Countries, Events listing, Finland

Finland: EAY haluaa sitovat altistumisrajat vaarallisimmille kemikaaleille

Euroopan ammattiliitot viettävät 28. huhtikuuta kansainvälistä työntekijöiden muistopäivää. Tänä vuonna päivällä muistetaan erityisesti työperäisiin syöpiin kuolleita. Euroopan ammatillisen yhteisjärjestön (EAY) mukaan 100,000 ihmistä menehtyy vuosittain EU:n alueella työperäisten syöpien tähden.

Valitsemalla työperäiset syövät muistopäivän aiheeksi EAY haluaa myös nostaa esiin komission sääntelyn keventämiseen tähtäävän REFIT-ohjelman. Eurooppalainen ammattiyhdistysliike on ollut huolissaan EU-lakien yksinkertaistamiseen tai poisvetämiseen keskittyvän ohjelman vaikutuksista työturvallisuudelle ja -terveydelle.

EAY toteaa muistopäivän tiedotteessaan komission keskeyttäneen vuonna 2013 työnsä työntekijöitä haitallisilta kemikaaleilta suojelevan lainsäädännön parissa. Tämän seurauksena vain kolmella syöpää aiheuttavalla kemikaalilla on EAY:n mukaan eurooppalaiset altistumisrajat.

EAY vaatii komissiolta:

  • Laillisesti sitovia altistumisrajoja 50 haitallisimmalle syöpää ja hedelmättömyyttä aiheuttavalle kemikaalille.
  • Etenemistä työperäisiä syöpiä ja perimän muutoksia aiheuttavia aineita koskevan direktiivin uudistamisessa.

EAY:n pääsihteeri Bernadette Ségolin mukaan on häpeällistä, että toimenpiteitä, joilla suojellaan työntekijöitä syöpään ja hedelmättömyyteen liittyviltä riskeiltä, pidetään tarpeettomana byrokratiana ja hallinnollisena taakkana.

Myös Suomen palkansaajakeskusjärjestöt kantavat huolta siitä, että pyrkimykset sääntelyn keventämiseksi voivat joissain tapauksissa uhata työntekijöitä, kuluttajia ja ympäristöä suojelevia normeja.

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http://finunions.org/ajankohtaista/uutiset/uutisarkisto/eay_haluaa_sitovat_altistumisrajat_vaarallisimmille_kemikaaleille.1916.news

Countries, Europe, News

Europe: 150,000 have died from work cancer while EU evaluates ‘Better Regulation’

On April 28, European Trade unions will commemorate International Workers’ Memorial Day – remembering the 150,000 people who have died in the EU from occupational cancers since the European Commission suspended work on legislation protecting workers from chemicals that cause cancer.

etuc3Every year 100,000 people in the EU die from occupational cancers.

In October 2013 the European Commission stopped developing exposure limits for chemicals that cause cancer because it is reviewing ‘red tape’ – with the result that only 3 cancer-causing chemicals have European exposure limits!

Now the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) is demanding

  • Legally enforceable exposure limits for the for a priority list of the 50 most toxic chemicals for causing cancer, and for male and female fertility.
  • Progress on the revision of the Directive on Carcinogens and Mutagens at work to expand the number of chemicals with binding exposure limits

“Measures to protect workers from cancer and fertility difficulties, are being treated as ‘red tape’ and a so-called ‘unnecessary burden’ on industry” said Bernadette Ségol, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation. “It is shameful.”

“I am all in favour of ‘better regulation’ but this is treating human life like another line in the balance sheet, like the cost of raw materials or energy. The ETUC is calling on the European Commission agree legally binding exposure limits for 50 of the most harmful chemicals.”

“The Vice President of the European Commission Frans Timmermans recently said that better regulation does not mean deregulation and lowering standards* so I hope he is willing to take action to protect workers from cancer.”

To mark International Workers’ Memorial Day on April 28:

  • ETUC General Secretary Bernadette Ségol will be in the European Parliament in Strasbourg to meet President Schulz and European Employment Commissioner Thyssen amongst others
  • ETUC and Belgian trade unions will be at the entrance of the  European Commission’s Berlaymont HQ in Brussels at 12.30, following an 11.00 meeting with Belgian Vice Prime Minister Kris Peeters.
  • ETUC Deputy General Secretary Józef Niemiec will meet the Latvian EU Presidency with Latvian trade unions and European trade union health and safety experts at a health and safety conference in Riga.

For more information see: http://www.etuc.org/international-workers-memorial-day-28-april-2015  & https://28april.org/

*http://ec.europa.eu/commission/2014-2019/timmermans/announcements/remarks-first-vice-president-frans-timmermans-better-regulation-businesseurope-day-26-march-2015_en

Countries, Events listing, Senegal

Unions mobilise for prevention policies in Senegal

For this 28th April, the group bringing together all trade union centres from Senegal around OHS (the InterSyndicale Sécurité et Santé au Travail) will be organising a debate on reinforcing stakeholders’ capacity on OHS-related prevention policies. A press conference will also be organised.

For more information on this event, please contact Ousmane Diop ousmdiop2004@yahoo.fr

Australia, Countries, Events listing

Unions call on workers to #standforsafety in Australia

For this 28th April, all the regional structures of the Australian Congress of Trade Unions (ACTU) will be commemorating workers who lost their lives and health at work, and mobilise so these tragedies do not happen again. Events are already scheduled in Hobart and Launceston (Tasmania), Brisbane (Queensland), Melbourne (Victoria), Darling Harbour and Ourimbah (NSW), where memorial services will be hold.

An interesting initiative has been taken by the Victoria Trades Hall Council, who is calling on put out of the windows a pair of shoes, expressing solidarity for those workers that could not come home from work.

Details on events can be found in the  calendar of events. For more information on ACTU preparations for this 28th April, please contact Jenny Holden jholden@actu.org.au

Events listing

28 April – public meeting in Pakistan, Tarbela Dam (Phase IV), Haripur

In Pakistan, the PFBWW will be holding a public meeting at the Tarbela Dam Extension Project (Phase IV) located in Haripur district

Asia, Events listing, Nepal

Nepal – Free health and safety training for workers on 28 April

In Nepal, the BWI Nepal Affiliates Committee will run health and Safety awareness activities and demonstrate protective equipment usage at a construction site of a member-contractor of Federation of Contractors Association of Nepal (FCAN) in the outskirts of Kathmandu. They will distribute free nose masks to workers.

Asia, Events listing, India

28 April activities across India

In India, activities are being run in different States

Tamil Nadu: TKTMS will organise a rally followed by a public meeting of construction workers at Vellore District

Gujarat: BMS will run a workshop on health and safety in partnership with the State Construction Welfare Board (Government of Gujarat), Contractors Association, Builders Association (Gujarat chapter) and Real Estate Developers Association at Ahmedabad. The union will also organise a candle light vigil with union members in the evening.

Rajasthan: AHBWU organises a mass meeting of contract workers on OHS at Kota. RPKNMS will run health and safety awareness activities focusing on silicosis, and distribute materials among mine workers engaged in the natural stone sector in Jodhpur.

Delhi: DNMS will hire a vehicle as part of their ‘Rolling rights campaign’, raising awareness on health and safety, distributing materials concerning construction welfare board and union enrolment at 3 construction sites.

Kerala: KKNTC will organise a candle light march with construction workers followed by a Public meeting at Ernakulam

Bangladesh, Countries, Events listing

Bangladesh: 28 April demonstrations and signature campaign to seek justice

In Bangladesh, BBWWF and BSBWWF will organise a demonstration at Khulna district headquarters seeking fair compensation for the victims’ and  families of Mongla cement factory collapse, followed by a submission of a  memorandum to the District Collector*

* The two affiliates in Bangladesh have launched a signature campaign in support of union petition to improve working conditions at the workplace. On 1st May 2015 they shall submit this petition to the Government of Bangladesh at the national capital Dhaka and this shall be followed by a Press Conference.

Africa, Countries, Events listing, Mauritius

Mauritius: Reflection and ceremony to mark 28 April

To mark 28 April the Mauritius Trade Union Congress (MTUC) is holding a one day reflection on ‘Awareness of occupational safety and health issues in the workplace and the contribution of trade unions in the prevention of accidents and ill health at work’ at the Emmanuel Anquetil Labour Centre, MTUC Office, GRNW, Port Louis, Mauritius on Monday 27th April 2015. Delegates from affiliates of MTUC and from other Confederations including that of Council of Trade Unions (CDS) will participate. Opening ceremony at 9.30 a.m will be attended by the Minister of Labour Industrial relations and Employment.

Bangladesh, Uncategorized

Bangladesh: 2 Years After Rana Plaza, workers denied rights

Garment workers in Bangladesh face poor working conditions and anti-union tactics by employers including assaults on union organizers, Human Rights Watch said in a report. More

Remember the dead, fight like hell for the living