LOS SINDICATOS Y EL DESARROLLO SOSTENIBLE
Inglès Francès Español

PREAMBLE

All three social partners in the nation namely the government, employers and the trade unions are concerned about the quality of environment and sustainable development. In the recent decade there have been concerted efforts by nations to mobilise everyone in society to ensure that pragmatic and effective policies are formulated and implemented to improve the quality of environment and to ensure sustainable development. All social and economic organisations have been approached for their involvement in projects for the improvement of the quality of environment.

The MTUC and CUEPACS have always been concerned about the quality of environment both at workplace and in the community. Working and living conditions of workers are integral components of environment and sustainable development policies. The MTUC and CUEPACS have established an Environment Committee to enable trade unions to play an effective role in the formulation and implementation and evaluation of policies to improve the quality of environment. The MTUC and CUEPACS have with the support and collaboration of the ILO held a number of workshop on issues concerning environment and sustainable development and have adopted a trade union approach for the formulation, implementation and evaluation of policies on environment and sustainable development.

ISSUES OF CONCERN

The MTUC and CUEPACS have recognised that the deterioration and degradation of the environment in the process of rapid economic development has heavy social costs in terms of employment and quality of life of the population with regard to working and living conditions. In specific terms MTUC and CUEPACS have identified the following areas of concern:

• Working Environment
• Living Environment
• Pollution (Air, Land and Water)
• Waste Reduction, Recycling and Disposal
• Transport
• Technology
• Urbanisation
• Natural Resources
• Renewable Energy

POLICY MEASURES

The MTUC and CUEPACS as trade unions have an important role to play in the formulation, implementation and evaluation policies concerning environment and sustainable development. The MTUC and CUEPACS call on the government to include its representatives at all levels of government machinery so that the various representative councils will include the views of the MTUC and CUEPACS representatives for discussions during consultations on issues concerning environment and sustainable development. The focus of national policies must take the following into consideration:

Employment

Environment and sustainable development policies must focus on issues concerning employment, especially with regard to total employment, characteristics of employment, quality of employment with regard to tenure, wages, occupational safety and health, working and living conditions, social security, human resources development and social integration. Policies should focus on jobs created through environment friendly technologies, especially in agriculture, forestry, mining and manufacturing industries. Special attention must be given to the natural resource depiction industries e.g. forestry and mineral extraction, to ensure that they do not result in total degradation of environment and that programmes for reforestation, reduction, recycling and disposal of waste are effectively carried out.

Human Development

The quality of working and living environment is critical for positive human development. It is recognised that the quality of life of the population depends on the access to basic needs such as housing, potable water, medical and health care facilities, education, transport and communication and,, recreational facilities. Fullfilment of basic need is important to ensure sound human development and social integration. The lack of access to basic needs is the primary cause for social disintegration and strife. Environment policies must therefore incorporate issues of concern on human development and social integration.

Education

Public awareness concerning environment is critical for positive action orientated policies to succeed. The mobilisation of public support and participation will depend on the level of public consciousness on issues concerning the quality of environment and sustainable development, and the relevance of the policies, projects and programmes in their daily life. This level of public consciousness and participation can only be achieved if there is concerted effort on the part of the government to ensure that all avenues of information mobilisation and dissemination are effectively harnessed and used. The trade unions for example are an important entry for these activities in society. They are important links for communications for workers. Trade unions must therefore be an integral part of the strategy for dissemination and education for public awareness and participation on projects and programmes for the improvements of quality of life.

The above components must form part of the national policies for improvement of quality of environment and sustainable development.

IMPLEMENTATION

In order to achieve the objectives of the policies, MTUC and CUEPACS adopt the following plan of action: