Migrant Labour and Trade Unions

A try-out presentation

24 August 2005, Turin

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Why is Migrant Labour a Trade Union matter

Trade unions promote and defend workers’ rights

Migrants are workers and should be assisted information on their rights, linguistic education, legal assistance, and special assistance to address problems of women

migrant workers. Others ………..

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ILO Conventions on Migrant Labour

ILO Constitution and all ILO Conventions do apply equally to migrant regardless of them being regular or irregular

Special action Convention 97 (Migration for Employment) Convention 143 (Migrations in Abusive Conditions

etc)

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Convention 97Migration for Employment

Provides for equality of treatment between migrant workers and nationals arising out of laws or regulations in four areas: employment living and working conditions social security taxes and access to justice

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Convention 143 Migrations in Abusive Conditions

Protects migrant workers in abusive situation (irregular workers included)

Affirms the basic human rights of all migrant workers, including the right of equal treatment and equal opportunities for migrant workers

Extends protection to undocumented or irregular workers

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UN Convention Migrants Rights

Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families

Partly based on the ILO Conventions. (if ratified) the Convention

protects migrant workers from exploitation and abuse

guarantees their rights to trade union representation

safeguards freedom of expression and political participation

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ILO Action Plan

Aims to ensure that migrant workers are fully covered by international labour standards as well as national social and labour laws

Need for greater integration and better organisation of all migrant workers in trade unions,

Need to also deal with the issues surrounding the feminisation of migration

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ILO Framework Labour Migration (1)

Next Tripartite Meeting of Experts on the ILO Multilateral Framework on Labour Migration (31 Oct – 2 Nov 2005)

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ILO Framework Labour Migration (2)

Will discuss guidelines and principles based on best practices and international

standards to support governments and social partners to

improve their migration policies including migration management and protection of

migrant workers and their families

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ILO Framework Labour Migration (3)

And also: wider application of international labour

standards capacity building, awareness raising and

technical assistance assist in strengthening social dialogue.

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Other Actions

Project for managing labour migration as an instrument of development, covering 22 countries in East, North and West Africa (support European Commission)

Project on enhancing national capacity on migration management in Cambodia, Laos, Mongolia and Thailand (support Korea)