(16/5/2008)

Sweden - members learn more on global forestry

Visitors from BWI-affiliated forestry unions in Ghana and Indonesia were able to give their views and share information on sustainable forestry and certification in their own countries with members of the Swedish Wood and Forestry Union during a seminar in Stockholm on May 6. Joshua Ansah, general secretary of the Timber and Woodworkers Union of Ghana and Rulita Wijayaningdyah, treasurer of KAHUTINDO of Indonesia, were able to inform on the everyday challenges faced by their members to the...

(13/5/2008)

Liberia: Interview with George Toe a forester member of NTWCAWU

“We want the payment of our wage arrears!” For more than 15 years, George worked for Royal Timber Corporation (STN), a dutch multinational. He earned his living and supported his wife and six children until June 7, 2003 when the United Nations extended sanctions on Liberia to include timber exports that fuelled arms trafficking. George's life changed when 70 companies exploiting forests had to end their activities. All workers became unemployed. How do these workers live...

(12/5/2008)

Nigeria: Unionists seek strategies to cope with the influx of chinese companies

A three day workshop was held for construction and wood workers in Nigeria from 10 to 12 April 2008. The discussions focused on the influx of chinese companies in the Nigerian construction industry, its implications and strategies to cope with this trend. The workshop emphasized the existence of sharp decline in the quality of life and general working conditions in these chinese companies as a result of non-compliance with existent labour laws and employment regulations. "For instance,...

(12/5/2008)

On a journey for solidarity

Two Dutch trade unionists walk since April 14, 2008 in direction of Tazilly, Burgundy France, and of Rome, Italy, to collect donations in favour of education projects for the foundation Child Learn Netherlands. The foundation which seeks to eliminate child labour in India will receive all donations collected throughout the 1900 km of this astonishing human and sportive challenge. In solidarity with the Indian children who walk many kilometers to go to school, Henry and Nanning want to...

(8/5/2008)

Call to end bogus self-employment in construction

The TUC's Commission on Vulnerable Employment, whose report is published today (Wednesday, 2 May 2008), calls for reform of the Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) as one of its recommendations. Recommendation 51 says: 'The Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) should be reformed to ensure that CIS workers are considered as employees.' The report says that one of the main causes of vulnerable work is the poor deal suffered by those who work but do not have the legal status of an...

(6/5/2008)

Construction victory in Switzerland

The Swiss contractors, SSE, have accepted the new national agreement for the construction sector. The agreement came into force on May 1, 2008 satisfying around 100.000 construction workers in the country who managed pushing back employers' attacks against their working conditions on building sites. The construction workers will receive decent wage increases in 2008 and in 2009. They also succeeded in pushing back the deregulation of working hours. In addition, the special fund for...

(6/5/2008)

Migrant construction union leader arrested in Costa Rica

Rónald Fuentes, a Nicaraguan migrant construction union leader was arrested on 30 April 2008. He was immediately taken to the prison in Hatillo, an insalubrious detention centre where migrants are detained in inhumane conditions in San José, Costa Rica. The BWI sent a strong protest message to the president of Costa Rica calling for his immediate release. Fuentes was arrested by the authorities from the National Department of Migration and Immigration of Costa Rica upon reporting to that...

(5/5/2008)

Serbia: National collective agreement signed

On April, 29, 2008, the presidents of the two trade union federations in Serbia, Federation of Autonomous Trade Unions of Serbia and UGS Nezavisnost signed a general collective agreement with the employers' association in Belgrade, Serbia. The national collective agreement provides greater rights for workers, safer jobs, the union's role is enhanced and more protected. It is also easier to negotiate the branch collective agreements and collective agreements at company level. The...

(5/5/2008)

BWI Organizers and Leaders Develop and Produce Video on BWI Campaigns

In this new era of technology and barrage of mainstream, cable, and alternative media how can trade unionists successfully convey their message about issues impacting workers particularly when they are up against the big corporation’s massive media and public relations campaigns. This was the key challenge raised to organizers and trade union leaders representing BWI affiliates from Nepal, Philippines, Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Switzerland, and South Korea, as they participated in an...

(2/5/2008)

CFMEU calls for crackdown on dangerous formaldehyde imports

A broad scale crackdown on dangerous formaldehyde product imports is urgently needed by the Rudd Government, the CFMEU said today. The call comes after revelations that Northern Territory Intervention staff had been exposed to dangerously high levels of the chemical through converted containers that had been used to house them. The CFMEU said that the materials used in the Northern Territory Intervention housing could be found in millions of Australian household kitchens and contained...

(29/4/2008)

Building and Woodworkers mobilise for Trade Union Rights and Decent Work on Mayday

"Trade union rights are under threat world wide from unemployment, precarious jobs and exploitative labour practices" says Anita Normark General Secretary of the BWI representing 13 million workers in the construction and timber trades. "We are calling on our 317 affiliates to march on the streets this Mayday to defend Trade Union Rights so that every worker has the right to Decent Work - that means the right to join the union, to organise and to collective bargaining. It means good working...

(29/4/2008)

Malaysia: MTUC wants use of asbestos banned by 2010

The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) today launched a signature campaign demanding the government to impose a ban on the use of asbestos in the contruction and manufacturing sectors by 2010. MTUC secretary-general G.Rajasekaran said though many parts of the world especially Europe and Japan had banned the use of asbestos as the material is deemed hazardous to health, Malaysia had yet to do so. "Malaysia till now has only came up with regulations on the safe use of asbestos but that is...

(28/4/2008)

28 April 2008 IWMD: BWI calls on global policymakers to ban deadly Chrysotile Asbestos

Meeting today with officials from the International Labour Organisation, the World Health Organisation, the International Agency for Research on Cancer and the International Social Security Association (ISSA), the Building and Woodworkers International will again call for an outright ban on mining, manufacturing and trade in chrysotile asbestos. The chrysotile ban is the focus of attention at the forthcoming World Congress on Safety and Health to be held this June in Seoul, South...

(28/4/2008)

Asia pacific Forestry Week demands decent work in forestry

To address the key challenges in the areas as poverty, climate change and governance; more than 600 participants from various stakeholder organisations of the Asia Pacific Region participated in the Asia pacific Forestry week in Hanoi, Vietnam from 21-26 April 2008. One of the parallel sessions within the conference was on East Asia Forest Law Enforcement and Governance, organized by the ASEAN secretariat, World Bank and DENR Philippines to provide participants with information and an...

(28/4/2008)

IWMD 2008: Asia-Pacific Activities

The BWI Asia-Pacific regional office provides a summary of activities carried out by affiliates in the region. BANGLADESH BBWWF: One-day seminar on awareness raising on the ill effects of asbestos at Dhaka. INDIA DANMU, MAMU and NMPS: A joint candlelight protest at New Delhi highlighting the plight of construction workers and lobbying for the ban of asbestos in India. Leading political leaders, social activists and media likely to participate in the event. TCWF...

(28/4/2008)

Canadian asbestos: One killer export, Ban Asbestos Canada Network

We encourage you to read the new ban asbestos Canada leaflet for 28th april, calling on the Canadian government to stop exporting chrysotile. Ban Asbestos Canada will hand out this hard-hitting brochure at Workers' Memorial Day events. Click...

(28/4/2008)

Australia: Unions call for urgent asbestos probe on International Workers' Memorial Day

ACTU Media Release Monday 28 April 2008 Unions will use today’s International Workers' Memorial Day to call on the Federal Government to launch a national Asbestos Inquiry. ACTU President Sharan Burrow said Australia still has the highest rate of recorded mesothelioma in the world, with exposure to asbestos the only known cause of the disease. “The Federal Government needs to launch an inquiry into asbestos – looking at elimination from workplaces and homes along with...

(28/4/2008)

International Workers' Memorial Day - 28 April 2008

Your job should provide you with a living - not cause your death. International Workers' Memorial Day 28 April 2008: ORGANISE! CANCER NO THANKS! Each year on the 28th April trade unions around the world organise events to celebrate International Workers Memorial Day. The purpose is to highlight the preventable nature of workplace accidents and ill health, and to promote campaigns and union organisation to improve health and safety at work. It is also a day to remember...

(28/4/2008)

International cancer conference - BWI says cancer no thanks

Speaking at the International Cancer Conference at Stirling University Scotland, BWI Health and Safety Director Fiona Murie, told international delegates that workers in the construction and timber trades are the worst affected by cancer causing substances at work. There is a large number of cancer causing substances in our sectors. Unsafe work methods, informal, temporary employment and exploitative labour practices means that millions of workers are routinely exposed in both...

(25/4/2008)

Stop the abusive exploitation of forests in the Congo Basin ! Protect the rights of workers !

Trade unions from this important forest region of Africa have called for an end to unsustainable forestry practices and further demanded action to protect the interests of forest workers and peoples. Meeting in Douala, Cameroon, the BWI brought together representatives from 3 countries from the immediate region as well as from Belgium and BWI offices in Kenya and Burkina Faso. The workshop adopted the following statement: We, forestry and wood worker’s trade unions from the Congo Basin...