UNASM Newsletter Electronic informant unasmbilten@gmail.com
Year 2012, No.09
SUMMER SCHOOL OF PERC
From the 19th until the 21st of September, the Summer school organized by PERC took place in Gdansk. The forthcoming challenges of trade unions in Europe regarding promotion of social dialogue, as well as defining future activities for having the 9th European regional meeting of
the International Labour Organization which is to be held in March, 2013 were discussed. It is expected information on different national situations such as the relations with employers regarding decisions, agreements and other is expected to be exchanged at the
July-September
meeting. Representatives of UNASM, KSS and SSM participated at the event as part of the annual activities from Macedonia. This year, the summer school was opened by the Secretary General of PERC.
INFO Stat The State Statistical Office, in the second trimester of 2012 claims that the active population in Macedonia is 942.420 people of whom 648.200 or 68.8% are employed and 294.220 or 31.2% are unemployed. The activity rate in this period is 56.5; the employment rate is 38.3%, while the unemployment rate is 31.2%.
CONTENTS Engine drivers on strike
2
Open gate in cooperation with UNASM
3
Youth unemployment will deteriorate
4
Insufficient protection of 5 minor workers Activities of the regional offices
6
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UNASM Newsletter
ENGINE DRIVERS IN MACEDONIA AGAIN ON STRIKE Employees in Macedonian Railways have once again faced with panic due to the director’s decision to dismiss 13 of their colleagues who have stopped the railway transport demanding for their salaries to be distributed. Each incident that refers to workers’ rights represents a reason for anxiety in the other trade union organizations. Previously engine drivers went on strike in this company. There is a great discontent in the company because of the fact that the distribution of salaries is late. Mr. Risto Pejovski “They immediately fire us, they do not President of the Independent trade union of communicate, they do not face the probengine drivers within UNASM lem directly. When an employer agrees with a trade union’s representative that the salary will be distributed in the first decade of the following month and if the employer does not respect that, what can he expect from a trade union where people are united for workers’ rights?”, says Risto Pejovski from the Trade union of engine drivers within UNASM. Professor Zdravko Saveski highlighted that the aim of the rigid provisions is to give the possibility more than one strike to be declared illegal. In that way, the only meaningful means of workers becomes worthless, says Saveski. “There is a reconciliation procedure that must end before the strike begins. If it is so, then the strike may be very easily be declared as illegal, and the punishment for illegally organized strike is a very high fine, especially for those workers who decided to strike because their material existence has been endangered.” Experts pointed out that in this kind of decisions; the only authorized entity is the trade union. However, one of the problems is the fact that there are several trade unions, and when in one company there are several trade unions then it means that there is no united action and then the negotiating strength is lower compared to the one of the employers, said Saveski.
Year 2012, No.09
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OPEN GATE CONTINUED THE COOPERATION WITH UNASM Human trafficking has been related with human trafficking for sexual exploitation for a long time. Today, after many years after the Palermo Protocols has been adopted when a comprehensive definition for human trafficking in any form and for any cause has been established, the data for human trafficking for labour exploitation apart for sexual exploitation are very limited. Human trafficking for labour exploitation is directly connected with issues tackling social and workers’ rights, permanent jobs and salary. According to the International Labour Organization (ILO) trade unions should have greater collective voice that will result in mobilization of communities and governments in order to undertake activities against human trafficking for labour exploitation. While trade unions on European level are actively included in national and international debates on human trafficking for labour exploitation, implement programs for informing workers or offer concrete services, in Macedonia this trend is absent and trade unions are not even included in negotiations, identification and offering help to human trafficking victims. The insufficient inclusion of trade unions in the overall efforts for prevention of human trafficking for labour exploitation imposes the need for their strengthening in order to promote the rights and services of people who have been exploited. In April, 2012, Open gate has signed an agreement for continuation of the one year project “Prevention from extreme infringement of workers’ rights” which is financially supported by CNV International from the Netherlands. The main aim of the project is to strengthen the system for prevention, identification and helping the victims of forced work and human trafficking in Macedonia through cooperation and common action of Open Gate and UNASM (Union of Independent and Autonomous Trade Unions of Macedonia). This project is foreseen to last for the next 12 months and is part of the activities included in the three year mutual action plan of Open Gate and UNASM for prevention of human trafficking for labour exploitation. The main activities include creation and training of mobile teams in 4 cities. These teams will be composed of UNASM’s representatives and representatives of the informal sector whose main task will be to implement a direct (face to face) education of workers on forced labour, human trafficking and available services. Mobile teams, through direct communication with workers will inform workers on their rights and will give them info materials and contact persons to whom they will be able to turn to in case they need help. More than 400 workers will be included in the activity. The primary focus is put on workers in risky sectors such as textile, construction, agriculture and catering. Main findings from the field work will be shared with key factors so that this problem is solved. In case of infringement of workers’ rights, exploitation or human trafficking, the Labour inspectorate and the police will be informed. The project encompasses realization of further educational sessions in several cities between workers on forced labour and human trafficking for labour exploitation, opening info centers for pre-employment in 2 regional offices of UNASM for promotion of the Union’s services and of other available services, as well as advocating for workers’ rights and the rights of the victims of forced work or human trafficking. Organizing public debate for introducing the problem with human trafficking for labour exploitation with government’s departments, trade unions, international organizations, nongovernmental organizations etc.
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UNASM Newsletter
YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT WILL DETERIORATE
The percent of unemployed young people in the world is going to increase until 2017 because the crisis in the Eurozone is expanding from the developed countries to the new developing economies. These are the forecasts that the International Labour Organization (ILO) foresees in the study that on Tuesday was sent to the agencies after previously being presented in the organization’s headquarters in Geneva. “Ironically, in the years to come only in developed countries it is expected youth unemployment reduction which follows after the great youth unemployment increase in all regions from which the crisis originated. The image of unemployment in the world: poor prospects for young people on the labour market.”, says Eckhart Ernst, leading author of the study. ILO expects gradual fall of youth unemployment in developed economies, where from 17,5% in 2012 the unemployment rate should decrease to 15,6% in 2017. However this number is greater, or up to 12, 5% which is equal to the youth unemployment rate in 2007, before the crisis has erupted. ILO predicts youth unemployment increase from 16,9 to 17 percent in 2017 in the countries from Central and Eastern Europe. It is estimated that the foreseen fall of unemployment in developed countries will not be a consequence of improved labour market, but it will be a consequence of youngsters having renounced or been excluded from the labour market. The second important prognosis is that the gradual unemployment decline in developed countries will not be sufficient enough to move the trend on global level. Therefore ILO foresees global youth unemployment of 12,9% in 2017, or unemployment rate higher for 0,2% than the one in 2012. “The consequences of the European crisis are going to expand beyond European territories and will hit the economies of Eastern Asia and South America because the export in developed countries is weakening.”, is said in the study of ILO. According to these forecasts youth unemployment will reach its maximum in North Africa and in the Middle East and will be more than 25%. Youth unemployment in South Africa in 2017 is foreseen to be 26,7%, while in the Middle East 28,4%. According to the study youth unemployment should be increasing in Eastern Asia and to be about 12% in subSaharan Africa. ILO’s experts in the conclusion invoke governments and social partners to support young workers because that is of long term benefit for all the countries. Let us bring to mind the annual conference held in June, 2012 when ILO adopted the Resolution which invokes to current, directed action in order to reduce youth unemployment through undertaking various measures starting from macroeconomic policies and continuing with support of young entrepreneurs. Furthermore, in the study it is mentioned that particular attention should be paid to young people who have lost their courage and who renounce from seeking work. That category of young people is known under the acronym NEET (Neither in employment, education or training). Experts invoke countries to think of special youth employment programmes such those already implemented in Austria, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden, reminded Ernest at the press conference in Geneva, reported AFP. In Sweden the youth programme entered into force in the 1980s which was amended in 2007. This programme discharges employers that employ young people from paying taxes. Sweden spent less than 0,1% of the GDP in 2008 for the implementation of this programme, says ILO.
Year 2012, No.09
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INSUFFICIENT SAFETY AND PROTECTION OF MINOR WORKERS FROM THE SYSTEM’S INSTITUTION Young people need possibilities for employment, inclusion in different social activities, but since they have only few ways to show their capabilities, they suffer from not receiving work activities. In the Republic of Macedonia live almost half a million (483.448) young people aged between 15 and 29 and compose 23.4% of the total population of the country. More than half of them (51%) do not participate in the labour market (mostly because education and fall into the group of inactive population). The youth unemployment rate (composed only job seekers) at this age is 45.8%. Protection of young workers in the working process is one of the serious problems young workers are facing in Macedonian society. Unfortunately, we have to confirm that today, twenty years after the independence, there is a long regressive process in which instead of constant promotion and protection of young workers their elementary workers’ rights related to safety and protection are constantly infringed. This particularly concerns night work, regulations for protection of young workers from conditions that may have negative influence on their psychological and physical development, disrespect of regulations on proper health protection. Deliberate manipulation of minors and hiring young minors under 15 to work is a fierce exploitation and abuse of young people. Therefore an active involvement of trade unions is essential. That means having a clear, strong and determined stance that trade unions will pledge for repressing this problems, but they will also take over the responsibility meaning that they will educate youngsters how to act against these regularities by making information on working relations such as the flexibility of the labour market and youth adaptation to the labour market needs available to them. Therefore, we
point out that the labour market flexibility is not important for reducing the risk entrepreneurs when they offer employment, but it is important for ensuring market price of labour and that is a sufficient indicator for the labour market mobility. The situation of young workers on the labour market is a phenomenon that is constantly expanding in the member states of the European Union within which the unemployment rate of young people aged to maximum 25 in May, 2012 was 5, 5 million people, while in the whole EU their number was 3, 4 million. The youth unemployment rate is low in Germany, Austria and the Netherlands while it is high in Spain and Greece. At the same time we would like to highlight that investment in youth is crucial for forming human capital as one of the factors for economic and social progress in the country. Therefore the Youth Trade Union Organization (YTUO) within the Union of Independent and Autonomous Trade Unions of Macedonia (UNASM) realized the project “Social service clubs” on the territory of the Republic of Macedonia within the Youth sections of UNASM’s regional offices (Prilep, Skopje, Delchevo, Struga and Ohrid). The project is supported by the National federation of Christian trade union organizations CNV Internationaal from the Netherlands. The project will contribute to young population to get familiar with the trade union movement on national and local level through the clubs by organizing meetings, seminars, workshops and other educational and informative activities for raising the awareness for promotion and advancement of trade union values and rights in the society. Few policies include young people in the Republic of Macedonia, and those who exist are being formed and implemented separately.
Year 2012, No.09
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RO UNASM STRUGA FIGHTS AGAINST MOBBING AND DISCRIMINATION On the 17th of August, 2012 a round table on “Together against mobbing, victimization and discrimination of women” took place in the premises of the Regional Office UNASM Struga. All types of discrimination with special accent put on victimization and mobbing at the workplace were discussed at the round table. Furthermore, the non-discrimination concept, the Law on prevention of discrimination and Mechanisms for protection of discrimination were explained. The surveys made with a hundred interviewed people conducted by RO UNASM Struga were also elaborated on this event. A conclusion was made that local administration, trade unions and nongovernmental organizations, and employers and workers in particular should pay greater attention to this subject for being able to understand and apply the concept of non-discrimination and the Law on prevention and protection from discrimination more easily. The MP, Mrs. Liljana Zturoska and Doctor Dragica Buklieska had their own comments at the event. Furthermore, representatives of the local government, the Center of social affairs Struga, educational institutions, employers and members of the trade union participated at the round table. The conclusion drawn from the whole event was that in future these kind of activities should be continued in order for the citizens in the municipality of Struga to be better informed by the trade union.
EDUCATION, LOBBYING AND NEGOTIATION FOR TEXTILE WORKERS IN PRILEP The regional office UNASM Prilep, noticing the problems of textile industry in Prilep and the need to help textile workers to be able to exercise their legal rights in accordance with the Labour relations law and other labour laws realized the project entitled “Trade union organization of textile workers in Prilep” supported by CNV Internationaal from the Netherlands. The aim of the project is to achieve paid overtime work, respect of the signed collective agreement by the employer and proper implementation of the Labour relations law by the employer. The project’s target group includes employees in textile industry in Prilep of whom 90% are women and 10% are men. As part of the project three trainings are planned. Those are the following: “Lobbying and collective lobbying techniques”, “Labour legislation and collective agreements” and “Collective bargaining and collective bargaining techniques”. The first two trainings were realized in June and July and educational manuals were prepared for that as well as propaganda material that was disseminated during the events and used by the participants. More than 35 textile workers from more textile companies in Prilep participated at the event.
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UNASM Newsletter
UNASM STRENGTHENS THE REGIONAL COOPERATON THROUGH NEW INITIATIVES AND PROJECTS On 18th and 19th of September, 2012 a seminar on: “Social dialogue in the Western Balkans- current situation, challenges and perspectives� took place in Trieste, Italy. Several working groups were divided at the seminar and UNASM, as a full member of EZA, from the countries of Western Balkans was given the task to work with Union of trade unions of Montenegro. UNASM and SSCG (Union of trade unions of Montenegro) agreed to work on a project with cooperation with a trade union from Western Europe, probably CNV Internationaal from the Netherlands. As trade union organizations we hope that this initiative will be suc-
cessful and we would like to express our gratitude to CNV and EZA for their unselfish support they offer. At the same time an insight was made of the study on social dialogue on Western Balkans that was demanded by the Directorate General of Employment, social affairs and equal opportunities within the EU, and was conducted by the Association for social policy and research.
The study was conducted in the period f r om 2009 to 2011, the analysis and the results depict the image from 2010 that has been changed since then, but the main conclusions and recommendations remain valid. The aim of this study is to broaden the knowledge of social partners and social dialogue on Western Balkans. The study accentuates the inersectoral level. The study encompasses seven countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia. Slobodan Antovski President of UNASM
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REGIONAL OFFICE UNASM PRILEP St: “SOTKA GJORGJIOSKI“ (h. Skopje) 7500 PRILEP, REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA Coordinator: Goce BLAZESKI Phone: +38948410999 Email: unasmpp@gmail.com
UNION OF INDEPENDENT AND AUTONOMOIUS TRADE UNIONS OF MACEDONIA
St: „Vasil Gorgov“ no.39, 1000 Skopje, Republic of Macedonia Phone: +38923230307 Email: info@unasm.org.mk For the publisher: Slobodan ANTOVSKI publishes:
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Coordinator: Dimitar MOMCHILOV Phone: +38933410281 Email: unasmdelcevo@yahoo.com
UNASM REGIONAL OFFICE UNASM OHRID
editor:
Rubincho ARIZANKOSKI
Electronic informant UNASM Newsletter Email: unasmbilten@gmail.com
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