Organizing Workers in Informal Sector
Trade Union of Transport and Road Construction Sector
Workers’ of Georgia
Activities: 2008-09
Trade Union of the minibus drivers working on an intercity route “Rustavi-Tbilisi(Palace of Sport)” was set up – 32 drivers signed union cards
36 minibus drivers working on a route “Rustavi-Tbilisi(RailwayStation)” joined the union
50 minibus drivers working on a route “Rustavi-Tbilisi(Didube)” joined the union
21 minibus drivers working on a route “Rustavi-Tbilisi(Navtlughy)” joined the union
Activities
20 drivers working on a “Gardabani-Rustavi” route joined the union
34 drivers employed on a “Gardabani-Tbilisi” route signed union cards
30 minibus drivers working in the city of Rustavi on a private route #22 have joined the union
Activities (continuation)
28 minibus drivers employed on a route “Rustavi-Tbilisi(Gldany)” have joined the union
50 track drivers (based in Tbilisi) joined the union
Union leaders meeting with truck drivers in Tbilisi
Problems the truck drivers have been facing
Refusal of the Railway department administration to allow the truck drivers to station their vehicles on the site which they have been occupying for several years even though it was not exploited by the Railway Department itself.
Road Police unfairly fining the drivers Unlimited working hours
Meeting with the truck drivers
Solutions achieved concerning the problems of the Truck drivers
Negotiations with the Railway department was held
Warning protest action was organized in parallel to the negotiations
Agreement was reached with the management of the Railway Department
Problems of the minibus drivers Shortcomings of the legislation regulating
automobile transport movement in Georgia Securing a viable scheme of transport
movement and optimization of the number of minibuses on the routes
Problems with the Road Police Cutthroat competition among the minibus
drivers because of lack of regulatory framework
Solutions to the problems of the minibus drivers
Starting a dialogue with the Rustavi city council and the City Hall Setting up a commission to regulate auto-transport movement in
the city of Rustavi The representative of the sectoral union is included in the
commission as a full member Setting up a national commission to regulate auto-transport
movement in the country and the union is represented with a full rights in the commission
Regular Meetings with the drivers to discuss the state of their social, economic and labour rights
Seminars have been conducted to raise awareness of the drivers of their rights and the challenges linked with informal work
Union has Rented an office in Rustavi
Union committee meeting in Rustavi office
Union committee meeting in Rustavi office
Meeting of the Permanent Commission for Rustavi City Transport Movement Regulation
(the union representative in the center on the photo)
Rustavi local transport movement regulating commission meeting
Seminars for the drivers
Trade Union of Minibus Drivers was Organized in City of Qutaisi – August 2009
1. Qutaisi – second largest city of Georgia
2. Free Industrial Zone Since Spring 2009
3. ILO Project to Strengthen GTUC Representation and Coordination in Free Industrial Zones was launched
4. New Organizers are Trained
5. 270 Minibus Drivers have Joined the Union
Trade Union of Minibus Drivers was Organized in City of Qutaisi
Qutaisi minibus drivers' union organised a protest campaign
It was led by the transport workers union of Georgia and supported by the GTUC leadership
Drivers protested against privatization that was intended without consulting the Union
Privatization Was Meant to Monopolize the Municipal Transport by one of the Firms/Investor (Lobbied by the MP from ruling Party) to Leave Self-Employed Drivers with no Jobs
Protest Strategy Defined 150 minivans march in protest from Qutaisi
to Tbilisi – 240km Union Succeeds to Make Government and
General Public Sensitive to the Concerns of the Drivers – Start of Negotiations
Drivers Stay Overnight in Tbilisi in Front of the President Palace as GTUC Helps its Affiliate to Keep Pressure on the Government
Qutaisi Mayor and Deputy State Minister for Regional Development
and Infrastructure Involved in Negotiations
Government Brings Mayor of Qutaisi and Holds Negotiations with Union Reps in GTUC Office
Commission for Conciliation is Set up and Working Plan Designed
Negotiations in Qutaisi Take More Than 4 Weeks
Optimization Plan is Re-designed and Amended
First Ever Full-Scale Agreement between the Unions and the City Hall
Agreement is Reached – Qutaisi Mayor Signs an Agreement with the Union
So Called Investor is Upset/Furious – Drivers are Satisfied
300 Jobs are Saved
Nothing is Impossible
Success Stories in One Sector attracts Workers from Another Sector
December 2009
Georgian GRDC and its Subcontractor Turkish Company Delay Workers Salaries
Construction Firms, Teams/Brigades Contact MPs to Request Support to get 300 000 USD back-pay
Parliament Opposition Faction Advises to Go to the Unions
Unions Help – Protest Works and Firms and Workers’ Teams Get their Money Back but Workers so far Refrain to Join the Union
Trade Union of Self-employed and Commerce Workers
Easier to organize – Far More Difficult to Retain Members and Grow
600 Marketplace Workers and Individual Market Stall Holders Joined the Union in 2008 but No Significant Increase in Membership After 1,5 Years
Concerns: Abusive Treatment, Fines Imposed by Financial Police, Evasion of Using Cash-Register and Vouchers/receipts
Union Comes up With several Legislative Initiatives and Submits Them to Parliament
Union in Gambling Business is Created with 350 members
Union in Gambling Business is Created with 350 members
Draft Law was Amended and Union Demands Met
But the Union soon Loses half of its Members
Time to Rethink – Why it Does not Work
Union Campaigns for the Interests of Self-Employed but the Sector is Too Politicized
A lot of Effort – but no Growth As in Transport Sector, Nothing is
Impossible – Creative Approach and More Organizing Effort Might be the Key
Protest Action
New Opprotunities to Tackle Informal Sector Workers’ Problems
Tripartite Commission for Social Dialogue is Institutionalized
Informal Sector Workers will have their Voices Heard Through this Commisson
Top Related