FNV Mondiaal 2013 mapped out / 1
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
C A N A D A
MMMMEXICOMEXICO
THE BAHAMAS
JAMAICAHAITI
DOMINICANREP.
BELIZE
PANAMACOSTA RICA
EL SALVADOR
GUATEMALA
NICARAGUA
HONDURAS
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDAST KITTS AND NEVIS
DOMINICAST LUCIA
BARBADOS
GRENADA
TRINIDADAND TOBAGO
ST VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES
VENEZUELA
COLOMBIAFRENCH GUIANA
SURINAME
GUYANA
BRAZILPERU
ECUADOR
BOLIVIA
PARAGUAY
CHILE
ARGENTINA
URUGUAY
ALASKAICELAND
NORWAY
IRELAND
UNITEDKINGDOM
FRANCE
SPAINPORTUGAL
ITALY
GERMANY
MALTAGREECE
POLANDBELARUS
UKRAINE
ROMANIA
BULGARIA
SWEDEN
FINLAND
R U S S I A N F E D E R A T I O N
KAZAKHSTAN
MONGOLIA
CHINA
KYRGYZSTAN
TAJIKISTANTURKMENISTAN
UZBEKISTAN
TURKEY
SYRIA
JORDANIRAQ
SAUDI ARABIA
OMAN
YEMEN
IRAN AFGHANISTAN
PAKISTAN
KASHMIR
INDIA
NEPALBHUTAN
BANGLADESH
SRI LANKA
MYANMAR(BURMA) LAOS
THAILAND VIETNAM
CAMBODIA
MALAYSIA
TAIWAN
PHILIPPINES
BRUNEI
INDONESIA
EAST TIMOR
PAPUA NEW GUINEA
N. KOREA
S. KOREA JAPAN
PALAU
AUSTRALIA
NEW ZEALA
MOROCCO
WESTERNSAHARA
ALGERIA
MAURITANIA MALINIGER
LIBYA EGYPT
SUDAN
CHAD
NIGERIA
TUNISIA
SENEGALGAMBIA
GUINEA-BISSAU GUINEA
SIERRA LEONE
LIBERIA
CÔTED'IVOIRE
BURKINAFASO
GHANATOGO
BENIN
CAMEROONCENTRAL
AFRICAN REPUBLIC
EQUAT. GUINEA
GABON CONGO DEM. REP.OF CONGO
SÃO TOMÉ AND PRINCIPE
ERITREA
DJIBOUTI
ETHIOPIASOMALIA
KENYAUGANDA
RWANDA
BURUNDI
TANZANIA
ANGOLAZAMBIA
MALAWI
MOZAMBIQUEZIMBABWE
BOTSWANA
NAMIBIA
SOUTH AFRICA
LESOTHO
SWAZILAND
COMOROS
MADAGASCAR
COSTA RICA
» ANNUAL ATLAS «
FNV Mondiaal 2013 mapped out
2 / FNV Mondiaal 2013 mapped out
CONTENTS
World Map Programme Countries / WORLD Page 2The infl uence of the China Labour Bulletin / CHINA Page 4The rural areas of Ghana / GHANA Page 5
World Map Solidarity Projects FNV Unions / WORLD Page 6Transport union Uganda / UGANDA Page 8Child care in India / INDIA Page 9Study trip to Morocco / MOROCCO Page 9
World Map Trade Union Rights / WORLD Page 10FNV Trade Union Rights Award 2013 / INDONESIA Page 12Union leader in Colombia, a dangerous profession / COLOMBIA Page 13Working Class Heroes / WORLD / INDONESIA / COLOMBIA Page 14
World Map Precarious Work / WORLD Page 16Construction sites in India / INDIA Page 182022 WC football / QATAR Page 19
World Map CSR / WORLD Page 20Textile in Bangladesh / BANGLADESH Page 22American clothing giants up in arms in Peru / PERU Page 22
INDEX
FNV Mondiaal’s work Page 23Facts & Figures Page 24
FNV Mondiaal 2013 mapped out / 1
preface
24-carat union work
In the Netherlands our protest actions are based on key concepts such as ‘purchasing power’ and ‘real
jobs’. I see many similarities with the agenda of the international trade union struggle: decent work and
living wages. There is of course a difference in scale: in our own country, the pivotal issue is the level of
the minimum wage, whereas in poor countries, it’s people’s very existence that is at stake.
What we do have in common, though, is the central role of social welfare provisions. In countries where
FNV Mondiaal is active, our fellow workers conduct protest actions to safeguard jobs. Many of the jobs
there are informal; there is little, if any, social security. A large proportion of the work is carried out by
temporary workers, fl ex workers and migrants. The same fi ght is being conducted in the Netherlands as
well. Here, for example, 90 percent of the young people have an insecure employment status: a temporary
contract, a freelance job or a zero-hours contract. While our social welfare provision is slowly but surely
being dismantled, trade unions in some developing countries are managing to win major victories in the
same area. Among the stories covered in the FNV Mondiaal atlas for this year now before you is that of the
Indonesian trade union leader Said Iqbal. With a strong, highly disciplined organisation and targeted acti-
ons, Said Iqbal has made tremendous progress in his country: 24-carat union work, I would term it. When
you talk to Said, he conveys the impression of a quiet, amiable man, but when he is addressing the demon-
strations in Indonesia, then you sense a unique passion. For me, Said Iqbal is a huge source of inspiration.
Such charisma is in fact unprecedented in the Netherlands.
FNV Mondiaal’s work in supporting people like Said Iqbal forms the core of international solidarity. It is of
vital importance that unions are strengthened not only in Indonesia, but also in Peru and Tanzania. There,
too, exploitation must be stopped. This is not a question of charity. With the process of globalisation, the
situation in one country has an impact on what happens elsewhere. The fact that garment companies in
Bangladesh pay unliveable, low wages and economise on the most elementary conditions of employment is
detrimental to the textile industry in those countries where the conditions are decent.
Unfortunately it is all too often the case that workers from different countries regard each other as com-
petitors. This is how we see people from Poland and Romania who come here to work for a much lower
wage that we are accustomed to. On the one hand, we need to tackle this by protecting our social welfare
provision from erosion from the outside; but another aspect is about bolstering the social welfare provi-
sions and the working conditions in other countries. This all goes to demonstrate the common interest
of workers worldwide. And this is why FNV Mondiaal’s work is so essential within the Dutch trade union
movement. Our core task is of course representing the interests of workers in the Netherlands. However,
this objective is increasingly being intertwined with the position of workers all over the world.
Leo Hartveld
President of FNV Mondiaal
Said Iqbal and Leo Hartveld
PHOTO: Ruth Vermeulen
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
C A N A D A
OMEXICO
THE BAHAMAS
JAMAICAHAITI
DOMINICANREP.
BELIZE
PANAMACOSTA RICA
EL SALVADOR
GUATEMALA
NICARAGUA
HONDURAS
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDAST KITTS AND NEVIS
DOMINICAST LUCIA
BARBADOS
GRENADA
TRINIDADAND TOBAGO
ST VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES
VENEZUELA
COLOMBIAFRENCH GUIANA
SURINAME
GUYANA
BRAZILPERU
ECUADOR
BOLIVIA
PARAGUAY
CHILE
ARGENTINA
URUGUAY
ALASKAICELAND
NORWAY
UNITEDKINGDOM
FRANCE
SPAINPORTUGAL
ITALY
GERMANY
M
SWE
MOROCCO
WESTERNSAHARA
ALGERIA
MAURITANIA MALINIGER
NIGERIA
TUNISIA
SENEGALGAMBIA
GUINEA-BISSAU GUINEA
SIERRA LEONE
LIBERIA
CÔTED'IVOIRE
BURKINAFASO
GHANATOGO
BENIN
CAMEROON
EQUAT. GUINEA
GABON CON
SÃO TOMÉ AND PRINCIPE
N
COSTA RICA
SOCIAL BENCHMARK
2 / FNV Mondiaal 2013 mapped out
Solidarity projects by FNV unions / Worldwide
FNV Mondiaal has designated nine countries as ‘programme
countries’: Colombia, Peru, South Africa, Ghana, Zim-
babwe, India (being phased out), Bangladesh, China (being
phased out), Indonesia and the region East Africa (Kenya,
Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi). In the programme
countries, FNV Mondiaal has been working for an extensive
period with project partners in order to jointly achieve
increased results.
These joint results will contribute to a more equitable
distribution of income and wealth, with decent work, equal
rights, and livelihood security for all.
This world map gives a brief overview of the priority issues
and partners displayed by programme country.
PROGRAMMECOUNTRIES
FNV MONDIAAL
MMMMEXICO
AATEMATEMALAA
Colombia
Priority issues:Monitoring and enforcement of trade union rights and col-lective bargaining in many sectors, reducing fl exible labour
and outsourcing.
Partners: Global union federations and the national public sector unions, metalworking, fl ower cultivation, supermarkets,
telecommunication and construction, the trade union fede-rations CTC and CUT; labour ngo for trade union rights.
Peru
Priority issues: Social dialogue, combating sectoral legislation that restricts rights and combating precarious
work, equality of men and women, health and safety
Partners: Trade union federation CGTP, trade unions in clothing, agriculture, food, public sector, do-
mestic work, self-employed workers; research institute Plades, cooperative unions in the area
of health care CIS.
South Africa
Priority issues:Campaigns for wages above the poverty line; promoting the right to organise and to negotiate in the workplace; social protection and health & safety; lobbying local and regional
authorities for improvement in the position of street vendors.
Partners:Labour ngo for: training in collective bargaining; media
campaigns for decent work; health & safety; work that has become precarious; support in the informal sector; union for
airport staff and the union for domestic workers.
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
NUNINGKING
SPAINPORTUGALL
MOROCOCCO
WESTERNSAHARAA
AL
MAURITANIA MALI
NN
Ghana
Priority issues:Food security through living wage, better social protection for informal workers and fl ex workers, increase in social dialogue for workers in the informal economy, equality of men and
women.
Partners:Trade Union Congress TUC, unions in agriculture, mining and
informal work. Research Institute LPRI.
MALTAGREECE
POLANDBELARUS
UKRAINE
ROMANIA
BULGARIA
DEN
FINLAND
R U S S I A N F E D E R A T I O N
KAZAKHSTAN
MONGOLIA
CHINA
KYRGYZSTAN
TURKMENISTAN
UZBEKISTAN
TURKEY
SYRIA
JORDANIRAQ
SAUDI ARABIA
OMAN
YEMEN
IRAN AFGHANISTAN
PAKISTAN
KASHMIR
INDIA
NEPALBHUTAN
BANGLADESH
SRI LANKA
MYANMAR(BURMA) LAOS
THAILAND VIETNAM
CAMBODIA
MALAYSIA
TAIWAN
PHILIPPINES
BRUNEI
INDONESIA
EAST TIMOR
PAPUA NEW GUINEA
SOLOMON ISLANDS
N. KOREA
S. KOREA JAPAN
PALAU
NAURU
VANUATU
AUSTRALIA
NEW ZEALAND
LIBYA EGYPT
SUDAN
CHAD
CENTRALAFRICAN REPUBLIC
A
NGO DEM. REP.OF CONGO
ERITREA
DJIBOUTI
ETHIOPIASOMALIA
KENYAUGANDA
RWANDA
BURUNDI
TANZANIA
ANGOLAZAMBIA
MALAWI
MOZAMBIQUEZIMBABWE
BOTSWANA
NAMIBIA
SOUTH AFRICA
LESOTHO
SWAZILAND
COMOROS
MADAGASCAR
FIJI
FNV Mondiaal 2013 mapped out / 3
LAN
Zimbabwe
Priority issues:Trade union rights within broad social framework of human
rights, democracy and good governance. Training and organi-sing are the most important means.
Partners: Trade union federation ZCTU, unions in the construction sector
and security, research institute LEDRIZ.
MALIASOM
COMOROS
ADAGAADAGASCAR
Region East Africa: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda,
Burundi
Priority issues:Living wage in the transport, construction, and fl ower sec-tors; inclusion of decent work and social protection clauses in collective agreements; decrease of wage gap between
men and women in fl ower sector.
Partners:Global union federations and the affi liated unions in
transport and construction; labour ngo and its partners in the fl ower sector; the global federation for street vendors Streetnet and its affi liated organisations of street vendors
and market traders.
AUSTRALIA
NEW ZEALAND
Indonesia
Priority issues: Social protection, increase in minimum wage, right to
organise and to negotiate, reducing outsourcing
Partners:Trade union federation KSPI; the global union federation for
metal, chemical and electronics sector and the affi liated unions; unions for journalists; domestic workers; public
sector; ngo for trade union rights.
INNINLAND
IR U S S II A N F E D E R A T I
India
Priority issues:Right to organise and to collective bargaining, income assu-rance, social protection, health and safety, combating slavery
and child labour, equality of men and women, informal economy.
Partners:Unions for workers in the informal economy: the poorest working women; street vendors; union for agricultural
workers and small farmers, global union federations for metal, transport and construction and the affi liated unions for shipbreakers, transport workers, brickmakers and construction
workers, labour ngo for garment workers.
China
Priority issues: Right to organise and to collective bargaining and combating discrimination of migrants, men and women met hiv/aids
and hepatitis B-infected people.
Partners:Labour ngos working with and for labour migrants in sectors
such as electronics, clothing, mining, the automobile and container industry; media and awareness-raising activities on labour migration and globalisation. The Hong Kong Liaison Offi ce of the international trade union movement (IHLO).
NMARTAIWANTA
ALAU
Bangladesh
Priority issues:Food security through improved legislation and willingness
of companies to pay a living wage; equality of men and women; improved legislation on and putting into
practice by employers of decent work with living wage, social protection and safe working conditions; capacity
strengthening of labour ngos and unions.
Partners: Labour ngos for food security and decent work for
agricultural workers, garment workers, garbage collectors; the global union federations for metal, clothing and
construction and the affi liated unions for shipbreakers, garment workers and brickmakers.
MONGOLIA
CHINACHIN
HUTANBHUHUBHUTHU
HLADESHLA ESHADESH
MYANMARANMMRMA)(BU(BURRM LAOSLA
THAILAND VIETNAMVI
CAMBODIAMBOMBO ACCA
MALAYSIAA
TAIWANTA
PHILIPPINESLIPP NESPINLPHI IP
BRUNEI
INDONESIAN
EAST TIMOREA
ANN. KOREAA
S. KOREAS. JAPANJA
PALAU
4 / FNV Mondiaal 2013 mapped out
Solidarity projects by FNV unions / China
The infl uence of the China Labour Bulletin:
The China Labour Bulletin (CLB) had its origins in Tiananmen
Square in Beijing in 1989. This was where the young Chinese
railway worker Han Dongfang came into contact with student
protesters and became one of the infl uential fi gures of the op-
position to the corruption of the communist regime. After the
violent crushing of the Tiananmen rebellion, Dongfang landed
in prison, contracted tuberculosis, was released – more dead
than alive – and fi nally exiled to Hong Kong, where he founded
the CLB in 1994. Dongfang explains: “The aim was to create a
bulletin about what was happening in China, about what wor-
kers’ lives were like, and in so doing promote the importance
of free trade unions.”
The CLB is now one of the most infl uential organisations in labour
relations in China. The research reports into Chinese working con-
ditions, which are regularly published by the CLB, are regarded as
standard setting. The CLB, which is based in Hong Kong as Han Dong-
fang is still not permitted to enter mainland China, is gaining more
and more of a following in China. The protests and campaigns of the
CLB often lead to public discussions in China and to amendments
of the law, for example, the legal provision stating that employers
may no longer exclude people infected with Hepatitis B. This might
seem trivial, but this is not the case: through no fault of their own,
millions of young Chinese have become infected during the course
of improperly conducted national vaccination campaigns. The CLB
has also stirred up the discussion on the possibility of collective
bargaining and on compulsory labour contracts. As a result of the
public discussions, openings are emerging in the policy operated by
the state-controlled union ACFTU. Although this is a process of three
steps forward and two steps back, Chinese labour relations have
nonetheless improved signifi cantly since 1994. The role played by the
CLB is undisputed.
FNV Mondiaal has supported the CLB from its very beginnings. Initi-
ally on an incidental basis, but the contacts have become increasingly
closer. Via FNV Mondiaal, the Chinese acquire information about the
labour relations in the Netherlands. The CLB sees the Dutch method
of reconciling confl icting views between government, employees and
employers - the well-known Dutch concept of ‘poldering’ (reaching
consensus without confl ict) - as an inspiring example. This year, the
CLB is celebrating its twentieth anniversary. The cooperation with
FNV Mondiaal has therefore now existed for twenty years too.
Three steps forward and two steps back
Chin
a La
bour
Bul
letin
‘Stakingsmap’ China 2014 by CLB$ = Wage arrearsCar = taxi strikeBus = bus strike
FNV Mondiaal 2013 mapped out / 5
NIGERIA
SENEGALLLGAMBIA
GUINEA-BISSAU GUINEAINEA
SIERRA LEONE
LIBERIAA
CÔTED'IVOIRE
RKINABURKINAINRKINAASOFAFAS
GHANAG ANAANAGOGOTOTTOO O
BENINB
CAMEROONCAMERCE
AFRICA
UINEAAT. GUEQU NEAEQUAT GUINEAU UINE
GABONON ONGOCCO
SÃO TOMÉ AND PRINCIPE
ANGOLA
NAMIBIA
S
Solidarity projects by FNV unions / Ghana
GAWU ensures there are special insurance pac-
kages with terms and conditions that are of some
actual benefi t to poor farming families and with
payment arrangements that are in keeping with
the highly fl uctuating income of small farmers. In
this way, social security is a real option for these
people too.
Support by FNV Mondiaal is important to GAWU.
The majority of the union’s activities can be
funded from members’ contributions, but extra
resources are needed for visiting remote com-
munities and organising activities there, which is
where FNV Mondiaal is able to help out. GAWU
now has some forty thousand members, half of
whom are small farmers.
The specifi c trade union approach adopted by
GAWU is that of organising people. Unlike ‘main-
stream’ development organisations, GAWU does
not give grants to the farmers. The important
thing is that the people are together empowered
to demand what they are entitled to. And this
delivers hard cash. In the last four years, the
incomes in the communities where the union is
active have increased by 25 to 100 percent!
Rural areas of Ghana
There is little work available in the rural
areas of Ghana. The country is farmed largely
by self-employed small farmers. Traditio-
nal workers’ issues scarcely feature, but,
the Ghanaian General Agriculture Workers
Union (GAWU) is nonetheless active in the
rural areas. In farming communities, the
GAWU, which is affi liated to the Trade Union
Congress TUC, is promoting the founding of
farming associations. By working together,
the Ghanaian farmers are able to accomplish
things that they are unable to achieve indi-
vidually. One point of importance is that the
Ministry of Agriculture information offi cers
are willing to provide support and assistance
to associations, while their doors are closed
to individual small farmers. Farmers’ organi-
sations also fi nd it easier to get a loan than
individuals.
It is interesting to note that women in particu-
lar are able to benefi t from the new oppor-
tunities. For example, there are many more
women who have become active in cocoa
cultivation. Cocoa production used always to
be a male domain, but with technical support
and extra fi nancing, women have now begun
planting cocoa trees. Unlike most of the crops
that are for own consumption, cocoa is a cash
crop, thereby contributing to the indepen-
dence of women in rural areas. And because
women invest their earnings in the family
more than men tend to do, this also indirectly
benefi ts education for children, the quality of
housing and the quality of life in general.
Social security is also strengthened by the
union’s actions. While pension insurances and
health insurances (voluntary or otherwise) do
exist in Ghana, they are rarely tailored to the
situation of the population in the rural areas.
Better income for farming communities
PHOTO: Corrie Roeper
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
C A N A D A
MEXICO
THE BAHAMAS
JAMAICAHAITI
DOMINICANREP.
BELIZE
PANAMACOSTA RICA
EL SALVADOR
GUATEMALA
NICARAGUA
HONDURAS
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDAST KITTS AND NEVIS
DOMINICAST LUCIA
BARBADOS
GRENADA
TRINIDADAND TOBAGO
ST VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES
VENEZUELA
COLOMBIAFRENCH GUIANA
SURINAME
GUYANA
BRAZILPERU
ECUADOR
BOLIVIA
PARAGUAY
CHILE
ARGENTINA
URUGUAY
ALASKAICELAND
NORWAY
IRELAND
UNITEDKINGDOM
FRANCE
SPAINPORTUGAL
ITALY
GERMANY
M
SWE
MOROCCO
WESTERNSAHARA
ALGERIA
MAURITANIA MALINIGER
NIGERIA
TUNISIA
SENEGALGAMBIA
GUINEA-BISSAU GUINEA
SIERRA LEONE
LIBERIA
CÔTED'IVOIRE
BURKINAFASO
GHANATOGO
BENIN
CAMEROON
EQUAT. GUINEA
GABON CON
SÃO TOMÉ AND PRINCIPE
N
MEXICO
COSTA RICA
6 / FNV Mondiaal 2013 mapped out
Transnationals Information
ExchangeExchange between union representatives
from the cocoa-processing industry in the Netherlands and Ghana
AGFA and UMTEducational project for union representa-tives from Agricultural union FNSA-UMT, building social dialogue, training about
safe working conditions / Morocco
ZCTUSupport to the ZCTU and to strengthening
unions through training in organising, education, negotiating; leadership training for women; lobbying and conducting cam-paigns for decent work and union rights
Zimbabwe
FNV BondgenotenIncreasing negotiation skills of staff of TUICO service sector union via train the
trainer / Tanzania
FENACLEIncreasing and strengthening the union
organisation in the fl ower sector Ecuador
Fair Wear Foundation
Improving social dialogue in garment factories / Turkey
TPAWUStrengthening capacity of TPAWU in lea-dership, organising, training / Tanzania
The trade unions affi liated to the FNV - FNV Bondgenoten,
ABVAKABO FNV, FNV Bouw and the General Education
Union (AOb) – all have their own solidarity funds which,
jointly with FNV Mondiaal, they allocate to a variety of
countries. The projects focus, among other things, on the
direct exchange of knowledge and experience between
members and union executives here and in the country
concerned, setting up trade union networks, the provision
of training in conducting social dialogue or working in
accordance with health and safety regulations, and the
eradication of child labour. This world atlas displays the
solidarity projects supported by the FNV unions that were
in progress in 2103.
Solidarity Projects supported by FNV Unions / Worldwide
SOLIDARITY PROJECTS
FNV-UNIONS
NUCIWCapacity strengthening of the members
and member recruitment / Zambia
ZISEGUBuilding and strengthening of the union
Zimbabwe
IMFOrganisation of workers in the
shipbreaking yards in South AsiaIndia, Bangladesh, Pakistan
TIEStrengthening of the independent unions, building up women’s and young people’s
networks / Belarus
EFO, Labourers Training School
Health and safety in the workplace Venezuela
GAWU Member recruitment and organisation
strengthening via decent work activities, improvement of work and life of agricul-
tural labourers / Ghana
Bangladesh Oc-cupational Safety,
Health and Environ-ment Foundation
Organising garbage collectors, improving their working conditions and labour rights
Bangladesh
IndustriALLCombating hiv/aids in the workplace
Tanzania, Zimbabwe
IndustriALLCapacity strengthening and organisation of new members of TUMEC, union for workers in the mining, energy and chemical sectors
/ Democratic Republic of the Congo
ITF Strengthening of the transport unions
along the East African transport corridorKenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda,
Burundi
The WorkersAdvice Center
Organising and training truck drivers and teachers and supporting the most vulnera-
ble section of the workers: unemployed Arab women in agriculture
and unemployed Palestinians in East Jerusalem / Israel
APVVUFighting for position and working condi-tions of agricultural labourers and small
farmers / India
ABVAKABO FNVABVAKABO FNV
» PSI «Equal opportunities for LGBT
(lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans-gender) workers in the workplace,
Brazil
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
THE
MAICA
FNV BONDGENOTENFNV BONDGENOTEN
» EFO «LABOURERS
TRAINING SCHOOLImproving health and safety in the
workplace, Venezuela
NOR
SPA
M
AA
FNV BONDGENOTENFNV BONDGENOTEN
» TIE «Exchange between union repre-
sentatives from the cocoa-proces-sing industry in the Netherlands
GENERAL EDUCATION UNIONGENERAL EDUCATION UNION
» SNE « EDUCATION UNION Train the trainers: how to prevent
school dropouts, Morocco
FNV Bondgenoten
projects
MALTAGREECE
POLANDBELARUS
UKRAINE
ROMANIA
BULGARIA
DEN
FINLAND
R U S S I A N F E D E R A T I O N
KAZAKHSTAN
MONGOLIA
CHINA
KYRGYZSTAN
TAJIKISTANTURKMENISTAN
UZBEKISTAN
TURKEY
SYRIA
JORDANIRAQ
SAUDI ARABIA
OMAN
YEMEN
IRAN AFGHANISTAN
PAKISTAN
KASHMIR
INDIA
NEPALBHUTAN
BANGLADESH
SRI LANKA
MYANMAR(BURMA) LAOS
THAILAND VIETNAM
CAMBODIA
MALAYSIA
TAIWAN
PHILIPPINES
BRUNEI
EAST TIMOR
PAPUA NEW GUINEA
SOLOMON ISLANDS
N. KOREA
S. KOREA JAPAN
PALAU
NAURU
VANUATU
AUSTRALIA
NEW ZEALAND
LIBYA EGYPT
SUDAN
CHAD
CENTRALAFRICAN REPUBLIC
A
NGO DEM. REP.OF CONGO
DJIBOUTI
ETHIOPIASOMALIA
KENYAUGANDA
RWANDA
BURUNDI
TANZANIA
ANGOLAZAMBIA
MALAWI
MOZAMBIQUEZIMBABWE
BOTSWANA
NAMIBIA
SOUTH AFRICA
LESOTHO
SWAZILAND
COMOROS
MADAGASCAR
FIJI
FNV Mondiaal 2013 mapped out / 7
SAVEFighting for the labour rights of and
telephone helpline for garment workers in Tirupur / India
Transnationals Information
ExchangeTrade union organisation and union representative structure in Belarus
Transnationals Information
ExchangeExchange of FNV Bondgenoten union
representatives at LIDL and union repre-sentatives at Wall Mart in Chile
Netherlands/Chili
Transnationals Information
ExchangeTrade union structure in companies in the
Turkish metal sector / Turkey
Transnationals Information
ExchangeSelf-organisation of workers in the
Netherlands and Brazil at DAF (Paccar) through
exchange of experiences and knowledge of union work and union structure
Netherlands / Brasil
ABVAKABO FNV projects
PSIBuilding the policy and capacity strengthe-ning of unions in the water sector, coope-ration with other civil society organisations in the area of water policy and organisation
strategy so as to increase the number of female members / Kenya
ZCTU & FosSupport to ZCTU to fi ght for decent work
Zimbabwe
LEDRIZ & FosAdvice and research for the benefi t of
unions in order to fi ght for decent work Zimbabwe
ANSA & FosTraining, awareness-raising, research to strengthen the capacity of trade unions
to infl uence socio-economic policy of the government / Zimbabwe, Malawi, Zambia,
Namibia and Mauritius
TIEAwareness-raising and strengthening of the capacity of organisations and trade unions to fi ght for LGBT rights (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) workers in the workplace
Turkey
IRALEStrengthening of unions
Swaziland
PSIEqual opportunities for LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) workers in the
public / Brasil
PSIDecent work and social protection for labour
migrants in public services despite their quali-tatively good service; evaluation, new goals
and lobbying & campaigning / Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Sierra Leone,
South Africa, the Philippines, Sri Lanka
SEWAChildcare project set up by SEWA to cre-
ate work and income opportunities for the poorest, self-employed women / India
The WorkerSupporting The Worker, the monthly publi-cation of the trade union federation ZCTU
Zimbabwe
LEDRIZ Supporting LEDRIZ / Zimbabwe
General Education Union
projects
SNEEducation union
Train the trainers: preventing school dropouts / Morocco
Teachers’ UnionEstablishment of the Trade Union Academy,
an education centre for training in and information to members on their legal position and about (developments in)
education / Suriname
FNV Bouw en FNV Bondgenoten
BWI - Building and Wood Workers’ International
anising workers and combating child labour in the stone quarries India, Nepal, Bangladesh
JJJ
S
OMA
YEMEN
EGYPT
SUDANDJIBOUTI
FNV BONDGENOTENFNV BONDGENOTEN
» FAIR WEAR « FOUNDATION
Improving social dialogue in garment factories, Turkey
FNV BONDGENOTENFNV BONDGENOTEN
» TIE «Strengthening of the independent unions, building up women’s and young people’s networks, Belarus
MALAYSIAA
BRUNEI
ABVAKABO FNVABVAKABO FNV
» SEWA «Childcare centres to create work and income opportunities for the
poorest women, India
A
FNV BONDGENOTEN EN FNV BONDGENOTEN EN FNV BOUWFNV BOUW
» BWI «Organising workers and combating
child labour in the brick ovens, India, Nepal, Bangladesh
ZILAND
ABVAKABO FNVABVAKABO FNV
TRADE UNION CONFEDERATION
» ZCTU «Supporting The Worker, the
monthly publication of trade union federation ZCTU, Zimbabwe
FNV BONDGENOTENFNV BONDGENOTEN
» ITF «Strengthening the transport unions
along the East African transport corridor, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda,
Rwanda, Burundi
O N
FNV BONDGENOTENFNV BONDGENOTEN » APVVU «
Fighting for position and working conditions of agricultural labourers
and small farmers, India
8 / FNV Mondiaal 2013 mapped out
NORWAYWAY
IRELANDAND
NITEDUNITKINGDOMKINGD
FRANCEE
SPAINPORTUGALL
ITAITALY
ERMANYGGEERGE
MALTAGREECEEECECGG
POLANDBELARUS
UKRAINEUKRAIN
ROMANIA
GARIABULGA
ENSWEDE
TURKE
JOJJO
MOROROCCO
ALGERIA
MAURITANIA MALINIGER
LIBYA EGYPT
SUDAN
CHAD
NIGERIA
UNISIATUNI
EGALALAL
GUINEAINEA
ONE
LIBERIAA
CÔTED'IVOIRE
RKINABURKINAINRKINAASOFAFAS
GHANAG ANAANAGOGOTOTTOO O
BENINB
CAMEROONCAMERCENTRAL
AFRICAN REPUBLIC
UINEAAT. GUEQU NEAEQUAT GUINEAU UINE
GABONON ONGOCCO DEM. REP.OF CONGO
SÃO TOMÉ AND PRINCIPE UGANDAUG DADADAGAGA DAUGA
RWAR ANDAARRW
BURUNDIIBU
TANZ
ANGOLAZAMBIAMBIA
MMM
MZIMBABWEZ
BOTSWANA
NAMIBIA
SOUTH AFRICA
LESOTHOLESELESO
AZILANDZSWASWWAWAZSW
Solidarity Projects supported by FNV Unions / Morocco / Uganda / India
Study trip to Morocco
Everything to keep the children at school “I now realise more than ever the tremendous impor-
tance of education”, says Eline Zeilstra of primary
school De Akker in Boskoop in Holland. In February
2013 she took part in the study trip organised jointly
by the Dutch teaching union (AOb) and the Moroccan
education union SNE. She visited nine schools where
the SNE and the Moroccan Ministry of Education are
jointly tackling the high school drop-out rates. Child-
ren shouldn’t be kept at home, or sent to work on the
land, in tea shops or leather tanneries. Children need
to learn reading, writing and arithmetic – this is the
only way they can free themselves from the poverty of
their parents.
Since 2002, FNV Mondiaal and the AOb have been sup-
porting the SNE’s project to combat school drop-outs. The
study trip made a huge impression. Eline explains: “Some
schools had no windows and the children were sitting in the
classroom with their coats on.” The teachers‘ enthusiasm
was what particularly struck the Dutch visitors. Despite
their heavy day-to-day workload, teaching as many as 45
children of a variety of levels, they make time for after-
school activities and they visit the parents of the pupils at
home: everything to keep the children at school. On her ar-
rival back in Boskoop, Eline launched a school-wide project
about Morocco. The money that was collected was presen-
ted to a primary school in Ouazzane. The school annexes
had no toilets, washbasins or
drinking water. The prospect
of new sanitary fi xtures will,
in its turn, help children, and
in particular adolescent girls,
to like going to school better.
Source: ‘School is the best place to work. Child labour and education’. Dutch teaching union, 2013
PHOTO: Trudy Kerperien
PHOTO: Corbis/Hollandse HoogtePHOTO: Mario van de Luijtgaarden
FNV Mondiaal 2013 mapped out / 9
KAZAKHSTAN
MONGOLIA
CHINACHIN
ZSTANKYRGYZSTAKY GYZSTA
TAJIKISTANJIKISTANTTAAJIKISTANTUTURKMENISTAN
UZBEKISTANANEB AN
EY
SYRIAYRIA
ORDANOOR ANIRAQQ
SAUDI ARABIA
NOMAN
YEMEN
IRAN AFGHANISTAN
PAKISTANAP
MMIRIRSHMHHMHSHKASHKASHKASHMIRKASHMIK
INDIA
NEPALLNEPALHUTANBHUHUBHUTHU
HGLADESHBANGLADESHBANGLAGLADESH
SRI LANKASR
MYANMARANMMRMA)(BU(BURRM LAOSLA
THAILAND VIETNAMVI
CAMBODIAC MBOMBO ACA
MALAYSIAA
TAIWANTA
PHILIPPILIPPPILPHI IP
BRUNEI
INDONESIAN
ANN. KOREAA
S. KOS.
REAERITR
DJIBOUTIDJ
ETHIOPIAMALIASOMA
KENYA
ZANIA
ALAWIMMAMAMA
OZAMBIQUEMOZAMA
D
COMOROS
MADAGAADAGASCAR
Child care in India
Thinking in opportunities
The Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) in India is
performing pioneering work for women in the informal sec-
tor. Street vendors, home workers, cleaners, agricultural
workers: the majority live from day to day from a precari-
ous income and often in distressing conditions. The Indian
women’s trade union SEWA fi ghts for their dignity and their
rights, which includes the right to child care.
In 2012, three members and two executives of the Abvakabo FNV
child care sector travelled to India. They visited the Child Care
Centres for children from nought to six years of age, set up by
SEWA in the federal state of Gujarat. In November 2013, the Ge-
neral Secretary of SEWA, Jyoti Macwan and her colleague Jyostna
Parmar paid a return visit. During the Abvakabo conference ‘Thin-
king in opportunities’ (‘Denken in Kansen’), they gave an impres-
sive presentation on the importance of child care for working wo-
men in poor communities in India – as well as for their children.
The littlest ones no longer have to be taken with their mothers
to the fi elds or the factory, the bigger children can go to school
because they no longer have to take care of their younger little
sisters and brothers. It goes without saying that SEWA follows the
principles that it has for so long fought to achieve: the teachers at
the Child Care Centres, who come from the local community, are
never paid less than the minimum wage and have access to health
care and a social security insurance.
Abvakabo FNV supports SEWA’s the child care project. Interna-
tional solidarity is, as emerged during the course of both visits, a
source of inspiration, both in India but also for a sector which is
under pressure in the Netherlands.
Transport union Uganda
Performance feeds confi denceFNV Bondgenoten supports a project run by
the International Transport Workers’ Federa-
tion (ITF) in East Africa. The ITF directs its
efforts to health and safety in the workplace –
with a particular focus on HIV and AIDS – and
strengthening union organisation. Although
many African trade unions are going through a
diffi cult time, the transport union in Uganda,
which is a member of the ITF, is vigorously
promoting itself. In less than two years, the
Ugandan union ATGWU has managed to triple
the number of paying members: from two
thousand in 2012 to over six thousand by the
end of 2013. The secret? Ambition and perfor-
mance – two elements that in this case have a
mutually reinforcing effect.
The new team at the head of the ATGWU has a
mission: to make the transport union the most ef-
fective, effi cient and self-sustainable union in the
country. Ugandan workers often have the impres-
sion that the union executive kowtows to the
president and his party, and pays greater attention
to personal gain than to the needs of the rank-and-
fi le. However, it is quite clear to everyone that the
ATGWU does its utmost for its members. In 2013,
collective labour agreements were signed with the
biggest employers in the transport sector: South
African Airways, Emirates, Kenya Airways and the
Civil Aviation Authority. Wage increases from 10 to
13 percent were negotiated and new labour condi-
tions were included in the area of HIV and AIDS.
Employers are increasingly aware of the importan-
ce of the eradication of this disease, which affects
so many workers in the transport sector.
In Uganda things are no different from in the Ne-
therlands: the sustainability of a trade union stands
and falls by the number of paying members. African
employees, too, are prepared to become members
of a union if they see that it truly delivers value for
money.
PHOTO: Brenda Born
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
C A N A D A
MMMMEXICOMEXICO
THE BAHAMAS
JAMAICAHAITI
DOMINICANREP.
BELIZE
PANAMACOSTA RICA
EL SALVADOR
GUATEMALA
NICARAGUA
HONDURAS
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDAST KITTS AND NEVIS
DOMINICAST LUCIA
BARBADOS
GRENADA
ST VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES
VENEZUELA
COLOMBIAFRENCH GUIANA
SURINAME
GUYANA
BRAZILPERU
ECUADOR
BOLIVIA
PARAGUAY
CHILE
ARGENTINA
URUGUAY
ALASKAICELAND
NORWAY
IRELAND
UNITEDKINGDOM
FRANCE
SPAINPORTUGAL
ITALY
GERMANY
M
SWE
MOROCCO
WESTERNSAHARA
ALGERIA
MAURITANIA MALINIGER
NIGERIA
TUNISIA
SENEGALGAMBIA
GUINEA-BISSAU GUINEA
SIERRA LEONE
LIBERIA
CÔTED'IVOIRE
BURKINAFASO
GHANATOGO
BENIN
CAMEROON
EQUAT. GUINEA
GABON CON
SÃO TOMÉ AND PRINCIPE
N
MEXICO
COSTA RICA
SOCIAL BENCHMARK
10 / FNV Mondiaal 2013 mapped out
Trade Union Rights / Wordwide
Supporting trade unions in their work is of ongoing im-
portance. At the basis of this is their internationally
recognised right to organise and to collective bargaining,
with the associated freedom to strike. In many countries,
it is diffi cult for working people to organise and to fi ght
for better working conditions without running the risk of
dismissal, imprisonment or even murder. In that respect,
Colombia is still the most dangerous country in the world.
However, without these basic human rights, people are una-
ble to have their voices heard or their situation improved.
FNV supports projects to help trade unions safeguard these
rights, at international, national, company and individual
level. FNV protests to governments and companies where
trade union rights are being violated. This world atlas dis-
plays the projects whose primary theme in 2013 was ‘trade
union rights’ as well as the protest actions in which the FNV
participated, in conjunction with the FNV Writers’ Network.
TRADE UNION RIGHTS
UNDER PRESSURE
TRADE UNION FOR TRADE UNION FOR DOMESTIC WORKERS DOMESTIC WORKERS
» SINTTRAHOL «
Better union organisation of domestic workers: strengthe-ning of the national federation for domestic workers FENAT-TRAHOP and strengthening union for domestic workers
SINTTRAHOL; ratifi cation of the ILO convention for domestic
workers; amending law 2786.Peru
D A
INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION FOR THE FLOWER SECTORFOR THE FLOWER SECTOR
» IUF «Trade union rights in the fl ower
sector in Colombia: Contributing to the organisation
strengthening of trade unions, the right to organise and to collective bargaining, promoting working conditions and promoting social dialogue in the fl ower sector.
Colombia
TRADE UNION TRADE UNION TRAINING INSTITUTETRAINING INSTITUTE
» IESI «VStrengthening the capacity of
union leaders necessary for social dialogue; trade union fede-ration CGTP, in coordination with
other federations, including decent work aspects in the dialogues in the textile, agro-export, domestic work and government sectors.
Peru
CIP
N
AGRICULTURAL UNION GHANA
NGO ESCUELA NGO ESCUELA NACIONAL SINDICAL NACIONAL SINDICAL
» ENS «Support in strengthening
trade union movement – 2013The ENS provides the necessary information for the trade union
federations CUT and CTC to conduct campaigns against violations of
trade union rights.Colombia
RUGUAYU
THE UNION FOR THE UNION FOR TEXTILE AND CLOTHING TEXTILE AND CLOTHING
INDUSTRY INDUSTRY » FNTTP «
Abolition of a special law regarded as the major obstacle to organisati-on and consequently improvement of the conditions in the clothing industry; strengthening of the
capacity of FNTTP to monitor trade union rights, to raise the issue of violation and to protect rights.
Peru
BADOS
UELA
ELANDICELAND
IRELANDAND
SPORTUGALL
MOROCOCCO
WESTERNSAHARAA
MAURITANIA
INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION FOR WORKERS IN COMMERCIAL, FOR WORKERS IN COMMERCIAL,
FINANCIAL, GRAPHICAL AND FINANCIAL, GRAPHICAL AND INDUSTRIAL SECTORSINDUSTRIAL SECTORS
» UNI «Monitoring and defending (inter-national) human and trade union rights of member unions of UNI in Colombia in three high-profi le
multinational companies: Carrefour, Kimberly Clark and
Telefónica; total compliance with the global agreements that UNI
has entered into with these companies.ColombiaUnion leaders
murdered in Colombia in 2013
Oscar Pérez †Oscar Pérez †
Joaquín Mendoza Medrano † Joaquín Mendoza Medrano †
Juan Carlos Pérez Muñoz † Juan Carlos Pérez Muñoz †
Elizabeth Gutiérrez † Elizabeth Gutiérrez †
Edilberto Rangel Zambrano † Edilberto Rangel Zambrano †
Néstor Manuel Hinestroza Mendoza † Néstor Manuel Hinestroza Mendoza †
Leonardo García Morera † Leonardo García Morera †
Salvador Casso Dizu † Salvador Casso Dizu †
Mario Manuel Ruiz Tovar † Mario Manuel Ruiz Tovar †
Narciso Beltrán † Narciso Beltrán †
Daniel Mancera Bernal † Daniel Mancera Bernal †
Fabián Enrique Espinosa Cabarcas † Fabián Enrique Espinosa Cabarcas †
Francisco José Mena Henao † Francisco José Mena Henao †
Didier Martínez Mejía † Didier Martínez Mejía †
Esneider Rubio Herrera † Esneider Rubio Herrera †
Luis Fabio Campo Rodríguez † Luis Fabio Campo Rodríguez †
Gloria Lucy López Fuentes † Gloria Lucy López Fuentes †
Francisco José Ocampo Cepeda † Francisco José Ocampo Cepeda †
Fernando Flórez Viveros † Fernando Flórez Viveros †
Graciela Rodríguez Ramos † Graciela Rodríguez Ramos †
Johani Antonio Ramírez † Johani Antonio Ramírez †
Juan David Gómez Vertel † Juan David Gómez Vertel †
Oscar López Triviño † Oscar López Triviño †
Robinson Piedrahita Llanos † Robinson Piedrahita Llanos †
Héctor José Monterrosa Bolaños † Héctor José Monterrosa Bolaños †
Carlos Edmundo García Herreros † Carlos Edmundo García Herreros †
Pedro Alejandrino Camperos †Pedro Alejandrino Camperos †
MALTAGREECE
POLANDBELARUS
UKRAINE
ROMANIA
BULGARIA
DEN
FINLAND
R U S S I A N F E D E R A T I O N
KAZAKHSTAN
MONGOLIA
CHINA
KYRGYZSTAN
TAJIKISTANTURKMENISTAN
UZBEKISTAN
TURKEY
SYRIA
JORDANIRAQ
SAUDI ARABIA
OMAN
YEMEN
IRAN AFGHANISTAN
PAKISTAN
KASHMIR
INDIA
NEPALBHUTAN
BANGLADESH
SRI LANKA
MYANMAR(BURMA) LAOS
THAILAND VIETNAM
CAMBODIA
MALAYSIA
TAIWAN
PHILIPPINES
BRUNEI
INDONESIA
EAST TIMOR
PAPUA NEW GUINEA
SOLOMON ISLANDS
N. KOREA
S. KOREA JAPAN
PALAU
NAURU
VANUATU
AUSTRALIA
NEW ZEALAND
LIBYA EGYPT
SUDAN
CHAD
CENTRALAFRICAN REPUBLIC
A
NGO DEM. REP.OF CONGO
ERITREA
DJIBOUTI
ETHIOPIASOMALIA
KENYAUGANDA
RWANDA
BURUNDI
TANZANIA
ANGOLAZAMBIA
MALAWI
MOZAMBIQUEZIMBABWE
BOTSWANA
NAMIBIA
SOUTH AFRICA
LESOTHO
SWAZILAND
COMOROS
MADAGASCAR
FIJI
FNV Mondiaal 2013 mapped out / 11
FNV Protest letters
Colombia – JanuaryLetter to president of Colombia. During collective
negotiations at coal mining company Cerrejón, union leaders including Igor Karel Lopez and his family were threatened. Appeal to the president to do everything possible to ensure their safety and to enable the col-
lective bargaining processes to continue with respect for fundamental labour rights.
Thailand – JanuaryLetter to ambassador of Thailand calling on the authori-ties to drop the charges against Somyot Prueksakasem-suk. Somyot is in prison for ‘insulting the king’ because in 2010 he was editor of a magazine, two articles in
which allegedly contained an insult to the king.
Colombia – AprilLetter to the president of Colombia. On 1 April, 92
organisations, social and political leaders in Colombia, including union leaders and human rights activists, received threats, the perpetrators of which said that they were ready to go beyond threats if they were not taken seriously. Appeal to the president to give
assurances over the safety of those targeted by these threats and to take steps to ensure that they are able to carry out their work with respect for human and trade
union rights
MBIQUE
TRADE UNION CONFEDERATION TRADE UNION CONFEDERATION » ZCTU «
Strengthening the trade union movement: training on trade union
rights for union training offi cers and union members; member
recruitment; mobilisation.Zimbabwe
N
SOUT
AGRICULTURAL UNION AGRICULTURAL UNION GHANAGHANA
» GAWU «Organisation strengthening: organi-sing and recruiting, re-establishing
or renewed establishing of structures; communication with
the members; advocacy and wage bargaining.
Ghana
NE
JEWISH/ARAB TRADE UNION JEWISH/ARAB TRADE UNION THE WORKERS ADVICE CENTER THE WORKERS ADVICE CENTER
» WAC « Organising and training truck dri-vers and teachers and supporting the most vulnerable section of the workers: unemployed Arab women
in agriculture and unemployed Palestinians in East Jerusalem.
Israel
UNION FOR UNION FOR SECURITY STAFFSECURITY STAFF
» ZISEGU «Building and strengthening of the
union. Zimbabwe
Letter campaigns 2013
February
Mexico – online / Writers networkInternational solidarity week for Mexico, 18 to 24 February 2013. To put an end to ‘yellow’ unions and to appeal for respect for independent unions, reinstatement of unjustly
dismissed union leaders at PKC, Modelo (Corona), Honda and other companies. Recovery of the bodies of the miners who
lost their lives in 2006, amendment of the labour law undermi-ning the rights of workers and unions.
June
Qatar / FIFA – online / Writers network
Many fatalities during the construction of the infrastructure for the Qatar 2022 football World Cup. Inhumane working
conditions in which the labour migrants, mostly Nepalese, are required to work. Modern slavery. Appeal to FIFA to choose a
WC location where the rights of workers are respected.
July
Bangladesh – Urgent Action NetwerkPoor labour conditions, safety in textile factories in Bangladesh.
Fires in factories, collapse of Rana Plaza building with 1,100 fatalities.
Appeal to the Bengali government to amend the labour law so that all workers are guaranteed the right to organise in a union
and to negotiate collectively on conditions of employment. Only with strong unions will workers be enabled to prevent
such disasters as the recent ones.
September
Honduras – Urgent Action NetwerkArmed men attempted to force their way into the home of Vic-tor Crespo, the general secretary of a trade union in Honduras. They threatened Crespo’s life—and only fl ed the scene once
neighbours were alerted.Urge the president to secure Crespo’s safety with police
protection and to give assurances over workers being able to exercise their legal right to collectively bargain.
December
China - Writers networkWu Guijun has been kept in detention since 23 May for having been involved in a strike. Since then he has been denied free access to his family. Wu Guijun faces criminal prosecution but his ‘crime’ was defending the rights of his co-workers. Call on the local government to release Wu Guijun from detention and for his internationally recognised rights to be respected and for the reform of the law to guarantee these fundamental rights.
SRI LANKASR
BOCC
» TPAWU «Strengthening of the capacity of the agricultural and plantation
union TPAWU in leadership, organi-sing, training.
Tanzania
12 / FNV Mondiaal 2013 mapped out
Trade Union Rights / Indonesia
Winner of the 2013 Febe Elizabeth Velásquez Trade Union Rights Award
Indonesian trade union leader Said Iqbal:
“In the past fi ve years, Indonesia has become an economic power. The economic growth in our country
is currently the second highest in the world, the GNP is in sixteenth position, the investment climate
has a triple A status, the debt burden has declined, the country is rich in raw materials: oil, natural gas,
gold, food, jungle. We’ve got everything in Indonesia.
“The conditions of the workers are in stark contrast to this
picture. In 2012, the national minimum wage was around a
hundred Euros a month. There are often only forty or fi fty
Euros left for food, education and clothing. Social welfare
is minimal. Employees have health insurance, but if you
lose your job, then that’s gone as well. In any case, there’s
limited cover for medical expenses: the patient contribu-
tion is high and many medical expenses are not included.
For example, a pregnant employee has to fi nd extra money
to pay for the midwife. Employees have no pension. In ad-
dition, the business sector is kept afl oat by 16 million ‘fl ex
workers’: they earn less than the minimum wage and are
not insured.
“When someone has worked
for forty years, but is still
too poor to be able to afford
to buy shoes, then some-
thing isn’t quite right”
“For fi fteen years, the trade union has battled against low
wages and for social reforms, and this has recently yielded
some major victories. A new law on health insurance
has recently been signed: as of 2014, every Indonesian
has the right to unlimited health coverage for all medical
treatments. Employers are also obliged to contribute to
their employees’ pension schemes. Possibly even more
important is the fact that the government has abolished the
low-wage-policy. The strategy is no longer that of keeping
the wages as low as possible. The government realises
that higher wages contribute to economic growth. Since
2012, the wages have risen by over 40 percent! Finally,
employers may only make use of temporary workers in a
few sectors.
“These victories have not been without a struggle. Some
employers have used gangs of thugs to intimidate us. The
police did nothing. Strikers and activists were threatened
with imprisonment. My wife and I regularly receive death
threats. What I always say is: God isn’t going to change the
fate of a small group of people, unless they’re prepared to
do something themselves.”
PHOTO: Merel Maissan
FOTO: Huub Ruijgrok
FNV Mondiaal 2013 mapped out / 13
PANAMANAPANAM
COSTA RICARICAVENEZU
COLOMBIAOMBCO
PERUPE
ECUUADOR
CHILEE
Union leader in Colombia, a dangerous profession
Wherever Igor Diaz goes, bodyguards go with him
Trade Union Rights / Colombia
Wherever Igor Diaz goes, armed body-
guards go with him, bulletproof vests
tightly over their bodies, dark sunglas-
ses concealing peering eyes. This is no
luxury. Being a trade union leader in
Colombia is dangerous. Igor Diaz is pre-
sident of Sintracarbon, the trade union
for people working in the coal mines
in Guajira, the northernmost point of
Colombia. Huge trucks drive in and out.
Clouds of jet-black dust are blown up
every time the gigantic grabs tip the coal
into the trucks. This is one of the biggest
open-pit coal mines in the world. The
black gold lies on the surface, there for
the taking. Part of the coal is shipped to
the Netherlands.
Last year, Sintracarbon achieved a
remarkable victory. After a strike lasting
32 days, employer Cerrejón changed
tack: 630 workers with temporary con-
tracts were given permanent ones, health
care would be regulated for employees
as well as for ex-employees and transpor-
tation to and from work would be impro-
ved. A resounding success for the union.
However, Igor Diaz paid a high price. Im-
mediately after the strike, he was forced
to leave his house. There were concrete
indications that he and his family should
fear for their lives. Diaz: “We live in fear,
that is true. Every day when we come
home, we think: we’ve survived another
day. But we have no choice but to go on.”
Colombia is a violent country. This also
affects trade union leaders. In 2013, 27
trade union leaders were the victims of
violence. Violence and threats are part of
the negotiation strategy in Colombia. By
threatening the activists – and carrying
out killings on a regular basis – the local
ruling elite, entrepreneurs and politicians
are able to maintain their position. Trou-
blemakers are silenced. Hitmen – the
infamous sicarios – cost next to nothing.
For a couple of hundred dollars you’re
rid of an antagonist.
Igor Diaz is one of the Working Class
Heroes in Colombia. You are a hero if
you not only fi ght for others, at risk of
your own life, but if you also keep going,
even when things get diffi cult. More than
a hero, though, Diaz is not only a charis-
matic union leader, but also a pragmatic
one, averse to the macho behaviour
displayed by many of the old-style trade
union leaders in Latin America. Diaz
tells it how it is, without any ideological
hair-splitting. In this way, he achieves
concrete results for his colleagues. Em-
ployers, too, value this increasingly. They
know where they are with Diaz.
PHOTO: Ruth Vermeulen
14 / FNV Mondiaal 2013 mapped out
Trade Union Rights / Working class heroes / Worldwide / Colombia / Indonesia /
Documentary on Working Class HeroesColombia and Indonesia are fast growers: the national in-
come is increasing, the average level of prosperity is rising.
Good news. However, the growth model is often based on
low wages and on poor working conditions. The interests
of workers and fundamental labour norms are all too easily
forgotten. A new generation of union leaders is successfully
getting the right to organise and to collective bargaining
onto the agenda. Not infrequently at the cost of personal
sacrifi ce.
The documentary Working Class Heroes portrays Siad
Iqbal from Indonesia and Igor Diaz from Colombia: trade
union leaders new style. Working Class Heroes was made by
fi lmers Huub Ruijgrok and Arno van Beest, in cooperation
with FNV Mondiaal, in May 2013.
PHOTO: Rebke Klokke
FNV Mondiaal 2013 mapped out / 15
Photo competion on Facebook
Filmer Huub Ruijgrok and FNV Mondiaal organised
a photo competition on the Working Class Heroes
Facebook page. People were invited to make a photo
of themselves or with colleagues at work with the text
‘Working Class Heroes’. Especially in Indonesia a lot
of photos were uploaded. On these pages you will see
a small selection.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
C A N A D A
MMMMEXICOMEXICO
THE BAHAMAS
JAMAICAHAITI
DOMINICANREP.
BELIZE
PANAMA
EL SALVADOR
GUATEMALA
NICARAGUA
HONDURAS
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDAST KITTS AND NEVIS
DOMINICAST LUCIA
BARBADOS
GRENADA
TRINIDADAND TOBAGO
ST VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES
VENEZUELA
COLOMBIAFRENCH GUIANA
SURINAME
GUYANA
BRAZILPERU
ECUADOR
BOLIVIA
PARAGUAY
CHILE
ARGENTINA
URUGUAY
ALASKAICELAND
NORWAY
IRELAND
UNITEDKINGDOM
FRANCE
SPAINPORTUGAL
ITALY
GERMANY
M
SWE
MOROCCO
WESTERNSAHARA
ALGERIA
MAURITANIA MALINIGER
NIGERIA
TUNISIA
SENEGALGAMBIA
GUINEA-BISSAU GUINEA
SIERRA LEONE
LIBERIA
CÔTED'IVOIRE
BURKINAFASO
GHANATOGO
BENIN
CAMEROON
EQUAT. GUINEA
GABON CON
SÃO TOMÉ AND PRINCIPE
N
MEXICO
COSTA RICA
SOCIAL BENCHMARK
16 / FNV Mondiaal 2013 mapped out
Precarious Work / Worldwide
The trend towards precarious work is increasing globally.
Many people work in a situation in which they earn too
little to support themselves, without a decent contract or
the prospect of secure work, social protection or the right
to organise. Secure jobs are being replaced by precarious
work, people are being forced to become self-employed and
they then end up in the informal economy. In any event,
precarious work undermines decent labour conditions and
trade union organisation and thereby the possibility for
people to build a future for themselves. FNV supports pro-
jects where trade unions and labour NGOs commit them-
selves to creating greater security for workers. This world
atlas displays the projects supported by FNV Mondiaal in
2013 where the primary theme is ‘greater certainty in work
and income’ for people in precarious work.
PRECARIOUSWORK
FNV MONDIAAL
= all the countries in which the projects are conducted.
The world map gives a description of a selection of these projects
RESEARCH INSTITUTERESEARCH INSTITUTE
» PLADES «Supporting organisations of informal
workers. Helping conduct lobbying and dialogue activities to fi ght for their
rights and for decent work.Peru
GLOBAL UNION FEDERATION FOR GLOBAL UNION FEDERATION FOR TRANSPORT SECTORTRANSPORT SECTOR
» ITF «Organising workers in the Latin
American aviation industry, collective bargaining, improving working conditions and social dialogue.
Peru and Colombia
WORKERS WORLD MEDIA
PRODUCTIONS Training young people, women, unions via labour community radio in media and organisational skills to mobilise
their communities to fi ght for rights and decent work. South Africa
UNION FOR DOMESTIC WORKERSUNION FOR DOMESTIC WORKERS
» SINTRRAHOL «Training in professional, personal and
communicative skills of domestic workers, job training for members of
SINTTRAHOL.Peru
GLOBAL UNION FEDERATION FOR GLOBAL UNION FEDERATION FOR THE MINING, ENERGY AND MANU-THE MINING, ENERGY AND MANU-
FACTURING INDUSTRIESFACTURING INDUSTRIES
» INDUSTRIALL «Strengthening unions to change or
abolish the practice of contracting out work.
Colombia
BAHAMAS
DOMINICANREP.RE
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDAST KITTS AND NEVIS
D
NCENT AND THE GR
VEN
GLOBAL UNION FEDERATION FOR GLOBAL UNION FEDERATION FOR COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, GRAPHI-COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, GRAPHI-
CAL AND INDUSTRIAL SECTORCAL AND INDUSTRIAL SECTOR
» UNI «Promoting decent work in multina-tionals Carrefour, Kimberley Clark,
Telefonic, American Movil.Colombia
MALTAGREECE
POLANDBELARUS
UKRAINE
ROMANIA
BULGARIA
DEN
FINLAND
R U S S I A N F E D E R A T I O N
KAZAKHSTAN
MONGOLIA
CHINA
KYRGYZSTAN
TURKMENISTAN
UZBEKISTAN
TURKEY
SYRIA
JORDANIRAQ
SAUDI ARABIA
OMAN
YEMEN
IRAN AFGHANISTAN
PAKISTAN
KASHMIR
INDIA
NEPAL
SRI LANKA
MYANMAR(BURMA) LAOS
THAILAND VIETNAM
CAMBODIA
MALAYSIA
TAIWAN
PHILIPPINES
BRUNEI
INDONESIA
EAST TIMOR
PAPUA NEW GUINEA
SOLOMON ISLANDS
N. KOREA
S. KOREA JAPAN
PALAU
NAURU
VANUATU
AUSTRALIA
NEW ZEALAND
LIBYA EGYPT
SUDAN
CHAD
CENTRALAFRICAN REPUBLIC
A
NGO DEM. REP.OF CONGO
ERITREA
DJIBOUTI
ETHIOPIASOMALIA
KENYAUGANDA
RWANDA
BURUNDI
TANZANIA
ANGOLAZAMBIA
MALAWI
MOZAMBIQUEZIMBABWE
BOTSWANA
NAMIBIA
SOUTH AFRICA
LESOTHO
SWAZILAND
COMOROS
MADAGASCAR
FIJI
FNV Mondiaal 2013 mapped out / 17
WORLDWIDE (in 15 countries)
GLOBAL UNION FEDERATION GLOBAL UNION FEDERATION FOR DOMESTIC WORKERSFOR DOMESTIC WORKERS
» IUF «Domestic workers
assert their rights and position.
WORLDWIDE (in 23 countries)
INTERNATIONAL ALLIANCE FOR INTERNATIONAL ALLIANCE FOR STREET VENDORSSTREET VENDORS
» STREETNET «INTERNATIONAL Better working conditions and
more certainty in work for street vendors
U S N F E
STA
GLOBAL UNION FEDERATION FOR GLOBAL UNION FEDERATION FOR THE BUILDING AND WOOD SECTOR THE BUILDING AND WOOD SECTOR
» BWI «Improving living and working conditions of labour migrants in Asia. E.g. informa-tion in Nepal for labour migrants going
to work in Qatar.
NA
A
GLOBAL UNION FEDERATION GLOBAL UNION FEDERATION FOR THE MINING, ENERGY AND FOR THE MINING, ENERGY AND
MANUFACTURING SECTORMANUFACTURING SECTOR
» INDUSTRIALL «Improving working conditions
of shipbreakers.India, Bangladesh
A
» UNIVERSITY «OF WESTERN CAPE
Research into regulating precarious work, better labour legislation and
regulation. South Africa
RESEARCH INSTITUTE RESEARCH INSTITUTE IN ZIMBABWEIN ZIMBABWE
» LEDRIZ «Research into the deregulation and
fl exibilisation of work and prevention of precarious work.
Benin, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe,
South Africa.
GLOBAL UNION FEDERATION FOR GLOBAL UNION FEDERATION FOR THE BUILDING AND WOOD SECTORTHE BUILDING AND WOOD SECTOR»
BWI « Union organisation and union action in building and infrastructural projects in East Africa for decent work. Monitoring (inter)national agreements, rights of workers in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda,
Rwanda
LABOUR NGOLABOUR NGO
» SAVE «Improving labour rights of garment
workers, combating bonded labour by girls.India
S. KOREAS.
LABOUR NGOLABOUR NGO
» OSHE «Organising garbage collectors and pro-moting awareness of health and safety.
Bangladesh
R A T I O
NG
A
GLOBAL UNION FEDERATION FOR GLOBAL UNION FEDERATION FOR THE BUILDING AND WOOD SECTORTHE BUILDING AND WOOD SECTOR
» BWI «aLabour rights in projects funded by the Asia Development Bank. India, Nepal,
Pakistan, Bangladesh
ESIA
W GUINEAW
SOLOMON ISLANDS
NAURU
TRADE UNION FEDERATION TRADE UNION FEDERATION » KSPI «
Achieving decent work, social protection, equality for men and women and enact-
ment of the law against outsourcing.Indonesia
18 / FNV Mondiaal 2013 mapped out
IRAQQ
ARABIA
NOMAN
YEMEN
PAKISTANAP
INDIA
NEPALLNEPAL
BABA
SRI LANKASR
TI
AMALIASOMA
COMOROS
MADAGAADAGASCAR
Precarious Work / India
Construction sites in India
How the Asian Development Bank keeps its eyes closed
Five thousand labourers, for the most part domestic labour migrants, are working
on the construction sites for the new metro line in the city of Bangalore, India. In
poor housing, thousands of kilometres from home. They work from twelve to as
many as sixteen hours a day, with work going on through the nights as well. Their
working conditions are abysmal. The growth phenomenon that is India is making
substantial investments in infrastructural projects. Following the dictates of modern
development thinking - building railways, ports and power stations creates employ-
ment and benefi ts the entrepreneurial climate. Along the same line of thought, a me-
tro is good for the mobility of the poor: it increases their chances of earning money.
The construction of the metro in the Indian federal state of Karnataka is largely
being funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Even more ironic, then, is the
fact that there is so much amiss in the working conditions. The ADB has committed
itself to the Core Labour Standards of the ILO, but in practice, it is only too keen
to pass on the buck of supervision of compliance to the local government or to the
contractors. FNV Mondiaal and its local partners have opted to strategically focus
attention on the ADB: surely a development bank should be open to complaints
about labour and trade union rights violations? What is more, these are issues con-
cerning projects with thousands of employees: there is therefore a lot to be gained.
And this is indeed what is happening. In July 2013, the Indian
government withdrew the construction licence of four big
contractors because they were guilty of violations of the strict
Indian labour law as well as the international labour laws.
Indian trade unions, supported by international sectoral unions
and the FNV, visited the building site for the construction of the
metro and documented numerous defi ciencies: payments below
the minimum wage, non-payment of overtime, intimidation of
trade unions, non-compliance with the health and safety policy,
and use of child labour. This research produced important
evidence for the historic decision by the Indian government to
withdraw the construction licence. The companies have mean-
while appealed against the decision.
In the Netherlands, the research report was presented to
Minister Ploumen of Foreign Trade and Development Coopera-
tion. The Netherlands is a donor and shareholder of the ADB,
making this an ideal opportunity to conduct parallel lobbying
at home. Once again with success: on the recommendation of
Ploumen, the Dutch delegation put critical questions at the shareholders’ meeting
of the ADB in May 2013 on the compliance with labour laws in the projects fi nanced
by the ADB. It also supported the demand by the Indian union delegation to set up a
labour desk within the ADB, so as to improve complaint handling and monitoring
PHOTO: Corbis/Hollandse Hoogte
PHOTO: Corbis/Hollandse Hoogte
FNV Mondiaal 2013 mapped out / 19
2022 WC football
Four thousand empty places in the Qatar stadiums
We can already begin looking forward to it: the WC football in Qatar in 2022. Will
the Dutch dream of becoming world champion fi nally come true? In Qatar itself,
they’re already hard at work: roads are being constructed, stadiums built, hotel ca-
pacity increased; it’s one gigantic construction site. And as mostly tends to happen
in the oil-rich Gulf States, the work on the sites themselves is carried out by wor-
kers from other countries: India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and, above all, Nepal. For
the international Building and Woodworkers union (BWI), this situation means all
hands on deck. In a building hotspot like this one, where large numbers of migrant
workers are deployed, labour laws are all too often forgotten. This is also the case
in Qatar. In 2013 alone, 185 Nepalese migrants lost their lives during the construc-
tion work for the 2022 WC. Being a migrant worker in Qatar is not only dangerous,
it also means you are deprived of your freedom. The majority of the workers have
to surrender their passports immediately upon arrival, which prevents them from
going anywhere they want. Janna Mud, who visited the WC construction sites in
Qatar on behalf of FNV Bouw in 2013, considered that this situation merited the
term ‘slavery’.
Qatar does not have a free trade union, and so with the help of FNV Mondiaal, the
BWI has to steer a roundabout course to organise the migrants. This often happens
by approaching the migrants in their own country and informing them of their
rights. Workers are given a special texting number that they can use to raise the
alarm if their rights are being violated or if they are at risk. What is also happening
is that BWI, in cooperation with unions in the countries of origin, is recruiting
labourers who are working undercover to try and organise their fellow workers
and get them to stand up for their rights. This is dangerous union work, with many
limitations.
In addition to these initiatives from the grass roots, pressure from outside is also
needed. The international trade union confederation ITUC is endeavouring to get
the international football association FIFA to put pressure on the FIFA host coun-
try Qatar to improve the working conditions. The fear is that if nothing is done, the
construction work for the WC will cost the lives of four thousand workers. In the
words of Ton Heerts, president of the FNV: “If we don’t act to stop this, then we
can symbolically keep a four-thousand-seat section in the stadium empty in me-
mory of the people who lost their lives during construction. We’ll never let things
let get that far, surely!”
Precarious Work / Qatar
PHOTO: ITUC
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
C A N A D A
MMMMEXICOMEXICO
THE BAHAMAS
JAMAICAHAITI
DOMINICANREP.
BELIZE
PANAMACOSTA RICA
EL SALVADOR
GUATEMALA
NICARAGUA
HONDURAS
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDAST KITTS AND NEVIS
DOMINICAST LUCIA
BARBADOS
GRENADA
TRINIDADAND TOBAGO
ST VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES
VENEZUELA
COLOMBIAFRENCH GUIANA
SURINAME
GUYANA
BRAZILPERU
ECUADOR
BOLIVIA
PARAGUAY
CHILE
ARGENTINA
URUGUAY
ALASKAICELAND
NORWAY
IRELAND
UNITEDKINGDOM
FRANCE
SPAINPORTUGAL
ITALY
GERMANY
M
SWE
MOROCCO
WESTERNSAHARA
ALGERIA
MAURITANIA MALINIGER
NIGERIA
TUNISIA
SENEGALGAMBIA
GUINEA-BISSAU GUINEA
SIERRA LEONE
LIBERIA
CÔTED'IVOIRE
BURKINAFASO
GHANATOGO
BENIN
CAMEROON
EQUAT. GUINEA
GABON CON
SÃO TOMÉ AND PRINCIPE
N
COSTA RICA
SOCIAL BENCHMARK
20 / FNV Mondiaal 2013 mapped out
FNV interprets Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
as meaning that companies keep at a minimum to the
fundamental labour norms of the International Labour
Organisation ILO: the freedom of workers to organise
and to collective bargaining on labour conditions, no
child labour, no forced labour and no discrimination.
In addition to the above, many countries regard other
criteria as essential, such as payment of a living wage.
FNV calls companies to account for their social policy
and supports trade unions in negotiating with compa-
nies. This world atlas displays the projects that FNV
Mondiaal supported in 2013 and which predominantly
are related to CSR as practised by companies. The
FNV’s commitment to CSR also applies to activities in
the Netherlands
Coporate Social Responsibility / Worldwide
CSRFNV MONDIAAL
GLOBAL UNION FEDERATION GLOBAL UNION FEDERATION FOR TRANSPORT FOR TRANSPORT
» ITF «For workers in the Latin American
aviation industry: developing unions, right to organise and to collective bargaining, improving
working conditions in avia-tion, promoting social dialogue,
promoting solidarity between the workers in the Latin
American aviation industry.Colombia and Peru
SÃO T
AGRICULTURAL UNION AGRICULTURAL UNION » GAWU «
Development of child labour-free zones in rural communities.
Ghana
D A
THE
HAITHA
GLOBAL UNION FEDERATION GLOBAL UNION FEDERATION FOR COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, FOR COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL,
GRAPHICAL AND INDUSTRIAL GRAPHICAL AND INDUSTRIAL SECTORSSECTORS
» UNI «UNI Network International
Monitoring a number of compa-nies for compliance with trade
union rights, conducting (interna-tional) campaigns against these companies when violations occur in order for them to change their behaviour. Promoting Decent Work in a number of multinationals such as Carrefour, Kimberley Clark and
Telefonic and American Movil.Colombia
GLOBAL GLOBAL UNION FEDERATION FOR UNION FEDERATION FOR
THE FLOWER SECTOR THE FLOWER SECTOR » IUF «
Trade union rights in the fl ower sector: contributing to organi-sational strengthening of trade
unions, the right to organise and to collective bargaining, improving working conditions and promoting
social dialogue.Colombia
IRELANDAND
PORTUGALL
» FNV BONDGENOTEN «AND THE FÉDÉRATION NATIONALE AND THE FÉDÉRATION NATIONALE
DU SECTEUR AGRICOLE IN MO-DU SECTEUR AGRICOLE IN MO-ROCCOROCCO » UMT «
Training project for union representa-tives from Agricultural union FNSA-UMT;
building social dialogue, training on safe working conditions in Morocco
ZIL
TRADE UNION NGOTRADE UNION NGO
» TIE «Self-organisation of workers in the Netherlands and Brazil working at DAF (Paccar) through exchange of knowledge on and experience in trade union work and trade union
structure.the Netherlands and BrazilTRADE UNION FEDERATION FOR TRADE UNION FEDERATION FOR
GARMENT WORKERSGARMENT WORKERS
» FNTTP «Strengthening the capacity to
monitor and protect labour rights in the textile and garment sector
and remedy any violation of these rights.Peru
NORW
NITUNITINGDKINGD
AIN
A
AL
» FNV BONDGENOTEN « TRADE UNION NGOTRADE UNION NGO
» TIE «Exchange (knowledge, solidarity) between
union representatives from the cocoa-processing industry in the Netherlands
and Ghana
MALTAGREECE
POLANDBELARUS
UKRAINE
ROMANIA
BULGARIA
DEN
FINLAND
R U S S I A N F E D E R A T I O N
KAZAKHSTAN
MONGOLIA
CHINA
KYRGYZSTAN
TAJIKISTANTURKMENISTAN
UZBEKISTAN
TURKEY
SYRIA
JORDANIRAQ
SAUDI ARABIA
OMAN
YEMEN
IRAN AFGHANISTAN
PAKISTAN
KASHMIR
INDIA
NEPALBHUTAN
BANGLADESH
SRI LANKA
MYANMAR(BURMA) LAOS
VIETNAM
CAMBODIA
MALAYSIA
TAIWAN
PHILIPPINES
BRUNEI
INDONESIA
EAST TIMOR
PAPUA NEW GUINEA
SOLOMON ISLANDS
N. KOREA
S. KOREA JAPAN
PALAU
NAURU
VANUATU
AUSTRALIA
NEW ZEALAND
LIBYA EGYPT
SUDAN
CHAD
CENTRALAFRICAN REPUBLIC
A
NGO DEM. REP.OF CONGO
ERITREA
DJIBOUTI
ETHIOPIASOMALIA
KENYAUGANDA
RWANDA
BURUNDI
TANZANIA
ANGOLAZAMBIA
MALAWI
MOZAMBIQUEZIMBABWE
BOTSWANA
NAMIBIA
SOUTH AFRICA
LESOTHO
SWAZILAND
COMOROS
MADAGASCAR
FIJI
FNV Mondiaal 2013 mapped out / 21
In the Netherlands FNV conducts lobbying & campaigns by actively
participating in
• Fair Wear Foundation• Eerlijke Bankwijzer
• MVO Platform• The Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH) electronics,
natural stone, tropical timber• Schone Kleren Campagne
• Stop Child labour Campagne• Good Electronics
• Fair Flowers and PlantsFNV Bondgenoten: working groups
for cocoa and hazelnuts.
R
AZSWASWWAWASW
GLOBAL UNION FEDERATION GLOBAL UNION FEDERATION FOR THE BUILDING AND WOOD FOR THE BUILDING AND WOOD SECTORUW- EN HOUTSECTORSECTORUW- EN HOUTSECTOR
» BWI «Recruiting more union members for projects in the infrastructure in South Africa and Zimbabwe,
active participation of the unions in negotiations and social dialogue to improve the conditions, particularly of workers with precarious work,
and supporting unions in infl uencing national policy with regard to
precarious workSouth Africa, Zimbabwe
GUINEA
SOLOMON ISLANDS
ALAU
NAURU
VANUATU
FIJI
GLOBAL UNION FEDERATION GLOBAL UNION FEDERATION FOR THE MINING, ENERGY AND FOR THE MINING, ENERGY AND
MANUFACTURING INDUSTRYMANUFACTURING INDUSTRY
» INDUSTRIALL «Improving the capacity of unions to conduct social dialogue and
negotiations, through training on how to deal with multinationals, conducting social dialogue and
(international) networking, through organisational strengthening of
the union and through developing unity among the unions at national
level.Indonesia, India
LABOUR NGOLABOUR NGO
» OSHE «Working on decent work in the
shipbreaking yards.Bangladesh
CH
TA
LABOUR NGOLABOUR NGO
» BLWF «Awareness-raising, prevention and combating of child labour in Ban-gladesh’s most important sector:
the textile sector.Bangladesh
I O
GLOBAL GLOBAL UNION FEDERATION FOR UNION FEDERATION FOR
THE PUBLIC SECTOR THE PUBLIC SECTOR » PSI «
Integration of the fundamental labour norms in projects funded by
the Asia Development Bank.India
NN. KOREAA
GLOBAL UNION FEDERATION GLOBAL UNION FEDERATION FOR TEXTILEFOR TEXTILE
» INDUSTRIALL «Workers in the garment industry
organise in trade unions so that they are better able to fi ght for improvement in their working
conditions.Bangladesh
UK
TRADE UNION NGOTRADE UNION NGO
» TIE «Awareness-raising and streng-
thening of the capacity of orga-nisations and unions to fi ght for
LGBT rights (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) workers in the
workplace.Turkey
I
SRI LANKASR
GLOBAL UNION FEDERATION GLOBAL UNION FEDERATION IN THE BUILDING AND WOOD IN THE BUILDING AND WOOD
SECTORSECTOR
» BWI «Integration of the fundamental labour rights in projects funded
by the Asia Development Bank in Nepal, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh.
COMOR
MAADAGASCAR
GLOBAL UNIONGLOBAL UNION
FEDERATION FOR TRANSPORTFEDERATION FOR TRANSPORT
» ITF «Strengthening capacity of unions to fi ght for better working conditions and position of informal transport
employees, incl. female employeesKenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda,
Burundi
22 / FNV Mondiaal 2013 mapped out
KISTANA
INDIA
NEPALLNEPALHUTANBHUHUBHUTHU
HGLADESHBANGLADESHBANGLAGLADESH
SRI LANKASR
MYANMARANMMRMA)(BU(BURRM
Textile in Bangladesh
First the disaster, then the agreementIn the capital Dhaka, you’re constantly tripping over them: the facto-
ries and sweatshops where garments are made for the lowest wages
in the world. In recent years, the textile industry in Bangladesh has
grown explosively and is responsible for 80 percent of the export
income of this poverty-stricken country. Because 14 percent less
in import charges is paid in Europe on clothing from Bangladesh -
meaning 14 percent more profi t - industry swiftly moved from other
low-wage countries to Bangladesh in the well-known race to the
bottom. The working conditions were already structurally poor. The
rapid growth resulted in the hasty building of unsafe factories where
industrial accidents are the order of the day. A good 3.5 million
employees, who are mostly female, are dependent on the garment
industry for their meagre income.
Since 1996, FNV Mondiaal has supported trade unions in Ban-
gladesh’s garment industry. These unions fi nd it very diffi cult to
operate. Union freedom is extremely limited and the unions are
fragmented, whereas the employers, in stark contrast, form strong
political alliances. Much of the garment production takes place in
Export Processing Zones, which trade unions are in any case not
permitted to enter. Despite this, the unions have recently achieved a
modest victory: the minimum wage in the industry has been raised
from 34 to 50 Euros a month.
International clothing brands share in the responsibility for the ap-
palling working conditions in Bangladesh. It took a terrible drama
– over 1,100 deaths when the Rana Plaza complex collapsed in
April 2013 – to get them to act. For years, the international sectoral
union IndustriAll, partner of FNV Mondiaal, and the Clean Clothes
Campaign, had been working on the Fire and Building Safety Accord
for Bangladesh. However, the big clothing brands were unwilling to
sign. That is, until ‘Rana’. In the past year, more than 150 internati-
onal brands and retailers as well as local and international unions
have signed the agreement. What is exceptional is that this is a
mandatory and legally binding agreement. The other major benefi t
is the close involvement of the trade union, because that is the only
way for these improvements in the working conditions and rights of
textile workers to be put on an institutional and permanent footing.
Coporate Social Responsibility / Peru / Bangladesh
American clothing giants up in arms
‘Made in Peru’
While the ‘Made in Peru’ label is widely known in America, this
is not the case in Europe. Peru delivers clothing and quality
fabrics worth 750 million dollars to the United States on an an-
nual basis. However, the working conditions in the textile sector,
where 75 percent of the workers are women, are appalling. This
unfortunate effect was the outcome of the ‘Act on promotion of
non-traditional export’ which came into force in 1978, originally
aimed at breathing new life into the Peruvian economy. Peru has
for years been one of the fastest growing economies in the world,
but the outdated law means that workers still have to settle for
temporary contracts of often a mere thirty days. The law, which
turns the entire textile sector into a proverbial free-trade zone,
is at the same time an effective obstacle to organising workers.
Becoming a union member means nine times out of ten an end to
contract extension.
Since 2009, FNV Mondiaal has supported the FNTTP, the trade
union federation for the textile sector. This is a small but highly
dynamic union, which makes skilful use of its alliances with
the global sectoral union IndustriAll and the Maquila Solidarity
Network, an American-Canadian campaign organisation. Lobbying
against this despicable law is one of the primary activities. A new
bill has even been written but the discussions in Congress are con-
stantly subjected to delaying tactics. For this reason, the FNTTP
focused on their customers: during the course of two seminars, the
union informed leading American clothing brands about the union
rights violations that are the consequence of the law.
And this has resulted in a remarkable achievement: American
clothing giants have written a letter to the Peruvian president
requesting that the controversial law be amended. Their conten-
tion is that this law presents an obstacle to decent application of
their CSR conduct codes. Manufacturers and employers in Peru
were furious. Repealing the law would, in their opinion, be the
end of the textile industry – an unlikely claim with respect to one
of the most profi table export sectors of the country. The FNTTP is
persevering: repeal of the law is its ultimate objective. It was also
an election pledge made by the current president. Unfortunately
for the trade unions, the wind of change that he promised has
scarcely begun to blow.
PHOT
O: F
NTTP
FNV Mondiaal 2013 mapped out / 23
PROJECTS
FNV Mondiaal is part of the largest
workers’ organisation in the Nether-
lands, the FNV. FNV Mondiaal gives
direct support to democratic trade
unions and related organisations in
Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle
East and Central and Eastern Europe
in the form of a fi nancial contribu-
tion to projects. FNV Mondiaal works
jointly on initiatives and projects set
up by the international trade union
organisations, such as the Internatio-
nal Trade Union Confederation or the
Global Union Federations (the globally
organised sectoral unions) and funds
projects undertaken by individual
trade unions and labour NGOs. Every
year, FNV Mondiaal supports between
150 and 200 projects
FINANCIAL RESOURCES
The fi nancial resources come mainly
from the Ministry for Development
Cooperation within the framework
of the Trade Union Co-Financing
Programme VMP. In addition, FNV
Mondiaal receives fi nancial contributi-
ons from the FNV unions. A number of
FNV unions have their own solidarity
fund. These funds are managed by
FNV Mondiaal.
LOBBYING & CAMPAIGNS
FNV Mondiaal gives colleagues in
developing countries a voice in the
Netherlands, via the provision of
information, organising of campaigns
and by lobbying in The Hague. FNV
Mondiaal actively takes part in the
campaign ‘Stop Child Labour. School is
the best place to work’, the Fair Wear
Foundation, the Fair Bank Guide and
the Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH).
The volunteers in the FNV Mondiaal
North working party organise the
distribution of FNV Mondiaal material
as well as organising actions in the
north of the country.
COLLABORATION WITH FNV UNIONS
The trade unions affi liated to the FNV
are also involved in the solidarity
work of the FNV. FNV Bondgenoten,
ABVAKABO FNV, FNV Bouw, and the
General Education Union (Aob) work
actively in their sector in support
of colleagues in developing and
transitional countries. By reaching
solidarity agreements with companies,
involving setting aside a sum for a
trade union project in a developing
country, the unions also negotiate
collectively for colleagues worldwide.
These activities are conducted in close
collaboration with FNV Mondiaal.
EQUITABLE GROWTH VIA
DECENT WORK BY THE
TRADE UNION MOVEMENT
FNV Mondiaal stands for a fair, just
and sustainable division of income
and growth. One of the ways to
achieve this is to promote decent
work for all working people. In a
nutshell: Decent Work delivers a fair
income and strengthens occupational
safety and health, it conveys social
protection, and freedom to people to
organise and to participate in social
dialogue. Decent Work comprises
human rights and social rights, all
enshrined internationally.
The (international) trade union
movement, with all its members
on the shop fl oor is, like no other
organisation, able to tackle Decent
Work at various levels: at national
level (legislation), international
level (framework agreements with
multinationals) as well as in the
workplace (collective agreements).
FNV Mondiaal enables trade unions
in developing countries to do this in
their own country and in their own
context. Unions are often among the
few member organisations, they are
part of a social movement and can be
a partner in social dialogue.
FNV Mondiaal’s programme in 2013
– 2016 consists of three sections:
STRONGER UNIONS – BETTER WORK –
BETTER LIFE
Trade unions and labour NGOs have
made a visible contribution to a more
equitable distribution of income and
wealth, with decent work, equal
rights and livelihood security for all.
This programme will be implemented
in 9 programme countries ( Ghana,
Zimbabwe, South Africa, Bangladesh,
China (being phased out), India,
Indonesia, Colombia, Peru) and in a
number of countries in East Africa:
Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda;
Burundi.
GLOBAL WORK PROGRAMME
The focus in this programme is decent
work and secure jobs provided by
companies and organisations in the
private and public sectors. This
programme will be implemented in
countries on the PSD country list of
the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
UNION2UNION
In this section, FNV Mondiaal will
link FNV unions in the Netherlands to
trade unions in partner countries via
knowledge exchange, solidarity cam-
paigns and lobbying on issues such as
a living wage and capacity building
in the trade union, Decent Work,
the informal economy and equal
opportunities for men and women. An
analysis is made of the similarities on
the trade union agenda on both sides
FNV Mondiaal’s work
24 / FNV Mondiaal 2013 mapped out
Total disbursements by fund Disbursements VMP in programme countries
Disbursements remaining project funds in programme countries
Distribution by region
5.936.493977.536181.317100.56137.25012.692
320.025
7.565.874
VMP*FNV BondgenotenAbvakabo FNVFNV BouwAObMondiaalNPL/Hivos**
Total
Bangladesh 335.052 38.598 373.650
China 292.396 1.376 293.772
Colombia 898.543 58.034 956.577
India 499.921 65.978 565.899
Indonesia 640.435 28.208 668.643
Ghana 222.550 30.315 252.865
Peru 621.919 45.634 667.553
Zimbabwe 328.737 48.901 377.638
South-Africa 818.096 41.186 859.282
Kenia 96.226 38.262 134.488
Uganda 94.470 16.322 110.792
Tanzania 121.642 22.532 144.174
Rwanda 54.450 1.204 55.654
Burundi 18.317 18.432 36.749
Totaal 5.042.754 454.982 5.497.736
Bangladesh 335.052 38.598 373.650
China 292.396 292.396
Colombia 898.543 58.034 956.577
India 222.550 65.978 288.528
Indonesia 499.921 28.208 528.129
Ghana 640.435 30.315 670.750
Peru 621.919 45.634 667.553
Zimbabwe 328.737 48.901 377.638
South_Africa 818.096 41.486 859.582
Kenia 18.317 38.262 56.579
Uganda 96.226 16.322 112.548
Tanzania 54.450 22.532 76.982
Rwanda 121.642 1.204 122.846
Burundi 94.470 18.432 112.902
Totaal 5.042.754 453.906 5.496.660
FNV Bondg. Abvakabo FNV Bouw AOb Mondiaal NPL/Hivos* Totaal
49.528 49.528
0
0
179.630 36.793 52.672 269.096
0
26.078 2.240 217.889 246.207
12.692 12.692
133.012 47.784 180.796
2.240 2.240
2.240 2.240
4.925 4.925
87.144 87.144
0
0
475.393 91.297 52.672 0 12.692 222.814 854.868
Progr 1 progr 2
Distribution by region Africa Latin-America Asia Eastern-Europe Worldwide Total
VMP 2.169.781 1.655.261 2.106.451 5.000 5.936.493FNV Bondgenoten 366.062 163.073 409.140 31.799 7.463 977.536Abvakabo FNV 66.857 33.567 64.893 16.000 181.317AOb 29.500 7.750 37.250Bouw 86.348 14.213 100.561Mondiaal 12.692 12.692NPL / Hivos 320.025 320.025
Total 2.952.225 1.872.343 2.666.832 36.799 37.676 7.565.874
47% of the disbursements made from the FNV union solidarity funds are spent in the programme countries.100% of the disbursements made from FNV Mondiaal fund is spent in the programme countries70% of the disbursements made from NLP / Hivos is spent in the programme countries* NPL / Hivos = National Postal code Lotery / Hivos: programme against child labour “Omar’s Dream”
93% of the disbursements made from the VMP is spent in the programme countries
Disbursements broken down by funds,
in numbers
11730
8 32 21
VMP 117FNV Bondgenoten 30Abvakabo FNV 8AOb 2FNV Bouw 2Mondiaal 1Nationale Postcode Loterij / Hivos 3
Total 163
Facts and Figures
* VMP = Trade Union Co-fi nancing Programme** NPL / Hivos = National Postal code Lotery / Hivos: programme against child labour “Omar’s Dream”
FNV Mondiaal 2013 mapped out / 3
Vision of FNV Mondiaal
A world which protects and respects workers & human rights and provides
remedy in case of violations, by means of effective social dialogue between
social partners and/or states and institutions, securing a more just and
equal distribution of wealth and income.
About this publication
FNV MondiaalPostbus 84561005 AL AmsterdamT 020 581 64 87F 020 581 63 41E [email protected] I www.fnvmondiaal.nl twitter.com/FNVMondiaal
Publisher: FNV Press FoundationProduction: FNV MondiaalEditing: Marjan Brunner
Texts: Roeland Muskens and Ellen Lammers, Wereld in WoordenFinal editing: Astrid van Unen, U-productiesPhotography: Ruth Vermeulen, China Labour Bulletin, Corrie Roeper, Trudy Kerperien, Mario van de Luijtgaarden, Corbis/Hollandse Hoogte, Brenda Born, Huub Ruijgrok, Merel Maissan, Rebke Klokke, ITUC, FNTTPDesign: Roelant Meijer, Tegenwind Grafi sch OntwerpburoTranslation: Veronica Verkaik-Drew
» mission «FNV Mondiaal
FNV Mondiaal contributes to inclusive economic
growth and a more equal distribution of income
& wealth by enabling democratic, representative
and independent trade unions and labour rela-
ted organizations to promote decent work and
livelihood security for all workers.
Amsterdam, april 2014
4 / FNV Mondiaal 2013 mapped out