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Similar to International trade unions like ITUC need to be less combative, maybe most are fraud NGOs
Similar to International trade unions like ITUC need to be less combative, maybe most are fraud NGOs (20)
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International trade unions like ITUC need to be less combative, maybe most are fraud NGOs
- 1. International trade unions like ITUC needtobe less combative, encourage more interactionwithworkers Trade unionsaroundthe worldare playingaleadingrole inthe protractedglobal debate onvarious issuesinthe Gulf region.Theycontinually dominate mediaheadlineswithallegationsof wrongdoing takingplace againstworkersinplaceslike AbuDhabi,Kuwait,QatarandSaudi Arabia,toname a few. For example,the International Trade UnionConfederation(ITUC) hasurgedthe UnitedNationsto look intothe plightof thousandsof migrantworkersinthe UnitedArab Emirates,includingthose buildinga newLouvre Museumand the world'slargestGuggenheim, reportedlyandallegedlybeingtreatedas slave labour. Elsewhere,thistrade unionbodyhas severelycriticizedQatarforitsfailure togive more rightstothe workforce and appearsrelentlessinitspursuittohelpstripQatar of itsright to hostthe FIFA 2022 WorldCup. Theyhave ensuredthatthe campaignisnot onlyrelentless,butalsoaggressive,andat times,questionable. It was recentlypointedoutina newsreportthatbodieslike the ITUChave employeddubiousmeans duringtheirallegedinvestigationof workers'condition. The report releasedbyITUChas brandedthe Middle Eastas being'slave masters',tarnishingitsimage and the damage done to itsreputationisexpectedtoputthe regionina spinandwill have longterm impact,includingstallingof constructionprojectsleadingtounemploymentof labourers,including Indianexpatriates. ITUC's relationshipwiththe Gulf appearstohave assumedanadversarial one. A seriesof interactionswithvariousstakeholdersrevealedadifferentperspectiveregardingtheir lifestyle,administration,agendaandfinancialangle. A personnel stationedatthe Swiss-basedoffice of ITUClocatedinthe ILO buildinginGenevarevealed on the conditionof anonymitythat,"in2013/14, the ILO firedmore than 600 employeesinaneffortto save costs.ITUC agreednotto lobbythe ILO onthis issue inreturnformaintainingitsfunding!" He alsoinformedthat"junioremployeesare paidminimallyandthe trade unionusesineffectiveretired people tosave costs,whereasthe managementleadsalavishlifestyle.Racquel Gozalez,the headof Genevaoffice,forinstance,arrivesatworkinher BMW 5 seriescar valuedatEuro 70000 and livesina Euro 500,000 apartment." "I understandthatleadersof trade unionsacrossthe worldlive alavishlifestyle...The topbrasshas beenknowntohelptheirclose relativesenterintotoplevelpositionsinthe organization,cutting competition.There are some goodthingshappening,butthere are alsoa lotof malpractices,"saidxyz, whohas beenworkingasan administrative managerwithNational Trade UnionCongressfor18 years. (CONFIDENTIALNAME),whowaswithInternational LabourOrganisationasseniorsecretary,saidtrade unionsare not doingenoughtoenable large-scale interactionwithlabourers.
- 2. He said,"Workersare not aware of the process.Whoshould theymeetforredressal?ITUChas not installedaprocesswhichiseasyforthe work force.Theyare evenscaredto reach outto trade union leaders.Inthe end,labourerscontinuetotoil while the general secretariesandpresidentsenjoyhigh life." (CONFIDENTIALNAME2),aformerofficial withthe ILO,,ina telephonicconversation,saidtrade unions neededtofocusmore onthe unorganizedratherthanthe organizedsectors.He saidhe wouldlike to see institutionslikeITUCtraintheirattentiononwhathe called"the real deprivedpersons",andadded that itwas hisviewthatsuch bodiescurrentlyrepresentjustaboutseventoeightpercentof the work force. He candidlyadmittedthatprogressonthisfronthasbeenslow andmore needstobe done. He feltthat a change inapproachis takingplace,whichwasa good thing. The ITUC's accountsshowthat in 2012, it paidits 75 staff at itsBrusselsoffice almost6millionEurosin salary,whichequatesto80,000 Euros perperson,almost2.5 timesthe average salaryinBelgium. Furthermore,staff wagesincreasedby600,000 Euros between2011 and 2012, a rate of eightpercentor approximatelythree timesinflation.Itisevenhardertounderstandthe justificationforthispayrise whenyouconsiderthat theiraffiliationfees - paidbyreal workers- onlyrose by1.1 per centto 11.9 million. There are tendenciesof some laborunionstobecome bureaucraticandforthe unionleadersandstaff to become detachedfromthe needsandinterestsof the rankand file unionmembers.Interestingly,one of the waysITUC is fundedisthroughcontributionbyglobal affiliates.Spendingmoneyeveryyearto have an organizationlike ITUCfightingforyourpiece of the pie needstobe justified. INTUC's (confidential name 3) revealed:"We payhuge amountsof moneyasannual feestoITUC. Sometimes,we evenpayhalf-yearly.We hope we getmuchmore inturn,in termsof training programmesandskill development." Confidential name 4said,"Theyact as guardiansof labour, but inreality,there are certainpersonal stakes.Theyhave political linksandthere have beenincidentsthatsmelleddirty." The onus liesonthe leadership.SharanBurrow,General SecretaryITUC,recentlyrespondedtosome tweetsthatquestionedthe modusoperandi of trade unions. The tweetappearedtocarry a touchof sarcasm.She tweeted:"nice thatfourworkersgeta gooddeal". It was inresponse toa recentarticle thatshowedmanyworkersderivingbenefitsinthe Gulf andleading betterlives. As presidentof the AustralianCouncil of Trade Unionssome yearsago,Burrow reportedlyclaimedcredit for the introductionof the PaidParental Leave (PPL) programinAustralia,whichshe saidwouldgive dignityandrespecttowomanworkers.
- 3. But whatwas not highlighted,accordingtomediareports,wasthe Government'sProductivity Commissionreportwhichstatedthatthe programwouldleadtoa reductioninlong-runwagesasmore people wouldbe hiredtocoverleave periodsonlow wagesandcasual contracts. Unlessanduntil the relationshipbetweentrade unionsandemployercountriesimprove andtheyjoin handsin a constructive manner,reformmaybe hardto come by.