Trade union members on all continents are working together this month to promote health and safety in the pulp, paper, graphical and packaging industries, particularly emphasizing workers’ rights to participate in safety management on the job. This is the third global action of the The 3R campaign, led by IndustriALL Global Union and UNI Global Union, and was rolled out to more than 70,000 USW paper workers on September 7th.
“Nobody wants death or injury to occur in their industry, not unions, nor employers. But to make the change we must take action to ensure the three core rights of safety are a reality, and not just words,” said Leeann Foster, IndustriALL Pulp and Paper Sector Co-Chair and USW International Vice-President.
As the world grapples with the pandemic, many companies are rolling out new rules on health and safety, personal hygiene, restricted visitors, physical distancing. This is a vital time for worker participation in identifying the hazards, and how to mitigate them. Effective safety management of the mills and factories in this industry can be achieved if workers have the Right to Participate in the decision making. Health and Safety committees are provided by law in many countries, but they were initially products of collective bargaining.
The two global unions active in these sectors, IndustriALL Global Union and UNI Global Union are working together to support these international safety actions. “Experience shows us that in matters as important as health and safety, the management of the company cannot be the only one to decide. It is imperative to establish joint structures in which trade unions and employers jointly decide on measures to protect workers,” said Joaquina Rodriguez Torrejon, President of UNI Graphical & Packaging.
