Global Framework Agreements - International Centre for Trade ...

ICTUR IN ACTION ❐ INTERVENTIONSBahrainA series of sackings, threats,violence, and arrests of tradeunionists has recently takenplace in Bahrain. As many as300 workers have beendismissed from the ALBAaluminium company and theKhalifa Sea Port and as manyas 40 workers have beendismissed by Gulf Air. ICTURunderstands that thesedismissals are retaliatory inresponse to workers’participation in widespreadstrikes and protest actions inthe country. Among thosedismissed is Abdul GhaffarAbdul Hussain, President ofthe BAPCO petrol workers’union. On 29 March the VicePresident of the BahrainiTeachers’ Association andfour other leaders from theunion were arrested andsalaries have been stoppedfor a number of unionmembers. There have alsobeen reports of violence andrepression meted out tothose who have participatedin the recent wave ofdemonstrations, resulting inat least 20 deaths and thearrest and detention ofhundreds of people.ICTUR has written to theauthorities emphasising thatthe arrest of trade unionleaders and the dismissal oftrade unionists followingtheir participation in strikesand demonstrationsconstitutes a serious violationof international labour rights.ICTUR reminded theauthorities that Bahrain hasan obligation to respect tradeunion rights arising underthe terms of the ILO’sDeclaration of FundamentalPrinciples of 1998. ICTURfurther emphasised that tradeunion rights and the humanrights of trade unionists arerequired to be protectedunder the fundamentalinstruments of internationalhuman rights law, includingthe Universal Declaration ofHuman Rights.ColombiaOn May 26, Carlos JulioGómez, a teacher andmember of of the teachers’union Valle-SUTEV, wasmurdered by armed men inCali, Valle del Cauca. OnMay 27, Freddy AntonioCuadrado Núñez, a memberof a teacher’s union, wasmurdered by contract killersin Ciénaga, Magdalena.ICTUR continues to monitorthe situation in Colombiathrough the publication of adedicated bulletin, which isavailable in both Englishand Spanish languageeditions from our website atwww.ictur.org. To sign up toreceive the bulletin by email,please send a request tomiguel@ictur.org.Cote d’IvoireOn 26 April the ITUCreceived word that BasileMahan Gahé, GeneralSecretary of the Dignité tradeunion centre, had beenarrested and taken intodetention by the authorities.The authorities failed torespond to the ITUC’s letterof concern and theinternational trade unionmovement has received noofficial word on hiswhereabouts or theconditions of his detention.Meanwhile local media havepublished conflicting storiesconcerning the detention ofthe union leader. ITUC hasdemanded to know whereGahé is being held, underwhat conditions he is beingkept, and whether specificcharges have been broughtagainst him.ICTUR wrote to the authoritiesto call for clarification of thewhereabouts of the tradeunion leader. ICTURreminded the authorities thatthe arrest of a trade unionleader for reasons connectedwith the exercise of his tradeunion role is a very seriousviolation of internationallabour standards. ICTURcalled for the authorities toclarify the situationimmediately, to ensure thatGahé is provided with accessto legal counsel and that thelocal and international tradeunions should be grantedaccess to information abouthis detention. ICTUR remindedthe authorities that tradeunion rights are protectedunder ILO Conventions 87and 98, which Cote d’Ivoirehas ratified, and under theterms of the African Charter of1981.El SalvadorOn June 8, during a peacefulstrike against the companyLIDO, Atilio Pérez, SecretaryGeneral of the worksiteunion SELSA, was detainedunder false pretences forleading the strike. Thecompany said it wouldretract its accusations if thestrike was called off. Pérez isbeing held in the Civil Policeprison of San Bartolo.ICTUR has written to theauthorities of El Salvador todemand that it take allnecessary measures to ensurethe release of the trade unionleader and reminded theauthorities that the principlesof freedom of associationmust be respected by all ILOmember States under the1998 Declaration ofFundamental Principles.IndiaOn 7 April police inVizianagaram respondedviolently to a protest stagedby women health workers atthe office of the DistrictMedical and Health Officer.ICTUR understands thatseveral women were beatenwith ‘lathi’ sticks and thatmore than twenty workers,including officers from theCITU trade union centre,were arrested. On the sameday up to 275 workers fromthe Vadodara General Motorsplant were arrested anddetained following theirparticipation in a 500-strongdemonstration concerningthe conduct of managementat the plant and theapproach of local police totrade union matters.ICTUR reminded theauthorities that although itappears that the arrests wereof a temporary nature andthat the officer understood tobe responsible for some of themost serious violence inVizianagaram has beensuspended from duty, they stillconstitute a serious violationof international labourstandards. ICTUR insisted thata workers’ protest should beresolved by collectivenegotiation in accordancewith international law, andthat the state hasresponsibility to ensure thateffective and efficientchannels for the resolution ofdisputes are created andmaintained. ICTURemphasised that India isrequired to respect tradeunion rights under the termsof the ILO’s Declaration ofFundamental Principles, andthat trade union rights areprotected under the UniversalDeclaration of Human Rights.IraqOn April 17, the Iraqiauthorities withdrew theirrecognition of the GFIW asthe national trade unioncentre in Iraq and began aprocess of instituting newelections within the tradeunion movement that will beoverseen by a Governmentcreatedbody, the MinisterialPreparatory Committee.ICTUR has also receivedreports that a youth leader ofthe Mechanics’ and PrintersUnion of the GFIW wastaken away by Iraqi securitypolice during ademonstration in TahrirSquare for trade union rights,and that Jamal Abdul-Jabbar,President of the Oil and GasWorkers’ Union also of theGFIW in Kirkuk, was forciblytransferred from his positionat Northern Oil company to aremote location due to hisunion activities.ICTUR has written to theauthorities expressing itsgrave concern at therepression of trade unionistsengaging in union activityand participating indemocratic assemblies. ICTURhas called on the State tocease its interference in tradeunion affairs and torecognise the GFIW as alegitimate representative ofworkers. ICTUR has remindedthe authorities that Iraq hasan obligation to respect tradeunion rights under the termsof the ILO’s Declaration ofFundamental Principles of1998. ICTUR furtheremphasised that trade unionrights and the human rightsof trade unionists arerequired to be protectedunder the fundamentalinstruments of internationalhuman rights law, includingthe Universal Declaration ofHuman Rights.INTERNATIONAL union rights Page 26 Volume 18 Issue 2 2011