1. Training for Change: MHSSN’s Work In Asia and the Americas Garrett Brown ANROAV Conference Hong Kong - Aug 2007

2. 2 History and Goals Maquiladora Health & Safety Support Network founded in November 1993 by the OHS Section of the American Public Health Association All-volunteer network of 400+ OHS professionals in the US, Canada and Mexico, and now in Asia

3. 3 Strategic Goals Informed and active workers able to: –Speak and act in their own name –Recognize OHS hazards and controls –Know and exercise their rights under national and international law –Organize to win improved conditions in OHS and other labor rights

4. 4 Overall Methods North-South collaboration in the Americas and then Asia Build OHS capacity of local worker- and community-based groups Provide information, technical assistance and training

5. 5 Specific Tactics Plug into existing network of professionals for resources Plug into existing networks of grassroots organizations for partners and collaborators

6. 6 Specific Tactics Use TNCs’ claims about CSR to gain access to factories Use access to plants to increase effectiveness of trainings Use access to plants to give NGOs/unions opportunities to interact with workers

7. 7 Work in the Americas Partnership with CJM, SNEEJ, CFO and others on U.S.-Mexico border Partnership with FAT union in Mexico City Partnership with Regional Initiative in Central America and the Dominican Republic

8. 8 Funding Sources U.S. NGOs provide money for “sister organizations” in Mexico Grant proposals from U.S. foundations University resources for specific trainings

9. 9 Capacity-Building 1993-2001: more than a dozen trainings on border and in Mexico City Develop a core of “peer trainers” – women maquila workers themselves Economic crisis of 2001 undercuts plan Revival of activities from 2005 onwards

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15. 15 Technical Assistance Two jointly written complaints filed under NAFTA labor side agreement Testimony by U.S. OHS professionals at NAFTA complaint hearings Specific hazard and control information for campaigns against particular employers

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17. 17 Using TNC Connections Two trainings in Guatemala with 3 unions and 8 NGOs from all five Central American countries with field days in Korean-owned garment factories producing for the GAP

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20. 20 Work in Asia Same model: Build local OHS capacity Gain access for NGOs/unions to factories Provide technical assistance Funding from MacArthur Foundation and brands

21. 21 Indonesia: 2000-02 Local partner: LIPS Participants: 6 unions and 8 NGOs Training materials: Indonesian manual turned into OHS booklet by union Use Nike contact to visit 8,000-worker sports shoe plant Follow-up training

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25. 25 China Projects: 2001-06 Yue Yuen in Dongguan, August 2001 –Goal: train management and worker members of plant H&S committees –Goal: build the OHS capacity of HK NGOs and their China staff –Goal: provide NGOs with access to factories and workers

26. 26 Yue Yuen - 2001 Formal MOU between 4 Hong Kong NGOs, 3 brands and 3 factory operators Local coordinator: CWWN Funding from MacArthur Foundation and brands

27. 27 YY Training Activities Manual and materials in Chinese – later used by NGOs and factories 4-day training inside a 30,000-worker factory producing for adidas with participants from two other Nike and Reebok plants 3 plants establish H&S committees

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41. 41 YY Training Follow-up NGOs conduct trainings with plant H&S committees H&S Committee at Kong Tai Shoes coincides with union election Special issue of IJOEH captures lessons of YY training for other plants

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43. 43 China since 2002 Over time management support for plant H&S committees declines U.S. government funding more harm than good: –2003 ICO “migrant workers college” –2004-05 attempts to do NGO trainings inside China postponed, then cancelled

44. 44 China in 2006 Research trip to Apache II plant –Study impact of “lean manufacturing” on factory-level OHS –Field experience for CLSN staff IJOEH article coming out in September

45. 45 Ongoing Challenges Funding for activities –Time and energy for constant fund-raising –“Strings” and agenda-warp from funders –Corrosive impact on relationships with partners, volunteers and staff

46. 46 Ongoing Challenges Scale and impact of projects –Do the projects reach “enough” people? –Do the projects have any “lasting impact”? –Do the projects make any difference in workers’ lives? –How best to measure the impact?

47. 47 Ongoing Challenges Ebb and flow of local partners –Political context and security risks in each country or region –Natural turn-over in leadership and staff

48. 48 Key Lessons OHS as entry point for change –OHS important to workers and is an effective organizing theme locally and “neutral” focus for international campaigns –“Relatively easy” to build NGO/union capacity in OHS –OHS campaign successes “bleed over” to other labor rights issues

49. 49 Key Lessons Keys for successful trainings: –Use of “popular education” techniques, activities and materials –Access to actual workplaces –Repeat trainings 2-3 times to generate knowledgeable and confident peer trainers

50. 50 Key Lessons Keys for successful trainings: –Post-training collaboration between participants to share experiences and materials –Post-training outreach to workers and allied organizations

51. 51 Key Lessons Partnerships must be genuine: –Relationship of equals – two-way exchanges of information and leadership –Transparency and accountability –Northern resources for Southern projects with the South setting the goals and priorities

52. 52 Contact Information Garrett Brown Maquiladora Health & Safety Support Network P.O. Box 124 Berkeley, CA 94701 USA gdbrown@igc.org http://mhssn.igc.org