Sri Lanka Migrant workers in Qatar and Middle East will be given special protection, says Labour and Trade Union minister , calls ITUC as hinderance

Sri Lanka Migrant workers in Qatar and Middle East will be given special protection, says Labour and Trade Union minister , calls ITUC as hinderance 

Minister of Labour and Trade Union Relations W.D.J. Seneviratne (left) with international corporate attorney Das Gupta, a specialist operating in the Middle East

Special attention will be given to Sri Lankan migrant workers employed in Qatar and the Middle East when it comes to the reconstruction of labour laws and regulations, according to the Minister of Labour and Trade Union Relations W.D.J. Seneviratne.

The Minister has further stated that every step will be taken to ensure a better working environment for local migrant workers employed in the Middle Eastern region, through mutual understanding and negotiations with international trade organisations, which would be taken by his ministry.   These sentiments were expressed by the Minister at a meeting held at the Ministry of Labour and Trade Union Relations, with international corporate attorney Das Gupta, a specialist operating in the Middle East.

Gupta has said that a large number of Sri Lankans live and work in the gulf and Qatar remained a central location for them. Therefore, he said that it would be encouraging to see the changes Qatar was already making to their labour policies which he feels will be of great benefit not only to Lankan workers who are currently working in that country but also for those who would be looking at future job opportunities. 

Gupta has further stated that it was of utmost importance for international trade unions, such as the ITUC, to act in a responsible manner and refrain from action that would serve to hinder and discourage Lankan workers employed or seeking employment in Qatar.

The Minister, expressing his regret at the event over such a situation, said that if there was any such action by the ITUC or other international trade unions that would prove to become an obstacle for Sri Lankan workers in getting attractive job opportunities in Qatar, he would bring it to the attention of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Foreign Employment Bureau in order to take immediate corrective measures. 

The Minister, who commended the role migrant workers play in bringing foreign exchange to the country, said that his Ministry would pay special attention in the future towards reconstruction of labour regulations for this particular sector. 

He further reiterated that the Ministry would directly engage with international trade unions to deal with issues facing employees in Qatar and the gulf, with a view to providing viable solutions to their problems.  He promised to create the necessary backdrop to work with these unions with proper understanding to ensure the wellbeing of Lankan migrants living and working in the Middle East.

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.

Global trade union ITUC under govt investigations

A report prepared by intelligence agencies says ITUC is managing its activities through its Indian affiliates. Thegovernment is investigating the role of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) ,  in leading labour strikes against the government.

Read full : http://www.pressreader.com/india/hindustan-times-lucknow/20151022/281960311603593/TextView

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.

“We are not creating any trouble for the government. We are as nationalist as any other organisation and if the government wants to investigate our activities, it can do so,” said AD Nagpal, secretary, Hind Mazdoor Sabha.

SEWA national coordinator Renana Jhabvala said though the union was affiliated to ITUC, it did not receive any funding from it and had participated in the September 2 strike with other central trade unions.

The practices of ITUC criticized again

The zeal of the CSI-ITUC to expose the exploitation of workers in Qatar has made it worth to become the target of strong criticism itself.

Accustomed to denounce the abuses committed everywhere in the world at the expense of workers, the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) has this time came under the fire of criticism. Since several months, the trade union organization backed on to the International Labour Organization (ILO) is increasingly contested. Mandated to assist unions and orchestrate awareness campaigns worldwide for respect for worker’s rights, the ITUC has built strong hostility from some governments.

Recently, the vice president of the ITUC-CSI, G. Sanjeeva Reddy, also a former minister, criticized the methods and practices within the trade union confederation. G. Sanjeeva Reddy was surprised financial resources deployed by the ITUC-CSI to put his country in the dock and sabotage at the same time a negotiation process at the national level between the government and unions. A protest accompanied by accusations against companies and agents paid by the ITUC to conduct its communication campaigns.

Charges with a little more information came across internet in recent weeks, but anonymously. Main targets being Australian Sharan Burrow, ITUC general secretary and his closest collaborators, who orchestrated media campaigns that were extremely effective but also extreme costly. Attention is particularly drawn to the case of an employee who was also paid in respect of his company for telling lie against his working conditions, concerning communication in the media and on social networks.

One of the last campaigns of the ITUC-CSI was against Qatar and FIFA. The trade union confederation has produced a damning report in which it denounced the situation of workers employed on the site of the World Cup 2022 Football. For Sharan Burrow, this workforce is "tantamount to modern slavery”. The campaigns of the ITUC-CSI for Qatar result from a choice clearly expressed by the ILO policy office has found it necessary to make a focus on the situation of workers in this country. However, voices continue to rise behind the scenes to be surprised by the difference in treatment between Qatar and other Gulf monarchies.

Why did not she ITUC expressed the same zeal to denounce the treatment of workers in Saudi Arabia? Can we know? These repeated attacks are not surprising Burrow. "We are the target for several months of a disinformation campaign based on dissemination of false documents. This is intended to divert attention from the situation of workers in Qatar, "said the general secretary of the ITUC.

Source: Tribune deGeneve (TDG), Switzerland   

http://www.tdg.ch/news/standard/pratiques-union-syndicats-denoncees/story/17111553

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.

Moroccan Authorities Postpone ITUC Planned Mission to Occupied Territories of Western Sahara

The Moroccan authorities has decided to postpone the mission of International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) to the occupied territories of Western Sahara which was planned for the next week.

However, ITUC which was planning to go Morocco has been trying to invade the country with its unnecessary and void campaigns against labor exploitation. Moreover the organization now has started showing more and more interests in human rights issues more than the labor crisis worldwide

ITUC Deputy General Secretary, Jaap Wienen, confirmed in a statement that the reason behind the decision that the Sahrawi community in the occupied territories “would use the opportunity of our mission to organise big mobilisations on the roads of Laayoune , which especially in a period of elections would lead to confrontations”.

Moreover, Mr. Wienen confirmed “we received a signal that most probably the members of our delegation would be refused to enter Morocco at their arrival at the airport”.

The statement indicated that “apparently the authorities managed to create an atmosphere of fear among our affiliates, which made them decide to demand to postpone the mission.”

The federation regretted the blockade of the mission and insisted that the mission would take place as planned, as the program was developed together with the Moroccan affiliates, and all reservations were definitively made.

Money minded ITUC declares ‘outrage’ at Israel settlements , what can be reason of this late concern Sharan ?

The ITUC has condemned Israel’s intention to build yet another 1,000 settlement dwellings in East Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank.

Sharan Burrow, ITUC General Secretary, said,

“Binyamin Netanyahu’s government is treating the international community with total contempt, and trampling further on the rights and livelihoods of Palestinians with this provocative and illegal move. Governments around the world should respond by giving formal recognition to the State of Palestine, and acting to stop any form of international involvement in building and sustaining these illegal settlements.”

The adoption by the Irish Senate last week of a Resolution to recognise the State of Palestine follows the announcement by Sweden’s government that it plans to formally recognise Palestine, and a recognition motion passed overwhelmingly by the UK Parliament earlier this month.

“Well over 100 countries have now formally recognized the Palestinian State, with parliaments in many others also passing symbolic motions. Symbolic recognition needs to be turned into action, so that the long-promised two-state solution for Israel and Palestine can become a reality. There is every reason for Palestinians to have international recognition, and no good reason for yet further delay. The status quo is a threat to peace and stability in the region and a denial of human rights for the Palestinian people,” said Burrow.

“The international community needs to step up to the task of helping rebuild the Gaza Strip, and the political stagnation which is stopping progress needs to be turned into real action by the global community to break the impasse,” said Burrow.

However, everybody related to human rights issues knows the money minded intentions of ITUC.

Since, a long time reportedly, the higher authorities of ITUC have been enjoying super luxurious lifestyle, and now the sudden shed of crocodile tears at the Israel-Gaza Issue seems objectionable. One may not be able to see even a single full-proof plan of saving the victims of Gaza crisis situation by ITUC.

ITUC , organisation has always been seen coming in action after all the aftermath of a big human or labour right crisis has already faded away. Clearly, ITUC knows how to turn the eyeballs of media persons towards them. Thus the recent concern by ITUC seems quite dramatic !