Unions call for decent work while rebuilding Haiti

The organisation representing 176 million workers in 312 national trade union centres in 155 countries focused on a reconstruction and development centred on the decent work agenda and green jobs. The ITUC emphasized that:

• "with regard to maintaining employment, we call on the international community to stress that all employers, whether from the private or public sector and whether foreigners or nationals, need to ensure job security and decent working conditions, including the payment of adequate wages;"
• "in areas where recovery and reconstruction are underway, special attention should be paid to decent employment through the reconstruction of infrastructure, such as housing, schools, roads and health institutions;"
• and that "the challenge of development requires innovative and substantial progress towards the introduction on green technologies."

It also strongly advocated for the full cancellation of Haiti’s international debt burden. "The international trade union movement calls for all debts owed by Haiti to be completely cancelled by the International Financial Institutions (IFIs)," the statement says. EI supports this demand, and reminds affiliates and concerned citizens that they can contribute to its Solidarity Fund, in order to help rebuild Haiti's schools and teacher unions. Education International “Fonds de Solidarité” ING Bank Rue du Trône, 14-16 1000 Brussels Account number: 310-1006170-75 IBAN: BE05 3101 0061 7075 SWIFT OR BIC CODE: BBRUBEBB EI will be represented at the International Trade Union Summit taking place 8-9 April. The purpose of this event is to draft a trade union roadmap for the reconstruction and development of Haiti, and explore the role trade unions, both international and national, can play in the reconstruction.

[Thu, 01 Apr 2010 10:11:32 +0000] | DIGG THIS