Focus :

AFRICA SOUTH AFRICA : The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) submitted on Friday his wage demands to the Chamber of Mines for wage negotiations 2013. NUM demands that workers receive a minimum of 7,000 rand for open air workers and 8,000 for underground workers a month. For all other categories an increase of 15% was demanded. — BURKINA FASO : Regional Directorate of Labour and Social Security (DRTSS) Southwest held a training for social partners on the prevention of occupational hazards on April 30, 2013. Different aspects of occupational diseases and accidents at work were discussed. — TUNISIA : The Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT) yesterday announced Wednesday, May 22 in Sidi Bouzid that a request will be sent to the government to initiate "a new round of labor negotiations" to cope with the sharp increase in prices and deterioration in the purchasing power of citizens. — GABON : The second edition of the Fair Employment and Training (SEF), opened on Tuesday May 21 at Libreville under the theme of "Emergence, training and employment: what prospects for 2025? ". As in the first edition, the second to be held until May 25, will bring businesses, human resources managers and job seekers in order to stimulate trade and economic partnerships between participants and create opportunities. --- WORLD LATIN AMERICA : ECLAC and ILO provide a drop in unemployment from 6.2% in 2013. In the region, the urban unemployment rate could fall by an average 0.2 percentage points to between 6.4 and 6.2 percent in 2013 - the lowest rate in recent decades - according to a new report from the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and the International Labour Organization (ILO). — PERU : The Secretary General of Global Union IndustriALL, Jyrki Raina, went to Lima to lobby for the repeal of the law that allows an unlimited number of short-term employment contracts in the textiles and clothing export sector.

Guatemala: Escalation in Trade Union Rights Violations

14/03/2012
Guatemala is witnessing an escalation in the violation of its workers' fundamental labour and trade union rights, particularly in the municipal sector.

Since the new municipal administrations came into office on 15 January, workers have been suffering blatant violations of the fundamental rights guaranteed by the constitution, the national labour legislation and the core ILO Conventions ratified by Guatemala.

According to the information gathered by the ITUC during its mission to Guatemala, the change in government has given way to all kinds of rights violations in most municipalities, ranging from dismissals to intimidation and murders. "The new government must bring an end to these constant workers' rights violations. It must respect the national legislation and the ILO Conventions if it wants to change its image on the international stage," said ITUC General Secretary Sharan Burrow.

An ITUC international mission visited various regions across Guatemala at the end of February. The delegates were able to meet with workers from a range of economic sectors and observed the escalation in fundamental rights violations. As a result, the ITUC, along with the TUCA, will launch a campaign next month in Guatemala calling for respect for trade union rights and an end to impunity.

In a letter to the Guatemalan authorities, the ITUC urged them to assume their responsibilities and redress the violations denounced.

February Mission

For more information, please contact the ITUC Press Department on: +32 2 224 0204 or +32 476 62 10 18

Photo: gobierno de la republica

Countries of Affiliates, related News & Documents

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