[asia-apec 146] APEC Labour Rights Monitor (ALARM) Update issue no. 6

[Rex Varona]

ALARM UPDATE
(APEC Labour Rights Monitor)
Issue No. 6 - online version


Confidential APEC "Action Plans" Exposed

In an unprecedented move in the  campaign against the Asia Pacific Economic 
Cooperation (APEC), organisers of the 1996 Manila People's Forum on APEC
(MPFA 96) released this month the full text of the confidential  "individual
action plans" (IAPs) of the 18 APEC member countries.

Dr. Walden Bello, chair of the International Convenors' Committee of MPFA,
revealed in a press conference in Manila on 11 September, and again in Hong
Kong on the 14th, that the 1,500+ pages of the IAPs are critical documents
which outline the 18 governments' trade and investment liberalisation plan
until the year 2020.

The APEC governments declared after their 7th summit in Osaka in 1995 that 
liberalisation must be carried out "voluntarily, flexibly, and in a non-binding 
fashion". However,  the US and Australia, which are "dead serious" in
implementing 
their own agenda of making APEC a free trade area (ala NAFTA), have,
according to 
Bello, consistently pressured the other governments to commit to trade and 
investment liberalization which is "collective, comparable, and most of all, 
binding".

"In subverting Osaka, [the US] has: demanded the submission of 'solid,
comprehensive and detailed liberalization plans'; and pressured the
Philippine government, as host, to take the lead in making these 'solid and
comparable' action plans," said Bello.

The plan of the US government is to use these IAPs: as yardsticks in
pressuring and implementation of their liberalisation commitments; and as
the basis of a future free trade treaty like the North American Free Trade
Agreement (NAFTA).

The Philippine Hosting Committee of MPFA 96 said that APEC governments drafted 
these documents without democratic consultation -- no public hearings, no
referenda or consultations. Even the legislative bodies of the 18 APEC
countries have not seen these IAPs. Yet, they have been submitted to APEC as
the draft of each government's position on trade and investment
liberalisation. They are not supposed to be released until after the
November 1996 APEC Summit in Subic, Philippines. 


Migrant Workers Challenging Global Structures
Conference Statement

 We are 105 delegates coming from 16 countries in Asia, America and Europe, 
representing various migrant workers' organisations, migrant support groups,
trade 
unions, women's groups, human rights organisations and religious bodies. We have
come together on 28 August to 1 September 1996 in Seoul, Korea for the 
international migrants workshop on "Migrant Workers Challenging Global
Structures".

We recognise that in Asia alone, there are an estimated 15 million migrant
workers
(documented and undocumented). Women migrant workers constitute an increasing 
percentage of this. Economic, political, socio-cultural and religious 
marginalisation characterise the plight of migrant workers.

World domination and control by advanced capitalist interests through structural
adjustment, liberalisation and deregulation programmes of the International 
Monetary Fund, World Bank, and World Trade Organisation, abetted by the
collusion of governments, have resulted in poverty, unemployment and
underemployment, unequal distribution of wealth within and among nations,
collapse of agriculture, and the absence of peace and security in countries
within the region.

Advocates of globalisation argue that it hastens the transfer of skills and 
technology and enhances productivity and efficiency. The reality is,
globalisation
of economies reinforces the control of advanced capitalist interests on the less
developed countries, leading to the continued marginalisation, if not 
disintegration, of economic and socio-cultural systems in many countries in the 
South.

Globalisation requires the removal of trade and investment barriers to
facilitate
the movement of capital, investments, goods and labour across national
borders. At
the same time, advanced capitalist countries like the US and Japan adopt 
protectionist policies.

We are gravely concerned  that globalisation is leading to profit-driven
economies
that thrive on cheap and docile labour, especially of women, and societies that 
stress consumerism and competition. In turn, these have resulted in the
erosion of
human values, commodification of people (especially migrant workers), 
disintegration of societies, families and communities, racism, xenophobia, 
unsustainable lifestyles, and the degradation of the environment.

Demand for cheap labour has led to subcontracting mechanisms, adoption of
"trainee" schemes and increasing feminisation of migrant labour. This
translates into absence of accountability of companies especially
transnational corporations (TNCs),  unjust  wage structures, absence of
economic and social security, and violence against women and migrants. The
migrant workers, uprooted from their families and communities, have to work
under hostile, abusive and exploitative situations, and are generally denied
their right to organise and unionise.
 
We recognise the fact that migrant workers boost and contribute to the economic 
growth of  receiving countries, and through their remittances, help prevent the 
collapse of some debt-ridden countries.

We reaffirm our position that migrant workers, whether documented or
undocumented, have rights as workers and as human beings as embodied in the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the UN Convention on the Protection
of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families, and
other international conventions.

Initiatives have been taken by migrants and support groups in both sending and 
receiving countries in the areas of assistance to migrants, advocacy, lobbying, 
campaigning, networking, documentation/information and research.

The challenge to migrant workers, support groups and the people is great. 
Globalisation gives rise to increasingly complex processes and situations. The 
relentless drive of the capitalists to pursue globalisation, and the
governments'
abdication of their responsibility to the people, make our tasks even
greater. We
boldly face this challenge.

Therefore:

 	We advocate cooperation among peoples and social systems which are 
empowering, people-oriented, and which promote sustainable life and holistic, 
integral human values.
 	We reject the existing model of development promoted by IMF, WB, GATT/WTO
and TNCs.
 	We reject APEC and similar free trade and investment mechanisms or 
agreements.
 	We hold governments accountable in providing decent employment for the 
people, and responsible for abetting the forces of globalisation.

We commit ourselves to:

1.	Intensify the migrants' campaign against globalisation and APEC
2.	Strengthen and support the current lobbying and campaign initiatives for
the ratification of the UN Convention for the Protection of the Rights of
All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families
3.	Continue and strengthen the migrant action alert mechanism to expose 
blatant violations of migrants' human rights (e.g. through the Migrant Forum in 
Asia)
4.	Undertake gender-sensitisation especially among migrants' advocates
5.	Conduct a regional campaign on the issue of violence against women
migrant workers
6.	Declare a "Migrant Workers' Day" every year through joint actions and 
education programmes across the region
7.	Encourage trade unions and labour movements in each country to develop a
migrant workers' agenda
8.	Encourage trade unions in sending and receiving countries to build
linkages on migrants' concerns
9.	Develop, disseminate and share education materials (manuals, etc.) on 
globalisation and migrants' issues
10.	Work towards a common migrants' documentation system (basic data,
migrants' rights violations, migrants' directory, etc.)
11.	Pressure governments to provide decent employment to the people, and 
encourage and monitor its efforts to undertake re-integration initiatives
12.	Organise migrants' savings/investment groups and alternative livelihood
13.	Integrate the recommendations of this conference  in our respective 
organisational programmes.

Unanimously approved on 1 September 1996  in Seoul, Korea.

Signatories

1.	Asian Migrant Centre
2.	Migrant Forum in Asia
3.	Asian Center for Women's Human Rights
4.	Christian Conference of Asia - Urban Rural Mission
5.	Migration Desk, World Council of Churches
6.	Catholic Institute for International Relations
7.	Joint Committee of Migrant Workers in Korea, Korea
8.	Citizens' Coalition for Economic Justice, Korea
9.	International Organisation for Migration, Korea
10.	Christian Centre for Foreign Labour, Korea
11.	Foreign Workers Labour Counselling Office -  Seoul Archdiocese, Korea
12.	Foreign Workers Counselling Office - Inchon Diocese, Korea
13.	Pusan Workers Counselling Office, Korea
14.	Forum on Asia Immigrant Workers, Japan
15.	Solidarity Center for Migrants, Japan
16.	Asian Domestic Workers Union, Hong Kong
17.	Ms. Joy de Guzman, Hong Kong
18.	Hope Workers Centre, Taiwan
19.	Information Centre for Labour Education, Taiwan
20.	Fishermen's Service Center, Presbyterian Church in Taiwan, Taiwan
21.	Migrant Workers' Concern Desk, Taiwan
22.	Rev. John Van Deerlin, Apostolic Vicariate of Arabia, Qatar
23.	Tenaganita, Malaysia
24.	Friends of Women Foundation, Thailand
25.	Women's Desk, Catholic Migration Commission, Thailand 
26.	Unlad Kabayan Migrant Services Foundation, Philippines
27.	Network Opposed to Violence Against Women Migrants, Philippines
28.	Friends of Filipino Migrant Workers (Kaibigan), Philippines
29.	Center for Indonesian Migrant Workers - PMK, Indonesia
30.	Yayasan Pengembangan Pedesaan, Indonesia
31.	Solidaritas Perempuan, Indonesia
32.	Persekutuan Gereja-gereja di Indonesia, Indonesia
33.	Bombay Houseworkers Solidarity, India
34.	Domestic Workers' Movement, India
35.	Association for Community Development,  Bangladesh
36.	Agriculture Bangladesh Labour Union, Bangladesh
37.	General Federation of  Nepalese Trade Unions, Nepal
38.	International Catholic Migration Commission, Pakistan
39.	Asian Immigrant Women Advocates, USA


Labour and Migrant Forum
PROPOSED PROGRAMME

Venue:	International Institute for Rural Reconstruction (IIRR)
              Silang, Cavite, Philippines
Date:	17 - 21 November 1996

Objectives: For workers and labour groups (especially trade unions, 
women, migrants) in Asia-Pacific:

1. To follow-up on initiatives/activities since the 1995 NGO Forum on APEC
(Kyoto, Japan);

2.To continue to discuss and consolidate views/positions on APEC,
globalisation and related freetrade initiatives;

3.To attempt to come up with a common regional position, agenda and 
proposals on APEC and globalisation;

4.To strengthen gender consciousness among the labour groups and 
integrate gender perspective in dealing with APEC and globalisation;

5. To build and strenghten labour networking in the region.

Friday & Saturday, 15-16 November 1996 (Shalom Center, Manila)
 	International Women's Conference on APEC

Sunday, 17 November (International Institute for Rural Reconstruction, Cavite)
 	Arrival and registration; expectations
 	Introductions, general briefing, forming of committees 

Monday, 18 November (CALABARZON area, Cavite)
 	Exposure to CALABARZON communities and export processing zones
 	Dialogue with farmers and workers

Tuesday, 19 November (IIRR, Cavite)
  7:00-  8:00 AM	Breakfast
  8:30-  9:00	Opening Activities:
		* Invocation
		* Welcome and  opening message
		* About MPFA  & LMF
		* Summary of expectations
 9:00-  9:15	Report-back: International Women's Conference on APEC
 9:15-  9:45	Open forum
 9:45-10:00	Coffee/tea break
10:00-12:00	Workshop I:Country reports and follow-up on Kyoto
		(6 workshop groups; sign-up)
12:00- 1:00 PM	Lunch
  1:00- 1:15	Energizer
  1:15- 1:30	Solidarity appeal: Arrested toy campaigners (Hong Kong)
  1:30- 2:30	Workshop I  Reports
  2:30- 3:30	Panel I: "Workers' Views: APEC, WTO, WB, IMF and 
                            Globalisation"
		Panelists: trade unionist; factory (woman), plantation, migrant
	  		 workers
  3:30-  4:00	Open Forum
  4:00-  4:15	Coffee/tea break
  4:15-  4:30	Solidarity appeal: Hong Kong Bank workers (Philippines)
  4:30- 5:30 PM	Panel II: "Can Social Clauses & Multilateral Instruments
                            Protect Workers against APEC & Globalization?"
		Panelists: ICTFU, Korea, Philippines, India
  5:30-  6:30	Open Forum
  6:30-  6:45	Solidarity Appeal: Tenaganita Case (Malaysia)
  6:45-  7:00	Synthesis of Day 1 (key issues)
  7:00-  8:00	Dinner
		Socials/Solidarity Sessions

Wedensday, 20 November (IIRR, Cavite)
  7:00-  8:00 AM	Breakfast
  8:00-  8:45	Energizer
  8:45-  9:00	Recap of Day 1
  9:00-12:00	Workshop II: Towards a Regional Workers' Position
                            and Strategies on APEC (6 groups; sign-up)
12:00-  1:00 PM	Lunch
  1:00-  1:15	Energizer
  1:15-  3:15	Plenary I: Workers' Declaration on APEC (common
                            position)
		*Based on Workshop II output
*Drafting Committee to draft statement based on plenary discussion
  3:15-  3:30	Coffee/Tea Break
  3:30-  5:00	Plenary II: Workers' Declaration on APEC
                            (strategies and action agenda)
		*Based on Workshop II output
*Drafting Committee to make statement based on plenary discussion
  5:00-  7:00	Plenary III: Workers' Declaration on APEC (final approval)
*Based on statement drafted by Drafting Committee
		*Other Resolutions
		*Evaluation of the forum
  7:00		Dinner
		Cultural & Solidarity Night


Thursday, 21 November (Midtown Hotel,Manila)
 	AM: Back to Manila
	PM: Exposure to picket line, workers' area or demolition site
                     (being arranged)
	PM: Demonstration, embassy-hopping, hotel-hopping or press
                     conference (being arranged)

Friday & Saturday, 22-23 November
(Midtown Hotel, Ermita, Manila)
	Manila People's Forum on APEC 1996
	"Free Trade and Sustainable Development: Agenda for Regional
              Cooperation"
 	Dialogue with APEC/government officials (being arranged)

Sunday to Tuesday, 24-26 November
(Central Luzon area; Subic)
 	People's Caravan (Manila to Subic)
 	Back to Manila; departure


Workers' Actions and Alerts

 July

 		Canada -- Around 900 members of the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) walked
off their jobs and staged a strike at the Murray Park, Winnipeg facility of
Boeing of Canada Ltd. Thirteen workers were arrested while others suffocated
and suffered bruises after policemen sprayed them with pepper chemicals. The
CAW members are battling Boeing over the Continental Work Week which means
more weekend work, split days off, 12-hour days, sub-contracting, and lower
pay and pension benefits.

 		Korea -- A government-financed research institute enforced a 
lockout saying it could not carry out its business because of a strike.
Management
of the Korea Institute of Energy Research took the step after its unionized
workers declared an indefinite strike. Wages and other working conditions at
the institute were the major issues.

 August
                                        
 		US -- About 160 unionized truck drivers of GRUMA, Southern 
California's largest tortilla manufacturer and the U.S. arm of the controversial
Grupo Industrial Maseca, which holds a virtual  monopoly of the corn flour and  
tortilla business in Mexico. At issue were pay, benefits, and working
conditions.

 		US -- San Francisco teetered close  to a city-wide janitors' strike 
as hundreds of janitors walked off their jobs even as union  and management 
negotiators tried to reach a  last-minute agreement. Issues about health and
safety, wages and benefits caused the dispute.

 		US -- The Missouri Department of Labor has ruled  that according to state
law, the Machinists at McDonnell Douglas are eligible for unemployment
compensation. Missouri  law states that if during a labor dispute the amount
of work stoppage is not significant -- as McDonnell's propaganda machine
claimed there hasn't been -- the affected employees are eligible for
unemployment compensation.

September

 		Canada -- Auto workers at Chrysler Canada averted their strike 
after coming up with a tentative agreement with the management. The tentative 
agreement gives Chrysler's workers a 2% wage increase annually over the next
three years, with strong job security and an extra 10 days off each year.
The agreement also restricts the prerogative of the automaker to outsource,
or contract work to non-union suppliers, or to reduce the number of
unionized workers at its plants.

 		Canada -- Inco Ltd., a nickel producing firm, has shut down its 
operation as contract talks with its 1,327 unionised workers remain
unresolved. The
workers voted 71% against Inco's final offer, putting the union in a strike 
position. The main issues in the labor dispute are wages and shift scheduling.

 		US -- MCI Communications has laid off several hundred employees at almost
three dozen locations. The layoffs occurred in the mass markets group
serving the consumer and small business markets. According to the MCI
spokesperson, the layoffs were part of a "minor restructuring"  intended to
"serve customers as efficiently as possible".

 		Indonesia -- The TUC is calling on British trade unions to put 
money  towards the legal costs of  two leading Indonesian trade unionists
Muchtar
Pakpahan and Dita Indah Sari, both from SBSI, who face possible death
sentences on what are widely believed to be trumped up charges of
subversion. The trial begins 
on Saturday, September 28, 1996.

 		Bangladesh -- The Bangladesh garment workers agreed on an action plan to
campaign for one day off per week. The National Garment Workers 
Federation of Bangladesh reports that garment workers work 14-16 hours/day,
seven days a week. They say that if the day off is not implemented by
October 1, workers will take the day off themselves from the first day in
November.

 		Aotearoa -- Japanese workers touring Aotearoa (New Zealand) joined a
picket of locked out meat workers at a partly Japanese-owned meatworks.