The Council of Global Unions condemns flagrant worker rights’ violations in South Korea that led to the tragic death of Yang Hoe-Dong11 May, 2023On the first anniversary of the inauguration of President Yoon, the Council of Global Unions, representing 200 million workers around the world expresses deep concern on the recent attacks, judicial harassment, and interference against the legitimate activities of trade unions and the rights of working people in South Korea.
European Parliament must do everything in its power to end military rule in Myanmar9 May, 2023Ahead of the debate and vote on 10 and 11 May on a Resolution on Myanmar, the fourth since the military coup of February 2021, IndustriALL Global Union and industriAll Europe have written a letter to the European Parliament. The military junta in Myanmar has escalated its repression of democratic forces. The European Parliament must do everything in its power to end the military junta’s rule and return democracy to the people of Myanmar.
Union win stops unfair retrenchments at Botswana diamond mine 8 May, 2023The Botswana Mine Workers Union’s (BMWU) win in an industrial court on 28 April has stopped unfair retrenchments at Lucara Botswana’s security department at the Karowe diamond mine, the same mine which unearthed “Lesedi la rona” (our light) in 2015 - the largest diamond to be discovered in a century. The mine has also dug three diamonds with over 1,000 carats each and sold “The Constellation”, an 813-carat diamond for a record US$63 million for a rough gem in 2016.
How can H&M justify its presence in Myanmar? 4 May, 2023Swedish fashion giant H&M’s ESG record is better than many of its peers and the company’s responsible business practices has cemented a constructive relationship with IndustriALL. And yet H&M refuses to stop sourcing from Myanmar, a military dictatorship where unions are banned and foreign exchange are used to buy weapons. At today’s AGM, IndustriALL raised the question with the company.
Urgent need for mandatory due diligence 4 May, 2023The 10th anniversary of the Rana Plaza collapse on 24 April was the starting point of a week-long advocacy with garment union leaders from Bangladesh, Myanmar, Cambodia and Tunisia. The delegation met with the ILO in Geneva, politicians in Berlin and the EU Parliament and Commission in Brussels to discuss the continued campaign on safe factories and the need for mandatory due diligence.
Human rights due diligence is not possible in Myanmar1 May, 2023More than two years after the military coup in Myanmar, the situation for the people, and the workers, is getting worse. May Day is a day when we raise our voices for workers’ rights and against violations – human rights due diligence is not possible under Myanmar’s military dictatorship and companies must plan a responsible exit from the country.
Due diligence legislation must be strong to protect workers - the EU can help make this happen 27 April, 2023Meeting with Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), trade union leaders from the textile and garment sector in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Myanmar and Tunisia called for mandatory and strong due diligence legislation and Europe’s support to prevent a tragedy like the Rana Plaza disaster from ever happening again.
Fighting for decent work in the global minerals industry26 April, 2023Climate change calls for a historic transition to a low-carbon economy. Phasing out fossil fuels in favour of green energy is a major feature of that climate action, estimated to require ten times more electric vehicles and battery storage. This in turn depends on a consistent supply of minerals including cobalt, lithium, nickel and graphite, as the component elements of digital devices, screens and systems.
Labour needs a stronger position in UN binding treaty 20 April, 2023Negotiations on a binding UN business and human rights treaty are already nine years in the making, with more rounds are to come. After the latest negotiations in October last year, global unions have provided written input stressing an increased prominence of labour rights and a strong liability mechanism.
Stop repression in Eswatini 6 April, 2023Trade unions and civil society organizations call for national dialogue on democratic reforms in Eswatini, Africa’s last absolute monarchy, amid repression by the police and state security.
