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INDONESIA: The Indonesian Parliament, which ratified ILO Convention No. 87 on Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise in June 1998, has just announced its intention to endorse the last three ILO Core Conventions, namely No. 105 (Abolition of Forced Labour), No. 111 (Discrimination in Respect of Employment and Occupation), and No. 138 (Minimum Age for Admission to Employment).

With these last three, the country will have ratified all seven ILO Core Conventions and be the first Asian country to do so. It is hoped the government will fully implement and enforce these fundamental workers' rights, both in law and in practice.

The Indonesian parliamentary election will take place on June 7, and with the recent formation of a coalition of three main opposition parties, this could be the first truly multiparty election in four decades.

Discussion of the situation in Indonesia will be one of the topics dealt with at the IMF's Central Committee meeting in Helsinki, Finland, on June 23-24.

Indonesia expected to ratify more ILO core conventions

GENEVA/TOKYO: At this week's IMF Asian Shipbuilding Working Party, in Tokyo, a unanimously-agreed joint statement was issued. 
The group called for increased environmental protection, the elimination of sub-standard shipping, improved working conditions in ship-scrapping, research &amp; development into new types of ships and other marine-related projects, and improved labour/management relations leading to increased job security and social status for shipyard workers. They also opposed any further increases in shipbuilding capacity and are calling for a world conference to deal with health and safety in the shipbuilding industry. 
The Working Party reaffirmed its support for the OECD Agreement, which seeks to eliminate state subsidies in this sector, despite the U.S. government's refusal to ratify it.

The IMF's shipbuilding meeting issued a  unanimous statement in Tokyo on May 18, 1999.

Shipbuilding working party agrees statement

BULGARIA: All five of the IMF's Bulgarian affiliates are joining forces to organise a "Day of Protest of Bulgarian Metalworkers", on Thursday, May 27, in Sofia.

The situation in the country's metal industry is becoming more and more difficult and unclear, with the privatisation process too slow and a lack of serious investors. Many, if not most, of the companies in the metal sector have collapsed financially and restructuring is being carried out simply by dismissing workers and liquidating companies which employ thousands of people. One year has passed since the last protest was organised, and not one of the demands expressed by the metalworkers has resulted in positive action by the government. The IMF unions (TU "Metalicy" - Citub, NF "Metal-Electro" - Citub, NF "Metallurgy" - CL Podkrepa, SFMM - CL "Podkrepa", and NFEEI - CL "Podkrepa") are insisting on keeping afloat the companies still functioning and putting a stop to liquidation, an effective and active post-privatisation control, creation of real alternative employment, etc.

Please show your concern and solidarity with the Bulgarian metalworkers, in their struggle to defend metalworkers' interests and livelihoods, by sending messages of support for all five unions in care of: TU "Metalicy" on e-mail: metalicy@hotmail.com or Fax: (359/2) 882-710.

Bulgarian metalworkers join forces for their "Day of Protest of Bulgarian Metalworkers".

Metal unions to conduct joint protest in Sofia

EUROPEAN UNION: On May 4, the Technical Committee of the European Union voted for an EU-wide ban on chrysotile, or white asbestos. It is expected that the EU Commissioners will adopt this directive in the next few weeks, thus phasing out the use and sale of chrysotile and chrysotile-containing products (with a few derogations) in the European Union.

A spokesperson for the United Kingdom's Health and Safety Executive stated that "this vote enables member states to bring in bans earlier than 2005. This is the U.K.'s intention."

European Union votes for  EU-wide ban on chrysotile.

Cause for celebration&lt;br&gt;over asbestos

GENEVA: Union activists have escaped certain death, many have been freed from prison and an increasing number of governments are now thinking twice before choosing the path of confrontation with trade unions, according to the ICFTU "state of the unions" report. It is the annual survey of violations of trade union rights in 119 countries. 
The report itself, as a part of a wider campaign, including prompt protests and interventions, well-coordinated action, alliances with other human right groups and increased support from ICFTU affiliates, has definitely contributed to major breakthroughs, it is said. 
The list of countries banning independent trade unions outright is getting shorter year by year, but much remains to be done. 
In 1998, 123 people were murdered for being trade unionists, 98 of them in Colombia. 
1,650 individual trade unionists were attacked or injured. Countries which stand out in this respect are Kenya, Indonesia and Croatia. 
3,660 people were arrested for carrying out trade union activities. In South Korea, by the end of the year, 488 had been arrested. 
21,427 workers worldwide were sacked simply for being trade unionists. For instance, legislation brought in under Margaret Thatcher is still being used against workers in the United Kingdom. 
There are reasons for continued and intensified campaigns, it is said in the report.

Campaigns against violations of trade union rights have contributed to improve labour standards.

Protesting helps

GENEVA: Carla Coletti, until now a member of the IMF Secretariat, in charge of the Equal Rights Department, and now Italian worker representative of the ILO Governing Body, has for the first time got the floor at the International Labour Conference 87th Plenary Session. She said that "children at school, adults at work" must not be just a slogan. 
"We have to join our efforts and immediately address the worst forms of exploitation of children, without losing sight of the need to effectively eliminate all forms of child labour." 
Concerning maternity protection, she declared it as a basic human right as well as a strategic resource for development. However, today "the overall condition of working women is deteriorating." 
This is an indicator of the violation of basic rights, Carla Coletti concluded. The ILO will provide the ground for a new partnership against such deterioration of society.

Carla Coletti made a strong contribution to the struggle for maternity protection and eliminination of child labour in her maiden speech at the ILO.

&quot;Eliminate all forms&lt;br&gt;of child labour&quot;

Carla Coletti, until now a member of the IMF Secretariat, has been elected to the ILO Governing Body as one of the Italian worker representatives. She is returning from Geneva to Rome, where she will be deployed in the International Department of the CGIL. Carla Coletti has been Director of the Mediterranean Desk, Equal Rights and Work Organisation Department at the IMF Headquarters since 1994. She came to the IMF from FIOM-CGIL in Italy.

This week, the Governing Body of the International Labour Organisation, ILO, has been elected.

Carla Coletti&lt;br&gt;elected to the ILO

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