aN e\INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY America’s regional affiliate oppose ‘free trade’ zones The International Confederation of Free Trade Union’s affiliate, the Interamerican Regional Organization (ORIT) is speaking out for fair trade, not “free trade” agreements. ORIT gener- al-secretary Victor Baez says that many governments in the region support “export processing (‘free trade’) zones” for the thousands of new jobs they create. “But they carefully neglect to mention 6. the kind of - jobs they bring,” says Baez. “This leads to a race to the bot- tom at the expense of workers’ rights, especially the rights of female workers.” Latin American nations that once gained jobs are now losing them in droves. “The fact that Mexico is losing hundreds of thousands of jobs to China is proving the time will come when governments and employers, together with unions, will be demanding a social clause on international trade.” The ORIT has opposed the Free Trade Agreement of Americas and notes that since FTAA talks have stalled, “other negotiations are being promoted or forced by the government of the U.S...” Brother Baez says that the ORIT is promoting fair trade deals in which regulated investment respects the human rights of workers in all countries. IFBWW calls for global action on women’s rights On March 8, International Women’s Day, the International Federation of Building and Wood Workers called on all its affiliates to put women at the forefront of trade union activity. The federa- tion said . that migrant women workers face unprotected work in informal economies. Informal activities are those that are in small eco- nomic units or in unregistered, black mark economies. Affiliates are encouraged to struggle to ensure that women in the informal economy are covered by labour laws and col- lective bargaining agreements; to intervene in order to push for legislation to promote workers rights for migrant and ethnic minorities; push for pay equity (equal pay for work of equal value); and exert pressure to stop sexual harassment and exploitation and trafficking of migrant women workers. The IFBWW noted that many migrant workers face unregulat- ed, unhealthy and unsafe condi- tions of work; require low skill levels and do not provide train- ing opportunties; and pay mea- ger wages for long hours of work. Around the globe, the number of migrant workers has doubled in the past three decades. More and more women are being employed in woodworking, building and forestry-related industries. LM FORESTAL + aie PHOTO COURTESY CTF = IWA national second vice president Joe da Costa (I.) joins and CTF president Sergio Gatica (r.) joined a labour rally in Concepcion in March ‘04. IWA and CTF evaluate joint projects In March IWA representatives joined with the CLC and the IFBWW to assess work in Chile In early to mid-March, the IWA went to Chile to assess more than four years of on-the-ground international solidari- ty work. National second vice-president Joe da Costa, officer responsible for the International Solidarity _pro- gram and pro- gram coordinator Rolando Quintul from Local 2693 went on the visit. They were accompanied by Anna Nitoslawska, Administrative Assistant from the Canadian Labour Congress and Vicente Carrera, regional director from the International Federation of Building and Woodworkers. The main purposes of the visit were to evaluate the CTF-IWA Education Project and IFBWW-IWA-CTF pilot organizing project, which began in August of 2003. “Our project in Chile is being exam- ined as a possible model for future international solidarity projects, partic- ularly in Latin America,” says Brother da Costa. “There are some things we and the Chileans have done right and some things we can improve on.” In the project’s first four years, 446 CIF members, from various affiliate unions have taken part in courses at the centre — courses on leadership forma- tion, activist training, introductory and intermediate organizing, occupational health and safety, collective bargaining, and women’s issues. “Our assessment of the project went very well,” says Brother da Costa. “We have adopted improved reporting and accountability procedures and 1 ay both the CLC and IFBWW ae impressed about the direction of © program with the Chileans.” : The delegation heard testimonials from courses have taken leadership roles within the confederation, their workplaces and communities. “We are - seeing some measur Rolando Quintul able results in Chile, adds Brother da Costa. “The education project is having a” impact. After fours years we have decided to continue with the program and our commitment to Chilean forest workers. “We had a good opportunity to discuss important issues and review the CTF's pt oirites,” says Brother Quintul. “In the next year we will be assisting the CTF establish a national publication and develop a com- munications strategy. We also want to assist the confederation and its affiliates union on basic accounting procedures.’ The CIF reported to the IFBWW and the IWA on its organizing activities. Since August, two organizers have been making contacts to organizing workers between the seventh and tenth regions of the coun- try, and fifth region. Much survey and ini- tial contact work has taken place. Some enterprises are being focussed on for potential membership drives. ; The visitors attended International Women’s Day celebrations in Concepcion ‘on March 8. They also visited three opera- tions — lumber remanners in Arauco and Los Alamos and a mechanical and trans- portation company in Arauco. A visit was also paid to a workers’ hospi- tal in Concepcion, which is run by the Chilean Association for Health and Hygiene (ACHS). The ACHS assited the CIF and IWA with information for the joint Education Centre's OH&S course. Chinese labour under total police state rule IN CHINA STRIKES are illegal. Unions are controlled by the government, which in many instances, is also the employer. Either way, bosses often wind up at the head of plant committees and even unions. Workers are not free to orga- nize or join independent unions. Union leaders who organize or lead strikes any- way are often charged with "subversion" and subject to long prison terms. In May, 2003, for instance, two labour activists from Liaoning province received four and seven year sentences after they helped organize a peaceful protest by laid-off workers. Yao Fuxin and Xiao Yunliang were found guilty of “attempt- ing to overthrow state power" following a trial at which neither was allowed to speak or present a defense, according to Human Rights Watch. The same treatment applies to politi- cal and human rights activists, journal- ists and even Internet users, 54 of whom were arrested last year simply for posting their views. People who speak out are typically "arrested and imprisoned after they peacefully exercised their rights to freedom of expression and association," = Chinese police officer standing guard in Tianennmen Square. says the human rights organization Amnesty International. "Many were held on charges relating to "state secrets" or "subversion" — vaguely defined offenses widely used to suppress dissent.” Thirty-nine reporters are currently in Chinese prisons. In China in 2003, Amnesty reports, “tens of thousands of people continued to be arbitrarily detained," some receiv- ing harsh prison terms, others "adminis- tratively detained without charge or trial." Earlier this year, for example, 200 peo- ple were placed under house arrest in Beijing for signing a petition protesting illegal evictions and the destruction of whole neighbourhoods to make way for the 2008 Summer Olympics. China, in other words, defines what we in democratic countries would call a police state. The country's authoritarian stance extends to its workplaces, as well China has no minimum wage, while labour standards are routinely violated. Factory bosses bragged that their work- ers made a fews cents an hour, says CLC president Ken Georgetti, who toured sey- eral Chinese factories in 2000. Compulsory, unpaid overtime is com- mon. Lax enforcement of safety stan- dards routinely puts workers at risk: in the first nine months of 2003, there were 100,227 workplace accidents, resulting in 11,449 deaths. Enterprise owners sometimes even failed to report acci. dents or health problems. So if China is such an authoritarian state and has such poor working condi- tions, why are thousands of firms from democratic countries spending billions of dollars to export millions of; jobs there> The simple answer is profits made from low wages. Workers generally earn between $84 and $96 a month, ~ article by Kim Pollock 20° | _ THE ALLIED WORKER JUNE 2004