Labour: Dutch Christian Union: CNV sends a specialist team to work for labor r+

Here's a programmatic statement of the Christian Labour Central of the Netherlands (CNV) regarding that union's goals and principles in its work with labour in developing countries.  I don't agree with every jot and title of the text, but I do support it and the projects for which it presents the underlying principles and strategic policies it has chosen to guide its work on four continents -- Central and East Europe, Latin America, Africa, and South East Asia.

The webpage is titled "CNV International."

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Labour rights worldwide

For more than a hundred years CNV has endeavoured to improve work and income in the Netherlands. In this, CNV always attempts to engage in dialogue to achieve its objectives. Fortunately this is possible in the Netherlands because here, trade union rights are generally respected. Elsewhere in the world, the situation is less rosy.

In many developing countries in Latin America, Africa, Asia and Central and Eastern Europe, workers rights are trodden underfoot . Even if workers rights have been established in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and treaties of the international labour organisation ILO, for example. This is why CNV supports international trade unions that defend the rights of working women and men in developing countries.

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By supporting trade unions, CNV is working internationally on poverty reduction in developing countries. CNV Internationaal is pragmatic. It therefore works primarily in countries where the union’s work can actually make a difference. 

Internationally recognised fundamental labour standards:

• Right to organise
• Right to collective bargaining
• Abolishment of forced labour 
• Banning of child labour
• Prohibition of discrimination
• Equal treatment/payment for women and men

Support of CNV Internationaal

          In 27 countries CNV Internationaal supports unions and other organisations that  
          support workers rights. Annually, around 80 projects are made possible. This 
          support comprises different forms:

Financial support 

Many unions in developing countries cannot fall back on the financial contributions of their members. Not surprisingly: the members themselves often earn very little. This is why CNV Internationaal supports its partner organisations with financial resources, so that they can defend the interests of their members.

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Advice, knowledge and experience

Professionals working at CNV Internationaal are ready to share their knowledge and experience with their trade union colleagues in developing countries. They advise them on drafting work plans, for example, or thinking along with employment promotion schemes.

Lobby and policy influence 

The Dutch government and the European Union develop policy that affects world trade and labour migration, for example. CNV Internationaal constantly points out the importance of adherence to labour standards to policymakers.

Information and campaigns 

CNV Internationaal believes it is important that people in the Netherlands are made aware of the situation of workers worldwide. It regularly organises campaigns to incite Dutch people to action against violations of labour laws elsewhere in the world.

Working together 

The 350,000 members of CNV constitute the backbone of CNV Internationaal. Many support the international work as donators or by signing petitions, for example. 

Various CNV trade unions also bring attention to the work of unions in developing countries during collective labour agreement discussions. These collective labour agreements contain agreements about a part of the margin for pay increases that is reserved to support union projects in developing countries. This is called International Collegiality in Collective Labour Agreements.

To be more effective on the world stage, CNV Internationaal has joined the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC). As many as 312 trade unions from 157 countries are members. Together, they represent 170 million working women and men.

In the Netherlands CNV Internationaal is constantly seeking collaboration with other organisations, such as Fairfood International. This organisation investigates how ‘fair’ food products in Dutch supermarkets are. CNV Internationaal regularly acts in conjunction with the human rights organisation Amnesty International and MVO Nederland (which encourages companies to operate in a socially responsible way).

Four themes 

CNV Internationaal and its partner organisations focus on the following four themes:

Decent Work / Social dialogue
The central goal of our work is Decent Work. Social dialogue plays an important role in this: interaction between workers, employers and the government.

Gender
Worldwide there is a great deal of inequality between men and women where participation in the labour force and compliance with labour laws are concerned. This gender inequality also perpetuates poverty.

Informal economy
In many countries, a large proportion of the people works without any form of employment contract. They have no recourse to wages agreements, safe working conditions or social security. This means that their legal position is very weak.

Fair Globalisation
Many countries are connected to each other in the different stages of production chains. Responsible social and working conditions in the production chain are important for working people in developing countries.

Contact 

CNV Internationaal
PO Box 2475
3500 GL UTRECHT
The Netherlands

Phone: + 00 31 30 751 12 60
E-mail: internationaal@cnv.nl

Website: www.cnvinternationaal.nl