PERC/CGSLB best practice sharing workshop on OHS and GBV

The workshop “Exchange of good practices by trade unions on ratification of ILO Convention 190 impacting health and safety at work” took place on 25 October 2022.

This workshop was organized together with the Belgium trade union CGSLB through a project with the Belgium Federal Public Service for Employment, Labor and Social Dialogue. Around 30 participants both from Western and Eastern European countries took part in the meeting. The main issues discussed were ILO Convention 190 on violence and harassment at work: ITUC campaign to get Co. 190 ratified; Occupational Health and Safety as fundamental workers right – what it means in practice; the ETUC Zero death at work campaign and Building ITUC-PERC priorities in OHS domain: ITUC Campaign and place of OHS in new social contract. The meeting was opened by Olivier Valentin, National Secretary CGSLB Belgium and chaired by Anton Leppik, Executive Secretary.

The Covid-19 crisis has learned us that, more than ever, the health and safety of our workers should be guaranteed. Starting from our frontline workers to all workers, also those who do not have a formal contract, and paying special attention to Women workers. Now that Occupation Health & Safety (OHS) has become a fundamental right at work at the ILO”…we as trade union have an important role to play in reminding our governments that ratifying essential ILO convention like the C.155 and C.187 should be high on their agenda’s. In recognising OHS as a fundamental right, we have to bring C.190 to the social dialogue agenda.

The following experts made presentations during the meeting; Marieke Koning, ITUC Equality Department, on the ITUC campaign to get Co. 190 ratified; Victor Hugo Ricco, Senior Specialist at ACTRAV, concerning Occupational Health and Safety as fundamental workers right, Ignacio Dorreste, ETUC Senior Advisor giving explanation on the ETUC Zero death at work campaign and Owen Tudor, ITUC Deputy General Secretary leading the afternoon session on Building ITUC-PERC priorities in OHS domain: ITUC Campaign and place of OHS in new social contract. The participants had the opportunity to discussed some best practice among the different countries attending the workshop.

At the end of the workshop a number of points for follow up was noted. Participants discuss, in particular, the need:

  • to enhance the ILO work (more resources and mandate; a ratification and implementation campaign; new initiatives on biological hazards, mental health at work, ergonomics.)
  • to encourage national actions – to ratify and to implement C155 and C187; especially elements like safety reps, safety committees, free PPE and training etc; but also to push for C190, C161 and other key ILO conventions (mining, agriculture, construction), as well as to enhance the number and strengthen the role of labour inspectorates
  • to engage in other institutions and frameworks on all levels to advance OSH as fundamental right, like trade (WTO and bilateral agreements), procurement, HRDD, and investment (IFIs, RDBs, pension funds), climate and just transition (including in the SDGs)
  • further develop trade union own structures like OSH networking