PSI EB-157, virtual meeting 30/11 and 01/12/2021, Agenda Item 2.3, Interamerican regional report
Revised Resolution
On Executing the Programme of Action’s Call for Dignified Labor in Xinjiang, China
WHEREAS, The International Labour Organization (ILO)’s “Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work,” adopted in 1998, makes it clear that certain rights are universal, and that they must be respected and promoted by all ILO Member States; these rights include freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining; the elimination of forced or compulsory labor; the abolition of child labor; and the elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation;
WHEREAS, the People’s Republic of China has ratified the following relevant ILO Conventions:
WHEREAS, the ILO Committee of Experts has issued direct requests for additional information from China concerning the treatment of Uyghur workers in Xinjiang under these above ILO Conventions;
WHEREAS, the Programme of Action (PoA) of Public Services International (PSI) affirms that “public service workers and their unions are uniquely placed to provide a clear vision for democracy, human rights, redistribution of wealth, employment, dignity, equality and the rightful place of labour;”
WHEREAS, the PoA recognizes that “globalization has changed the way the rules are made,” and that “major challenges are either caused by forces outside our national borders or require global solutions;”
WHEREAS, several Global Union Federations (GUFs), including the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and IndustriALL Global Union have expressed concern over, or taken actions to counter, the exploitation of Uyghurs in forced labor camps in China -- for example, by including anti- forced labor provisions in Global Framework Agreements (GFAs);
WHEREAS, national labor federations around the world have expressed concern about or taken action against the detainment of Uyghurs in forced labor camps, including the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), the Central Única dos Trabalhadores (CUT) of Brazil, the Deutsche Gewerkschaftsbund (DGB) of Germany, and the Federatie Nederlandse Vakbeweging (FNV) of the Netherlands;
NOTING, that news media have reported that China is targeting ethnic Uyghurs in Western China for detention in so-called “re-education” and forced labor camps, which produce industrial goods such as textiles and solar panel components;
NOTING, that democratic legislative bodies around the world have recognized and condemned the treatment and arbitrary detainment of Uyghurs in the PRC;
NOTING, that both multinational corporation and public entities around the world are currently sourcing products produced with the forced labor of Uyghurs; it is hereby
RESOLVED, that the Inter-American affiliates of PSI will work to increase the visibility of the plight of Uyghurs in forced labor camps;
RESOLVED, that the affiliates of PSI will bring the cause of the Uyghurs in forced labor camps to the attention of their national governments; and
RESOLVED, that the PSI Executive Board will pursue the matter of state-sponsored forced labor of Uyghur workers through all relevant ILO supervisory mechanisms, particularly under those conventions that the People’s Republic of China has already signed and ratified – namely, Convention 111 (Discrimination – Employment and Occupation), and Convention 122 (Employment Policy).
Submitted by: American Federation of Teachers
Co-Sponsors:
Revised Resolution
On Executing the Programme of Action’s Call for Dignified Labor in Xinjiang, China
WHEREAS, The International Labour Organization (ILO)’s “Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work,” adopted in 1998, makes it clear that certain rights are universal, and that they must be respected and promoted by all ILO Member States; these rights include freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining; the elimination of forced or compulsory labor; the abolition of child labor; and the elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation;
WHEREAS, the People’s Republic of China has ratified the following relevant ILO Conventions:
- C111 - Discrimination (Employment and Occupation): Ratified by China in 2006, this Convention obligates states to pursue a national policy of freely chosen employment; and
- C122 - Employment Policy Convention: Ratified by China in 1987, this Convention prohibits discriminatory employment practices based on, among other things, ethnicity and religion;
WHEREAS, the ILO Committee of Experts has issued direct requests for additional information from China concerning the treatment of Uyghur workers in Xinjiang under these above ILO Conventions;
WHEREAS, the Programme of Action (PoA) of Public Services International (PSI) affirms that “public service workers and their unions are uniquely placed to provide a clear vision for democracy, human rights, redistribution of wealth, employment, dignity, equality and the rightful place of labour;”
WHEREAS, the PoA recognizes that “globalization has changed the way the rules are made,” and that “major challenges are either caused by forces outside our national borders or require global solutions;”
WHEREAS, several Global Union Federations (GUFs), including the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and IndustriALL Global Union have expressed concern over, or taken actions to counter, the exploitation of Uyghurs in forced labor camps in China -- for example, by including anti- forced labor provisions in Global Framework Agreements (GFAs);
WHEREAS, national labor federations around the world have expressed concern about or taken action against the detainment of Uyghurs in forced labor camps, including the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), the Central Única dos Trabalhadores (CUT) of Brazil, the Deutsche Gewerkschaftsbund (DGB) of Germany, and the Federatie Nederlandse Vakbeweging (FNV) of the Netherlands;
NOTING, that news media have reported that China is targeting ethnic Uyghurs in Western China for detention in so-called “re-education” and forced labor camps, which produce industrial goods such as textiles and solar panel components;
NOTING, that democratic legislative bodies around the world have recognized and condemned the treatment and arbitrary detainment of Uyghurs in the PRC;
NOTING, that both multinational corporation and public entities around the world are currently sourcing products produced with the forced labor of Uyghurs; it is hereby
RESOLVED, that the Inter-American affiliates of PSI will work to increase the visibility of the plight of Uyghurs in forced labor camps;
RESOLVED, that the affiliates of PSI will bring the cause of the Uyghurs in forced labor camps to the attention of their national governments; and
RESOLVED, that the PSI Executive Board will pursue the matter of state-sponsored forced labor of Uyghur workers through all relevant ILO supervisory mechanisms, particularly under those conventions that the People’s Republic of China has already signed and ratified – namely, Convention 111 (Discrimination – Employment and Occupation), and Convention 122 (Employment Policy).
Submitted by: American Federation of Teachers
Co-Sponsors:
- American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees
- International Brotherhood of Teamsters
- National Union of Public and General Employees
- SEIU Healthcare
- Syndicat de la fonction publique et parapublique du Québec
- Syndicat de professionnelles et professionnels du gouvernement du Québec
