The BWI and its affiliates along with representatives of a number of stakeholders working to ensure safety and health and welfare of workers working in the construction of stadiums, buildings, and other infrastructure projects related to mega-sporting events will meet in Berlin for two days to review and assess BWI’s work to date and to discuss future actions to ensure decent work in mega-sporting events.
The conference will highlight the convergence of two of BWI’s priority global campaigns----the Global Sports Campaign for Decent Work and the Global Campaign for Migrant Workers Rights noting that the major upcoming mega-sporting events that are taking place in Qatar, Russia, South Korea, and Japan will have a workforce that is predominantly migrant. In Qatar 99% of the construction workers are migrant and in Russia at least 50% of the workforce in the construction of stadiums are migrant workers.
“Since our campaign was launched in South Africa in 2010, the BWI has consistently pushed for decent work for construction workers building the stadiums, buildings, and infrastructure projects, emphasizing that labour is part of the team,” stated Ambet Yuson, General Secretary of BWI.
He continued, “Last year, the BWI made some concrete steps when we signed two important agreements, one with FIFA and FIFA Local Organizing Committee in Russia related to the 2018 World Cup in Russia, and the other with the Supreme Committee on Delivery and Legacy focusing on the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. At the conference we will discuss the if the two MoUs along with other forms of BWI’s engagement has improved the working and living conditions of workers in Russia and Qatar. At this stage of our campaign, do we continue with a Red Card for FIFA or give them a Yellow Card.”
Since the 2017 Global Forum on Migration and Development Forum will also take place in Berlin following the conference, one of the key sessions will highlight the challenges in the integration of migrants and refugees into the labour market and the response of trade unions to ensure that all workers including migrant workers have equal working conditions and equal pay for equal work.
The global conference on Nexus of Sports and Migration will take place at the Berlin.