JILAF- ACTRAV/ITC-ILO Workshop Trade Union Training on Employment Relationships, Contractualization & Labour Law 9 – 13 Aug 2010, Bangkok

Sri Lanka Action Plan Vasantha Gunasekara Jointly by Vasantha Gunasekara National Workers Congress (NWC) V.Ruthiradeepan National Trade Union Federation (NTUF)

Organizing and Strengthening Informal Workers TITLE: Organizing and Strengthening Informal Workers

BACKGROUND & JUSTIFICATION: In Sri Lanka there are more than 2/3 (66%) of the work force is unorganized and they represent the informal sector and most of them are women. There are more than 1.2 million women’s are migrated to middle eastern countries as the domestic workers (A study by the Centre for Women's Research reports that 10 percent of all Sri Lankan female migrant workers are subject to some form of sexual harassment while abroad).

BACKGROUND & JUSTI …. Most of the informal sector workers are not enjoying the benefits of the Srilankan labour law and although the ILO’s core Convention (ILO C- 87 & 98) are rectified by the government these workers are still not entitled to enjoy the full benefit of it. Since legally there are no employer employee relationships they are not entitled for any super anniversary benefits. Because of the female leaving their family keeping the youngsters under the hand of next of kings, it is reported most of the children’s are deprived from their rights such as right to education, and also subject sexual harassment and child abuse by their relatives (ex. Own Father, Brother etc..) which ultimately lead to create new social problems in future.

BACKGROUND & JUSTI …. The earning of the informal workers are not invested in a valuable manner such as savings because of their lack of knowledge and skill of managing the finance and low income ultimately they are putting down for the more desperate situation than they were in the past

Its an Pilot Project

TARGET GROUP/S: This project is targeting the informal workers (66% in whole work force) as a pilot project in Badulla District Concerning around 5000 informal workers and out of this more than 60% of them are women workers

OBJECTIVE The Main objectives of the project is to establish Informal workers trade union, and to mitigate labor issues and ensuring respect for informal workers’ fundamental rights and offering them decent work opportunities which ultimately improve their life standed

Activities

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