Sri Lanka Ayubowan

CAPACITY BUILDING TRAININGS & RESEARCH USING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY. Vijaya Ravindrakumar, Organizer, National Workers Congress, Sri Lanka.

Background In Sri Lanka Information Technology has its power in the Private Sector. Its usage was introduced in the Public Sector very recently. But still the knowledge on IT has not reached the grass root level Workers. Even in the Trade Unions IT is used only in the National Centres or in Head Offices. The National Workers Congress had provided basic training to the Regional Organizers, Coordinator and Co-organizers (Leaders of the Branch Unions) of all three Free Trade Zones in October, 2008. The important things in this is 90% of the participants were females. They have the knowledge only on doing reports, letters, etc. The Organizers had prepared their own format to store information using spread sheets. To collect information regarding the organizing companies through browsing the Internet the Organizers had to go to their Head Office, which is waste of time and money. The Organizers had convinced the Executive Board Members regarding the importance of Internet access in the Regional Centres and are in the process of achieving it. The Reporting and Complaining mechanism on violation of ILO Labour Standards are not addressed by the Unions very effectively. The Regional Organizers of NWC are in the process of collecting the situation of Worker Rights Violations monthly, which will help to address the above mentioned mechanisms.

Target Group & Partners involved. The Regional Organizers, Coordinator and the Co-organizers of all three Free Trade Zones – Vijaya Ravindrakumar / IT Experts. The Union Members and other Workers in the three Free Trade Zones – Regional Organizers, Coordinator and the Co-organizers. The Companies in the three Free Trade Zones and out side the zones – Regional Organizers, Coordinator, Co-organizers, Members and other Workers. The Executive Committee Members – Regional Organizers and the Coordinator.

Capacity Building of Organizers, Coordinator and Co-organizers. Ojectives Capacity Building of Organizers, Coordinator and Co-organizers. Building up Solidarity with Intl. Organizations, Unions, Networks, etc. Practicing Reporting and Complaining mechanisms of ILO.

Immediate Objectives 1.1) 10 Organizers, Coordinator and Co-organizers will be aware on using the Data Base – Open Source in 02 months commencing from 10th of April, 2009. 1.2) Organizers participating in the Distant Education Programmes (On Line Education). 2.1) Maintaining the Network amongst the Unions through sharing information. 2.2) Collecting more information using the Open Source, Web, News Letters, etc. to strengthen the Bargaining Power. 3.1) Using the ILO Reporting and Complaining mechanisms commencing from this year.

1.1.1) Discussions with the Executive Committee Members & Coordinator. Activities 1.1.1) Discussions with the Executive Committee Members & Coordinator. 1.1.2) 06 One day Workshops on Open Source – Writer, Calc, Base, Email, Solicomm, YouTube, Podcasting, Blogs, etc. 1.2.1) Discussions with the Executive Committee Members – Distant Education (On Line Education). 1.2.2) Discussions with the Organizers – Distant Education. 1.2.3) Helping the Organizers to register with Solicomm – Distant Education. 2.1.1) Emailing, constant using in Blog, YouTube, Podcasting, News Letters, etc. 2.2.1) Browsing Web, Open Source, News Letters, etc. 3.1.1) Discussion with the Coordinator – 28th March, 2009. 3.1.2) Discussion with the Organizers – 01st week of April, 2009. 3.1.3) Discussion with the General Council Members and Executive Committee Members – 02nd week of April, 2009. 3.1.4) Necessary preparation to report / complain in respective subject and in respective time.

Executive / General Council Members. Trainer / Technical Experts. Main Inputs Technical Resource: Computers Access to Internet ITC-ILO Human Resource: Executive / General Council Members. Trainer / Technical Experts. Coordinator / Organizers /Co-organizers. ITC-ILO. Financial Resource: Meal allowance Travelling Other expenses

Solidarity amongst Unions. Indicators Active participation of Organizers, Coordinator and Co-organizers in using IT – Organizing, Collective Bargain, Building up Networking (E-groups). Active Data Base. Solidarity amongst Unions. Reports / Complaints to ILO regarding the violation on Intl. Labour Standards (Core Labour Standards).

Isthuthi