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MAY DAY GREETINGS TIE Asia greets all our comrades on the occasion of MAY DAY 2007. This month's May Day saw thousands of workers all around the world express their commitment to struggle to regain the rights that many have lost in the workplace. Workers of the World Unite! "Coup was setback for labour movement" Exclusive interview with labour activist and co-founder of the 1550 Labour Assembly, a new group opposing the junta and the draft constitution, Somyot Prukasakasem talks to The Nation's Pravit Rojanaphruk about the state of labour and democracy. Why are you opposed to the Council for National Security and the draft constitution? Because the labour movement learned a lesson when the country was under the National Peace Keeping Council [the junta that seized power in 1991]. It severely diminished labour rights by dismantling state enterprise unions and banning outsiders' involvement in labour disputes. Thanong Pothi-an, an important labour leader was also abducted. [He is presumed dead]. Garment workers in Bangladesh are being paid US1 cent per hour says anti-poverty group, War On Want. The workers mostly women make cheap clothes for UK companies Tesco, Asda and Primark and they work 80 hours per week. War On Want says that the starting wages at factories were a measely US15 per month which is one third the minimum wage in Bangladesh. Women Workers in Political Conflict Areas, Pioneer work of CAW Committee for Asian Women (CAW), a regional women workers organisation, in its recently concluded seminar on women workers in political conflict areas in Asia, held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia between 27th and 28th November, 2006, has taken brave steps to look into the millions of women workers in the political conflict areas like in Nepal, Aceh, Pakistan, Bangladesh and others. They are trying to obtain information and make inroads into the women workers' situation in Burma where even Burmese activists admit that its almost impossible to organise workers to protest on the streets as the people themselves are surviving day to day. A Burmese activist said, "Chicken prices change from day to day and inflation is more than 200% ..."! As one CAW staff member said that Burma is a "black hole"! She meant that it was extrememly difficult for CAW to obtain information on the situation and undertake some research in Burma! Activists from Aceh, Burma, Pakistan, Bangladesh, China, Philippines and Malaysia put their heads together on how best to assist the women workers in these areas. APEC fails Asian workers “In spite of strong economic growth over the last decades, much of the Asia-Pacific region is still plagued by a lack of decent employment opportunities, with a majority of the people in many countries confined to struggling to make it through the day in various informal economic activities. Yet jobs and workers’ rights figure virtually nowhere in APEC cooperation. And though there is some talk about inclusiveness, nothing substantial is ever done about it”, said Guy Ryder, General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC). Cambodian workers fight back for better minimum wage The representatives of workers in all sectors were not happy with the results of the LAC (Labour Associations Cambodia) negotiations on October 19, 2006 that resulted in a 50 USD minimum wage per month for workers in the garment and shoe sectors. This decision is not in line with the interest of the workers of Cambodia. The federations that have agreed to this, those of Mr. Choun Mom Thol , Mr. Som Aun, and Mr. Heng Bunchun, represent only a minority of trade union federations in Cambodia. These unions have not considered how difficult life is The workers demanded that the bilateral negotiations continue between the Inter-Federation Council (IFC) and the Garment Manufacturers Association of Cambodia (GMAC) regarding the IFC’s proposal. The workers believe that garment workers should earn a minimum wage of at least $55 USD per month, a meal allowance of 1000r per hour, a seniority bonus of $2 USD per year, and an attendance bonus of $7 USD per month. The workers too believe there had been interference from certain parties and have warned them that the interference in the bilateral negotiations between the IFC and GMAC is a violation of ILO Convention #98, Cambodian Labour Law Article 96, and Prakas 305, regarding the right to collectively bargain, all of which have been ratified by the Cambodian government. Deepavali And Eid Greetings TIE Asia wishes all workers of the world a joyous Deepavali and mubarak (arabic word means blessed) Eid. Indonesia's woman trade unionist
Condolences to John Cummins, a militant Union Leader What a fighter we’ve lost! From his days in the Builders Labour Federation (BLF) right up to the end, John “Cummo” Cummins never gave up the fight. He was involved in Asian workers struggle too. He lived by the principle: Dare to Struggle, Dare to Win – If You Don’t Fight, You Lose! John Cummins died recently in Melbourne, Australia with his family by his side. Bangladeshi Women Workers exploited by UK FirmsThere's still hope. If we observe the Sondhi Limthongkul phenomena, many members of the middle class started donning yellow shirts and supporting the coup. This cannot be the future of democracy.Urgent Appeal Woolworths Locks Out 500 Workers in Bid to Smash Union Over 500 New Zealand union members working for a company owned by Woolworths Australia have been locked out until they agree to abandon their claim for a national collective agreement. Urgent Appeal Australia: Solidarity with first victims of new anti-union laws The 107 Australian construction workers charged under the Howard Government's harsh industrial laws for the building industry will appear in court on August 29 and 30. In an unprecedented case, these individual workers are being prosecuted by the Government appointed, funded and directed Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC) for alleged industrial action. Malaysia: Call by opposition MP for electronic workers to unionise Aug 23, 06 12:21pm Bangladesh: Garment Union registered in factory After the recent struggle waged by 16 garment workers' federations an agreement between this group and 2 owners' associations in Bangladesh was signed. The registration and recognition of a trade union at the garment factory level has been an outstanding issue for trade union federations in Bangladesh. Now a trade union has been registered at a garment factory level. There is expectation that this trend will continue. MAY DAY GREETINGS TIE Asia greets all our comrades on the occasion of MAY DAY 2006. We live in difficult times for workers all over the world. The neo-liberalising forces particularly Transnational Corporations are moving their agenda at the expense of workers. Many of our governments have chosen not to fight these forces. Yet workers, like the workers who struggled for the eight-hour working day which we remember during May Day, have continued to struggle to keep their jobs, incomes and their rights. Bangladesh Workers' Deaths in Factory Fires Ignite Protests in Dhaka
At least 100 garment workers, mostly women died in a factory fire in Chitagong in the last week of February. The fire at the KTS garment factory triggered a nation-wide half day strike. Most of the garment factories including in the Economic Processing Zones (EPZs) were closed. Another fire raged through Saiem Fashion Ltd. in Gazipur district killing 3 workers and injured over 50 workers on 6th March. Photo above: Protests held in Dhaka by the National Garment Workers Federation a few days after the fires. | |||
Women's Day Protest
On 8th March the National Garment Workers Federation (NFWF) in Bangladesh celebrated the International Women's Day with the theme " Safe workplace for the woman workers " and holding a Woman Workers Red Flag Rally.
Sri Lanka
Garment Workers Campaign against union busting
The Board of Investment (BOI) of Sri Lanka, the governing body of the Free Trade Zones (FTZ) had a union-busting attitude. The BOI had to change its attitude due to international pressure especially when the European Union (EU) extended the Generalised System of Preference (GSP). It was linked to labour standards and therefore the BOI had to respect the core conventions of the ILO especially Freedom of Association in the Free Trade Zones. When Workwear Lanka Pvt Ltd and the GP Garments dismissed the workers in order to disrupt the union activities, the employer tried to recruit new employees. Fortunately, BOI advised both companies that they cannot recruit new workers until they settle these disputes as these disputes were relevant to Freedom of Association.
