ITUC OnLine – October 26, 2007(1)

Brussels, 26 October 2007 (ITUC Online): With the 2007 Commonwealth Heads of the Government meeting (CHOGM) taking place in Kampala on 23-25 November, the Commonwealth Trade Union Group¹ (CTUG) has issued a statement in which it highlights a number of specific proposals for actions by the Commonwealth. The statement is being sent by CTUG member organisations to their governments.
 
While the CTUG welcomes the steps taken towards achieving economic development and institutionalising democratic systems throughout the commonwealth, the group has expressed its deep concern regarding the gap between the CHOGM declarations and the reality in terms of democracy and human rights.
 
While some efforts have been made to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), these are far from enough. The CTUG is convinced that the key for the future is to invest in people, in their access to justice, to labour protection, to education, to health care and to clean water.
 
In order to defend and advance the interests of all workers and people in the commonwealth, the CTUG is calling on the CHOGM to take immediate measures including monitoring progress towards the universal ratification by all Commonwealth countries of ILO Convention 144, (Tripartite Consultation) by the time of the CHOGM in 2009; and to take the decision that all Commonwealth countries will consult their tripartite constituents formally in the process of preparation of Commonwealth meetings.
 
Concerning human and trade union rights, CHOGM must decide upon effective measures to promote reform and change in Commonwealth member countries that violate human rights and undermine democracy.
 
Commonwealth leaders should also promote an international framework providing structured arrangements for migration, including measures to guarantee equal rights for migrant workers, encourage their full integration, prevent exploitation by employers and protect them against discrimination
 
The full statement. 

 
1. The Commonwealth Trade Union Group consists of trade unions centres representing over 30 million workers from 51 Commonwealth countries.

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