ASUNCION (ACTRAV INFO)—Trade unions will strengthen their cooperation to promote the full implementation and respect of migrant workers‘ rights in Argentina (CGT, CTA-A, CTA-T), Brazil (CUT, UGT), Chile (CUT), Uruguay (PIT-CNT) and Paraguay (CUT-A), according to bilateral trade union agreements signed in Asuncion (Paraguay). Trade unions have developed important commitments to coordinate strategy actions in the most important migrant Southern cone corridors of the Americas and also at the interregional level with trade unions in Spain and Italy.

The agreements were signed by union leaders in the framework of a seminar organised jointly by the ILO Bureau for Worker’s Activities (ACTRAV) and the Labour Migration Branch (MIGRANT).

The seminar gathered more than 90 trade union representatives from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay and the Trade Union Confederation of the Americas (TUCA).

The main objective of the seminar was to share experiences on enhancing migrant workers’ labour protection through the adoption of bilateral trade union agreements in most important labour migration corridors and the adoption of trade union plans of action on the subject.

Participants discussed labour migration issues including:

• the promotion of awareness-raising campaigns on the ratification and implementation of ILO Conventions 97 and C 143;
• the analysis of the different trends in the American Southern Cone regarding concrete legislation in relation to migrant workers;
• the promotion of the implementation of ILO Recommendation 204;
• labour certification and recognition of skills of migrant workers;
• working conditions and social security for migrant workers;
• migrant domestic workers;
• the need to create a network between trade unions in main labour migration corridors.

For further information please contact:

Carlos Rodriguez Diaz (crodriguez@ilo.org)
and
Gloria Moreno Fontes (mfontes@ilo.org)