Organising young people for Promoting DW Organising young people for Promoting Decent Work Pong-Sul Ahn Sr. Specialist in Workers’ Activities ILO DWT

Organising young people for Promoting DW Agendas 1. Decent work as a common goal of ILO and trade unions 2. Developing a problem tree for organising young people 3. Various organising strategies experienced by different unions 4. Concluding

Why is an orgnaising campaign so important for trade unions? What is the notion that ILO has to support unions for reaching out unorganized workers (youth, migrant workers, and women)? Questions Organising young people for Promoting DW

ILO promoting ‘Decent Work’, related to rights at work, employment opportunities and generation, adequate social security, and social dialogue Trade Union As an institution for social changes and development through provision of protection, advocacy, training, campaigning, networking and representation Decent Work as a Common Goal of ILO and Trade Unions Campaigning for social justice and equality

Organising young people for Promoting DW What ‘Organising’ means for workers and trade unions?

Organising young people for Promoting DW A long-term union investment for increasing membership and strengthening union capacity A recognition of voice and representation of IE workers to decision-making bodies Providing education, advocacy, collective bargaining, vocational training, legal aid, etc Campaigning for social justice and equality

Developing a problem tree 1. Can you identity what are the key challenges facing young people? 2. Can you identify what are the key obstacles in organizing young people? Organising young people for Promoting DW

Various organising strategies experienced by different unions

Organising young people for Promoting DW Study Circle Model individually contact close friends or colleagues at a factory form a small study circle to learn any socio- economic and labour issues At the first meeting, introduce each other and decide the programme and agenda a person in the study circle plays a leading role at each meeting build confidence and knowledge on certain labour issue Eventually, members form or join a trade union

Organising young people for Promoting DW Healthcare Service Model 500 individuals subscribed the scheme with NRs.100 per share GEFONT contribution - NRs.50,000 All members pay NR.1 per day Charges for medical check-up - NRs.60 to cooperative members - NRs.70 to GEFONT members - NRs.75 to general public * The market rate is in the range of Rs Other services % of discount in medicine from the pharmacy - Kathmandu Model Hospital

Organising young people for Promoting DW Union organizing practice in Bangladesh Working Groups Target group/ Target industries/ Target areas Activities/ Strategies ObjectivesTimeframeEstimated budgets/ Resource mobilization Dewan Mohamed Ali Mr. M.A. Matin Sayeda Gulshan Akter Mr. Quamrul Ahsan Mr. Md. Rafiqe 300 auto rickshaw drivers in Topkhana Road, Dhaka - Personal contact - Study circle - Coop - To improve the living standards of workers - To raise awareness on labour rights January – December 2005 Taka25,000 required - Taka 10,000 from national federations [TUC, BFTUC, BLF, JSFB, BJSF] - Taka 15,000 from membership subscription Ms. Romiza Begum Mr. Mohiuddin Ahmed Ms. Anwara Begum Mr. Shah Alam 500 garments workers in Dhaka and Tongi -Personal contact - Study circle - Seminar - To raise awareness on labour rights - To prepare for organizing union January December 2006 Taka 70,000 required - Taka 10,000 from national federation - Membership subscription (Tk.5 x 24 months x 500 persons)

Organising BPO Professionals in India Organising young people for Promoting DW

Organising tips by UNITES Identify the job Making Contact Try to match interests and motive for volunteering Training Meeting logistics Monitoring Feedback Show appreciation Organising young people for Promoting DW

Organising migrant workers in Hong Kong ACTRAV launched one year project with the partnership of HKCTU, aiming at federating domestic migrant workers in Hong Kong. The project succeeded in forming the “Federation of Asian Domestic Workers’ Unions (FADWU) on Nov. 21, The FADWU is constituted by six domestic workers, including: - Indonesian Migrant Workers Union - Hong Kong Domestic Workers General Union - Filipino Domestic Helpers General Union, Hong Kong - Union of Nepalese Domestic Workers in Hong Kong - Overseas Domestic Workers’ Union – HK - Thai Migrant Workers’ Union Hong Kong May Day campaign:

The Executive Committee of FAWDU Organising young people for Promoting DW

Organising migrant workers through a union bilateral agreement (MOU) -Thai-Cambodian Union MOU signed in Nov VGCL-MTUC MOU signed in March 2015 Provide helpline services (through mobile SMS) (ex. TU SMS Helpline in Malaysia and Nepal) Establish a helpdesk (or Migration Dept.) (ex. Trade unions in Nepal, Korea and Cambodia)

Organising young people for Promoting DW Other organizing experiences 1. Formation of self-help groups for forest workers in Orissa, by BWI 2. Welfare measures for shipbreaking workers in Mumbai, by IMF

Organising young people for Promoting DW Other organising methods Education and research (mapping) Legislation/ international labour standards Dialogue IGPs Social Security Social mobilisation

Role of Trade Unions in Organising Informal Workers 19 Organising Procedures Getting information Designing an organising plan - how, when, where, whom and by who Entry points to meet workers and their interests - Motivating volunteer initiative Enrollment of members Continued workers’ education for stabilisation of the union during the incubating period

Organising young people for Promoting DW Organising is an entry point to provide voice and representation of workers through education, advocacy, collective bargaining, vocational training, and legal aid ‘Organising’ could be a common task of ILO and trade unions, working together towards providing ‘Decent Work’ to all informal workers as well as ensuring their fundamental principles and rights at work. Organising requires strategies, manpower, budget, workplan, implementation and monitoring Start with a small scale of organizing campaign and replicate its success to others Collect and disseminate successful organizing showcases Concluding

Organising young people for Promoting DW THANK YOU