e More than 40,000 demonstrators were in Seattle, Washington, on November 30 to protest against proceedings of the World Trade Organization.

Photo by Elaine Brigre

< Unions call for core labour rights at WID

: :

he now famous “Battle in

Seattle” with its protest-

ers, riot police, tear gas,

pepper spray, rubber bul-

lets and concussion grenades, served as an unintended backdrop for the labour and coali- tion movement’s campaign to reform the World Trade Organiza- tion and push for international labour standards in international trade agreements.

Labour’s agenda of pushing for the inclusion of core labour rights of the International Labour Orga- nization into all WTO negotiation processes was given a big boost when U.S. President Bill Clinton urged WTO ministers to link trade agreements with labour rights and strong environmental regulations.

“To deny the importance of these issues in a global economy is to deny the dignity of work,” said Clinton on December 2.

The I.L.0.’s five key core labour rights, the freedom of association, the right to organize and bargain collectively, the prohibition of child labour, the abolition of forced labour, and the prohibition of dis- crimination in employment, are universal standards that were taken to the WTO nations by affili- ates of the Canadian Labour Con- gress, the AFL-CIO and members of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions.

“Those core labour values are the fundamental human rights for workers that governments in all countries must observe,” said I.W.A. CANADA National Presi- dent Dave Haggard. “What the labour movement is saying is that

ker in any nation has the

wo! ight to join a union without fear or retaliation. This has to be the way

: _ for all workers, whether they are in

Canada, the United States, devel- oping countries or the third world.”

Union members made up the bulk of the more than 40,000 demonstrators that marched in Seattle on November 30. Some forty bus loads of unionists, church groups and other coalition support- ers joined over 200 bus loads of AFL-CIO supporters, tens of thou- sands of Americans and union reps from over 150 nations to demand changes in how world trade rules are made.

The AFL-CIO sponsored rally, which saw over 30,000 cram Memo- rial Stadium before marching through the streets of Seattle, was peaceful and organized.

Later in the afternoon and evening, and next day tear gas filled the streets as eventually over 1,200 riot police and 350 state troopers bombarded and arrested a few violent and mostly peaceful protesters alike. In all, over 500 cit- izens were arrested.

“A lot of concern was expressed about the violent acts of some of the REDtSEESTE, the breaking of win-

lows and spray painting,” said CLC President Ken Georgetti in a press release statement. “And I can’t excuse their actions, but it seems to me that there’s not much concern about the violence committed every day against millions of child labourers, the shootings of workers trying to join unions, It’s that vio- lence that union activists are eppesed to, and that’s why we came to Seattle to protest.”

_Georgetti and Quebec Federa- tion of Labour president Henri Masse pressured Pierre Pettigrew, Canada’s trade minister and some porsenment officials to include abour standards in trade rules and keep public services like Medicare, and education off of the

WTO bargaining agenda.

Although Pettigrew said to the press that he was proud to consult with the labour movement and civil society groups, he ignored the call for labour standards in WTO agree- ments and spoke out against Pres- ident’s Clinton’s position.

Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien was nowhere to be found.

The AFL-CIO’s position was made clear. It is calling for enforce- able workers’ rights and environ- mental protection into WTO rules.

Like the CLC, it is calling for the WTO to open up its rule-making processes to be accessible, trans- parent and accountable.

In an interview with CBC Radio, Georgetti said: “Most Canadians and including the labour move- ment, would embrace an expansion of trade if indeed it was done with some transparency and we could see people’s economic lives and eco- nomic well-being being uplifted...”

Affiliate members of the Interna- tional Confederation of Free Trade Union (ICFTU), which represents 213 national union movements in 148 countries, gathered in Seattle a day prior to the opening of the WTO summit to celebrate 50 years.

Bill Jordan, the ICFTU’s secre- tary, said the 15 million children around the world work producing products for export. Forced labour exists in many WTO signatory nations, like Peru and Burma where their respective citizens are forced to work in mines and road building.

The WTO’s director-general Michael Moore spoke at the ICFTU event, said his organization is not the forum for labour or human

ight, calling the trade and labour

ri debate “confusing and destructive.” ~

Jordan disagreed: “Globalization will have a social dimension and it

will be trade union solidarity that will deliver it.”

CANADIAN PROTESTERS RETURN

In a celebration billed as the “Last Protest of the Century,” bus- loads of Canadians returned from the rally in Seattle to Vancouver and gathered in the Hyatt Regency hotel on the evening of November

B.C. Federation of Labour Jim Sinclair and Council of Canadian chairperson Maude Barlow, staunch opponents of Canada’s role in the WTO, spoke to nearly 800 people.

Barlow said that although the WTO said it would meet with non- governmental organizations, a meeting that lasted nearly five hours and stacked with industry associations left only 45 minutes for comments and criticisms.

“Half the delegates there that they called NGO’s were, in fact, cor- porations...(and were) getting up and calling themselves civil society groups,” said Barlow. “I got up to the mike and I basically said this is an absolute farce...”

Barlow and Georgetti were part of the Canadian delegation that went with the government to sup- posedly be listened to.

Canadian government officials, said Barlow, didn’t include the CLC or the Council of Canadians on a list of contacts for the media. But organizations including the Busi- ness Council on National Issues and the Canadian Importers and Exporters Association were.

Sinclair said that “when they (the WTO) talk about doing away with protectionism, what they are really telling us about is protection for corporations and no protection for people.”

LUMBERWORKER/DECEMBER, 1999/3