Issue No 119 | 16 November 2001 | |
NewsICFTU Reveals 250 Companies in Burma
Global unions have released a list of 250 companies continuing to do business with Burma in contravention of ILO sanctions over the military regime's use of slave labour. The International Confederation of Free Trade Unions says the move could help convince companies to pull out of Burma, thereby pressuring the junta to comply with ILO standards which treat forced labour and slavery as crimes of international law. The list was published as the ILO's decision-making Governing Body concluded its discussion of the report of a High-Level Team which toured the country last September and early October to assess whether forced labour had been eliminated, as the junta claims. The ICFTU points out, however, that nearly one year after the ILO's historic decision calling for measures to be imposed against the junta, the mission report fully vindicates the organisation's perception that forced labour is still routinely resorted to by the military. It also says the report clearly demonstrates the junta's attempts to disguise this reality and hide it from the ILO investigators. It mentions as evidence the fact that posters prohibiting forced labour had been put up on the eve of the ILO team's visit to particular villages, that they were posted in Burmese and English in areas inhabited by ethnic groups generally not speaking either language, and that junta-issued "Orders" prohibiting the practice and dating back as far as 1999 had still not been published by the country's newspapers, radio or television. The ICFTU noted with interest the mission's recommendation that an Ombudsman be appointed and/or that a permanent ILO presence be established in the country, in order to monitor the forced labour situation and to help the authorities to tackle the problem. It also said, however, that the ILO should remain realistic about how much it could expect from international monitoring, given the total absence of civil liberties in the country, including freedom of association, freedom of expression and movement. Global Unions, which includes the ICFTU, TUAC and the ten international trade secretariats, started to compile its list of companies linked to Burma last February. Over the last 8 months, it asked around 310 companies to sever their business links with Burma - the database of companies was based entirely on publicly available information. Over 60 companies replied directly. Some denied involvement, others admitted their presence. Some companies said their presence is beneficial to the people of Burma, while others suggested opening a dialogue with unions about their Burma links. Most multinational companies identified as having dealings with Burma are based in OECD countries. The Trade Union Advisory Committee to the OECD (TUAC) has urged the OECD to employ the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises to encourage action in support of the ILO resolution on forced labour in Burma. In addition, a number of TUAC affiliates have raised the Burma involvement of companies based in their countries with the National Contact Points established under the Guidelines. According to the trade unions, it is impossible to conduct any business relationship in Burma without directly or indirectly supporting the Burmese military dictatorship, which is responsible for the extensive use of forced labour, as well as other serious human and trade union rights violations. "Any international business involvement in Burma is an accommodation with tyranny. It supports a corrupt and repressive military regime that has never been granted any legitimacy by the people of Burma", said Bill Jordan, General Secretary of the ICFTU. Some of the 310 companies approached have been removed from the list after providing evidence of their withdrawal from Burma. Others have been removed due to a process of ongoing dialogue. The list of companies is on the web and includes links to evidence, and correspondence where available. The database, as well as background information on this initiative, can be found on the web at: http://www.global-unions.org/burma
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Interview: Out of the Rubble Michael Costa argues that Saturday's election result could have been much, much worse. Unions: Sixty-Forty Are Good Odds! John Robertson argues that while there may be many problems with the ALP, union power is not one of them. Politics: Wrong Way, Go Back Labor's failure in the federal election is the result of more than bad luck. It is the result of a shift to populism that has left the Party bereft of core principles. Campaign Diary: Week Five: All Washed Up If you can stand it, relive the fatefull final week of a most remarkable election campaign. International: Trade Piracy Unmasked As the trade barons met in Qatar to chart out their agenda, George Monbiot looks at the machinations behind the scenes. Factions: The Party's Over Chris Christodoulou renews his call for a breakdown of the factional system to bring new life into the ALP History: The Fall-Out Neale Towart looks back to Labor's reaction to its loss in the 1954 'Petrov election' and finds warnings for today's post mortem. Media: Elite Defeat Rowan Cahill looks at the intellectual paucity in the PM's ongoing attacks on 'elite opinion'. Satire: Crean 'Listens To Australian People': Will Sink Refugee Boats Simon Crean, the most likely candidate to replace Kim Beazley as Labor's leader, says he will take heed of the message sent to the ALP by Australian voters at the Federal Election.
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