From: harelb@MATH.CORNELL.EDU (Harel Barzilai)
Newsgroups: alt.activism
Subject: LABOR/AGENDA 21: post-UNCED Worker's Rights, Freedoms, Participation
Date: 30 Jul 92 22:38:34 GMT
Organization: misc.activism.progressive on UseNet ; ACTIV-L@UMCVMB

...From PeaceNet's apc.labor via misc.activism.progressive...

    "Governments and employers should promote the rights of 
    individual workers to freedom of association and the e right to
    protection of thorganize as laid down in ILO
    conventions.
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Topic 199       Agenda 21 and Trade Unions (final) 
jagdish apc.labour       4:23 am  Jul 29, 1992 
(at chasque.apc.org) 
****************************************************************** 
Subject: Agenda 21 and Trade Unions (final) 
From: Jagdish Parikh <jagdish@chasque.apc.org> 
******************************************************************  
Dear friends, Here I am posting a pre-final chapter from Agenda 21 
describing trade unions role during post-UNCED period. Those interested 
Please send your request by email for more information. 
Thanks. Jagdish 

A-21: TRADE UNIONS 
United Nations Conference on Environment & Development 
Conference des Nations Unies sur l'Environnement 
                   et le Developpement 

160 Route de Florissant              Tel: (41-22)789-1676 
P.O. Box: 80                         Fax: (41-22)789-3536 
CH-1231 Conches           InterNet/EcoNet: unced@igc.org, 
Switzerland                D41:tcn4091, GeoNet:mcr1:unced 

                  AGENDA 21, CHAPTER 29 
          STRENGTHENING THE ROLE OF WORKERS AND 
                   THEIR TRADE UNIONS 

NOTE:     This is a final, advanced version of a chapter of 
          Agenda 21, as adopted by the Plenary in Rio de 
          Janeiro, on June 14, 1992.  This document will be 
          further edited, translated into the official 
          languages, and published by the United Nations 
          for the General Assembly this autumn. 

                     PROGRAMME AREA 

Basis for action 

29.1.  Efforts to implement sustainable development will 
involve adjustments and opportunities at the national and 
enterprise levels, with workers foremost among those 
concerned.  As their representatives, trade unions are 
vital actors in facilitating the achievement of sustainable 
development in view of their experience in addressing 
industrial change, the extremely high priority they give to 
protection of the working environment and the related 
natural environment, and their promotion of socially 
responsible and economic development.  The existing network 
of collaboration among trade unions and their extensive 
membership provide important channels through which the 
concepts and practices of sustainable development can be 
supported.  The established principles of tripartism 
provide a basis for strengthened collaboration between 
workers and their representatives, Governments and 
employers in the implementation of sustainable development. 

Objectives 

29.2.  The overall objective is poverty alleviation and 
full and sustainable employment, which contribute to safe, 
clean and healthy environments - the working environment, 
the community and the physical environment.  Workers should 
be full participants in the implementation and evaluation 
of activities related to Agenda 21. 

29.3.  To that end the following objectives are proposed 
for accomplishment by the year 2000: 

     (a)  To promote ratification of relevant conventions 
of ILO and the enactment of legislation in support of those 
conventions; 

     (b)  To establish bipartite and tripartite mechanisms 
on safety, health and sustainable development; 

     (c)  To increase the number of environmental 
collective agreements aimed at achieving sustainable 
development; 

     (d)  To reduce occupational accidents, injuries and 
diseases according to recognized statistical reporting 
procedures; 

     (e)  To increase the provision of workers' education, 
training and retraining, particularly in the area of 
occupational health and safety and environment. 
Activities 

(a)  Promoting freedom of association 

29.4.  For workers and their trade unions to play a full 
and informed role in support of sustainable development, 
Governments and employers should promote the rights of 
individual workers to freedom of association and the 
protection of the right to organize as laid down in ILO 
conventions.  Governments should consider ratifying and 
implementing those conventions, if they have not already 
done so. 

(b)  Strengthening participation and consultation  

29.5.  Governments, business and industry should promote 
the active participation of workers and their trade unions 
in decisions on the design, implementation and evaluation 
of national and international policies and programmes on 
environment and development, including employment policies, 
industrial strategies, labour adjustment programmes and 
technology transfers. 

29.6.  Trade unions, employers and Governments should 
cooperate to ensure that the concept of sustainable 
development is equitably implemented. 
29.7.  Joint (employer/worker) or tripartite 
(employer/worker/Government) collaborative mechanisms at 
the workplace, community and national levels should be 
established to deal with safety, health and environment, 
including special reference to the rights and status of 
women in the workplace. 

29.8.  Governments and employers should ensure that workers 
and their representatives are provided with all relevant 
information to enable effective participation in these 
decision-making processes. 

29.9.  Trade unions should continue to define, develop and 
promote policies on all aspects of sustainable development. 

29.10.  Trade unions and employers should establish the 
framework for a joint environmental policy, and set 
priorities to improve the working environment and the 
overall environmental performance of enterprise. 

29.11.  Trade unions should: 

     (a)  Seek to ensure that workers are able to 
participate in environmental audits at the workplace and in 
environmental impact assessments; 

     (b)  Participate in environment and development 
activities within the local community and promote joint 
action on potential problems of common concern; 

     (c)  Play an active role in the sustainable 
development activities of international and regional 
organizations, particularly within the United Nations 
system. 

(c)  Provide adequate training 

29.12.  Workers and their representatives should have 
access to adequate training to augment environmental 
awareness, ensure their safety and health, and improve 
their economic and social welfare.  Such training should 
ensure that the necessary skills are available to promote 
sustainable livelihoods and improve the working 
environment.  Trade unions, employers, Governments and 
international agencies should cooperate in assessing 
training needs within their respective spheres of activity.  
Workers and their representatives should be involved in the 
design and implementation of worker training programmes 
conducted by employers and Governments. 

Means of implementation 

(a)  Financial and cost evaluation 

29.13.  The UNCED Secretariat has estimated the average 
total annual cost (1993-2000) of implementing the 
activities of this chapter to be about $300 million from 
the international community on grant or concessional terms.  
These are indicative and order of magnitude estimates only 
and have not been reviewed by governments.  Actual costs 
and financial terms, including any that are non- 
concessional, will depend upon, inter alia, the specific 
strategies and programmes governments decide upon for 
implementation. 

(b)  Capacity-building 

29.14.  Particular attention should be given to 
strengthening the capacity of each of the tripartite social 
partners (Governments and employers' and workers' 
organizations) to facilitate greater collaboration towards 
sustainable development. 
                         * * * * 
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