LFDC RDC prend part à la Journée sur le Travail Decent le 7 octobre

La LDFC a pris part à la Journée de réflexion sur le Travail Décent que la Coordination des Femmes Syndicalistes du Congo  - COFESYCO -   a organisée le 7 Octobre 2011 à   Kinshasa, à l'occasion de la dite Journée. Ont participé à cette journée, les femmes travailleuses du secteur formel et informel, affiliées aux différents syndicats de la RD Congo, les femmes syndicalistes du Congo-Brazza, invitées par le Ministre du Travail et de la Prévoyance sociale, l’Inspection du Travail, le Bureau International du Travail et d’autres organisations.

LFDC Congo marks the World Day for Decent Work October 7th

The StreetNet affiliate in the Democratic Republic of Congo participated in a meeting to mark the World Day for Decent Work, organised by the Coordination of Trade Union Women of the Congo (COFESYCO). The Coordination brings together both formal and informal sector organisations from all the trade union centres of the DRC and from Congo-Brazzaville.  The Minister of Labour and Social Security, the Labour Inspectorate and representatives of the ILO also attended.  The meeting discussed the need to extend social security coverage to informal economy workers, among other issues. The LFDC was able to explain the work they are beginning to develop a New Manifesto for street vendors, from both the DRC and Congo Brazzaville.

LFDC members at the joint trade union meeting- strengthening unity of action!

World Class Cities for All (WCCA) Brazil Planning Meetings October 21st- October 26th

StreetNet International is organizing a series of meetings in Sao Paolo at the Gaspar Garcia Human Rights Centre between 21^st October – 25^th October. folowed by a Forum to be held at the Trade Union Confederation of the Americas (TUCA/CSA).

October 21st - 22nd-  Meeting of WCCA Research Team  Meeting of WCCA research team to review findings and recommendations of the WCCA  mapping report in the 12 host cities and prepare a briefing note for the planning meeting. 

October 24th - 25th - Planning Meeting with Street Vendors Representatives

Meeting of WCCA research team with 15 representatives of the street vendors’ organisations in the host cities.Participants will come from Fortaleza, Manaus, Belo Horizonte, Rio de Janeiro and Porto Alegre, as well as Sao Paolo. The meeting will discuss the mapping report and develop an action plan for 2012-June 2014.

October 26th - WCCA Planning Forum 
A forum with the WCCA research team and representatives of street vendors' organisations and allies, from social movements, trade unions, research institutes and universities to review the action plan and identify areas where joint actions or campaigns can be carried out.


 

100 vendedores prohibidos dentro del Estadio Defensores del Chaco, Asuncion, Paraguay

Miembros del Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores del Comercio, Servicios y la Economía Informal (Sintecosin), rechazan la decisión de la Asociación Paraguaya de Fútbol (APF) de prohibir la permanencia de vendedores en las inmediaciones del estadio Defensores del Chaco, en los partidos por las Eliminatorias rumbo al  Copa Mundial de Brasil 2014. 
 
La APF dispuso que los vendedores se ubiquen a 200 metros del recinto, lo que ocasionaría considerables pérdidas para el sector, según sindicalistas. La medida rige desde hoy, en vista al encuentro entre la Selección Paraguaya y la de Uruguay. Según el dirigente de la APF, Pedro Vázquez, la medida se realiza por disposición de la FIFA, que establece anillos de seguridad alrededor del Defensores del Chaco.

Sin embargo, el secretario general del sindicato, Gumersindo Galeano, dijo que como los dirigentes no mostraron un documento al respecto, desconfían de la disposición.

Asimismo, argumentó que la prohibición es arbitraria porque los vendedores pagan un canon a la Municipalidad de Asunción, están acreditados y llevan más de treinta años en el lugar.

"Creemos que es un atropello a nuestro derecho adquirido, hace más de 30 años que estamos en esto y nunca existieron problemas de seguridad", afirmó. Los sindicalistas venden productos alimenticios y una variedad de artículos en las adyacencias del estadio de los Defensores del Chaco, en las veredas del recinto y en las aceras de los vecinos. Cien vendedores se verían afectados con esta disposición.

 
 

Decent Work in the Informal Economy – the Long Road ahead!

Media Release Decent Work Day October 7^th   2011

Magorwa is a cross-border porter based in Uvira, South Kivu, the Democratic Republic of Congo. She is called a “mbakazI’ a porter without capital to buy her own goods. Her job is to carry goods belonging to richer informal traders across the border to Bujumbura, the capital of Burundi, which is 30 kilometres away. In the morning, she takes her load over the frontier, risking harassment from the border police and others who sometimes make her pay a bribe. She delivers it to an informal trader in Burundi, who only pays for the goods received. Anything lost on the route is considered her responsibility. When there are many police roadblocks in Burundi, after crossing the border, she divides her load into three or more smaller bundles and she pays other porters to carry them so as to spread the risk. On bad days the police in Burundi confiscate all her goods and she must return home with nothing although she still has to pay the supplier. She is 53 years old and is a single mother with 8 children. She works up to 18 hours per day. Her load can weigh up to 20 kilos.  Most days, she earns around USD 5. She started work as a porter four years ago when her husband left to look for work in South Africa. She has had no news of him since then.

“Organising informal cross border traders and porters so they can have voice and representation is a major priority”, explained Pat Horn, Coordinator of StreetNet International on the occasion of decent work day, October 7^th. “We need to understand the sub-contracting chain and the economic inter-dependence between formal economy and informal economy workers. If the police and border guards of the Congo and Burundi enjoyed decent wages, the incentive to make extra income at the expense of the poorest in society would diminish. And it is the women who are the most exploited. The organisation of informal economy workers is a force for promoting democracy and transparency. Decent work for informal economy workers, the great majority of whom are women, is vital for sustainable development,” she added.

Magorwa is a member of the Organisation of Women without Means (OFES), which is an affiliate of ASSOVACO,  StreetNet’s affiliate in Kivu. OFES and ASSOVACO are organising women porters in order to negotiate better terms and conditions of work with the informal traders and to denounce harassment and corruption from the authorities.  OFES has also helped to set up micro-credit cooperatives. “This is just one of many beginnings”, said Pat Horn “There is a long road ahead to eradicate exploitative working conditions and organise informal economy workers.”

StreetNet is working to establish negotiating forums with municipal governments in alliance with trade unions in order to begin to address the many issues that informal economy workers face, including protection from harassment and eviction, appropriate regulations and enforcement mechanisms, mechanisms to denounce extortion and bribery and social security schemes.

StreetNet International was founded in 2002 and represents 43 vendors’ organisations in 38countries. For more information, contact info@streetnet.org.za