Trade Union Training on Occupational Safety and Health and HIV and AIDS Improving Safety and Health at Work Through a Decent Work Agenda

Outline of the Presentation Neo-liberal economic policies Main causes of workers’ financial crisis Relying on whom during the crisis? What is Decent Work? Areas of action for safe and healthy work Approaches to improving physical working environment For safe and healthy work How to make OSH of workers employers’ priority? Coping with challenges: some areas of action by the unions Issues for discussion Union actions for decent work

Economic policies are making workers’ lives more insecure & stressful, leading to worse health outcomes

Neo-liberal economic policies 1.International financial market liberalization 2.Trade liberalization (especially in developing countries) 3.Labour market “flexibility”  labour market insecurities, precarious employment – uncertain employer responsibilities 4.Shrinking state and Reduction of public sector 5.“Social safety net” approach to social protection (more selectivity of who gets benefits) 6.Privatization and liberalization of social protection and social policy - social security becoming individual responsibility, rather than State protected human right)

Main Causes of Workers’ Financial Crisis Source: Dr. Ellen Rosskam, Ph.D., MPH

Relying on Whom During Crisis?

Lack of social protection combined with adverse changes due to pressures of globalisation has increased stress and insecurities. Work-related stress and ill health are now global sicknesses. Decent Work must be Safe Work Decent Work agenda promotes a Rights-based approach to health & socio-economic security of workers!

ILO’s Response in Action  Creating jobs – an eco that generates opportunities for: -Investment -Entrepreneurship -Skills development -Job creation -Sustainable livelihoods  Guaranteeing rights at work  Extending social protection  Promoting social dialogue

Continues… Rights  People need representation: -Opportunities to participate in decision making processes -To voice their views -To obtain their rights and earn respect

Continues… Employment  The principal route out of poverty is work  Poverty elimination requires that the economy generates opportunities for investment, entrepreneurship, job creation and sustainable livelihoods

Continues… Protection  Fewer than 10% of people in the poorest countries have adequate social security protection  Basic social protection – such as health care and retirement security – is a foundation for participating productively in society and in the economy.

Continues… Social dialogue  Social dialogue between governments, workers and employers can: -Resolve important economic and social issues -Encourage good governance -Establish sound labour relations -Boost economic and social progress -Ensure industrial peace and harmony

What is Decent Work for all about?  Provides opportunities for productive work that delivers: -A fair income -Security in the workplace -Social protection for workers and their families -Better prospects for personal development & social integration -Freedom to express concerns, organise & participate in decisions that affect lives -Equality of opportunity and treatment for all -Paves the way for broader social and economic advancement -Sums up the aspirations of people in their working lives

Why is Decent Work Important?  Crucial element in making globalization more inclusive and fair.  Key to progressive and lasting poverty reduction.  Enables women and men to share in the gains brought by increased international economic integration.  Must be at the heart of development

Making Decent Work a global & a national reality - DWCPs The integrated DWCP is:  Main vehicle for delivering ILO’s support to countries  Distinct ILO contribution to UN country programmes  More than 70 DWCPs worldwide of which 31 are in Africa  OSH reflected in many DWCPs around the globe as country priorities in the framework of the decent work agenda.

Decent Work Promotes Basic Securities  Labour market security  Creation of sufficient and quality jobs  Employment security  Protection against arbitrary dismissal  Social protection in case of job loss  Occupational security  Possibility to develop a career or niche in chosen area  Possibility of achieving personal potential  Skill reproduction security  Possibility to get training, learn new skills

Decent Work promotes Basic Securities  Work security  Occupational health & safety  Maternity protection  Restrictions on night work  Limits on hours of work  Paid holidays  Protection for disabled workers  Income security  Guaranteed and reliable income  Regular payment of wages  Representation security  Workers can express voice  Can defend their interests on work-related issues

What is a Healthy Workplace? Health: a state of complete physical, mental & social well being, and not just absence of disease (WHO) A healthy workplace is one in which workers & managers collaborate to use a continual improvement process to protect and promote the health, safety and well-being of all workers and the sustainability of the workplace (WHO) Focus is on - not just physical environment but also psychosocial & personal health practice factors. Aim is not just to prevent occupational injury but to promote overall health of workers, their families and the community

Areas of Action for Safe & Healthy Work Joint initiatives by both the enterprise management and the workers for improvements in – Physical work environment Enterprise Community involvement Psychosocial work environment Personal health resources Rights at Work

Psychosocial Work Environment Includes organizational culture, attitudes, values, work organization & daily practices in the enterprise that create stress Time pressure, over load, no work-life balance, responsibility w/o authority, lack of support, no reward or recognition, favouritism, bullying, mobbing, harassment, discrimination, poor job design, poor communications, dictatorial management, no right to organize and negotiate, etc.

Approaches to Improving Physical Work Environment Elimination or substitution of carcinogens (example benzene with toluene or another less toxic chemical Engineering controls (example machine guards, local exhausts, noise buffers, safe needle systems, etc.) Administrative controls (example good housekeeping, training on safe work procedures, preventive maintenance, smoke free premises, etc.) Personal Protective Equipment What else?

For Safe and Healthy Work Legislation - Policy - OSH system  to be put in place Practice – national/company programme on OSH (both preventive & curative aspects) Mechanism for coordination across institutions and sectors Tripartite machinery, role of bipartite forum (Joint Committees) and labour Inspection machinery Employer responsibility and rights of workers (Freedom of Association, Collective Bargaining and training) and Community System of recording and notification of occupational accidents & diseases, development of knowledge base Occupational health services & support to workers

How to Make OSH of Workers’ Employers’ Priority? Costs of prevention v/s costs resulting from accident? Financial consequences of legal violations of OSH Rules and Laws? Workers health as business asset? What else?

Coping with the Challenges: Some areas for action by the unions Campaign on the Right to Decent Work - for promoting workers & community health and well being. Occupational health must go beyond medical and engineering definitions/approaches (socio-economic security needs). Need for the shift from 'Behavior based safety programs’ to focus attention on systems, organisation of work, methods, materials & removal of hazards at work. Promote workers and union involvement in workplace design and problem solving.

Coping with the Challenges: Some areas for action by the unions Integrating Gender perspective in OSH work and union policies and actions – what needs to be done? Raising awareness among workers and management on hazards, the role played by psycho-social factors in accidents and ill-health. Improving worker-union-management communication, use of Collective Bargaining to increase worker autonomy and control over work and implement work place solutions for safe work. Need for work study and redesign of jobs – to reduce work intensity, promote job enrichment, increase productivity and ensure gain sharing.

Coping with the Challenges: Some areas for action by the unions Strengthen social & economic support for workers affected by occupational health hazards. Actions for universal social protection policy and schemes – rights based, rather than responsibility of individual workers. Basic income security plus «Voice » representation security needed to provide economic security to workers – through effective right to organise, to union recognition, to collective bargaining. Implementation of law – effective penalties.

Issues for discussion Environment Protection begins with Protecting workers OSH Is there a law regulating OSH issues in the company? What rights and role do the workers have in regard to health & safety laws? Importance the union gives to OSH in collective bargaining process? For workers, what is important – health? Or more income? Safety is every one’s responsibility? Workers involvement in improving OSH at workplace?

Union Actions for Decent Work International Workers Memorial Day (28 April each year) Remember the Dead, Fight for the Living - what can your union do?

The End! Any Questions?