The government of Uzbekistan continues its brutal crackdown on human rights defenders documenting the massive use of forced labour in the cotton harvest. The World Bank, which is financing the 'modernization' of Uzbek agriculture, is supposed to be monitoring the presence of forced labour. What is it doing in the face of this crackdown? 
Two years ago the Citra Mina Group of Companies, among the largest tuna exporters in General Santos, the Philippines, terminated 234 workers for exercising their human right to form a trade union. In the 24 months since the unfair termination of union leaders and members, the campaign for "Worker Safe" tuna has seen the struggle for reinstatement become a struggle for the future of the tuna industry itself.
Hotel workers from all continents took part in the 2nd IUF Global Week of Action from November 4-11, 2015 to highlight the unacceptable working conditions of housekeeping staff and their determination to fight for a safe and secure working environment.
Phillips Seafood, a US company with a chain of seafood restaurants on the East Coast which also has outlets in airports and casinos and markets processed seafood products, relies on brutal exploitation and disposable jobs for their Indonesian crabmeat. Most of the production workers at the Phillips Seafood crabmeat factory in Lampung, Indonesia are women; 60 percent of these workers have no permanent jobs. They're on permanent standby, and never know when or if they will be called to work by text message. 
Satyajit Debnath, the father of a young child, dreamed of building a real home to replace the bamboo structure he lives in with his family. He was saving for this while working at a warehouse in India contracted exclusively to PepsiCo, but was sacked for defending his rights as a worker. Now he worries if the flimsy hut they live in will survive the monsoon rains. 
The Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union (AMWU) is stepping up action to contest the forced redundancy of older workers and their replacement with casuals by the US-based vegetable and fertilizer transnational Simplot at the company's Ulverstone factory in northern Tasmania. 
Former warehouse worker Dilip Naskar has twice been fired for defending his rights and those of his workmates. The first time, as a worker in a warehouse in West Bengal, India providing exclusive services to PepsiCo. Dilip was one of 162 workers who were sacked in 2013 after they formed a union. Dilip eventually found work in a nearby factory, but was sacked after one month on the job when his boss found out about his history as a committed trade unionist. 
Thirty-four year old Gautam Sardar has paid a steep price for standing up for his rights. Formerly employed as a worker in a warehouse in West Bengal, India contracted exclusively to handle PepsiCo FritoLay products, Gautam was one of 162 workers who were sacked in 2013 for joining a trade union. In response to national and international protests organized by the IUF, the workers were told they could return to work on condition that they signed statements declaring they would never again join a union, tore up their union cards and walked on them when they entered the warehouse. Gautam and 27 others refused these illegal, humiliating conditions and with the support of the IUF founded an Action Committee to fight for their rights.
In Belgium, "zero-hour contracts" have been banned since 1989 as part of the fight against undeclared jobs. This has helped unions to negotiate sectoral collective agreements with employers for the HORECA sector which have helped secure stable employment and set minimum wages.
Agriculture is by far the biggest user of water. Five years ago, in 2010, the United Nations General Assembly recognized the universal right to safe drinking water and sanitation and linked it to the human right to food. ILO Conventions affirm the obligation of states and employers to ensure that agricultural workers have adequate access to safe drinking water and sanitation. Despite this, millions of agricultural workers lack access to safe water at work and in their homes and die every year as a result. 
Citizens across Europe took to the streets on October 10 to show their opposition to three pernicious trade and investment deals that threaten democracy: TTIP (EU/US), CETA (EU/Canada) and the TISA agreement on services driven by the world's wealthiest countries. 
The International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers' Associations (IUF) is an international federation of trade unions representing workers employed in agriculture and plantations; the preparation and manufacture of food and beverages; hotels, restaurants and catering services; all stages of tobacco processing. The IUF is composed of 425 affiliated trade unions in 127 countries representing over 10 million workers.
How to contact the IUF:
Email: [email protected]
Post: Rampe du Pont-Rouge, 8, CH-1213, Petit-Lancy (Switzerland)
Phone: + 41 22 793 22 33
Fax: + 41 22 793 22 38
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How to contact the IUF:
Email: [email protected]
Post: Rampe du Pont-Rouge, 8, CH-1213, Petit-Lancy (Switzerland)
Phone: + 41 22 793 22 33
Fax: + 41 22 793 22 38
Login