Malaysia is one of Asia's biggest employers of foreign labour. But recently, cases of deaths, abuse and forced labour have come to light. What is going on? Who is protecting these migrant workers?
The workshop played an important role in building the coalition
for the effort to develop an ASEAN Framework on the Rights of Migrant Workers,
and solidifying the CSO-TU alliance supporting this process.
<P>There was agreement
to protect the rights and ensure just and fair treatment of migrant workers and
their families, the participating trade unions and civil society organizations
have committed themselves to closely and wholeheartedly collaborate in the vital
effort to create a framework for protection of the rights of all migrant workers
in ASEAN, in line with the commitment made by the ASEAN Governments in the Vientiane
Action Plan, and the call for an “ASEAN instrument on the protection and
promotion of the rights of migrant workers” in the ASEAN Declaration on the
Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers.</P><P>Both trade unions
and civil society organizations play vital roles in the daily lives of workers,
especially migrant workers. Thus the participants welcome the establishment of
the Task Force on ASEAN Migrant Workers comprising of trade unions, human rights
and migrant rights non-governmental organisations, and migrant worker associations.</P><P>By
joining hands in this historic effort to support the rights and aspirations of
migrant workers throughout ASEAN, it state clearly that the status quo of exploited,
abused, isolated, and forgotten migrant workers, toiling long hours with little
hope of earning a fair wage while all the time facing dangerous conditions of
work, is not acceptable. There must be a new deal for migrant workers in ASEAN,
regardless of their origin or current documented status, which sets out in a binding
framework the principle that migrant workers shall be guaranteed national treatment
in their conditions of work and life outside of work.</P><P>In believing that
clear and appropriate mechanisms for practical implementation of the rights of
migrant workers is urgently required, Task Force on ASEAN Migrant Workers will
elaborate a Framework for the Protection of the Rights of Migrant Workers in a
comprehensive and consultative manner</P><P>UNI Apro Women Committee and UNI Apro
Youth Committee welcome this development as women and youth from this region forms
the bulk of the migrant workers that are working in the 3 “D”s areas.
The committee members, youth and women activists in UNI Apro is looking forward
in playing an active role in ensuring that migrant workers are not explioted.</P><P>For
further news and the full text of the Declaration, please refer to the story posted
in the UNI Apro website dated 03/31/2007 "<A HREF="http://www.union-network.org/uniapron.nsf/1/A9D48C8866D0B41BC12572B200254FE8?OpenDocument">NGOs
and ASETUC united response to the challenges confronting migrant workers</A>".</P><P><I>http://www.union-network.org/uniapron.nsf/0/B99D053C11D3ED74C12572BA001B99B0?OpenDocument</I>
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