiatives to strengthen social security in the African Francophone countries.
EU /WTO and Burma: The ICFTU and the ETUC have written to European Commissioner Sir Leon Brittan, protesting at the EU complaint under World Trade Organisation rules over the State of Massachusetts refusal to deal with companies which do business in Burma because of human rights' concerns. This August the ILO's new report on Burma accused the country of regular and systematic forced labour, and on September 11, the Austrian government, currently holding the Presidency of the EU, issued a statement condemning Burma. In the letter the unions say that "If the actions of (the US state) of Massachusetts which put the human rights of the Burmese people above the interests of a few multinational companies do not comply with WTO rules, then the WTO rules need changing, not the actions of Massachusetts".
ICFTU meetings in the UK: Bill Jordan ICFTU General Secretary met with Clare Short, UK Secretary of State for International Development. They discussed a number of issues including how the DFID might expand its work with trade unions in developing countries. Also this week, Bill Jordan spoke at a TUC Fringe Meeting on Campaigning for Workers' Rights in the Global Economy. In particular he described trade union proposals presented to the recent G7 Finance Ministers Summit which urged the G7, Finance Ministers and Central Banks to assume their responsibilities and act decisively to make sure global markets deliver growing and widely shared prosperity.
International Women's Forum in Tokyo: Union leaders from seven Asia-Pacific countries discussed women's labour issues at an international symposium, sponsored by RENGO, the ICFTU's Japanese affiliate, the ICFTU and other unions. The three day meeting involved labour leaders from Fiji, South Korean, Bangladesh, the Philippines, India, New Zealand and Japan. Speaking at the forum, Elsa Ramos, acting heading of the ICFTU Equality Department, said that the situation for working women in Asia had deteriorated because of the regional financial crisis, and that workplace rules must be changed to help women. She also called on more women to join the labour movement.
Poland: ICFTU General Secretary Bill Jordan visited Poland which is now introducing much delayed but vital social reforms, following the measures of harsh economic reforms. Polish workers are facing the challenge of reforms in the pension system, health care, health insurance and education. Bill Jordan met the ICFTU affiliate NSZZ Solidarnosc, and the Ministers for Social Reform and Labour. During the meetings with Ministers he stressed the importance of investment in education, and said that any investment in education would be paid back twice in the future.
International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU)
Boulevard Emile Jacqmain 155, B - 1210 Brussels, Belgium. For more information
please contact: Luc Demaret on: 00 322 224 0212 - press@icftu.org