SARTUC/ILO/ITUC-AP Leaders Meeting on

Coordination of Action in Regard to the Protection of Migrant Workers

Kathmandu, Nepal: 22 December 2013

M I N U T E S

 A meeting of the SARTUC leaders on Coordination of Action in Regard to the Protection of Migrant Workers was held on 22 December 2013 in Kathmandu, Nepal.  A list of participants is enclosed. President Sanjeeva Reddy presided over the meeting.

Opening the meeting, the President mentioned about the important issues before the meeting and hoped there would for fruitful deliberations in the meeting.

Obituaries

 The meeting observed a minute’s silence to pay tributes to the outstanding contribution made by the departed leaders who had served the union movement with distinction: R.A. Mittal, Secretary, HMS, Harry Sanderasekara, Vice President, CWC, and Mamanur Rashid Choudhury, General Secretary, BFTUC.

1. Opening

Welcoming the leaders, SARTUC General Secretary Laxman Basnet explained the purpose of the meeting.  This meeting would be a preparatory for holding the Executive Board meeting proposed to be held in April.  He also explained the agenda for discussions.

In his address, ITUC-AP General Secretary Noriyuki Suzuki said that the ITUC-AP has now two more affiliates – NUAEW, Afghanistan, and GFOTU, Oman and transfered the affiliation of APL to SENTRO in the Philippines.  The membership of the organisation has risen from 18 million at the time of founding Conference to 22 million.  The effective membership of the organisation could be 60 million mainly because of the huge increase in membership of the Indian affiliates.  The main priorities of the organisation are organising and precarious work.   The ITUC-AP General Council which met in Bangkok last month adopted several resolutions including on organising and precarious work.  ITUC has decided to establish inter-regional Sub-Arab region with affiliates from both Africa and Asia. It will be based in Amman, Jordan.  In Myanmar, ITUC has established the ITUC-Myanmar Office.  The FTUM is now busy in organising workers.   220 unions are registered with a membership of 30,000. FTUM is politically independent.  The 3^rd World Congress of ITUC will be held in Berlin in May 2014 and the next Conference of the ITUC-AP will be held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on 12-14 May 2015.

In his address, President Sanjeeva Reddy thanked the ITUC-AP and the ILO for their continuing support to the SARTUC.  He welcomed the NUAWE to the SARTUC.  The world and our region particularly, is passing through an economic crisis.  There are many problems confronting us.  Unemployment is increasing.  Economic policies of the government should the employment-oriented.  Trade unions are facing non-cooperation of government and employers.  Informal economy is also increasing.  The most important task before the unions in the SAARC region is organising, recruiting more and more workers to the unions, both formal and informal economy.  Another problem is international migration.  South Asia sends the largest number of workers to foreign countries, especially to the Gulf region.  The conditions of most of these workers are miserable.  Only through organising these workers, we can improve their conditions. There are attacks on trade union rights everywhere.  The trade unions in the SAARC region should evolve common strategies and approaches to face the manifold challenges facing the workers in this region.

2. General Secretary’s report

 The SARTUC had more number of activities than ever during the year 2013. The Kathmandu declaration had identified five areas of priority work – Minimum wages, Social security, Gender equality, Migrant labour and SAARC recognition of SARTUC.  The General Secretary explained the action taken on each of these issues.

On Migration, a workshop held in September in Kathmandu has adopted an action plan. This was followed by another Workshop just prior to the Leaders Meeting which adopted a Work Plan.  Our workers mainly go to the Gulf countries.  In many countries in the region like Qatar, UAE and Saudi Arabia there are no unions at all.  This will be our main area of activities in the times to come.  On social security, our affiliates are quite active in the matter. In Nepal, in respect of minimum wage there is likelihood of 29% increase. But the main question is where there is no minimum wage at all. On gender, in the last Parliament in Nepal, there was 33% women representation.  But the backwardness continues, though there is improvement in the education levels of women. We have to do more for integration of women into trade union movement.   

ILO representative, Nilim Baruah, said that there are several unskilled and skilled workers who go abroad for work.  6 of the Asian countries are among the top receivers of remittance from the migrant workers.  He referred to the Kathmandu declaration.  There is good opportunity for work in the GCC countries. ILO can support SARTUC just as we are supporting the ATUC for its activities including running the secretariat.

On a query, it was clarified that this meeting was a leaders’ meeting and the constitutional meeting will be in April.

The Shukkur Mahamud, JSL, explained about the progress in regard to social security and said more clarity is required. He wanted the resolutions of the SARTUC to be sent to the foreign secretaries of all the countries in the region.

Zafrul Husan, BJSD, wanted circulating the necessary documents.

The President mentioned about the scheme for extending social security to informal economy workers.

3. Country situation

The members explained about the situation in their respective countries on various issues identified as priority areas.

BANGLADESH:  Shukkur Mahamud, JSL mentioned the Rana Plaza tragedy which killed more than 1,200 workers.  The unions are now fighting for compensation. They have drawn an action plan on compensation and prevention of such occurrences in future.  The labour law amendment has not met the expectation of workers.  In fact, they are worse than the previous one.

 SRI LANKA: Leslie Devendra, SLNSS, mentioned about the social cost of migration of workers.  SARTUC should get consultative status with the SAARC.

INDIA: Sanjeeva Reddy, INTUC, said that the Indian trade unions are demanding a national minimum wage of Rs.10,000.  Minimum wage should be fair wage, need-based wage. The government has enacted a legislation for social security for informal sector.  The quality of goods is improving and we can now compete with any other developed country.  In the recent verification of membership of unions, the INTUC has claimed 33 million workers. 

Harbhajan Singh, HMS, said about the efforts of the Indian trade unions to launch united action on the demands of workers.  In February this year the unions called for a two-day nationwide strike on a ten-point demands charter.  The government has set a committee to look into the matter.  We will continue joint action if the government fails to act on the demands.

Afghanistan:  Marof Qaderi, NUAWE thanked the SARTUC for inviting them to this meeting and said that the Afghan union will actively participate in the organisation’s activities in future. The situation in Afghanistan is fragile.  Several decades of war has ruined the country.  More than 5 million people went outside as refugees. Still more than 1 million are outside the country.  Workers are unemployed and there is no access to law. Child labour is rampant.  Appreciated the affiliation to ITUC and AP and thanked the resolution adopted on Afghanistan by the ITUC-AP General Council last month.   We are fighting for a living wage for our workers.  NUAWE has a membership of 130,000.  Needs capacity building, training on basic trade unionism,  collective bargaining.  Need support.

 PAKISTAN: Zahoor Awan, PWF,  referred to the fire accident in Karachi.  Workers got a compensation of US$ 3,000.  Government paid additional amount.  Has signed a national plan of action with different elements. 

4. Progress report on recognition of SARTUC

The General Secretary reported that he had many meetings with the SAARC on this issue.  In Feb-March a new Secretary General from Nepal will be taking over.  The SARTUC affiliates in Nepal have formed a Nepalese Council and have applied for registration as an NGO.  Has opened a bank account.  He requested the others to form similar bodies in their countries and get it registered.  It is required at least in five countries and the SAARC has promised recognition by March.

Sanjeeva Reddy said that the Indian affiliates will take steps in forming a SARTUC branch in India and open bank account.

Zafrul Husan, BJSD, said the Bangladesh affiliates are ready to do the necessary follow-up and making the financial contributions. 

 Office-bearers – additional names

The General Secretary informed the meeting that when the elections were held at the Constitutional Conference in April the position of Vice President from Pakistan was not filled in the absence of any proposal from the representatives from that country.  Accordingly, meeting nominated Zahoor Awan as Vice President from Pakistan.

6. Finances

The General Secretary recalled the decision of the SARTUC Conference that each affiliate will make a minimum contribution of $200.  He sought the cooperation of the affiliates in this respect.

7. Next meeting

It was decided to hold the next meeting of the SARTUC in Kochi, India.  The General Secretary was authorised to finalise the dates and other details in consultation with the President.

8. Any other matter

Zafrul Husan, BJSD, Bangladesh, mentioned about the decision by the previous meeting to set up Task Forces on each of the identified areas.  He wanted follow-up action on this matter.

Bishnu Rimal, GEFONT, informed the meeting that the next Convention of the GEFONT will be held on 28 – 30 March, 2014 and invited the SARTUC leaders to attend the same.

The meeting then ended with a vote of thanks to the chair.