IUF Global Sugar

Sugar (sucrose) from cane and beet: two different crops, different climate/environment around 120 countries manufacturing sugar domestically estimates of about million factory workers (beet & cane); agricultural jobs: difficult to estimate, due to seasonal nature (harvest time)  6-7 million "full-time" jobs (cane) 2/3 to 3/4 of world's cane is manually harvested world production of about 145 million tonnes of sugar

Restructuring 1.“Centre of gravity” from North America (inc. Caribbean) & Western Europe to Brazil and Asia ( ) 2.Consolidation of production (larger factories) and concentration of ownership (larger companies) 3.Technological advances s: liberalisation programs and market reforms, trade issues (WTO, etc.)

Areas of Work Attached to the Geneva Secretariat (AWTG) –Support to unions to face restructuring –Strengthening unions –Solidarity Geographical areas –English-speaking Caribbean (also bananas) –East/Southern Africa (+ Mauritius) –Asia/Pacific: Indonesia, India –Central/Eastern Europe: Ukraine: 2004 Initiatives by regional offices

Solidarity and Networking Regional networks: e.g. English-speaking Caribbean Company lines: e.g. Illovo network in Southern Africa International: global conference 2004 Interregional contacts: UK/Guyana Field visits to countries: meeting with grass-root members; first-hand knowledge of local situations

Seminars, Workshops E/S Caribbean: 1,450 participants in activities –about 350 women participants ( ) Asia/Pacific: India (Karnataka, Maharasthra) 2004, 2005; Indonesia 2004, 2006 African regional project: 2002; regional meeting in June 2004

Research and exchange of information Decent job framework –social protection –social dialogue –employment opportunities –workers' rights Trade –EU/ACP –African integration processes: SADC, Comesa

Dissemination of information The Sugar Worker (1999), Trabajador Azucarero (2001) –vehicle for creating & maintaining network –common understanding of basic developments in the sector –further union solidarity –11 times/year –support by CAW (2004), 3F/SiD ( ) Web site: –English: being "revamped", work in progress –Spanish/Portuguese: Research documents –Women in the Caribbean sugar industries –Trade agreements in Africa –Restructuring in Asia/Pacific –Restructuring in the English-speaking Caribbean –Decent Jobs in the international sugar sector (in progress)

Impact of IUF Global Sugar Strengthening sugar union structures in the face of changes of trade arrangements, corporate developments, restructuring Advanced union links and solidarity IUF presence in international sugar forums (ISO)

IUF Global Sugar: Perspectives to 2010

Trends in the sector (1) : Main aspects of EU sugar reform expected to be in place –expected fall in production: 6 million tonnes of sugar (?) –EFFAT: closure of about 100 factories, loss of 150,000 direct + indirect jobs –36% reduction in preferential prices direct "negative" impact on traditional ACPs exporters (e.g. Caribbean) “Sugar Action Plans” ACP sugar to adjust to new conditions –LDCs (Africa) + Everything but Arms (EBA) = duty- free access in 2009 –configuration of international sugar trade quality of sugar: refined, VHP, VVHP, raws, EU: largest exporter of high quality refined sugar new refining facilities (e.g. Middle East)

Trends in the sector (2) Shaping sector's new configuration: fuel vs food –bio-fuels (ethanol - cane == other crops - bio- diesel), Kyoto Protocol, environmental considerations (?) –increasing correlation of international oil and sugar prices (Brazil) –increasing interdependence with other crops: corn (HFCS in the US in 1980s), soy, palm oil, cereals, etc.

Some lines of work Networking: stress interregional contacts –EU/ACP: depth of IUF affiliation: EU unions + 12/13 unions in ACP sugar exporting countries –India, Brazil Women: encourage their participation in unions –5-30% of total labour force (e.g. Latin America, Caribbean, Africa) –seen from the categories of workers: the unskilled jobs are usually taken by women workers: agriculture (planting, weeding, fertilizer application); service (cleaning); administration (secretarial jobs) Decent job framework as benchmark for national development in context of trade negotiations (EU/ACP Sugar Action Plans) –Social aspects: pension plans for agricultural workers in cane –Child Labour –Caribbean campaign ratification of ILO C-184: 2006 regional conference, Guyana, Jamaica –OSH, PPE, drinking water.