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An ICTU Development Education Project No F Trade Unions orand Globalisa Trade Unions andced GlobalisaLa No-one should be compelled to work, without exception. to two core labour standards of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) which aim to eliminate all forms of forced or compulsorybour labour Basic workers’ They are also clearly statedILO in importantConvention international on Forced instruments, Labour notably rights are protected under national laws in many countries. the Basic workers’ forced or compulsory labour Universal Declaration of Human Rights Issue 1 They are also clearlyor during stated emergencies in important suchinternational as war instruments, notably Nations in 1948. rights are protected under national laws in many countries. tion the Universal Declaration of Human Rights This is according Newsletter Article 23ILO of Convention the Declaration on the says: Nations in 1948. tion Everyone has the rightbans tothe formuse of andcompulsory to join labour trade, except as unionsa means for, No.29military forof political(1930) service coercion or convict or labour the protection of hiseducation,Article interests 23 to of mobilise the Declaration or disciplineagreed says: bya workforce,the United as a punishment for Cor Everyone has the right to form and to join trade, fires unionsand earthquakes. for bans all forms of e La taking part in a strike, or as aAbolition means of of discrimination. Forced Labour 2 bour Standar These lawsthe and protection international of instruments his interests were fought for byagreed generations by the United 5 of workers and their tradeYet unions, still these working abhorrent together practices locally continue today 2 internationallyThese laws andand international vested interests instruments in many were countries fought keep for by millions generations of people enslaved ds of workers and their trade unions, working together locally , No.105 (1957) movement, working. Some through wouldor entrapped. thesay International that it was really Labour the Organisation, trade union that inventedinternationally the modern human rights system. Forced or compulsory labour ranges from slavery and debt bondage to movement, working. Some through would thesay International that it was really Labour the Organisation, trade union that But free market globalisationtraf is deliberately undermining this protection. ANOS invented the modernficking human in human rights beings.system. Millions of workers are aroundseeing 20their million hard-won bonded rights labourers under around attack., nationally the world. andOn. Lack farms of in political South will experiencingBut free a decline market Asia,in globalisation their as workingwell as isin terms deliberatelycertain and other conditions. undermining industries, millions this protection. of men, women, and ANOS finding theMillions public of services workerschildren that are are theyseeing tied and totheir theirtheir hard-won communitieswork through rights relya undervicious on attack. circle, nationallyof debt. and The United Nations estimates that there are Irene Slegt / P weakenedexperiencing through privatisation. a decline in their working terms and conditions. finding the public" I became services thatbonded they andafter their I got communities married relyto my on husband ICTU Launches Irene Slegt / P This crisisweakened facing workers throughtwenty can privatisation. sometimes years ago result – his in afamily retreat had into been bonded for three protectionism and evengenerations racism. But a todoctrine the same of ‘us landlordfirst’ – they took loans for This crisis facing workers can sometimes result in a retreat into They are In a global economy wheremarriage, workers for across illness, the worldfor education… are pitted against IThey used are to work from each otherprotectionism 6amand even in the racism. landlord’s But a doctrine house, of cleaning, ‘us first’ fetching water… They are particularlyIn awhere, globalthere theyare economy Then alwayscannot Iwhere otherwouldfreely workersworkers organise go and inacross theirworkan even own the on worseworldtrade the unions.arefarm…situation pitted cutting, -againstThey are each other They can be exploitedthreshing… by transnational until enterprises 7pm or later.in what Sometimes has been I would then Nikego workers in Indonesia are paid less than a living called a particularly‘race to the where,bottom’. thereback theyare to alwaysthecannot house otherfreely toworkers organise clean in everything.their an even own worsetrade Only unions.situation after - that wage to produce trainers for the world market. cannot succeed. They can be couldexploited I go by hometransnational and feed enterprises my family. in what We has were been not allowedBut now thatNike Indonesian workers in workersIndonesia are are building paid less trade than a living unions, Nike is moving production to China. A more efcalled a ‘raceto to work the bottom’. for any other landlord. wage to produce trainers for the world market. their internationalfective waysolidarity of sustaining livelihoods is for workers to strengthencannot succeed. But now that Indonesian workers are building trade Leelu Bai, former bonded labourer Global Solidarity can be betterA more protected ef if they are not undermined elsewhere. unions, Nike is moving production to China. UNI, the global union federation for workers in their internationalThefective cross-border waysolidarity of sustaining traf livelihoods is for workers to strengthen commerce, finance, telecoms and other services, Workerscan are beincreasingly betterinvolving protected linked over. W 700,000iftogetherorkers’ they are a across yearnot underminedaround borders the by world. elsewhere.virtue of being has a campaign against the traf employed by the same multinational employerrights orand by conditions working in in the one same place See prostitution and domestic service, and for work" in sweatshops. In the www . Wficking of women and children is also increasing, global productionWorkers Republicareor distribution increasingly of Ireland chain. linked togetherorkers’ across borders, Thane by District, virtue Indiaof being .union-network.org/uniwomen.nsf of the mostemployed dynamicreport by movements the increased same multinational thatevidence organises of womenemployer internationallyrights from orand Easternby conditions working to tackleEurope, in in the one same place ficking of women. the problemsglobal of production freeelsewhere market or being globalisation.distribution traf chain. of the most dynamic movementsand that organises internationally to tackle other European countries. Northern Ireland The ICTU is encouraging trade unionists on the island of Ireland to play a the problems of free market globalisation.The trade union movement Theyis one are traded for stronger role in this international movementficked, - throughwith Ireland education, as their destination or en route to , agencies working in the field The major activity was the launch campaigning,The ICTU and linkingis encouraging up with workers trade unionists in other onpartsThe the tradeof island the union world. of Ireland movement to play is aone stronger role in this international movement - through education, campaigning, and linking up with workers in other parts of the world. in February 2002 of the Campaign Africa and An ICTU Development Education Project for Workers’ Rights in the Global An ICTU Development Education Project Economy. Launched by Minister An ICTU Development Education Project Tom Kitt at Liberty Hall in Dublin and Carmel Hanna, MLA in Belfast, we were privileged to be joined by Nazma Akter from the Bangladeshi Garment Workers’ Union Campaigning Federation. Nazma features in the Esperanza Productions Video,“Race for Workers’ to the Bottom”,which was shown at Rights in the Nazma Akter and David Joyce both launches and has been Global Economy T broadcast on TG4. The campaign pack provides a valuable The video explores the issues related to the source of information and ideas for action for movement of the garment industry from trade unionists interested in involving their Ireland to countries like Bangladesh, where union in international issues and promoting workers are denied fundamental rights. the core labour standards as crucial tools for Even these workers are in danger of losing poverty reduction and development. their jobs as the industry continues to search for locations with ever cheaper The Core Labour Standards are: labour costs, mainly China. 1. Freedom of Association and the right to collective bargaining Copies available from: 2. Elimination of all forms of forced or compulsory labour Nazma Akter and Minister Tom Kitt,TD Esperanza Productions 3. Effective abolition of child labour Tel: +353 (01) 2888648 4. Elimination of discrimination in respect of Fax: +353 (01) 2888649 employment and occupation e-mail: [email protected] The pack also offers information around web: www.esperanza.ie globalisation. C New Website & Electronic Actions search Congress also launched a website, About Us News & Events Workers Rights Development Campaigns Trade Unions Toolkit for Action Links Register Contact Us Making Globalisation www.ictuglobalsolidarity.org workThe for Irish people Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) is taking new Tradesteps Unions to foster a greater understanding within the trade union andmovement Globalisation on the island of Ireland about the causes and effects which will serve as a useful starting point Allof Workers global poverty and inequality.

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