PSI International Migrant Health and Social Care Seminar launched with on a high note for workers unity! Public Services International South Africa kick started a successful International Migration Seminar at Parktonian Hotel on the 26th October 2010 to mark a building and consolidation of consciousness on Trade Union Solidarity and Action for Workers on the Move.
The seminar was held amongst others to tackle the realities of international migration and its impact on women health and social care of workers in particular, and shape new and different ways to ensure that solidarity goes beyond borders. Capitalism knows no borders, and the recent global economic crises added a fuel to all other contributing factors such as poverty, unemployment, underdevelopment, conflict and other environmental factors like climate change, and it is high time that we begin as the working class in general to challenge all improper acts that are meted to migrant workers all over the world, including exploitation. Workforce shortages across the globe poses an ever increasing factor of having annually significant increase of migrant workers as populations in industrialized countries are rapidly ageing. It is estimated that USA needs 3, 5 million more formal health care providers by 2030, while 2, 5 million social care workers are needed in the UK by 2025. Same is true for many countries including South Africa. World Health Organization Global Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel preamble outlines that “a shortage of personnel in many member states constitutes a major threat to the performance of health systems and undermines the ability of these countries to achieve millennium Development Goals and other internationally agreed development goals”. The presentation was led by Genevieve Gencianos, Project Coordinator for PSI and outlined the objectives, amongst others, to provide initialize the participatory action research, mapping of the health and social care sector and raise public awareness of the plight of migrant workers. The third phase of the project was implemented and was focusing on women health and social care. And South Africa is both a sending and receiving country of migrant workers. These initiatives were done by the national working group by sharing good practices, advocating a dialogue on same and building alliances in the region and encouragement of migrant workers to take active participation in their Trade Unions. The PSI National Working Committee provided leadership role in the implementation of the project and the large outcomes registered were the continued consciousness build-up in all Trade Unions to ensure interests of migrant workers becomes a union matter. The biggest challenge was on how to sustain migrant workers to link up with trade unions in both countries of origin and their destination. And special focus was on migrant nurses in the country to ensure that they belong to unions as union rights are universal rights that cannot be negated on the basis that a worker has crossed borders. The involvement of the High Commission Offices of various Foreign Nationals was a matter that was given less attention in the period under review on the basis that it was not exploited fully as expected. Other issues related to safety and security matters, social security, and other conditions of work for migrant workers. And all organizations resolved acceleration of the fourth phase of the project inclusive, amongst others with; · Participatory research and mapping of migration in the health and social care sector, · Training and capacity building of all organization of migrant worker’s campaign, · Campaigns launching on Ethical Recruitment and migration and development, · Enhancement of Photo-documentation and materials for all campaigns, · Union to Union bilateral cooperation and outreach work on migration impacts, and lastly · Enhance Advocacy of migrant worker's issues on other Global Forums on Labour matters. The organizations were called upon to fight international discrimination of migrant workers, discourage the continued forced labour in all sectors and human trafficking that continues to undermine humanization of mankind in general. It is ideal that such programmes must in general deal side by side to tackle the scourge of xenophobia that continues to undermine social cohesion and reintegration of Africans in particular and all citizens of the world in general. The seminar was attended by COSATU Affiliates, who are also affiliated to PSI; SAMWU, DENOSA, NEHAWU, SADNU, PAWUSA and POPCRU and other Federations in South Africa. And all attendees were welcomed by PSI South Africa Project Coordinator, Ms Thembi Mngomezulu. Unite Workers of the World for a new social order and Consolidate a struggle for Decent Jobs for All! Issued by: Norman Mampane POPCRU National Spokesperson Tel: 0112424600/4615 Cell: 0720737959 Fax: 0866253054 Email: [email protected] 01 Marie Road AucklandPark 2006 -- You are subscribed. This footer can help you. Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to this message. You can visit the group WEB SITE at http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery options, pages, files and membership. To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected] . You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to put anything in the message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to this address (repeat): [email protected] .
