ICFTU ONLINE...
221/981019/DD
October 10 - 16
Brussels October 16 1998 (ICFTU OnLine): The following is a summary of main trade union news for the last week. The numbers at the end of the paragraphs refer to the relevant issue of ICFTU OnLine.
Turkey/WTO : A new ICFTU report on trade union rights in Turkey, which complements the WTO's trade policy review says that Turkey's respect for many labour rights is poor, despite strong and persistent criticism from the International Labour Organisation. www.icftu.org/english/sclause/escl98wtoturkey.html The ICFTU concludes that there are continual violations of trade union rights, and the government should take urgent action to change the law, and examine how it is being abused by employers. The ICFTU says that there should be a full reform of the local administration in South East Turkey to ensure that labour rights are fully respected and to avoid discrimination. Child labour is also a serious problem, and the government must step up its inspections system. The ICFTU says that the Turkish government should stand by its commitment to observe core labour standards at the WTO's ministerial conferences. (OnLine No.217)
Unions accuse Levis of anti-union strategy. European Unions accused Levi Strauss of adopting a fiercely anti-union strategy. Unions associated with the International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers' Federation (ITGLWF) denounced Levi's as hypocritical, as they claimed to be a company with a social conscience, and pay heed to union concerns. In September Levi's announced the closure of four European factories, without proper consultation with the unions. Although Levi's have agreed to submit the unions' alternative proposals to their Works Council, the ITGLWF's European office says that it is packed with management representatives, and any voting is heavily weighted in management favour. The unions say that Levi's is closing down its European production in order to subcontract to countries which use cheap labour. They are asking for a proper discussion on all Levi's restructuring plans. (OnLine 215)
ICFTU to expand its work in the Central Asia and the Caucuses: The ICFTU hopes to cooperate with the Warsaw-based Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, to expand their work in the field of developing democratic civil society institutions. This week the ICFTU held meetings with the ODIHR, an organisation associated with the OSCE, which has a mandate to ensure full respect for human rights, and to help promote democratic institutions. If ICFTU-ODIHR cooperation goes ahead, ICFTU and its affiliates will work with the ODIHR to ensure that assisting trade unions is included within its remit. This initiative came about with the help of LO Norway, as the Norwegian Government will serve as ODIHR Chairman for 1999.
IberoAmerican Summit: Trade unionists throughout Latin America and Spain and Portugal lobbied the 21 Heads of State attending the Ibero American summit in Lisbon, Portugal, on October 17/18. Unions want to make sure that the Summit takes on board the concerns of civil society, including trade unions. In particular the unions want the Free Trade Agreement for the Americas to include social as well as economic aspects. "Economic and social policies which assign civil society and trade unions to the sidelines are doomed to failure," say the unions. (OnLine 219)
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