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PSI workshop: global challenges and their effects on women’s lives
During the Global Forum for Migration and Development held in Manila, Philippines, the PSI Asia Pacific Women’s Committee (APWOC) organised a workshop on 24 October to discuss trade and gender issues affecting the lives of working women.
Kuini Lutua, WOC Chair, led the workshop and underlined the importance of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in attacking poverty. The workshop split into two groups: the first group discussed the difficulties in attaining the MDGs and quality public services. They agreed that trade unions must campaign for uninterrupted services for the public, creating more
jobs to make this feasible. MDGs have to be integrated into national constitutions and education programmes.
The second group discussed governance issues and specifically free trade agreements (FTAs). International migration is closely linked to FTAs and they directly affect public services. The group made several recommendations including the need to invest in public infrastructure and to make community and social development policies an integral part of
agreements.
For a complete report on the meeting, click here.
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PSI call for broad approach on Migration during GFMD
 The current approach to migration and development is much too narrowly focused on the economic remittances and gives insufficient attention to the rights of migrant workers. Public Services International (PSI) calls
for a broad approach on Migration and its impact, during the 2nd Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD), which is being currently held in Manila, Philippines (from 27-30 October 2008). “The policies surrounding global labour migration and development affect working conditions as well as human rights of
migrant workers and their families”, says Peter Waldorff, PSI General Secretary. “They are therefore key issues for PSI and its affiliates. “Governments need to take actions in the broad context and not merely focus on the remittances migrant workers bring home”.
Over 200 delegates from 60 unions, 20 national centers, and 10 global union federations have participated in the Global Union Forum on Migration on 25th October. They represented workers -including migrant workers- in health care, public services, hotel and service industry, manufacturing, mining, agriculture, construction, building, and
wood working industries. More than 1.000 held a symbolic candlelight march to launch the People Global Action (PGA) on Migration, Development and Human Rights.
PSI affiliates are actively involved in the fight for rights of migrant workers. They have formed coalitions with other labour groups and established SALAG (Solidarity Action of Labor Against GFMD) the global movement of workers as a pillar of migrant workers’ protection.
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Geneviève Gencianos, PSI Coordinator for the International Migration and Women Health Workers Programme, speaking at the GFMD
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PSI has also launched its pre-decision kit which is a compendium of accessible handbooks to help migrant workers learn more about the situation they face abroad. The International Labor Organization also launched its migrant workers’ trade union manual, which was built with the input of global unions and trade unions all over the world. “It gives
concrete examples of how union members can use ILO Conventions as tools for asserting and protecting their rights. It cites the case of migrant workers in Spain which successfully filed a complaint with the ILO after the Spanish government sought to stop undocumented migrant workers from organizing.
During the GFMD strong alliances are being forged between trade unions and civil society organizations, especially the migrant rights movement- at global, regional and national levels. The Global Unions call on the government attending the 2nd GFMD to put human rights at the
centre of their actions by“constructing architecture of protection of human rights and trade union rights for migrant worker and their families”.
For more information, please contact Genevieve Gencianos, PSI Coordinator for the International Migration and Women Health Workers Programme: genevieve.gencianos@world-psi.org
Related Files
Global Union Events and GFMD 2008 (PDF File)
Global Union Forum on Migration: Movement of Workers - Union Without Borders (PDF File)
Global Union unveil for migrant workers protection (PDF File)
ILO Projection on job losses will hit migrant workers (PDF File)
SALAG Statement on Global Migration (PDF File)
Global Union Statement to the 2nd GFMD (PDF File)
Related Links
People Global Action on Migration, Development and Human Rights
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