SIPTU Global Solidarity

News Issue 1 – Autumn/Winter 2018

Welcome to the first edition of SIPTU Global Solidarity News (GSN). This newsletter aims to keep members informed of the activities and campaigns of the union’s Global Solidarity ‘Silent coup’ in Committee. The Committee is made up of members who are active in promoting the objective of economic and social justice across the globe. Nicaragua This involves highlighting the exploitation of workers, trade unionists and human rights By Frank Connolly advocates in many countries and campaigning on their behalf. It means providing practical A “silent coup” led by right wing polit- and political solidarity with working people ical and business interests has been who are suffering various forms of oppression underway in Nicaragua over recent across the world, including those enduring months, according to the country’s economic exploitation and marginalisation or Deputy Foreign Minister, Valdrack discrimination because of their gender or race. Jaentschke. The Global Solidarity Committee supports At a meeting with SIPTU representa- the Palestinian people under occupation by tives, including deputy general secre - Israel in Gaza, the west Bank and Jerusalem, tary, Ethel Buckley, on Monday 1st Photo from left to right Nicaraguan as well as trade union and human rights October, Senor Jaentschke explained Ambassador Guisell Morales-Echaverry activists living under constant threat in that in April last a small group of polit- SIPTU Deputy General Secretary Ethel Colombia while it has long established ical parties aligned with a “violent and Buckley and Deputy Foreign Minister friendship and solidarity ties with the people of Valdrack Jaentschke in Liberty Hall on aggressive sector of people to ignite Cuba. 1st October. people on the streets. As reported in this first edition of GSN, While the street protests were osten- global warming and climate change threaten sibly against pension reforms they did not prepare ourselves, in particu - not just the long-term survival of the planet were soon transformed into a lar, for a new actor which was social but are already having a catastrophic impact campaign to bring down the elected media,” he said. Right wing political on those living in, mainly poor, countries. The government backed by the main pri - activists travelled to the US to Global Solidarity Committee supports the vate sector business organisations condemn the Nicaraguan government objectives of the 2015 Paris Agreement on who were resisting its attempts to and impede its access to international Climate Change and the need for a Just make them pay more tax loans. They successfully lobbied Transition to sustainable employment for “This attempted, silent coup d’etat extreme right Congressmen such as those working in industries reliant on fossil took us by surprise and involved most Florida based, Marco Rubio, and Bob fuels. media proprietors with seven out of Menendez who support trade and By publishing GSN on a regular basis eleven television channels supporting other sanctions against the small through the year, we hope that union members the anti-government campaign. We central American country, Jaentschke and their families and friends learn of, and join in, this important work of promoting social, Continued on page 2 economic and climate justice across an increasingly divided and volatile world. Please read about the work of the SIPTU Global Solidarity Committee of your union and JOIN THE GLOBAL ACTIVIST contribute in any way you can to our activities and campaigns. SOLIDARITY NETWORK If you are interested, join the network today by simply sending SIPTU Deputy General Secretary, your name and place of work to globalsolidarity@siptu.ie Ethel Buckley 2 SIPTU Global Solidarity Call on Ireland to recognise

By Frank Connolly

During a brief visit to Dublin in late September, the president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, called on the Irish govern - ment to officially recognise the right of his people to statehood. The recog- nition of the state of Palestine is set out as an objective in the Programme for Government agreed by Fine Gael and its Independent Alliance part - ners in 2016 but has yet to be imple- mented. Abbas reiterated that the recognition by the US administra - tion of Jerusalem as the capital of Is- rael and its decision last year to move its embassy into the illegally occupied city meant it could no longer act as an independent media- President Michael D. Higgins (centre) President Mahmoud Abbas and Sabina Higgins in Áras an Uachtaráin in Sep tor on behalf of the Palestinian peo- tember earlier this year. Photo: Maxwell Photography. ple in negotiations for a two-state and Jerusalem as well as the ongoing since 1948 by Israel and the prospect solution to the long running conflict. and deadly siege of Gaza was of a peaceful settlement to the conflict In response, the Minister for Foreign effectively destroying any meaningful seems further away than ever. Affairs, Simon Coveney, accepted that negotiations for a two-state solution. During a visit to the West Bank and the Irish government could implement Health officials in Gaza estimate Jerusalem in April, I witnessed the the commitment to recognise Palestine that 180 have been killed and 18,000 steady expansion of the illegal settle - as a sovereign independent state given wounded since the “March of Return’ ments and the exploitation of commenced earlier this year. Palestinians that Israel by its continuing expansion Palestinians forced to work in of illegal settlements in the west Bank seek to regain lands stolen and occupied

Continued from page 1 - ‘Silent coup’ in Nicaragua said. “ These forces have been trying to had been killed according to official fig - Honduras. said. “ These forces have been trying to when in fact the first person killed was buildings including schools, commu - roll back the social and economic im - ures, including innocent bystanders, “The army was not deployed in order roll back the social and economic im - a police officer, according to the deputy nity and welfare centres were burned provements achieved by Daniel Ortega, police and government employees as to avoid further escalation and deaths provements achieved by Daniel Ortega, foreign minister. By mid-August, 199 out by protestors who included disaf - the former leader of the revolutionary well as anti-Sandinista protesters. and peace and stability was restored by the former leader of the revolutionary had been killed according to official fig - fected local youth as well as gang mem - Sandinista movement, and his govern - Amnesty International and other NGOs September. We have also managed to mSaenndt ionviestra t hmeo pvaesmt denect,a adne’d h hei s agiodv. eTrhn e - ures, including innocent bystanders, bers imported from El Salvador and said over 300 were killed, mainly by maintain investment in health and so - ompepnots iotvioenr thraei pseadst dae ccaadlle ’ fhoer sareidg.i Tmhe e police and government employees as Honduras. government security forces. cial programmes.” Jaenschke said. cohpapnogseit aiollneg irnagis tehda t aO rcteaglla wfoars lreeagdiimng e well as anti-Sandinista protesters. “The army was not deployed in order ac hdaicntgaet oarllsehgiipn gsi tmhailta Or rttoe gtha ew barsu letald UinS g Am“Wnes twye Irnet earsnkaetdio nbayl athned obtihshero NpsG Oto s “tHo oawvoeivde rfu, trhthereer iess caa $la5t0i0on m ainlldio dne haothle s baa dcikcetda toSrosmhiopz as imreiglaimr teo hthee h berlupteadl Uto S sstaaindd o dvoewr n3 i0n0 o rwdeerre t ok ailvleodid, am caivinill wy abry . iann tdh pe ebaucdeg aentd a sntda bwilei tayr we awso rreksitnogr ewdi tbh y backed Somoza regime he helped to government security forces. overthrow in 1979. The Sandinista base did stand down but tSreapdtee umnbioern. aWned hcoamvem aulsnoi tmy alenaadgeerds tto o overthrow in 1979. “We were asked by the bishops to As protests continued on the streets, then hundreds of them were attacked tmrya ainntda irne binuivleds ftrmomen th inis hexeapletrhi eanncde .s” o - As protests continued on the streets, stand down in order to avoid a civil war. the government withdrew the pension with a number killed and burned on the ciHale apcrcougsraedm mUSe sb.”a ckJaeedn sinchtekree stssa iodf . the government withdrew the pension The Sandinista base did stand down but decree and invited its opponents to dis - streets. High profile s“eHeokwinegv etor, otvheerrteh irso aw $t5h0e0 g moviellrinomn henolte, decree and invited its opponents to dis - then hundreds of them were attacked cuss alternatives. It also took police off Sandinista women, and their children, winh tihche bwuadsg edte amnodc wraet iacrael lwy oerlkeicntge dw iitn h cuss alternatives. It also took police off with a number killed and burned on the the streets for several weeks to avoid the streets for several weeks to avoid wsterreee tsta. Hrgigethe pdr obfiyl er Sigahntd inwiisntag wgoamngens,, 2t0ra1d6e, aunndi osnai da nthda cto tmhem Nuicnaitrya gleuaadne prse o to- ccoonnffrroonnttaattiioonnss aanndd ffuurrtthheerr vviioolleenncce e ianncdlu dthinegir s ochmield wrehno, hwaedr be eteanr gtoertteudr ebd y ptrley annede dr eibnutielrdn fartoimon tahli ss oelxipdearriietny caen.” d wwhhiicchh mmeeaanntt tthhaatt rrooaadd bblloocckkss eerreecctteed d bryig thhte w Sionmgo gzaan rgesg,i imncel,”u dhien cgl asiommeed .who supHpeo ratc ctou sperdo tUeSct btahcek geadi nins tmeraedstes boy f bbyy tthhee ooppppoossiittiioonn pprreevveenntteedd ffoooodd,, mmeed d -- haInd Jbuelye,n h et osratiudr,e hdu nbdyr etdhse ofS obmarorzi a- tsheee kSianngd tion iosvtearst hdruorwin tgh teh geoirv eternrmmse nin t, iiccaall aanndd ootthheerr ssuupppplliieess ffrroomm eenntteerriinng g craedgeims ew,”e hree clilaftiemde da.nd transport and owffihicceh o vwears t hdee pmaosct rtahtriecea ldlye cealdeecste. d in llaarrggee ppaarrttss ooff tthhee ccoouunnttrryy. . othIner J uselyrv, ihce ss awiedr, eh ruensdtorreedds bouf tb oanrrlyi - 2016, and said that the Nicaraguan peo - IInn tthhee fifirrsstt ddaayyss ooff pprrootteessttss,, iinn AApprriill, , acfatdeer ss owmeree 1l0if0t,e0d0 0a njodb st rwanesrpeo lrots ta nin d ple need international solidarity and UUSS aanndd iinntteerrnnaattiioonnaall mmeeddiiaa ccaarrrriieedd iin n -- tootuhreirs mse ravnidc esse rwveicres r. eOsvtoere 2d5 0bu ptu obnlilcy support to protect the gains made by aaccccuurraattee rreeppoorrttss ooff mmaannyy ssttuuddeennttss aannd d bauftieldri nsogms ein 1c0lu0d,0in0g0 sjcohbos owlse, rceo mlosmt u in- the Sandinistas during their terms in others being killed by security forces office over the past three decades. others being killed by security forces ntoituyr iasnmd awnedlf aserrev ciceenst.r eOsv ewre 2re5 0b uprunbelid c when in fact the first person killed was out by protestors who included disaf - a police officer, according to the deputy fected local youth as well as gang mem -

SIPTU Global Solidarity 3 state of Palestine

building, cleaning and extending the announced that he was preventing the erected by Israel on Palestinian land homes of Israeli settlers. The humilia - Dublin mayor from entering Palestine where dozens of people had died over tion suffered by Palestinian workers due to a motion passed a day earlier by preceding weeks. She also visited the fortunate to get work papers as they Dublin City Council endorsing the BDS areas occupied by illegal Israeli settlers queue in the early morning to toil on campaign and the expulsion of the and witnessed how Palestinians are land which is rightfully theirs is com - Israeli ambassador to Ireland over the denied access to the land they own and pounded by the abuse they endure killing of unarmed civilians in Gaza. To need to produce food to survive. from the occupiers. Women workers, the widespread amusement of the em - On her return, she successfully pro - in particular, suffer regular physical battled Palestinians, McDonncha moted the Occupied Territories Bill and sexual abuse by settlers as well as tweeted his presence from the west which makes it illegal for goods pro - the indignity of poor wages and lack of bank city of Ramallah after the ban - duced in such areas across the world employment rights meted out by their ning order was announced. from being sold in Ireland. The bill was employers. Within weeks, Senator Frances passed in the Seanad in July, with sup - The visit also involved meetings with trade union leaders, human rights and women’s organisations in the West Bank who emphasised the importance of the growing campaign for boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) on Israel. They claim also that the occupa - tion is imposing an apartheid system on the Palestinian people while hold - ing the population of Gaza in what is widely recognised as a vast open air prison where water, medicine and basic food supplies are withheld by the occupying Israeli forces. During the visit, the then Lord Mayor Photo from left SIPTU Head of Communications, Frank Connolly, Graínne Kelly of Dublin City of Dublin, Micheál McDonncha, met Council, Palestinian minister for Jerusalem Affairs, Adnan Al-Husseini and then Lord Mayor of with Adnan Al-Husseini the Pales - Dublin, Micheál Mac Donncha. tinian minister with responsibility for Jerusalem in a gesture of solidarity. Black, travelled to Gaza where she wit - port from the opposition parties in - His visit attracted controversy after nessed the horrific conditions in the cluding Sinn Féin, Labour, the Israeli minister for strategic affairs city and the camp along the barrier Independent senators and Fianna Fáil following an organised lobbying and public awareness campaign supported by SIPTU, Congress and a number of NGO’s. A further vote on the Bill is ex - pected in the Seanad in November when if passed it will go to the Dáil for ratification over the following weeks and months. SIPTU members have committed to promoting fund raising activities fund raising activities on behalf of the chil - dren of Gaza following a visit by the di - rector of the Middle East Children’s Alliance (MECA), Mona Al Farra, to Derry in July where she addressed the global solidarity summer school of Congress. A fund raising event and concert will take place to promote the Senator Frances Black with Palestinian farmers, Muna (left) and Fayez al-Taneeb from the West Bank outside Leinster House on Wednesday, 11th July 2018 when the historic Bill, which bans Occupied Territories Bill and to raise goods made in illegally occupied territories, was passed in the Seanad. funds for MECA on 22nd November in Liberty Hall. 4 SIPTU Global Solidarity Cuban trade minister visits Dublin

During a recent visit to Dublin, Cuban Minister for Trade, Ana Tere- sita Gonzales, expressed her support and solidarity for the governments of Venezuela and Nicaragua in face of internal and external aggression. Addressing Irish solidarity cam- paigners with Cuba, including SIPTU members, at a reception in the Cuban embassy on Saturday 29th September, Gonzales said: “We offer our total solidarity to the Bolivarian government of President Nicolas Maduro which is facing ag - gression including elements of non- conventional war. Sanctions and other external intervention do not help pro- vide a situation of stability in States, for military intervention in Cuba and the European Union can Venezuela which is so important to the Venezuela. Cuba believes the situation soon be ratified by the Irish parlia - stability of the region. should be resolved by Venezuelans.” ment. Among those who attended the “President Maduro has tried to es - She said that the same applies to the meeting were Sinn Féin TD, Sean tablish dialogue with the political op - situation in Nicaragua where foreign Crowe, Independent TD, Thomas position but they have not allowed it to interference will make an already Pringle as well as trade unionists, soli- happen. We are very concerned at volatile situation worse. darity campaigners and other political calls, including by the secretary gen - Gonzales said that she hoped a new representatives. eral of the Organisation of American co-operation agreement between SIPTU Solidarity with Cuba Forum (SSWCF)

Cuban Ambassador Hugo Ramos meeting with members of SIPTU’s Global Solidarity Committee in Liberty Hall in May 2018.

stayed for the entertainment. How often do you get to meet a real- courtesy visit to the SIPTU National Ex - Fernando has asked that we support life hero and someone whom you had ecutive Council, where SIPTU General the 60th anniversary celebrations of campaigned for over 15 years to re - Secretary, Joe O’ Flynn, welcomed him. the revolution next May and work on Following that, he journeyed to pay a lease from a US prison? The visit on scoping out such a trip has already visit to the Lord Mayor, Micheál McDon - 21st June to Liberty Hall of Fernando begun. ncha. Special new Ireland/Cuba Solidarity Gonzalez Llort, a hero of the Revolu - Fernando and the Ambassador then medals have been minted and will be on tion, and one of the Cuban/Miami 5 arrived back at Liberty Hall for an event sale at the SIPTU Divisional Confer - was such an event. chaired by Maureen O’ Sullivan T.D. to ences, including images of Che and Fernando had a full list of engage - a packed Connolly Room, where Fer - Fidel. ments in the Oireachtas, and paid a nando answered many questions from an assorted audience, and afterwards By Jack McGinley SIPTU Global Solidarity 5 Gaza Kids Sadly, due to increased bureaucracy and the closing of the Raffa crossing at the border with Egypt, the Gaza Kids were not able to leave Gaza to visit Ireland this summer. In 2013 a group of activists travelled to Gaza and met various groups. One of these was the Al Helal football club. Following this visit, Gaza Ac - tion Ireland was born and one their objectives was to bring kids from Gaza to Ireland to play football. The purpose of the trip was to give the kids a break from the appalling conditions in which they live, let them have some fun, play football (which they love) and raise aware - ness of the conditions that chil - dren in Gaza endure because of the Gaza kids with SIPTU members in Ireland in July 2017. ongoing siege.

Due to the worsening situation with over 2000 deaths and thousands of in - juries, including over 3000 children and the widespread destruction follow - ing the Israeli attacks on Gaza in 2014, GAI were unable to get the team out until 2016. Irish trade unionists played a role in fundraising for the kids and entertaining them as they travelled around Ireland in 2016 and 2017. This year SIPTU Global Solidarity had planned to bring the kids to the Zoo for a day and to entertain them in the Park, including a kick around with members of the FAI. Unfortunately, they never made it. Next year, hope - fully.

Young footballers protest in Gaza against Israeli occupation in 2017. By Mags O’Brien

JOIN THE GLOBAL ACTIVIST SOLIDARITY NETWORK If you are interested, join the network today by simply sending your name and place of work to [email protected] 6 SIPTU Global Solidarity

Colombia - no end to attacks on trade unionists and human rights activists

On 7th August 2018 Ivan Duque from On 9th April a public meeting spon - the Democratic Centre Party was sored by Justice for Columbia Ireland inaugurated as President of was held in the ICTU Offices in Dublin. Colombia. Duque is a strong critic of The speakers at the meeting were the 2016 Columbian Peace Accord. Kevin Callinan (Forsa & ICTU, Vice He defeated the pro-peace process President) and Eamonn Gilmore (Euro - left-wing candidate Gustavo Petro pean Union Special Envoy for the (Colombia Humana) by 53.98% to Colombian Peace Process). The speak - 41.81%. Despite this defeat Petro ers gave the audience an in-depth secured the largest numbers of votes overview of the situation in Colombia. ever recorded for a left wing One of the major issues raised by presidential candidate in Colombia: Gilmore in his address was that the over 8 million votes. This election current Trump administration does also saw the first ever election of a not have an equivalent Special Envoy female Vice-President, Martha Lucia for the Colombian Peace Process from cord in 2016, murders of trade union - Ramirez. the US. ists, social activists and peace defend - Notwithstanding the peace accord, Despite the continuing murder of ers have steadily increased, with 63, Colombia still remains one of the most trade unionists and other social ac - 117 and 121 people killed by right wing difficult and dangerous places in the tivists the peace process needs to be paramilitaries in the years 2015, 2016 world to be an active trade unionist or supported internationally as ulti - and 2017 respectively. Already in the human rights defender. Over the past mately it is the only viable vehicle to first three months of 2018, 46 trade 20 years, approximately 3,000 trade bring about a more stable and peaceful unionists, social activists and peace unionists have been murdered. Since Columbia in the long term. defenders have been murdered. the signing of the Columbian Peace Ac - By Mick Dowling ‘Right to Work’ for migrants Refugees and Asylum Seekers can ket for qualified protection applicants short in providing the supports to as - potentially play an important role in in Ireland with the entry into force of sist asylum seekers fully access to the the development of their host com - the EU (recast) Reception Conditions labour market. munities. In this connection, giving Directive. Under the Directive, asylum On the 14th of June, in line with our individuals access to the labour mar - seekers will have access to the labour global solidarity action with refugees ket is crucial, as it helps to restore a market nine months from the date and asylum seekers, SIPTU’s Liberty sense of self-worth, shore up human when their protection application was Hall theatre was host to the ‘Right to dignity, facilitate recovery from lodged. However, the measures fall Work’ Campaign launch organised by trauma and encourage financial in - the Movement of Asylum Seekers Ire - dependence. Where refugees are al - land (MASI). lowed to work, we should assist, MASI has highlighted through their unionise and organise them, to bet - campaign that even for those who do ter protect their working and em - qualify for the right to work, there are ployment conditions and prevent insurmountable obstacles being faced social dumping by ensuring that em - by asylum seekers. For instance, as an ployers are unable to erode their pay asylum seeker, it is almost impossible and benefits. Refugees are particu - to open a bank account as the State re - larly vulnerable because they are tains possession of a person’s passport often unaware of their rights and while they are in the asylum process. can fall victim to unscrupulous em - How can a person in legal employment ployers. get paid without a bank account? Sim - On the 27th June, the Government ply, they cannot and when faced with announced new measures providing this situation most employers will just ‘Right to Work’ campaign launch in for enhanced access to the labour mar - Liberty Hall Theatre on 14th June 2018. hire someone else. SIPTU Global Solidarity 7 Venezuela in Crisis By Adrian Kane

That Venezuela is in the grips of an unprecedented economic crisis is un - deniable. The recent decision by the Bolivarian government of Nicolas Maduro to essentially scrap the exist - ing currency and to institute a new ‘sovereign bolivar’ amounts to a 97% devaluation. This is the penultimate step before a dollarisation of the economy. The hyper-inflation has wrecked havoc on the economy and the daily lives of ordinary Venezue - lans while emigration has increased significantly and some food products are in short supply. What is less discernible, however, are the causes of the current state of affairs. International reporters univer - sally scoff or sneer at the attempts by Maduro’s government to continue to implement what would be seen, by any omy are all legitimate criticisms to be the recent Presidential election earlier objective standard, as a largely post- levelled at the Bolivarian project, my this year, thus undermining the credi - war European style social democratic suspicion is that the economic tail- bility of the results. The chief suspect programme: provision of basic health spin that Venezuela finds itself in has behind the recent attempt to assassi - care for all, social housing, free educa - more to do with the difficulty in at - nate President Maduro, Osman Del - tion, subsidised food for the poor. For - tempting to build socialism in one gado Tabosky, resides in Florida. mer international left-wing allies have country. However, probably the most critical deserted Maduro’s government; the Lest people forget, the CIA was be - moment for US intervention was when days when Hugo Chavez was heralded hind the coup to oust Hugo Chavez in President Obama declared Venezuela a as the new Che have long since passed. 2002. The US has dictated the opposi - national security threat in March 2015, While corruption, criminal activity tion’s strategy in Venezuela over the putting it in the same club then as and the utter failure to build an alter - intervening decades, culminating in North Korea, Iran and Syria. This native to an over reliant petro-econ - advising the opposition not to contest essentially turned Venezuela into a pariah state and its international isolation was complete. Despite the falling revenues from oil reserves since 2008, hyper-inflation only began to take root in the following year, from early 2016. Trump’s economic block - ade has served to tighten the economic noose. When an objective reflective analysis is written about this period in Venezuela’s proud history, this will be seen as largely a re-run of the strategies and tactics that resulted in the destruction Allende’s administra - tion in Chile 1973. None of us can predict the future but if America is successful in bringing down Maduro’s government, General Pinochet’s ghost President Maduro’s security team reacting to a sudden explosion during the president’s speech in Caracas in August. will no doubt be sure to approve of his successor. 8 SIPTU Global Solidarity Climate Change No Jobs on a Dead Planet: What a Just Transition means for Workers

On 12 December 2015, global leaders based approach at the heart of any cli - a prerequisite for achieving the sus - committed to the legally binding UN mate response. Climate policies-both tainability of climate polices: people Paris Agreement on Climate Change those aimed at reducing emissions or will always stand with measures that to phase out fossil fuels and limit those aimed at building resilience and improve the overall equality of life and global warming to below 1.5 degrees adaptive capacity-must contribute to their chances to live with dignity on Celsius. The term “Just Transition” in the realisation of human rights. This is our planet. Having rights integrated in the Preamble of the UN Paris Agree - climate policies is a condition for com - ment recognises that “there are no munities to contribute to broader so - jobs on a dead planet”. cial progress. Respect for gender The international trade union move - equality, workers and migrants rights ment’s engagement on climate change are fundamental for climate policies to is based on the belief that trade unions support those who need them the have a vital role to play in improving most. the quality of jobs, in protecting jobs in Despite the opportunities for jobs, existing workplaces and industries by there will be significant challenges for demanding sustainable industrial many workers and their communities. transformation, organising workers in SIPTU is determined that no one will new decent jobs, emerging from envi - be left behind. ronmentally sound investments and SIPTU has produced a booklet for policies and fighting for the just tran - members on the Just Transition, more sition measures that will ensure we information can be found on this link: leave no one behind. https://www.siptu.ie/media/ The “Just Transition” puts a rights publications/file_20561_en.pdf Jobs in a Changing Climate

The Green European Foundation, with the support of Green Founda - tion Ireland and in partnership with SIPTU and the Dublin Council of Trade Unions, held an all-day Semi - nar on the 23rd June on the theme: Jobs in a Changing Climate. The event addressed how Climate Change will affect the livelihoods of thousands of workers. The event heard from a range of workers: Duncan

Activists attending 'Jobs in a Changing Climate' event, Liberty Hall, June 2018. Photo: Dan O’Neill

Stewart (Chair of Green Foundation Affairs, IIEA). Discussions highlighted Ireland), Jonathan Essex and Peter the need for a Just Transition and key Sims (Green House Think Tank UK). economic sectors that need to be Adrian Kane (SIPTU PAC Divisional Or- prioritise in this strategy, particularly ganiser), Sinéad Mercier (Researcher, those affecting workers working in the Green Party) and Joseph Curtin (Insti- peat industry in the Midlands. tute of International and European Climate Change SIPTU Global Solidarity 9 Climate action is a key union demand By Gearóid Fitzgibbon

The shocking report on climate change, published in early October by the United Nations, has con - firmed that that its consequences are far worse than previously believed. The report by the world’s leading cli- matologists on the Intergovernmen- tal Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concluded that there is likely to be a 1.5-degree increase in global warm- ing on pre-industrial levels by 2040. Climate change takes us beyond our struggles for better conditions and pay, and asks us questions about own- ership. about who is profiting from these businesses, who is making the decisions, where, and do we have any say in it. In a way, it’s the classic debate on political actions and oppression. There tries of the worlds came together and shop/craft unionism versus industrial are whole schools of elitist economics or political unionism. Except this time, made commitments. We may criti - that are built around breaking worker instead of there being a revolutionary cise the enforceability of some of these power, degrading basic human rights socialist ideology pushing towards a commitments, nonetheless they are a and working conditions, in the name wider union activity, it is the limits of sign of growing global mobilisation. of free enterprise and “the great en - our planet itself, and our place in it. Since then, climate sceptics, far right trepreneur”. Workers understand If policies in these areas are going to agitators and assorted demagogues, that. Indeed, unions have been to the put our industries out of business, a have attempted to derail this global forefront in providing alternative re - battle for pay or terms and conditions consensus. It is not working. The ma - search, alternative sources of informa- is of little benefit. If rising sea levels jority of the countries are on track and tion on which to on board. base their or- ganising. The The challenge for workers facing greatest of these climate change is the challenge to be is Karl Marx again political unions. To stand in whose analysis solidarity with their fellow union of the function- members whose jobs are facing extinc- ing of capitalist tion, to demand political action to production re- address this in a fair way. The ‘Just mains a key tool Transition’idea drafted by trade for every union unions is an attempt to deal with the organiser bat- impact that changes in production will tling for a share have on workers. of the just fruits We need truly motivated and demo- of a workers cratic unions if we are to embrace the labour. challenge of climate change. But, workers We need agile, nimble unions, able and most trade to see beyond the front of their noses. unions are not We should not shirk away from union a n t i - s c i e n c e . members demanding cross union soli- We understand the value of ob - darity, and demanding the union Sinéad Mercier and Yvonne O’Callaghan outside the Department of jective analysis. bosses take a more aggressive line in Environment, Community and Local Government. Photo: Paddy Cole We uphold the challenging climate change. Indeed, tenets of the sci- union leaders also should be able to entific method. So when 95% of the challenge their own members, if it is are going to make the communities worlds highlighted this issue, and the members who are shying away and housing of our workers unliveable, demonstrated the impact of human from a more solidarity approach. Our a battle for pay or terms and condi - activity on global temperatures, and civil servants follow. Our ministers fol- tions is of little benefit. called for urgent action, we, like others Union workers have always low. Very cautiously. Look at the evi - have taken note. contested how the elite has used dence. Climate action is a key union In the 2015 Paris Agreement, coun- science and statistics to justify their demand. 10 SIPTU Global Solidarity Building our Power - Organising for Global Solidarity

A delegation from SIPTU’s Global Solidarity Committee attended the 10th annual ICTU Global Solidarity Summer School which took place in Derry in late July to discuss “Building our Power-Organising for Global Sol- idarity”. Over 80 trade union dele - gates from across the island, gathered to discuss the movements global solidarity work and to hear from a range of national and inter - national speakers. Emily Paulin of the Organising Academy of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), discussed SIPTU delegation with Dr. Mona El-Farra (centre) at ICTU Global Solidarity Summer School in July 2018. how trade unions have come a long way in “Building our Power” since the last ITUC Congress in 2014. Ireland (MASI) and Michael O’ Neill, humanitarian situation in Gaza from There was a focus on Asylum seekers head of legal at IHREC. Dr. Mona El-Farra, Director of Gaza at the school, including the recent There was also a Rohingya Photo - Projects of the Middle East decision by the Irish Government to graphic D isplay at the Summer School Childrens’ Alliance (MECA). This was grant access to the labour market for presented by Haikal, a representative followed by a discussion on work being people after nine months. Delegates of the Rohingya Community in undertaken by the Irish trade union heard from Lucky Khambule, Ireland. movement and further proposals for sol- Movement of Asylum Seekers in Finally, delegates heard about the idarity action with the Palestinian people. Looking back to Calais “Across a wet and miserable Septem - Yet even as we faced our worse fears, understood that global solidarity ber weekend in 2016, SIPTU mem - the shame of capitalism, even as we knows no borders, and celebrated di - bers formed part of an ICTU saw the commodification of despera - versity. In Calais we learned again that delegation that visited the illegal tion, we also learned of hope and there is only one fragile earth and one settlement of Calais. Few places in strength. Men and women who re - fragile race of humans. We were the Europe could match the bleak land - tained a humanity in the face of mar - inheritors and all we asked for was scape that awaited us. A disused ket value morality. We also met the global solidarity.” chemical dump had become home to volunteers, dedicated nurses, doctors, tens of thousands of dispossessed By Brian Condra teachers and every day workers who people. They had fled war and famine, intolerance and often cer - tain death. They had reached Europe and eventually the narrow channel of water that once divided mainland Europe from Britain. There was a tunnel that bridged the silk roads of commerce, but there would be no bridge for the Citizens of Nowhere, only the indifference of a Europe that further brutalised the victims of war as though the act of survival was a war crime. We witnessed the single greatest tragedy of our time, the abandonment of the refugees, the betrayal of innocence, the hell that was “the Jungle.” ICTU Global Solidarity Delegation to Refugee Camp in Calais September 2018. SIPTU Global Solidarity 11

Turkey continues to stifle legitimate protest

Workers and union leaders were stifle legitimate peaceful protest with workers trade union (Insaat-Sen) were amongst the hundreds of others who listening to the complaints of workers brought to Istanbul’s Gaziosmanpasa had been detained in police custody and ensure they have a safe and digni - Court House on 18th September in the since 15th September following fied place of work, workers were met afternoon. The prosecution asked the protests in Istanbul about working with water cannons, tear gas and de - court to remand 28 in prison custody conditions at the construction site of tentions. and to conditionally release 15 workers a new airport. The mass arrests took while the inves - place when workers went on strike tigation against to protest against the unsafe and in - them continues. humane conditions on the construc - The order by tion site of the third Istanbul an Istanbul airport. court to remand There have been 42 deaths already 24 construction at the construction site where mi - workers and grant workers from countries such as union leaders in Nepal are working together with thou - prison pending sands of Turkish workers. The labour trial is a blatant camps where workers are housed are attempt by the substandard with poor food and bed - authorities to bugs in the sleeping quarters. Some of silence legiti - the workers have not been paid for mate protest. more than six months. Instead of ad - The workers dressing the urgent and legitimate de - and union lead - mands of the workers, the ers detained in gendarmerie has backed the construc - Arrest of construction worker during strike in Istanbul in September 2018. prison custody tion companies and cracked down on Photo: AFP/Getty Images are accused of the protest. The leader of the Confed - preventing pub - eration of Progressive Labour Unions More than 500 workers were de - lic servants from carrying out their (DISK) has not been permitted to meet tained by police. The majority of those work, forcing or threatening others to the workers without a special permit detained were picked up after mid - stop or suspend work, damaging pub - from the governor. night on 15th September during a po - lic property and participating in the Thousands of gendarmerie and po - lice raid on their dormitories while protest with weapons. However, no ev - lice officers intervened to break up the they were sleeping. idence to substantiate these charges protest by construction workers in Is - Forty-three of the detainees includ - was presented at the court hearing. tanbul on 14th September. Rather than ing four members of the construction By Yvonne O’Callaghan 12 SIPTU Global Solidarity President Higgins at the ILO

In a wide-ranging speech to the In - tions campaigning for more equal and ternational Labour Organisation in peaceful society. The trade union June, President Michael D Higgins movement, on an all-Ireland basis has praised the organisations “noble ori- been the greatest, most consistent, gins, its new challenges, and its po - most courageous opponent of sectari- tential global role as catalyst.” He anism. Many of those campaigns said that there was a need “to place against sectarianism for the welfare of the ILO at the centre of our efforts to citizens and workers were led by the create a new global architecture for women of Ireland, North and South. sustaining peace”. Their campaigns demonstrate that He added that this was essential if gender equality can never be simply “we are to accomplish the goals of that residual to peacebuilding – it must be most remarkable declaration of shared placed at its very heart”. global solidarity, the 2030 Agenda for President Higgins ended by stating Sustainable Development, to which we that “peace does not simply rest on committed ourselves in New York two common markets….but upon a global and half years ago”. solidarity…dedicated to the realisation The president also acknowledged the of social justice and equality for all our role of trade unions and women in the peoples.” Northern Ireland peace process stating The speech was well received with a “that our peace could not have been Swedish delegate suggesting that it President Michael D Higgins addressing achieved, nor could it have been sus - was the best delivered at the ILO since the International Labour Conference, Geneva June 2018. tained, without the persistent and one by Olaf Palme in the 1980s! courageous activism of civic organisa- By David Joyce

International Trade Union Global Rights Index 2018: Democratic space shrinks and unchecked corporate greed on the rise

The ITUC Global Rights Index 2018 countries with arbitrary arrests lated collective bargaining rights, ranks 142 countries against 97 in - and detention of workers increased and three quarters of countries vi - ternationally recognised indica - from 44 in 2017 to 59 in 2018, and olated the right to strike. The report tors to assess where workers’ freedom of speech was constrained shows that globally more countries rights are best protected in law in 54 countries. are excluding workers from labour and in practice. The report ranks the ten worst law – from migrant workers, public The three global trends for work - countries for workers’ rights in sector employees to workers in ers’ rights identified in the 2018 2018 as Algeria, Bangladesh, Cam - platform businesses, with 65% of Global Rights Index are shrinking bodia, Colombia, Egypt, Guatemala, countries excluding whole cate - democratic space, unchecked cor - Kazakhstan, the Philippines, Saudi gories of workers from labour law. porate influence and the impor - Arabia and Turkey. tance of legislation. The number of In Europe, 58% of countries vio - SIPTU Global Solidarity 13 Bringing a Living Wage to the Heart of Fairtrade

Over the last year, Fair Trade Ireland This new Wage Improvement ap - change peoples lives. By simply making has championed a change in policy proach puts Fairtrade at the forefront a change in our weekly shopping by within the Fairtrade System to pri - of global wage efforts. It gives Fair - purchasing fair trade products such as oritise the introduction of a Living trade a unique point of differentiation chocolate, coffee, tea or bananas, we Wage for workers and a living in - with other schemes. More importantly, can contribute to achieving a Living come for famers. Fairtrade is a global it sends a message to workers and con- Wage for workers. This will have further movement which addresses the in - sumers that Fairtrade means business impacts on local communities partici- justices of conventional trade by when it comes to improving wages in pating in Fairtrade, by decreasing supporting smallholder farmers and agriculture. It recognizes that Living poverty and gender inequality and gen- workers to secure better terms of Wage benchmarks are a decency floor erate the resources for these communi- trade. There are over 1.4 million and not a ceiling ties to come together to meet the farmers and workers spread across In the Ivory Coast, a survey was un- challenges of climate change. No matter more than 70 countries in the world dertaken which revealed that 58% of how hard your job may get some times, participating in Fairtrade. households are below the extreme at least most of us are able to afford our The members of the Fairtrade Inter- poverty line with the average food and basic needs. It's not always the national have now adopted a new household having an annual income of case for coffee farmers, many of whom strategic ambition to enable the intro- $2707. Only 44% of households achieve live below the poverty line.” duction of Living Wages for all work - the Living Wage. As 74% of household ers, specifically in banana plantations incomes comes from cocoa sales, by 2020. Every day, hundreds of thou- thus the importance of Fairtrade sands of people go to work growing bringing a living wage to workers in If you like SIPTU want to become and harvesting the bananas that make the cocoa industry will raise house - a Fairtrade Workplace and feel their way to markets all around the holds out of extreme poverty. proud about where you work. world. Although bananas are the most SIPTU’s Yvonne O’ Callaghan, the Find out if your office is eligible popular fruit in western countries, current Chair of Fairtrade Ireland said. to apply: worth €9 billion in exports worldwide, “It is incumbent on us as trade unions https://www.fairtrade.ie/ banana farmers and plantation work- to bring awareness to workers that as get-involved/fairtrade-at-work ers only see about one to three percent consumers they have the power to of this value in their incomes

Fairtrade theFairtrade power is in yourthe power hands is in your hands

FairtradeFairtrade empowers empowers 1.4m small-scale1.4m small-scale farmers andfarmers workers and in the workers developing in the developing worldworld to to trade trade their their way outway of out poverty of poverty and build anda more build sustainable a more future. sustainable future.

Look out for Fairtrade products when you are shopping, and add Fairtrade Lbananas, coffee, tea, chocolate to your shopping basket. Why not make your workplace Fairtrade. To find out more contact [email protected]

www.fairtrade.ie 14 SIPTU Global Solidarity

Creating Solidarity with the Sustainable Development Goals

Coalition 2030, a coalition of over 100 Equality is a fundamental principle highlights a significant lack of civil society organisations in in Agenda 2030. The agreement com - progress, in particular the weaknesses Ireland was established to keep the mitted the international community in Ireland’s National Implementation pressure on Ireland to deliver on to ‘Leave no-one behind’ and to ‘put Plan; its poor performance in meeting Sustainable Development Goals set by those furthest behind first’ as they commitments on official development the United Nations. Members of the pursue the 17 goals. assistance (ODA); its continuing facili - coalition come from sectors as diverse Members of Coalition 2030 are call - tation of international tax abuse; and as youth organisations, academics, ing on Ireland, which played a key role extremely worrying trends in green - domestic NGOs, trade unions, and in the negotiation of the agreement in house gas emissions. The report con - international humanitarian and 2015, to show leadership by delivering cludes with key recommendations to get development agencies. on all of its promises under the goals. back on track under each of the 17 Goals. The diverse membership are united Earlier this year Coalition 2030 pro - To get more involved or to find out more in the belief that the 17 Sustainable duced a report to assess what, if any, visit https://www.ireland2030.org/. Development Goals that were agreed progress is being made. The report SIPTU is a member of Coalition 2030.

By Niamh Garvey, Head of Policy and Advocacy, Trocaire

Coalition 2030 members mark the third anniversary of the sustainable goals in Dublin in September 2018.

as the ‘Agenda 2030’ back in 2015 are central to the achievement of funda - mental rights in Ireland and interna - tionally. The 17 goals cover issues such as hunger, poverty, gender equality, decent work, climate change, life under the oceans, and sustainable cities. They therefore touch on key social, political, economic and environmental issues that encompass the biggest challenges – not just for countries in the global south, but at home in Ireland too. For example, the goals have as much to say about decent housing and labour rights as they do about tackling hunger and malnutrition. UNIONS SAY NO TO RACISM AND XENOPHOBIA 3 SIPTU Global Solidarity xxxxxx

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