Subregional workshop of the trade unions and Ngo’s dealing with the issues forced labour and trafficking

On 2-4 December in Warsaw subregional workshop of the trade unions and Ngo’s dealing with forced labour and trafficking sphere took place. The event was organized in frame of ITUC/PERC-Antislavery International project against trafficking for force labour and labour exploitation. In the event participated “La Strada” NGO network representatives from Belarus, Ukraine, Slovakia, Czech, Poland, Austria and Albania; trade unions representatives from Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Poland, also experts from international organizations: ITUC, AntiSlavery International, OSCE, FES.

This was the first mutual event of NIS and Central Europe NGO’s and trade unions. More migrant workers from NIS come to Central Europe rather than to Western Europe due to geographic, cultural, and linguistic similarities. The participants presented situation in the countries and the work done, exchanged experiences, made new contacts.

One of the migration directions is from Ukraine and Belarus to Poland, Czech and Slovakia. Also more persons coming to Vysegrad countries from Georgia and Mongolia. La Strada Poland with OSCE help did hired lawyers how to safe the labour trafficking victims from Tajikistan and Uzbekistan – the employers did pay their wages. Polish experience is also interesting that when police get information about forced labour trafficking cases informs also La Strada and other NGO’s that work in this sector. La Strada helps trafficking victims to find legal job in Poland. In Czech factories many workers from Vietnam work, it is very difficult to protect their rights, because their community is very closed and it is practically impossible to make contacts with them.

Forced labour is spread not only among migrant workers, but also in their home countries. For example, in Belarus where most of the workers employed by fixed term work agreements, if person is not loyal to authorities, the work agreement might not be prolonged. During the fixed term contract they cannot leave the work on their own will. Perm city NGO’s prepared the special lectures course for militia school students about trafficking and how to fight it. Russian internal ministry introduced this course in 5 Russian internal ministry schools. In Georgia persons are forced to choose unsecure work forms without the social security – 1,1 million persons are self-employed.

Participants in mutual work groups prepared NGO and trade unions mutual activities plan in the region in sphere of elimination of forced labour and trafficking. The results are attached in PP.

It was also was decided that trade unions and NGO’s in their countries will implement lobbying campaign on domestic workers convention discussion at the International Labour Conference in 2010.

ITUC/PERC Vilnius

PP Warsaw
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