ITUC SAYS POLITICAL INACTION ON PALESTINE “CRIMINALLY NEGLIGENT”
The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) has written an open letter to governments around the world calling for immediate and sustained action to bring peace to Palestine.
Its demands for action are consistent with the PSA and New Zealand Council of Trade Unions policy, and recognises the ongoing “collective punishment” of millions of Palestinians as a “crime of historical scale”.
The ITUC also criticises the world’s inaction on Israel’s actions in Gaza as “criminally negligent”.
No-one can bring back the 60,000 dead, including the more than 15,000 children who have lost their lives, but ITUC says can ensure the Gazans that survive can live dignified, autonomous lives.
The five demands made by the ITUC are: to stop all arms deliveries to all parties, a ceasefire and immediate humanitarian access, a release of all hostages and political prisoners, the formal recognition of Palestine and the ending of trade with illegal settlements, the strengthening of democracy in Palestine, and a call for all trade unions to act.
The NZCTU has distributed a copy of this letter to our Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
TRADE UNIONS ‘SHUT DOWN INDIA’ IN MASS MOBILISATION
Hundreds of thousands of workers in India went on strike this July in a historic demonstration of unity and strength.
Bharat Bandh (‘Shut Down India’ in Hindi) was a joint mobilisation of ten Indian trade unions, including central and regional public service workers.
Several other unions also protested in solidarity. Agricultural workers went on strike in rural communities, and blue-collar workers from mining, construction, logistics, and more all joined the protests.
The day of action went ahead in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s efforts to privatise state-run agencies and his dismantling of worker rights. Amongst the worker demands were scrapping Modi’s four anti-worker labour codes, introducing a national minimum wage of 26,000 rupees (NZ$500) per month, and reinstating pensions.
However, Bharat Bandh leaders also said that the nationwide strike aimed to restore the Indian constitution’s promise of social and economic freedom for all.
NURSES WIN BETTER PAY AND CONDITIONS IN PARAGUAY
More than 4,000 nurses marched into the capital of Paraguay, Asunción, to demand better pay and working conditions – and won.
For a nation where mass collective action is rare and unions are fragmented, the nurses’ brave action caught the attention of their government.
Organised by the Paraguayan Nursing Association (APE) and the Nursing Unity Front, the march presented a petition to the Ministry of Public Health and Social Welfare rejecting privatisation, denouncing the lack of medicine in the public system, and calling for an urgent reduction of workload for nursing staff.
As a result, the Paraguayan Government committed to a raft of changes for the nursing workforce, including addition budget allocation to lift salaries, a fairer promotion structure, and the establishment of a formal relationship between the unions and the Vice-Ministry of Economy.
