ANI Reports : ITUC Needs To Do More For Unskilled Laborers, Report Of Sharan Burrow’s ITUC In Nepal & India

New Delhi, Dec. 24 (ANI): Indian trade union bodies and leaders have once again called on the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) to pay more attention to improving the conditions of workers and unskilled labourers.

http://ngowatchdog.org/rich-ituc-needs-to-do-more-for-unskilled-laborers-report-of-sharan-burrows-ituc-in-nepal-india/

Source (ANI):  http://www.aninews.in/newsdetail3/story245663/-039-rich-039-ituc-needs-to-do-more-for-unskilled-labourers.html

Highlighting this need, the vice president of the Asia-Pacific unit of ITUC, G. Sanjeeva Reddy, recently maintained that ITUC could certainly take more initiatives to ensure better working conditions for crores of unskilled workers in India.

Speaking in the wake of the recent demise of veteran trade unionist P.T. Rajan in Ranchi, Jharkhand, Reddy said that “the 70-year-old trade union leader was a good man and his passing away is sad. We were part of various organisational mechanics and were involved in many discussions on the welfare of workers.”

Rajan, who was the district secretary of the Kozhikode unit of the Centre for Indian Trade Unions (CITU), leaves a huge dent in the spirit of righteous unionism.

A vocal leader for the rights of workers, Reddy had earlier maintained that global union leaders lacked the requisite ambition to elevate workers’ rights.

He said, “I have spoken with ITUC general secretary, Sharan Burrow, on multiple occasions and requested her to intervene and work pro-actively for Indian workers. but we don’t know what’s happening.

“What can I say about their lifestyle? As affiliates, I have personally paid 18 lakhs annually as fees, but we don’t know where most of it goes”

Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh general secretary, Virjesh Upadhyay, the largest trade union body in India, has little faith in global bodies like the ITUC. He pointed out: “They may have hidden interests. They are disconnected with workers on the ground, and live lavish lives.”

According to evidences provided by reliable sources, ITUC general secretary, Sharan Burrow, leads quite a fanciful life and is known to indulge in rich practices. She leads an expensive and globe trotting lifestyle.

The International Labour Organisation, based in Geneva, is the UN specialised agency for the workplace, which seeks the promotion of social justice and internationally recognised human and labour rights, but the ILO appears to be lacking in its moral duty to ensure that the representatives of trade union bodies across the world align with even the lowest-paid worker.

There is a need for ITUC to show measurable solidarity with underprivileged workers in nations like India, Nepal and Bangladesh etc.

The Indian Government is already investigating the role of ITUC in leading labour strikes against the establishment.

“ITUC and its affiliates are accusing India and its government of poor compliance with international labour standards, especially with regard to child labour. Most such strikes are a politically-motivated agenda against the ruling government,” a dossier prepared by the government has said.

INDECONT, a Kathmandu-based trade union body in Nepal, recently filed an official complaint with ILO office in Kathmandu, highlighting the ITUC’s inability to do anything concrete for its workers, who are still recovering from the trauma of the April earthquake.

Sri Lankan minister Seneviratne and International corporate attorney Das Gupta, a specialist operating in the Middle East, have also been critical of ITUC’s operating procedures, and called for it to act responsibly. (ANI)

read whole story :  http://www.aninews.in/newsdetail3/story245663/-039-rich-039-ituc-needs-to-do-more-for-unskilled-labourers.html

Kathmandu Post Reports ITUC Needs To Do More For Nepali Migrant Workers : Pity The Workers

Tek Bahadur Gurung may no longer be Nepal’s labour minister, but he has left behind a legacy with his ‘zero-cost migration policy’, perhaps, for the wrong reasons. All that minister Gurung had to do was consult with all the concerned stakeholders— manpower agencies, trade unions and foreign hiring companies among others—before making the migration policy public, but he seemed to be in a hurry, with just three months left in office.

Source : kathmandupost.ekantipur.com : http://kathmandupost.ekantipur.com/news/2015-12-27/pity-the-workers.html    Written by Nagesh Koirala is associated with Nepali Congress

As per the new migration policy, migrant workers from Nepal will no longer be required to bear the stinging cost of airfare and visa processing fees, but there are wider implications. It will, among other things, enable countries like Bangladesh to seize Nepal’s quota of employment opportunities in Malaysia and the Gulf region. As a result, over 30 percent of Nepali workers will be jobless. The minister, though, did not find this alarming.

Kumud Khanal, vice-president of the Nepal Association of Foreign Employment Agencies (NAFEA), was direct and precise on this matter: “When Tek Bahadur got the news of his ministership, he transferred the shares of his manpower companies in his son and other relatives’ name. Soon after, he entered into a deal with an American company, Flextronics, for manpower supply. He even managed to extract a sweet deal—free visa and tickets for his workers—and it was all done underhand through one of his Bangladeshi agents, named Amin. It is suspected that it was only after experiencing the benefits of the zero cost policy that he introduced the policy in the country.” He added, “A few months back, he lambasted the Gulf countries for poor treatment of labourers because it served his interests. He hardly spoke on the subject prior to that because earlier he was reaping benefits.’’

Because the issue is related to the well-being of the workers, the role of the International Trade Union Confederation(IUTC) becomes relevant. It is a different matter, though, that the Brussels-based International Trade Union Confederation has maintained deafening silence, even after three Nepali trade unions are affiliated to it and the Nepali workers, from whose pockets annual contribution goes to the global body, suffer.

“The local affiliates pay huge sums of money every year, but nothing comes back to them. We are speaking with local union leaders to demand more from ITUC and if they continue to show ignorance, we will even lodge a formal complaint with the International Labour Organisation. Making sympathetic statements on the plight of Nepali workers, from thousands of miles away does not help. Least developed countries like ours should not be exploited,” said Khanal.

Pushkar Acharya, Member of Parliament from the Nepali Congress and a trade union veteran, believes it may not be completely true. When pressed on the specific issue of whether the benefits reach the workers at the ground level, MP Pushkar Acharya did concede failure on the part of ITUC. “I must admit that the workers are not reaping any benefits out of our association with the confederation.”

Khilanath Dahal, president of the ITUC-affiliate, Nepal Trade Union Congress, was cautious in his opinion on the Brussels-based body: “They send solidarity messages from time to time, but we need more than that.”

Nepal has finally received a constitution, a new lady president, prime minister and labour minister. But the lives of the Nepali migrant workers remain the same. Will workers get a fresh lease of life? Only time will tell.

Sharan Burrow, secretary of ITUC, has again spoken for worse

Sharan Burrow, general secretary of largest trade union ITUC, has again spoken for worse.

source :  https://voiceoftradeunion.wordpress.com/

In the recently ended United Nations Climate Change Summit held in Paris (just after the Paris terror attacks), most of the countries said yes to the Paris Agreement which states that developing countries as well as the developed nations will keep a check on the increasing global warming from 1.5 degree Celsius to 3 degree Celsius in the upcoming 30 years. This should be met by reducing pollution being caused by mega-scale of industrialization in countries like Brazil, China, Sri Lanka.

Sharan Burrow climate change tweet

However, as per a tweet by Sharan, where she states “lack of mechanism” will not let the Paris Agreement to be successful. This can be viewed as a complete let down as ITUC is affiliated to ILO , (a part of UN), and Sharan herself saying that COP21 will not be able to be enacted by the countries gives a negative image not only about her, but also for ITUC.

We would like to tell our readers that, even earlier ITUC has been clearly mentioned to be serving only theinterest of Western developed nations, aggregating funding from smaller trade unions to provide a luxurious lifestyle to its management staffs and blamed to be running highly paid negative media campaigns against countries of middle-east namely Qatar.

What is ITUC agenda ?

In a recent act of  the largest trade union ITUC,  government has said that it can’t understand ITUC agenda, as the trade union has been reported to be provoking small labour organizations to go on all India strike on 2nd September 2015.

A report prepared by intelligence agencies says ITUC is managing its activities through its Indian affiliates — the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), Hind Mazdoor Sabha and SEWA.

“ITUC (headed by its general secretary Sharan Burrow) and its affiliates are accusing India and its government of poor compliance with international labour standards, especially with regard to child labour. Most such strikes are a politically motivated agenda against the ruling government,” the dossier said. Pointing out the affiliation of INTUC (affiliated to Congress), the dossier said it had participated in the nationwide strike against the NDA government on September 2.

INTUC general secretary Rajendra Prasad Singh said the trade union had nothing to hide and the government was more than welcome to investigate anything it wanted. “All our funding is accounted for. We receive it through cheques and it is duly audited. We are ready for any kind of investigation,” he said.

Sharan Burrow 's ITUC fund scam ! ITUC takes 18 lacs from us , says Vice President

The Indian economy reportedly suffered a loss of Rs 25,000 crores due to the September 2 nation-wide strike by central trade unions in protest against labour reforms proposed by the Narendra Modi-led NDA regime, and impacted most essential services.

Normal life was affected in many states as millions of industrial and blue collar employees struck work in the first nation-wide protest since Prime Minister Modi took power more than a year ago.

Ten unions, armed with a 12-point charter of demands, also questioned the government’s decision to exclude factories, with up to 40 workers, from the ambit of labour laws.

 Sharan Burrow, the general secretary of the Brussels-based International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), the world’s largest trade union body, reportedly questioned the Indian Government’s intentions in working to improve labour standards.

G. Sanjeeva Reddy, vice president of ITUC and president of INTUC, and a former member of parliament, however, also expressed his dissatisfaction with the high membership fees, amounting to lakhs of rupees, being paid to the ITUC.

He said, “I make large contributions to ITUC Brussels and ITUC Singapore, but these funds are never used for our own progress, but used by the ITUC for its own purposes. INTUC pays 18 lacs annually to ITUC, which is a huge amount by any standards. Honestly speaking, I have my grievances with ITUC. Our workers should get partnership in profits. After all, ITUC is living on our contributions. How much power have they got, what can they do?”

Questions have also been raised about ITUC often shifting its focus from its prime responsibility of exhibiting solidarity with workforces around the world, and instead, condemning systems of governance in entirety.

Reddy said, “I do not want international people to come and interfere with my work, because only solidarity doesn’t help. I have got my own organisation with three crores 30 lakh workforce, my own funds. I will not accept slavery for money or promise to help in our own cause.”

“Our workers are living in far flung villages, and we have Rs.20 crore fund in fixed deposit. We are not asking for any dole from anyone,” Reddy added.

He further said, “It’s my personal opinion that they cater more to workers in western countries. I have expressed this unreservedly in my meetings. I am telling in my organisation this also. They are more concerned about the problems of the developed nations, the highly-paid workers. They should take care of the interests of Asia and Africa, and other poor countries”.

“What is the point in being affiliated to ITUC? What is the purpose? We are affiliated only to identify ourselves with the international labour movement, that’s all. It is only psychological; it doesn’t make any real difference to us.”

Virjesh Upadhyay, general secretary of the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, also voiced his objection on the ITUC’s meddling nature.

“ITUC, being the largest confederated body of the trade unions of the world, is facing credibility issues. They are losing their relevance. They are not doing what they are supposed to do. Like some NGOs in India have been banned for hurting the economy, we are demanding that ITUC also be banned because they are not serving Indian concerns. They are carrying out agendas of other countries and organisations.”

As already informed by ngowatchdog.org , Misutilisation of funds has been the central theme in every criticism of ITUC. They have also been allegedly accused of hiring the services of Essential Media Communications (EMC), an Australian firm, to give boost to their various campaigns, especially against Gulf countries, on social media.

It is being reported that they have allegedly also paid thousands of dollars to other agencies to exercise similar mandates.

ITUC reportedly gets its annual funds from its affiliates in 162 countries, which amounts to millions of dollars. It is, therefore, puzzling to comprehend why a self-sufficient organisation like the INTUC needs to reach out to a global body like ITUC only for moral support.