International Newsletter

An email bulletin on UNISON's international work (download word version)

Autumn 2009

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Contents

UNISON national delegate conference

UNISON elects new international committee

International weekend seminar

Campaigning around Palestine

Arab railway workers keep guarding Israel's level crossings

Mansour Osanloo's health deteriorating. Act now!

Swazi unions at forefront of struggle for democracy

Dignity! Period. Branches asked to take up the challenge

Building on the delegation to southern Africa

Solidarity with Zimbabwean unions

Southern Africa HIV/AIDS project

Support for Justice for Colombia

Linking young trade unionists in Nicaragua and the United Kingdom

Call for return to democracy in Honduras

UNISON counters right-wing lies in USA on NHS

UNISON raises the bar on Burma

Trade union movement waking up to events in Philippines

Going global - online course on international development

Events

Publications

UNISON national delegate conference

NDC 2009 passed three important motions dealing with international policy. As well as marking the fiftieth anniversary of the Cuban revolution and committing the union to continuing its solidarity work with the Cuban unions and the Cuban people, conference also passed a motion highlighting the challenges public sector workers in many different countries face when trying to form a trade union and to exercise their basic employment (and in some cases human) rights. The conference urged the NEC to increase its efforts in highlighting these issues and to work more closely with the TUC, the International Centre for Trade Union Rights (ICTUR) and other trade union organisations in order to overcome restrictions imposed on public service workers.

And NDC passed a comprehensive motion on Palestine which asked the NEC to take a series of actions including calling for a boycott of goods from illegal settlements and an end to arms exports to Israel. Given the Histadrut's support for the invasion of Gaza, the motion also called for a review of our relationship with the Israeli trade union centre and our sister Israeli unions. The meeting of the NEC's International Committee on 9 September considered how these motions should be implemented. Full text of the motions can be found at www.unison.org.uk/international/pages_view.asp?did=8956

As usual the union arranged a full programme of international activities at conference. Visitors from sister unions in Colombia, Cuba, France, Iraq, Spain, and the USA were present and a very well attended international rally was held on the Monday night.

UNISON elects new international committee

Following the NEC elections in June a new international committee has been appointed, and will serve for the next two years. The members of the committee (and the regions they come from) are; April Ashley (Greater London), Josie Bird (Northern), Jean Butcher (South East), John Campbell (Yorkshire and Humberside), Susan Gallagher (West Midlands), Angela Lynes (Scotland), Colm Magee (Northern Ireland), Ann Moses (Yorkshire and Humberside), Kevin O'Grady (Eastern), Jessie Russel (South East), Alison Shepherd (Greater London) and Linda Sweet (Wales). Alison Shepherd has been elected chair of the committee and Linda Sweet, vice-chair. The Committee will next meet on 11 November.

International weekend seminar

Such is the popularity of UNISON's biannual international seminar that October's event in Leeds (9-11 October) is fully booked with a lengthy waiting list of those hoping for a last minute place.

The programme for the weekend seminar includes speakers, discussions, films and workshops on Palestine, Latin America, global attacks on workers' rights in public services and the international dimension of UNISON's 'Million Voices for Change' campaign. The finalised programme and joining instructions will be sent to all delegates nearer the time.

Branch international officers will have an opportunity to meet some of the newly elected NEC international committee over the course of the weekend and network with other activists from all over the UK.

The seminar is advertised to all international activists by email and post. It is also advertised in eFocus and on the events page and international pages of the website. If you were not successful in getting a place at this autumn's seminar, you need to ensure that you get your form approved with payment as soon as any seminar is advertised (the next seminar will probably take place in March 2010 and will be advertised around two months beforehand). You should also ensure that your details on RMS are correct and that your email allows you to receive UNISON mailings (see end of newsletter for details).

Campaigning around Palestine

UNISON will be issuing guidance later this year about how to follow-up on the comprehensive policy passed by National Delegate Conference in June. In addition, we are encouraging branches to support two initiatives. Firstly, each November the Palestine Solidarity Campaign organises a lobby of Parliament to mark the UN International Day for Palestine. This year activists are being asked to join in local lobbies of their Members of Parliament during the week of 23-27 November. PSC hopes that more people can become involved this way rather than having to come to London. Secondly, there will be a convoy from Britain to Gaza which is due to arrive in Gaza in December to mark the first anniversary of the Israeli assault. The aim of the convoy is both political and humanitarian, delivering vital medical supplies. Branches are advised to contact their local PSC group to see how they can support the convoy.

Arab railway workers keep guarding Israel's level crossings

A Tel Aviv Labour Court issued an interim injunction against firing Arab employees of state-owned company, Israel Railways. It ruled that until a final court decision has been taken, Israel Railways cannot lay off any Arab railway crossing guard as a consequence of its new employment policy.

In April Israel Railways introduced the policy which would deny employment to railroad crossing guards who had not served in the Israeli army. As Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel are exempt from obligatory army service this policy is clearly discriminatory and up to 150 Arab railway workers are in danger of losing their jobs. Israel Railways explicitly stated that the new employment policy was designed to give priority to young army veterans. Sawt el-Amel (The labourer's voice), a grassroots membership organisation representing Arab workers and unemployed Arabs in Israel, launched a global petition which was taken up by UNISON and other unions.

Though only an interim injunction and not a final decision, the ruling is extremely important, and Sawt el-Amel said they are very pleased with the ruling.

More information about the case can be found at the Sawt el-Amel website

www.laborers-voice.org/article_details.aspx?TopID=1074&catid=45

Mansour Osanloo's health deteriorating. Act now!

UNISON is supporting Amnesty International's urgent action calling for trade union leader, Mansour Osanloo (an Amnesty prisoner of conscience), to receive emergency medical treatment So far the Iranian authorities are denying him this urgently needed treatment.

Mansour is the leader of the Vahed Bus Company workers' union in Tehran, Iran, an independent trade union in a country with an official trade union movement and a track record of persecuting independent trade unionists (as well as workers generally, women, LGBT communities and so on). Mansour has been in jail now since July 2007, and his health is deteriorating in part because of the brutal beatings he has received from the security services.

Previous Amnesty International and trade union actions have secured treatment for Mansour, and it is hoped this latest action will be successful too. Please sign the action now and encourage others to sign it. http://amnesty.org.uk/actions_details.asp?ActionID=628

Find out more and subscribe to UNISON's urgent actions/solidarity with trade unionists around the world www.unison.org.uk/international/solidarity.asp

Swazi unions at forefront of struggle for democracy

Swaziland's struggle for democracy is often overlooked by the international community but with pressure from the trade union movement the world is starting to wake up to the injustice facing the people of the country.

The beginning of September saw the Joint Swazi Campaign Committee hold a week of action, calling for democracy and rights in the kingdom. The group, which unites numerous trade unions and civil society from southern Africa, held a number of events, including a blockade, led by the Congress of South African Trade Unions at the border with South Africa.

Swaziland is ruled by King Maswati III, the last absolute monarch in Africa. Political parties are banned, and political activists, including trade unionists, are regularly imprisoned and tortured in a country where the judicial system is controlled by the monarchy.

In May 2008 the Swazi government imposed the repressive 'Prevention of Terrorism Act', which has led to the arrest of numerous political and trade union leaders. Mario Masuku, president of the banned the pro-democracy party People's United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) was jailed in November 2008 under the act and has become the symbol of the campaign to repeal it. During a recent week of action the same act was used to detain and torture Wandile Dludu, president of SWAYOCO, the youth section of PUDEMO.

Stop Press!

UNISON has just learned that Mario Masuku, president of PUDEMO, was released from prison on 21 September. Details are not yet clear but a global campaign, supported by UNISON, pressed for his release. PUDEMO expressed its thanks to all those who campaigned on Masuku's behalf both in Swaziland and throughout the world. Read more here www.unison.org.uk/international/pages_view.asp?did=9407

Find out about the campaign for democracy in Swaziland on the Action for Southern Africa website www.actsa.org

Dignity! Period. Branches asked to take up the challenge

Action for Southern Africa (ACTSA), the campaigning organisation that works with people in the region for justice, democracy and development has geared up its Dignity! Period. campaign to provide women in Zimbabwe with sanitary protection. In an appeal to UNISON the director, Tony Dykes has asked UNISON 'branches to take up the campaign and organise fundraising events where they can also hand out information to educate people about the issue'. He thanked UNISON for its support to date and said that since the campaign was started in 2005, over six million sanitary products had been provided. He went on to say that ACTSA 'were inspired to learn that the campaign had assisted the trade unions in Zimbabwe to increase recruitment of female members by around 15%'.

If you are interested in the campaign and raising the issue in your branch you can find out more about the campaign here www.actsa.org/page-1022-Dignity! Period..html

Building on the delegation to southern Africa

Following on from an article which appeared in the summer edition of UNISON's international newsletter www.unison.org.uk/file/summer09.doc calling on branches to link up with sister unions in southern Africa, several have taken up the invitation, and have drawn up plans for setting up twinning arrangements.

The request for closer links between UNISON and unions in southern Africa was made by sister unions during the UNISON/Action for Southern Africa (ACTSA) delegation to southern Africa which took in Malawi, South Africa and Swaziland. The delegation met with public service trade unions, political organisations and representatives of the UK government, and also visited work places. It enabled UNISON to renew and strengthen its relationships with unions in southern Africa. And by involving UNISON regional representatives and members of the NEC international committee, the delegation also provided a strong base to take forward the union's work on public services and international development at local, regional and national levels.

Key issues affecting unions in southern Africa are privatisation and outsourcing of services, the erosion of workers' rights, the international migration of health workers and HIV/AIDS. Sister unions expressed a keen interest to work more closely with UNISON branches and regions, and to share information and best practice. This is now underway.

If you are interested in working more closely with sister unions in the region by twinning with a branch or region, please contact the international relations unit at IRelations@unison.co.uk The delegation report which has just been published will help you in deciding how to develop a twinning relationship. It documents discussions with sister unions and which unions the delegation met with. It also identifies areas of possible joint future work www.unison.org.uk/file/SADel.pdf The report is available as a hardcopy publication from the international unit. There is also an 8-page briefing based on the report available at www.unison.org.uk/file/SADelbrief.pdf

Solidarity with Zimbabwean unions

Nick Sigler, head of international relations, represented UNISON on a recent TUC delegation to Zimbabwe. The delegation, led by TUC president Sheila Bearcroft and general secretary Brendan Barber, met with the leadership of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangarai, the British Ambassador and a range of other labour-linked organisations. As well as demonstrating our solidarity with the Zimbabwean unions, as they struggle against the extremely harsh conditions in the country, and looking first hand at what impact the new Government of National Unity has had, the delegation spent considerable time discussing with the ZCTU how the TUC and its affiliates could support their sister organisations in Zimbabwe. A full report, with specific recommendations will be produced shortly.

Shortly before the delegation was in Zimbabwe, a mission from the ILO had spent over a week in the country. The mission, made up of three prominent lawyers from the region, was investigating human and trade union rights violations that had and were continuing to take place in Zimbabwe. The team interviewed ZCTU leaders, labour and workers' rights activists assaulted by the police after they staged protests against deteriorating working and living conditions for workers. The mission is due to report back to the ILO by the end of the year.

Southern Africa HIV/AIDS project

An important stage in UNISON's HIV/AIDS project in southern Africa (which is funded by the UK Department for International Development) took place in Johannesburg from 15-17 September when a regional workshop was convened. Participants from over 35 unions from across the region shared experience and best practice while considering a range of topics which are core to the project including - bargaining on HIV/AIDS issues, discrimination, Occupational Health and Safety awareness, working with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and campaigning and advocacy. There were also discussions about how the unions can take this work forward in coming years.

The regional workshop came at the end of a very busy period for the project which has seen in-country seminars take place in Botswana, Namibia and Zambia, the appointment of a new project co-ordinator and the publication of the latest edition of the project newsletter.

Support for Justice for Colombia

In August, General Secretary, Dave Prentis, wrote to all branches urging them to affiliate to Justice for Colombia and to become more involved in supporting our sister trade unions in Colombia. The letter highlighted the continuing plight of trade unionists in Colombia - already this year over 25 union activists have been assassinated. Many others have been jailed without trial, 'disappeared', faced death threats and serious intimidation or forced to flee their homes and jobs - simply because they were members of a trade union. Colombia is one of UNISON's priority areas and we will be looking at a variety of ways at which we can develop our work in this area.

Read the letter in full here www.unison.org.uk/Acrobat/e5563.pdf

Linking young trade unionists in Nicaragua and the United Kingdom

The first two years of the very successful project Linking Young Trade Unionists has just come to an end. The Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign Action Group (NSCAG) has been working in partnership with the FNT (National Workers Front), the Nicaraguan TUC equivalent, with considerable support from UNISON.

In Nicaragua, the project aims to enable young people to participate more effectively in their trade unions. The project has also built links between young members in the UK and Nicaragua.

Nicaragua is the poorest country in Central America. Seventy per cent of the population is under 30. These young people face twice the unemployment rate of their older colleagues and those in work are often less able to access the rights and benefits available to them. Many end up in informal work or emigrating.

Support from UNISON covered the costs of FNT seminars and workshops, which led to the setting up of youth committees with the FNT and its member federations and enabled them to hold their first two national youth assemblies.

In the UK, unions are also working to attract more young workers. Alongside the work in Nicaragua, the project aimed to encourage young people in the UK to become active both in their unions and in the international trade union movement through encouraging young member solidarity, building youth networks and solidarity links through speaker tours, exchange workshops and young member delegations.

Read the article in full www.unison.org.uk/international/pages_view.asp?did=9326

Find out more about NSCAG's work with young trade unionists

www.nicaraguasc.org.uk/NSCAG/youth_unionists.htm

Call for return to democracy in Honduras

On the occasion of the international day of solidarity with the people of Honduras, General Secretary Dave Prentis wrote to the leaders of the Honduran trade union movement to express solidarity with their cause. He wrote:

As fellow trade unionists we are appalled at the totally anti-democratic coup that took place in you country and are deeply concerned about the consequent violence and repression. We condemn the violations of human rights, the restrictions that have been placed on the freedom of expression and the persecution of trade union leaders and human rights activists.

We call for an immediate return to constitutional democracy and the restitution of Manuel Zelaya as president. We call for human and trade union rights to be respected. And we call on the international community to maintain and strengthen their pressure on the illegal regime currently ruling Honduras.

Countering lies in the USA on the NHS

"I, like so many other people in the UK, owe my life to the NHS." These were the words UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis expressed when writing to trade unionists in the United States recently in response to lies being peddled by rogue commentators trying to portray the NHS as a '60-year mistake'.

Enclosing a fact sheet drawn up by UNISON www.unison.org.uk/file/US_factsheet.pdf Dave Prentis said: "We are outraged by the gross lies and distortions, being spread in the US about our NHS. A universal health system that is free at the point of need is something that we can all be proud of - it is a mark of a civilised, caring society." The fact sheet provides facts and figures to give sister unions "the ammunition to fire at the NHS detractors. They will see for themselves the truth about how our NHS operates and how patients are treated".

Read the full story www.unison.org.uk/international/pages_view.asp?did=9234 and 'tweet' to show why we love the NHS http://twitter.com/search?q=#WeLoveTheNHS

UNISON raises the bar on Burma

At this year's national delegate conference UNISON's NEC issued a statement pledging to increase its work on Burma to highlight the human rights abuses taking place there (especially in the eastern region where the Karen and Chin ethnic groups live), and to further support the banned trade union movement.

Almost 2,000 UNISON delegates held up face masks of pro-democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi who is an honorary life member of UNISON in protest at her being charged for violating the terms of her house arrest (she has since been convicted and sentenced to yet another term of house arrest). Vice-chair of the international committee, Angela Lynes, read out a message to Aung San Suu Kyi telling her that we remember her as she spends her 64^th birthday in captivity (since 1988 she has spent almost 14 years in detention), and called on the military government to release her along with the more than 2,000 other political prisoners in Burma.

UNISON has taken up the issue with the TUC and asked for the TUC to coordinate a UK-wide campaign on Burma including the release of all political prisoners, calls for a global arms embargo and calling for the ILO to refer Burma to the International Court of Justice for its use of forced labour.

Read the NEC statement in full here www.unison.org.uk/file/Burma-NECStat.pdf

Trade union movement waking up to events in Philippines

From a position of very quiet diplomacy and reluctance to speak out the international trade union movement is finally walking up to events in the Philippines: events which have seen trade unionists and labour activists subject to murders, disappearances, harassment and denial of labour and human rights. According to the ITUC, the Philippines is 3^rd in the league table of trade unionists killed in the last year.

This 'awakening' is in no small part due to Amnesty International who conducted an investigation into the murders of activists (including political, agrarian, social and labour) known as extra judicial executions (EJEs) and a visit by UN Rapporteur on human rights, Philip Alston, in 2007.

An historic ILO high-level mission will visit the Philippines in late September to investigate cases brought by labour groups in the country such as PSLINK and KMU (the government of the Philippines had refused previous requests by the ILO to visit). The mission will meet with victims' families, the complainants (those who brought the cases to the ILO) as well as government representatives and the official trade union federation, which until now, has remained publicly silent on the issue. As in Colombia where labour activists have been branded 'terrorists' (a catch-all phrase for anyone opposed to neo-liberal policies which aim to privatise whole swathes of public services and remove workers' rights to freedom of association ie the right to join a union, and collective bargaining ie the right for a union to bargain on your behalf on pay and conditions) a similar pattern is emerging in the Philippines where 'communist' and 'terrorist' are labels placed on activists to 'justify' the killing or disappearance of anyone who stands up for labour and human rights.

In October the Campaign for Human Rights in the Philippines (assisted by UNISON and Amnesty International) will host an event at Amnesty in London where the mother of a rights activist who was 'disappeared' will speak. There will also be an opportunity to hear about the erosion of workers' rights and the culture of impunity. Nick Sigler will present the case for why the Philippines should be a priority for trade unions globally.

Going global - online course on international development

An online course for union activists on the central role working people play in development. From export processing zones to ship breaking, the course covers practical examples of the problems and opportunities facing workers across the globe. It explains key issues such as development, poverty, free trade and labour migration. From the United Nation's 'Millennium Development Goals' to the international trade union movement's promotion of 'Decent Work', this course explores the global agenda that addresses these issues.

Importantly, this eight week course demonstrates how, through trade union action in the workplace, in communities and internationally, workers in the global economy can secure fairness and justice at work instead of being forced to choose between exploitation and starvation.

If you are interested in finding out more contact the TUC or click here for further details www.unionlearn.org.uk/education/learn-2326-f0.cfm#learn-2326-1

Events

1 October, Vigil for Miami Five, London

Join the families of the Miami Five outside the US Embassy in London

Organised by Cuba Solidarity Campaign www.cuba-solidarity.org.uk

7 October, World Day for Decent Work, London

Global mobilisation for change www.wddw.org/-English-

'Decent work' night event at the TUC - 'Rhyme, Rhythm and Reason' with Linton Kwesi Johnson and Zong Zing All Stars www.tuc.org.uk/international/tuc-16911-f0.cfm

8-9 October, UNISON branch international course, London

Rescheduled training for BIROs in GLR and Eastern region. www.unison.org.uk/london/noticeboard.asp

9-11 October, UNISON international seminar, Leeds

The seminar has now closed for new registrations. Those who were not successful in getting a place have been placed on a waiting list and will be notified if a place becomes available.

17-18 October, World Poverty Day, various

Stand up and take action on world poverty day. Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP) - organise an event in your branch www.whiteband.org/

21 October, Impunity in the Philippines, Amnesty International, London

Campaign for Human Rights in the Philippines (CHRP), UNISON and Amnesty International sponsored event on disappearances and killings of political and social activists in the Philippines. www.chrp.org.uk/

7 November, G20 counter conferences, London & St Andrews

Simultaneous conferences in England and Scotland to coincide with G20 meeting of heads of state. www.unison.org.uk/international/pages_view.asp?did=9296

Details London www.putpeoplefirst.org.uk/counterconference

Details St Andrews www.g20standrews.org/St_Andrews.html

23-27 November, local lobby of MPs, UK

Palestine Solidarity Campaign is calling on everyone to lobby their MPs in their local constituencies.

Publications

UNISON-ACTSA delegation to southern Africa

Final report of the delegation to the region

www.unison.org.uk/file/SAdel1.pdf

UNISON-ACTSA delegation to southern Africa

Summary report of the delegation to the region

www.unison.org.uk/file/SAdelbrief.pdf

UNISON international newsletter

The current edition of the international newsletter in Word format (you can also subscribe to receive the newsletter as an email)

www.unison.org.uk/international

UNISON's international work

Leaflet on UNISON's international work explaining why we do international work, current priority areas and countries, why members should get involved and why non-members should join UNISON

www.unison.org.uk/file/intwork.pdf

Action on HIV/AIDS leaflet

Working with sister unions worldwide to tackle HIV/AIDS

www.unison.org.uk/file/HIV.1.pdf

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