UNASM NEWSLETTER Electronic informant unasmbilten@gmail.com
Year 2011, No.06 No.06 October— October—December
UNASM is full member of: of:
EZA and ACV CSC pursue flexibility and security in Macedonia
Interesting facts • The difference between a job and a career is the difference between forty and sixty hours a week-Robert Frost
• I love work. I can sit for hours and watch others work. -Mark Twain
Two seminars on: “Flexibility and security on the labour market in the Republic of Macedonia” organized by UNASM took place 26-29 October, 2011 in Ohrid and 1518 November, 2011 in Skopje. Flexible labour market is top topic of the year of Macedonian trade unionists who in a period of few days will exchange experiences with countries from the European Union. They will be very useful for the period to come because the aim is to keep the work places and workers to constantly upgrade. Experts from EZA, Germany and ACV CSC from Belgium transferred the experiences of the European Union as well as the researches that the two biggest trade union organizations have carried out. European experts think that the cooperation with Macedonian trade unions is of great importance because they can exchange experiences and to acquire knowledge for the situation here and at the same time to have an insight of the complexity of the problem. Additionally, the term flexibility means political strategy that intends, synchronically and voluntarily on promotion flexible labour market, organization of work and labour relations, and ensuring employment and social security, especially for marginalized groups and those outside the labour market.
HUMANITARIAN ACTION OF UNASM IN PRILEP 23 December, 2011 – Representatives of UNASM, YTUO and Regional office UNASM- Prilep visited the family Bogeski in Prilep and offered them humanitarian aid in clothes and food. The family was very satisfied with the visit of the president, Mr. Slobodan Antovksi and Secretary General of UNASM, Mrs. Divna Zmejkovska, as well as the representatives of YTUO and RO UNASM- Prilep. The president Antovski said that sometimes offering humanitarian help does not cost a thing and it does not take a lot of effort. We can be humane by helping others in need. If someone asks for help, UNASM will be there for other families, as well because it is very easy to be humane. Mrs. Divna Zmejkovska said that real humanity comes to surface when helping someone in need without asking something in return. One simply helps. The family Bogeski from Prilep was visited by representatives of CNV Internationaal from the Netherlands in the month of September.
CONTENT What is poverty?
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UNASM and ESE in mutual cooperation
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Established cooperation between UNASM and La Strada
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Macedonian Platform against Poverty
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Salaries in textile industry in Macedonia
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Activities implemented by UNASM
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Focus on social dialogue
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UNASM topic: WHAT IS POVERTY? There are different approaches in defining poverty. According to recent discussions on European level, poverty is divided into two types: absolute (extreme) poverty and relative poverty. Absolute or extreme poverty implies lack of basic needs for survival. For example it includes, lack of food, clean water and proper place for living, lack of clothes and medicines and fight for survival. This type of poverty is most common in the developing countries, but it also exists in developed countries. Elimination of absolute poverty is one of main focuses of UN. The first aim of the United Nations Millennium campaign is eradicating extreme poverty and hunger. This includes diminishing the number of people who live with less than 1 dollar per day by half. Still when we talk about poverty in the countries of EU it is mostly referred to the relative poverty. Relative poverty refers to the way of life and incomes which for some people are way worse than the general standard in given country that leads to difficulties in everyday life and their exclusion from the participation in economic, social and cultural activities. This type of poverty surely varies from country to country depending on the standard of the rest of the population. Relative poverty is serious and detrimental, but not as much as absolute poverty. In EU there is another definition for relative poverty: Poor people are those whose incomes and resources are inadequate regarding the standard which is considered as acceptable in the area where they live. Due to poverty, they face with other inconveniences because of unemployment, low incomes, bad living conditions, inadequate health protection and limitation regarding education, cultural life, sport and leisure. They are often excluded from activities (economic, social and cultural) that are available to others and therefore their approach in exercising fundamental rights is limited. PROMOTION of women’s rights by ESE The association for emancipation, solidarity and equality of women of the Republic of Macedonia (ESE) for more than 15 years has been working on promotion of the situation of women in Macedonia. ESE develops and helps women’s leadership for development and implementation of women’s human rights while focusing on two aims: to help women in urgent need and to influence creation of sustainable changes. Up to now ESE has implemented wide-ranging researches for more social negative appearances that especially have an impact on women in our society. In this way, through obtaining empirical data and constant following of problems of interest it undertakes initiatives for changing the laws and policies that influMrs. Marija PELEVSKA ence on women’s human rights. These objectives are realized through the folESE Skopje lowing components incorporated in three-year lasting programme: Monitoring and analysis of national and local budgets due to further representation of issues of interest (Gender issues and Health of Roma people); Offering direct services for vulnerable categories of women and Establishing a concept of paralegal aid in order to facilitate the approach to the legal system with accent put on right to health protection. Page.2
Year 2011, No.06
Established cooperation between UNASM and Open Gate Seeing the need for ensuring better access of workers to high quality services and strengthening the system of helping victims of human trafficking, Open Gate in November 2010 started to implement the one-year lasting project “Improvement of the cooperation between NGOs and trade unions in order to prevent human trafficking” which is financially supported by CNV Internationaal from the Netherlands. The project was directed towards establishing effective and fruitful cooperation between Open Gate and the Union of Independent and Autonomous Trade Unions of Macedonia (UNASM) in the fight against human trafficking; Enhancing the capacity of UNASM to ensure better services for workers as well as raising the awareness for Mrs. Marija TODOROVSKA NGO Open Gate Skopje different forms of human trafficking and labour exploitation within the trade union members. This project is the first of its kind which through the already performed “Evaluation of trade union capacities in RM” has as an objective to identify areas for possible cooperation between Open Gate and UNASM in order to solve the human trafficking issue with focus put on labour exploitation, creation of mutual action plan and acquiring better knowledge regarding presentation, perceptions and attitudes towards human trafficking with focus on labour exploitation, forced labour and labour rights. The main conclusions that are going to be included in the report that is expected to be published during the month of October from the performed evaluation direct to the fact that: - Labour exploitation and breach of basic social rights of workers in the four industries (textile, tourism, agriculture and construction) is quite present and practiced by the employers. –The level of knowledge of workers in Macedonia in the area of labour and workers’ rights as well as in the area of human trafficking is quite insufficient. – It can be said that there are a small number of services or services are limited for people who are exploited. – Trade unions’ capacities try to oppose forced work and human trafficking in order to fight labour exploitation are insufficient and there is weak trade union organization in the most vulnerable sectors (textile). Hence, the recommendations included in this evaluation give a response to the following questions: How to improve the approach of exploited workers to relevant services? How to improve the work place quality and to protect rights of exploited people? How to protect workers from human trafficking and labour exploitation?
NGO Open Gate – La Strada- association for action against violence and human trafficking (hereinafter Open Gate) was registered in September 2000 and for more than 11 years it has been actively working in preventing human trafficking on national and international level through membership in the La Strada network. The organization implements activities for lobbying and representation, raising the awareness, prevention and education, as well as ensuring direct support for victims of human trafficking.
UNASM NEWSLETTER
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MACEDONIAN PLATFORM AGAINST POVERTY Macedonian Platform against poverty acts on the territory of the Republic of Macedonia through implementation of the following aims: Reduction of poverty and elimination of social exclusion; Development of cultural, economic, social and other social values; Development of strong network in the fight against poverty; Work with poor communities and their strengthening; Elimination of all forms of discrimination and promotion of equality for all; Promotion of participatory democracy; Representation, lobbying and influence on public policies and strategies in the area of social protection, health care protection, employment, poverty, social inclusion, human rights and nondiscrimination; Raising the awareness related to poverty; Creation of more favorable climate for economic development; Inclusion of the Ministry of labour and social policy in the developed networks for fight against poverty on regional and European level; Inclusion of poor, marginalized, vulnerable and discriminated communities in all processes and on all levels of decision-making procedures; Strengthening the capacities of the members of this Platform, Carrying out studies and analysis in the field of poverty, human rights, social inclusion, (non) discrimination, health care protection, employment, education, as well as suggesting measures for overcoming the problems. Vision Vision of this Platform is society of wellbeing, non-discrimination, development and peace. Mission The mission of the Macedonian platform against poverty is promotion of principles of equality, solidarity, nondiscrimination, promotion and protection of human rights and freedoms of all people in the Republic of Macedonia, Europe and wider. This platform is member of the European network against poverty. It is also supported by the Austrian Development and Cooperation Agency. UNASM is a full member of the Macedonian platform against poverty. For more information visit the following web page: www.mpps.org.mk
ROUND TABLE ON THE TOPIC: SALARIES IN TEXTILE INDUSTRY IN MACEDONIA 20 October, 2011 – In the premises of Best Western hotel in Skopje, the Republic of Macedonia a round table took place on the following topic: “Salaries in textile industry in the Republic of Macedonia” organized by Fair Wear Foundation supported by CNV Internationaal. The aim of this round table was to see the obstacles and possibilities for increasing the salaries in textile industry through open discussion of trade unions and employers’ organizations. Participants in the round table were representatives of trade unions, employers’ organizations, managers of textile companies in Macedonia, as well as local economic experts. UNASM had a working meeting with the representatives of Fair Wear Foundation during which they exchanged initiatives for further cooperation.
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UNASM INFO IMPLEMENTET AVTIVITIES BY UNASM RELATED TO THE PME PROGRAM SUPPORTED BY CNV INTERNATIONAAL During the last two months from the year 2011, UNASM along with the Regional Offices (Prilep, Skopje, Ohrid, Struga and Delchevo), as well as Women’s organization and Youth organization performed the activities according to the PME Program with support of CNV Intetrnationaal from the Netherlands. Women’s organization held educational seminars on family violence and human trafficking that were attended by a lot of participants from different institutions, trade unions and civil organizations. During November and December UNASM’s regional office Prilep held trainings that were dedicated to textile workers in the field of lobbying, negotiations, labour law and collective agreements. These trainings were attended by a lot of textile workers from several textile companies from Prilep. RO UNASM Prilep had prepared propaganda material which was disseminated during the trainings. Youth Trade Union Organization realized educational seminars during which several topics were introduced to young people, such as: the Labour relations code, education and labour market, trade unions and youth, protection of young workers in the agricultural sector etc. Seminars were interactive and the participants could be in-
cluded in the realization of the educational seminars. Representatives of trade unions, students, civil organizations and institutions attended the seminars. YTUO prepared propaganda material that was disseminated during the seminars and in the institutions for secondary education in Prilep.
Focus on social dialogue in the Western Balkans 01-02 December, 2011 – A seminar on: “In the focus of European social dialogue” took place in Bratislava organized by the Slovak trade union NKOS and EZA. At the seminar social dialogue in Europe was discussed. It is with joy that we aknowledge the fact that at this seminar a special attention was paid to the region of Western Balkans. UNASM had its own opinion on the social dialogue in the Western Balkans. The president of UNASM, Mr. Slobodan Antovski took part of a panel discussion in which he talked about social and political events on the Western Balkans and responded the questions posed by the participants of the seminar. It must be highlighted that our colleagues from Western Europe show great interest for the situation in the Mr,. Slobodan ANTOVSKI, countries of the Western Balkans. President of UNASM The president Antovski had several working meetings with the colleagues Mr. Jaap Smit, President of CNV of other trade union organizations Internationaal such as the one with the president of CNV Internationaal, Mr. Jaap Smidt during which they shared a few words related to the implementation of the PME Program in the Republic of Macedonia realized by UNASM with the support of CNV Internationaal. Panel discussion, Bratislava UNASM NEWSLETTER
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