Earlier this month, leaders of BWI affiliates in Sweden was awarded for their hard-work on ensuring better working and living conditions for workers in the construction sector in relation to international mega-sports events. The award was given by the Swedish Development Forum for exceptionally good performance in international aid and development work.
”Those who are building for the big sports events are mostly migrant workers, and the exploitation of migrant workers looks the same all over the world. That is why this issue is so important to us. We want all workers employed in relation to these events to have their rights and decent working conditions,” said Per-Olof Sjöö, President of the BWI and the Swedish Forestry Workers’ Union GS, who received the award on the 14th of March in Stockholm.
He along with the Swedish Construction Workers Union Byggnads’ president Johan Lindholm and Christer Wälivaara, General Secretary of the Nordic Federation of Building and Wood Workers were recognized for their work in the campaign for decent work in host nations of major sports events – such at the FIFA World Cups and the Olympic Games.
”We have targeted the sports community to make them understand that they have a responsibility to respect for human rights. Our campaign has led to that both FIFA and the International Olympic Committee has changed in their statutes to better respect workers’ rights”, says Christer Wälivaara.
“There are so many hard working people in our movement that deserves this prize. This campaign has proved that we can have a real impact and create better conditions for the workers on the ground when we are able to mobilize globally in different countries,” said Johan Lindholm, president of the Swedish Construction Workers’ Union Byggnads.