Category Archives: News

Philippines: BWI and ADB hold inspection of Philippine railway project amid sweltering 48 degree heat

In the week of Workers’ Memorial Day, BWI and one of its Philippine affiliates, the National Union of Building and Construction Workers (NUBCW), conducted a joint inspection with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) of the Malalos-Clark Railway Project. The site visits occurred during the country’s warmest season, with temperatures reaching up to 47.7 degrees. This prompted thorough discussions on procedures for working in extreme heat, the necessity of work stoppages when temperatures become hazardous, and the adequacy of provided living accommodations and resting areas in protecting workers from heat stress.

The mission primarily focused on reviewing construction activities and applying ADB labour rights commitments to the ILO core labor standards and national regulations. Safeguard policy commitments on health and safety were emphasised to support the implementation of the project’s Environmental and Social Performance (ESP), defining roles and responsibilities regarding accommodation, occupational health and safety (OHS), and working conditions to ensure alignment with expectations from the Client, BWI, and the bank perspectives.

The three-day mission concluded with a training session at the ADB Headquarters, encompassing shared lessons learned, best practices, and knowledge on labour practices and safeguarding mechanisms. Participants included contractors from different project packages, as well as representatives of clients and key contractors for ADB projects within the Philippines. Observations from the site visits will be disseminated to other projects as examples of best practices. Simultaneously, issues identified will be addressed by the bank as part of corrective action plans formulated following the mission.

BWI news

Tanzania: Enough of work-related deaths!

Fifteen participants, including five women, from three BWI affiliates in Tanzania (TAMICO, TUICO, and TPAWU), as well as representatives from the Association of Tanzania Employers and the Trade Union Congress of Tanzania (TUCTA), attended and participated in a two-day tripartite consultative meeting held in Tanzania on 29-30 April 2024.

Participants highlighted the challenges surrounding occupational health and safety (OHS) in workplaces, including the existence of new hazards and diseases, the lack of employer-provided personal protective equipment, and other contraventions of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, 5 of 2003 (OHS Act).

The unions also delved into BWI’s “Enough is Enough campaign” to mark this year’s International Workers’ Memorial Day.” The campaign sought to raise awareness on poor OHS standards in various industries and empower affiliates to end negligent deaths and injuries in workplaces. Bonface Nkakatisi,

TUICO General Secretary, stressed the need to have a strong voice in defending workers’ rights and ensuring the safety and health of workers in the BWI sectors, protecting them against workplace hazards. He also underscored the need to enforce the implementation of the OHS Act and encouraged unions to work with TUCTA to ensure that the national law reflects workers’ concerns and needs.

Qatar: Let’s talk hazards – Mastering heat stress – BWI

A joint campaign of the global union federation Building and Wood Worker’s International  (BWI) and Qatar’s Ministry of Labour.

Asia/Pacific: 28 เมษา: จดจำแรงงานที่ถูกหลงลืม

ในรายงานขององค์การแรงงานระหว่างประเทศ (ILO) ที่เผยแพร่ในเดือนพฤศจิกายน พ.ศ.2566 เรียกร้องให้คนหันมาสนใจเรื่องสภาพแวดล้อมในการทำงานที่ปลอดภัยมากขึ้น A Call for Safer and Healthier Working Environments  มีเนื้อหาที่ตั้งข้อสังเกตดังนี้

จากประมาณการณ์ตัวเลขล่าสุดที่ทางไอแอลโอได้จัดทำ โดยนับสถิติย้อนหลังถึงพ.ศ. 2562 พบว่ามีคนทำงานกว่า 395 ล้านคนทั่วโลกได้รับบาดเจ็บที่เกี่ยวเนื่องกับการทำงานกรณีไม่ร้ายแรงจนถึงขั้นเสียชีวิต นอกจากนี้ ยังประมาณการณ์ว่าตัวเลขคนทำงานที่เสียชีวิตด้วยเหตุปัจจัยต่างๆ อันเกี่ยวเนื่องกับการทำงานอยู่ที่ราวๆ 2.93 ล้านคน เพิ่มขึ้นมากกว่า 12 เปอร์เซ็นต์จากสถิติปีพ.ศ.2563

ข้อมูลสถิติโดยประมาณการณ์นี้เป็นเครื่องเตือนใจอย่างดีในแง่ที่ว่าคนทำงานยังต้องประสบกับอาการบาดเจ็บขั้นร้ายแรง โรคภัยต่างๆ รวมถึงความเสี่ยงที่จะเสียชีวิตระหว่างทำงาน  นอกเหนือไปจากการเรียกร้องให้มีการบังคับใช้มาตรการต่างๆ เพื่อคุ้มครองคนทำงาน  สร้างหลักประกันด้านสิทธิเกี่ยวกับสุขภาพและความปลอดภัยในการทำงานให้เป็นไปตามหลักอนุสัญญาฉบับที่ 155 ขององค์การแรงงานระหว่างประเทศที่เป็นอนุสัญญาสิทธิหลักขั้นพื้นฐาน

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Qatar: Making work safer through dialogue and cooperation – BWI

DOHA: The Ministry of Labour, in collaboration with the Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI), organised the Migrant Community Leaders’ Forum on Monday, titled ‘Sustaining Dialogue and Cooperation’. The initiative aims to perpetuate constructive dialogue to enhance the work environment. more

Gibraltar: One minute silence and wreaths laid at Workers Memorial Day ceremony

Wreaths were laid at the Workers Memorial Day ceremony in the Alameda Gardens, Gibraltar following a one minute silence. The Minister for Health and Safety, Christian Santos and Unite’s Sam Hennessy addressed guests.

Peru: Confirmación por el Día Mundial de la Salud y la Seguridad en el Trabajo – FTCPP – CGTP

Confirmación por el Día Mundial de la Salud y la Seguridad en el Trabajo.

Peru: National meeting of safety and health secretariats at work of the FTCCP

The 1st National Meeting of Safety and Health Secretariats at Work of the FTCCP took place from April 22 to 24, and was attended by national leaders from the 25 regions of the country.

The aim of the meeting is to train national leaders as SST promoters, who will get tools to implement action plans in their respective provinces.

Brazil: Campanha – 300.000 acidentes fatais por ano. Basta! – Sintepav-Bahia

Sintepav-Bahia, through the president Gazo , the financial director and deputy senator Bebeto Galvão, starts on Monday (15), the union’s participation in the Action of the International Federation of Construction and Wood Workers – ICM regarding the International Day in Memory of Victims of Accidents and Related Diseases at work – 28 April.
According to @bwiglobalunion the harsh reality persists: we witness an increase in the number of deaths each year due to work-related accidents and illnesses. This year, ICM will highlight the risks that lead to the loss of lives of workers in our sectors on a daily basis, under the theme: ENOUGH! – LETS TALK ABOUT RISKS.
In memory of those we’ve lost, we’re taking collective action to ensure all workers are aware of their rights and all employers understand their obligations to identify, assess and control workplace risks. Join in with us!

Brazil: Dia internacional em memória das vítimas de acidentes e doenças relacionadas ao trabalho – Sincatron-SP

According to the ILO November 2023 report, the latest estimate of work related accidents and diseases is close to 3 million, with 2.6 million deaths attributed to work related diseases and 330,000 fatal accidents
This increase of more than 5% compared to 2015 is an alarming and unacceptable trend. However, despite the challenges, we can create safer and healthier work environments through preventive measures and security investments
Let’s work together to make it a reality.