Export Processing Zones are being introduced in most countries in Southern Africa. We are informed that they will create jobs and bring new investment. However Southern African Trade Unions in the Southern African Trade Union Co-ordinating Council (SATUCC) believe that EPZ's are a weak and inefficient strategy for economic investment and employment, and that far greater attention should be paid to the structural distortions in our economies that are marginalising a large majority of people from employment, wealth and investment resources. SATUCC is concerned that EPZs may deepen division and competition between SADC member states and undermine the essential and difficult process of regional economic integration.
Trade unions in the region have noted that some EPZ laws exclude full application of labour and environment standards and that even where labour and environmental laws apply, they are poorly enforced. This too is an area of concern, as it will affect the rights and conditions of todays workers and the legacy of the resources and opportunities that are passed to their children.
SATUCC is thus supporting its affiliates to respond to EPZ policies and to discuss and define the economic, employment, social, legal and environmental policies that will build a more sustainable development path. This resource pack is aimed to support these discussions at national and workplace level. We would like to acknowledge the support of the ILO Project on Workers Education and the Environment, Training and Research Support Centre, Regis Makwarimba, ILRIG, the Centre for Southern African Studies and the many other organisations with whom we have co-operated in developing this information pack.
M Tsvangirai
Secretary General (SATUCC)
| For the full document or for more information, please contact:
Southern African Trade Union Co-ordinating Council (SATUCC) |
CTUC/ILO Workshop is a partnership work between CTUC, ILO and the National Union Centers in India. The aim of this CTUC India Project and ILO INT/93/M12/NOR "workers and Environment" project is to produce education material for training workers and train the educators.
Report submitted by Ms. Indira Saxena, Co-Ordinator, Hind MAzdoor Sabha (HMS)
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This CTUC/ILO Workshop was a partnership work between CTUC, ILO and All India Trade Union Congress. The aim of this CTUC India Project and ILO/INT/93/M12/NOR "Workers and Environment" project was to produce education material for training workers and train the educators. These workshos were organized in series in India. This is a National Workshop. This workship also focussed on promoting AITUCs National Policy on Safeguarding workers life and employment.
Aims of Workshop:
HMS, with the support of the ILO (INT/93/M12/NOR Workers Education & Environment programme) organised a 2-day National Seminar in Delhi on the subject "Workers Education & Environment" on 19-20 May 1997.
The objectives of the Seminar were:
to further the understanding on trade unions' role in Environment protection, review the HMS Environment and Workers Education programme activities, the educational material produced and plan for followup activities/actions by the unions in times ahead.
Background & Introduction to the Seminar:
For the last few years, ILO (under INT/93/M12/NOR project) has been assisting HMS in Workers Education on Environment issues. The aims & objectives of the Programme activities are, to:
This initiative started against the background where the awareness regarding environment issues among the workers & the unions was quite low and the laws of the land such as to deny any role to the unions (or people in general) in tackling environmental problems. The unions are neither consulted nor given any information concerning environmental impact of their industry. Environment is among the few issues which have not been considered a tripartite matter as yet in India. This is leading to a situation where neither the environment is being protected nor workers health or their jobs.
It may be noted that last year, HMS conducted some piolt case studies with the help of our affiliates on the issue of Environment and the role of workers organisations. The following reports / Educational material was produced under the HMS-ILO Workers Education & Environment programme:
Besides the above educational material, the following ILO material also formed the basis of discussion in the seminar:
| Full document available from:
Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS) |
Aims of Workshop:
| Full document available from:
Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS) |
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