EI/PSI TRADE UNION EI/PSI TRADE UNION RIGHTS NETWORKRIGHTS NETWORK

Asia Pacific RegionAsia Pacific Region

Commonly Asked Questions Commonly Asked Questions aboutabout

TUR NetworkTUR Network

What is the TUR Network?What is the TUR Network?

• A joint project of Education International (EI) & A joint project of Education International (EI) & Public Services International (PSI), two of the Public Services International (PSI), two of the largest GUF’s with combined membership of over largest GUF’s with combined membership of over 49 million trade unionists49 million trade unionists

• Piloted in South East Asia sub-region with Piloted in South East Asia sub-region with Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines as participating countriesas participating countries

Why it was formed?Why it was formed?

A response to the continuing violation of the trade A response to the continuing violation of the trade union rights of existing and potential membersunion rights of existing and potential members

Violations include:Violations include:

• Persecution of union members who seek to Persecution of union members who seek to exercise their trade union rightsexercise their trade union rights

• Severe legal restrictions on freedom of Severe legal restrictions on freedom of associationassociation

• Prohibitions and/or restrictions on collective Prohibitions and/or restrictions on collective bargainingbargaining

• Gender-based discriminationsGender-based discriminations

How about your mission?How about your mission?

To develop an effective model for a trade union rights To develop an effective model for a trade union rights network through a long and systematic approach in network through a long and systematic approach in three stages:three stages:

Stage 1Stage 1 (1999) Develop and pilot education materials (1999) Develop and pilot education materials and aand a

network resource handbooknetwork resource handbook

Stage 2Stage 2 (2000-2003) Implement a trade union rights (2000-2003) Implement a trade union rights

network in the South East Asian sub-network in the South East Asian sub-regionregion

Stage 3Stage 3 (2004-2005) Extend the South East Asia TUR (2004-2005) Extend the South East Asia TUR

Network to the Asia Pacific regionNetwork to the Asia Pacific region

What are your objectives?What are your objectives?

Our Project Objectives are as follows:Our Project Objectives are as follows:

• Develop and test a model for establishing an Develop and test a model for establishing an effective trade union rights networkeffective trade union rights network

• Evaluate and form the basis of a strategy to Evaluate and form the basis of a strategy to extend the network to the entire Asia Pacific extend the network to the entire Asia Pacific RegionRegion

Our Development Objectives are as follows:Our Development Objectives are as follows:

• Improve the trade union rights of public sector Improve the trade union rights of public sector workers, teachers and other educational staff in workers, teachers and other educational staff in the AP region with particular emphasis on the ILO the AP region with particular emphasis on the ILO core labor standardscore labor standards

• Improve the understanding of public sector Improve the understanding of public sector workers, teachers and other educational staff of workers, teachers and other educational staff of core labor standards and their rightscore labor standards and their rights

Our immediate objectives are the following:Our immediate objectives are the following:

• Develop and test appropriate curriculum and Develop and test appropriate curriculum and education materials and their translation into local education materials and their translation into local languageslanguages

• Train 20 union activists as trainers focused on Train 20 union activists as trainers focused on trade union and human rightstrade union and human rights

• Establish a network of over 400 trained trade union Establish a network of over 400 trained trade union rights activists in the pilot arearights activists in the pilot area

• Publish a quarterly trade union rights newsletter Publish a quarterly trade union rights newsletter that is distributed to network membersthat is distributed to network members

• Develop and commence implementation of Develop and commence implementation of proactive national level TUR campaigns, as part of proactive national level TUR campaigns, as part of an international strategy on trade union rightsan international strategy on trade union rights

Who comprise your target group?Who comprise your target group?

Members of EI/PSI affiliates who are:Members of EI/PSI affiliates who are:

• Elected officials including executive board Elected officials including executive board membersmembers

• Workplace representativesWorkplace representatives

• Union trainersUnion trainers

• Women and Youth Committee membersWomen and Youth Committee members

• Unionists who indicate a particular interest and Unionists who indicate a particular interest and commitment to become members of the TUR commitment to become members of the TUR NetworkNetwork

How is the Project managed?How is the Project managed?

• A Steering Committee oversees the project, consists A Steering Committee oversees the project, consists of:of:

1. EI Chief Coordinator1. EI Chief Coordinator 2. PSI Regional Secretary2. PSI Regional Secretary 3. Two Representatives of EI/PSI affiliates for each 3. Two Representatives of EI/PSI affiliates for each participating country (gender-balance)participating country (gender-balance) 4. Project Coordinator- Secretary of the SC4. Project Coordinator- Secretary of the SC

• National Coordinating CommitteesNational Coordinating Committees

What are your major activities?What are your major activities?

• Development of modules and resource kitsDevelopment of modules and resource kits

• National workshops for key officials of participating unionsNational workshops for key officials of participating unions

• Training of TrainersTraining of Trainers

• Network Member TrainingNetwork Member Training

• Skills TrainingSkills Training

• Translation of Education MaterialsTranslation of Education Materials

• Trade Union Rights Campaign/LobbyingTrade Union Rights Campaign/Lobbying

• Urgent AppealsUrgent Appeals

• Protests/mobilizationProtests/mobilization

• Reporting and Documentation of TUR ViolationsReporting and Documentation of TUR Violations

• Research on Legislation and PracticeResearch on Legislation and Practice

• Production and distribution of newsletterProduction and distribution of newsletter

• Steering Committee MeetingsSteering Committee Meetings

• Internal and External EvaluationInternal and External Evaluation

How is the Project financed?How is the Project financed?

Stage 1- partly funded by ILO and counterpart Stage 1- partly funded by ILO and counterpart

contributions from EI and PSIcontributions from EI and PSI

Stage 2- primarily funded by LO-Norway and Stage 2- primarily funded by LO-Norway and counterpart counterpart

contributions from EI and PSIcontributions from EI and PSI

Stage 3- proposal will be developed in detail at a later Stage 3- proposal will be developed in detail at a later

stagestage

Most of the participating unions also give contributions: Most of the participating unions also give contributions: office space, transport, web-site hosting,etc.office space, transport, web-site hosting,etc.

Summary of ProgressSummary of Progress

• More cases of violations reportedMore cases of violations reported

• Joint protests and actions of affiliatesJoint protests and actions of affiliates

• Replication of training in workplaces on the Replication of training in workplaces on the initiative and funding by affiliates (sustainability)initiative and funding by affiliates (sustainability)

• Exchange of information by the network membersExchange of information by the network members

• Improved joint efforts with strategic partners and Improved joint efforts with strategic partners and general publicgeneral public

• Inclusion of sessions on ICLS & TURN in union Inclusion of sessions on ICLS & TURN in union education programseducation programs

• Consolidated the fragmented unionsConsolidated the fragmented unions

• Better newsletterBetter newsletter

Challenges & ConstraintsChallenges & Constraints

• Insufficient number of trainersInsufficient number of trainers

• Lack of face to face meetings of TURN-NCCsLack of face to face meetings of TURN-NCCs

• NCCs have no secretariat nor full time support NCCs have no secretariat nor full time support staffstaff

• Difficulties in getting leavesDifficulties in getting leaves

• Efficient and effective communication processEfficient and effective communication process

• Anti-union managementAnti-union management

• Threats and victimization faced by activistsThreats and victimization faced by activists

• Governments’ resistance to favorable labour lawsGovernments’ resistance to favorable labour laws

TRADE UNION RIGHTSTRADE UNION RIGHTS

ARE ARE

HUMAN RIGHTSHUMAN RIGHTS