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| Issue No 114 |  |
05 October 2001 |
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InternationalBrazil Loses Child Labour Warrior
The global trade union movement against child labour has lost one of their brightest forces to a brutal assassination.
The International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU)was deeply shocked to hear of the death of Carlos Alberto Santos de Oliveira and calls on the Brazilian authorities to fully investigate his assassination. On September 23, 2001 Carlos "Gato" Alberto Santos de Oliveira was murdered because of his ongoing political battles to fight child labour and his tireless advocacy for rural worker's rights. El "Gato" as he was known, became nationally renowned for his fight against the exploitation of child labourers in a country where roughly 2.9 million children aged 14 or under are employed. Carlos Gato was brutally killed as he left a bar with six other rural workers, in the north-eastern town of Pedrinhas, Sergipe. Two gunmen fired 8 times at point blank rage at his body and sped away in their car as he lay dead behind them. The gunmen are still at large at what seems certainly to be a politically-motivated killing, and the trade union world is calling that his killers and the people behind it be brought to justice. Throughout his political career Carlos Gato, who was also President of the Sergipe Citrus Fruit Workers' Union, condemned the wealthy large landowners that exploit the children and landless rural workers of Brazil. His work in denouncing the exploitation of children in orange plantations in his state caused the federal government to implement a program in Sergipe to fight child labour. According to a 1997 Sergipe state government report, over 10,000 children and adolescents between the ages of 6 and 18 were part of the labour-force in the orange growing region, with 54 per cent of them between the ages of 7 and 14. Sergipe is Brazil's second-highest producing orange-growing region, and one of Brazil's poorest rural areas. Throughout Brazil, farms regularly employ children, especially migrant labourers during peak harvest seasons. Employers hire these children because they are lighter and more able to climb trees without breaking branches. The children then usually pick oranges from trees or off the ground and box them for shipment where they are paid merely $3.00 US for working a 14 hour day. Brazil has not ratified ILO Minimum Age Convention 138 which requires governments to create a national minimum age of work, and which would lessen the exploitation of children in all forms of work. Rural workers are constantly targeted for their political actions in Brazil, and Carlos Gato is the fifth-known labour advocate killed for his political activities this year alone. However, the number is estimated to be much higher, as there are known to have been 1,158 rural workers killed for their political activities between 1985 and 1998 in Brazil. Carlos kept up the fight regardless of the numerous death threats that he had received and we mourn the loss of a warrior against child labour. The trade union movement immediately demands that the appropriate authorities fully investigate the assassination of Carlos Gato.
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   Interview: Thinking SmartWith education a key priority, Labor's spokesman Michael Lee will emerge as a key player in the upcoming campaign. Unions: In the SpotlightThe Public Education Convention placed the spotlight firmly on the performance and prospects of our federal politicians. Campaign Diary: Election Form GuideSo they're off and racing in the 2001 stakes. Right now it's looking more like a handicap, but we're going along for the ride. Education: Applying the BlowtorchVeronica Apap reports on how teachers are planning to elevate education in the upcoming federal campaign. History: Australia�s OrwellStephen Holt argues that the life of Jim Maloney contained echoes of the literary legend's own political journey. International: Brazil Loses Child Labour Warrior The global trade union movement against child labour has lost one of their brightest forces to a brutal assassination. E-Change: 3.4 The New GovernanceIn the last instalment in their series on technological change, Peter Lewis and Michael Gadiel look at the challenges politics has yet to meet. Satire: Qantas Denies New $7770 Domestic Fares 'Exploitative'Australia's largest domestic carrier Qantas has rejected suggestions that it's new $7770 fares between Sydney and Melbourne are taking advantage of the airline's recently inherited monopoly. Review: Dark Music for Dark SoulsThe term Industrial Music represents a wide variety and coalition of musical forms, Adam Lincoln explains.
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