News for April 2010

Guatemala is the second most dangerous country in which to be a trade union member.

In early 2010, three trade unionists were killed. Then, in March, two leaders of the Indigenous Peoples and Rural Workers’ Trade Union Movement of Guatemala (MSICG) were assassinated.  One of them, Luis Felipe Cho was found dead on 6th March, showing signs of brutal torture. 

Samuel Ramírez Paredes, General Secretary of the Panchoy district banana workers’ union (SITRABI) was assassinated while members of the MSICG were holding meetings with the United States government in order to lodge complaints against the State of Guatemala for serious violations of labour and trade union rights in the country’s banana sector.

Follow the link below to take action and email the Guatemalan Ambassador in the UK, urging his government to ensure that trade union rights are respected and that these cases are dealt with rapidly.

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Labour Behind the Label (which campaigns for the rights of garment workers around the world) is calling for solidarity with thousands of garment workers from industrial zones around Rangoon, Burma, who have launched industrial actions over the last weeks.

The actions are being organised to demand an increase in salaries, improvements in conditions and respect of their basic labour rights in defiance of a ban on all kinds of protests and gatherings.

As the number of actions increase so does the concern for the safety of workers given the record of the Burmese government for violent repression.

Visit the Labour Behind the Label website to find out how you can take action in solidarity with the striking workers.

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The Clean Clothes Campaign has released a new report "False Promises: migrant workers in the global garment industry", looking at the exploitation of migrant workers and possible strategies for improving working conditions.

Migrant workers are becoming an increasingly important part of the workforce within the global garment industry.

These workers are in a particularly vulnerable position in terms of workplace exploitation – in addition to low pay and long working hours, they often experience debt bondage, threats of violence and deportation—and they face specific barriers to voicing and demanding their rights as workers.

The discussion paper provides an input to ongoing discussions on how the Clean Clothes Campaign network and others can move forward to support respect for migrant workers’ rights.

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