Canada and Agenda
21Canada and Agenda
21
CHAPTER 29
Strengthening the Role of Workers and their Trade Unions
This chapter is incomplete. It was contributed to by a number of different stakeholders. The views presented in this chapter do not necessarily represent the views of the Projet de Société.
THE NATURE OF THE PROBLEM
Workers will unquestionably be among those that pay the primary costs of adjustment to sustainable development. Consequently, with experience in dealing with industrial change, trade unions will have a integral role to play in achieving sustainable development and should be involved in the process right from the beginning. Environment and development strategies will affect employment policies, industrial strategies, labour adjustment programmes and technology transfers. Therefore, at both national and international levels, tripartism principles provide a strong basis for strengthened cooperation and collaboration between workers, government, and employers with regards to environmental issues and the implementation of sustainable development.
PROGRAM AREAS AND OBJECTIVES
The overall objective of Chapter 29 is "poverty alleviation and full and sustainable employment, which contribute to safe, clean and healthy environments - the working environment, the community and the physical environment." The need for workers to be full participants in the implementation and evaluation of activities related to Agenda 21, is also given importance. To meet these goals, the following objectives are proposed for accomplishment by the year 2000:
(1)To promote ratification of relevant conventions of ILO;
(2)To establish bipartite and tripartite mechanisms on safety, health and sustainable development;
(3)To increase the number of environmental collective agreements aimed at achieving sustainable development;
(4)To reduce occupational accidents, injuries and diseases according to recognized statistical reporting procedures; and
(5)To increase the provision of workers' education, training and retraining, particularly in the area of occupational health and safety and environment.
CANADIAN POSITIONS AT RIO
1.Official Canadian Position
The official Canadian position generally favoured the original text of this chapter, which had been drafted in close consultation with the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions. It was, however, a specific objective of Canada to seek to support the participation of employees and their representatives (unions) in the decision-making process on environment and development, while at then same time allowing enough flexibility in the language used to accommodate their non-inclusion in some areas such as those involving national security.
2.Non-Governmental Organizations
3.Business and Industry
Concern from business and industry arose regarding the section on the role of trade unions, which appeared to focus on new bureaucratic mechanisms, for example, enhancement of the role of the ILO, tripartite committees, full worker participation, etc. It was not clear that these new mechanisms are the best way to achieve desired results. Moreover, little attention is given to the responsibilities of workers and unions, and to ensuring they have the proper skills to make a valuable contribution to environmental management.
Another troubling issue for business and industry was that the document advocates a much greater role for unions in day-to-day corporate decisions, many of which would infringe upon the role of management. For instance, it is suggested that trade unions should participate in environmental audits at the workplace, as well as decisions about technology transfer. It is not clear that unions -- as opposed to specific employees who have gone rigorous training for these purposes -- have the necessary expertise to make a meaningful contribution.
4.Indigenous
Indigenous Peoples identified the needs for the development of protocols which requires the involvement of Indigenous Peoples at all levels of discussion and decision-making since international activities always affect Indigenous Peoples. Under Agenda 21, Indigenous Peoples were to be informed, consulted and allowed to participate at the national level for decision-making. This includes all geographic locales of Indigenous Peoples (i.e., urban, rural, remote and isolated areas).
COMMITMENTS MADE BY CANADIANS
1.Legally-binding Documents
None.
2.Political Pronouncements
None.
3.Alternative NGO Treaties and Kari-Oca
NGO Treaties
At the same time as UNCED, two major international events were also held at Rio. One was the International Non-Governmental Organization Forum (Global Forum). At the Global Forum, 3,100 NGOs discussed a number of matters related to environment and development and produced a parallel set of documents: an NGO Earth Charter and 38 Alternative NGO treaties. Canadian NGOs played a significant role in developing the Treaties and took a lead in coordinating their dissemination. None of the alternative NGO treaties dealt specifically with strengthening the role of workers and their trade unions.
Kari-Oca
The second alternative forum at Rio was the International Conference on Territory, Environment and Develpoment (the Kari-Oca Conference). The Kari-Oca Conference was held immediately prior to UNCED by and for the world's indigenous peoples. More than 650 indigenous representatives participated in meetings and cultural events during the conference. They developed and adopted a 109-point Indigenous Peoples Eatrth Charter. There were no explicit references made in the Kari-Oca declaration and Indigenous Peoples Earth Charter to workers and trade unions.
DEFICIENCIES, GAPS AND CONSTRAINTS WITHIN CHAPTER 29
The significance of Chapter 29 is limited due to the fact that it pushes for implementation of many things which are already on paper and generally ignored with regards to working conditions. The Chapter provides few new insights, primarily emphasizing existing conventions which have often had little impact on workers' lives and organization. The Chapter does, however, mention the need to increase workers' education, training and retraining, which is critical to preparing workers to play an active role in sustainable economic development (SED).
In many countries trade unions have little influence and are not big players in the debate. The Chapter does not address, however, the underlying issues obstructing workers' political and workplace participation as a means to reach overall economic development. It also ignores the factors determining the extent in which workers and their organizations can influence aspects such as their technical development, their participation in the management of their work environments, and their sharing of wealth resulting from their work. Each of these points are critical in terms of strengthening the role which workers can play in SED.
Additionally, Chapter 29 deals almost exclusively with organized or organizable labour. The Chapter ignores unorganized labour, as well as the tension between the goals and needs of unorganized and organized labour. This is despite the fact that in most developing countries, an important sector of the labour force is small-enterprise workers and workers in the informal sector, who are disenfranchised and do not benefit from participatory and representative forms of labour organization. Moreover, the most severe environmental damage is most likely to result from the actions of unorganized rural and formal sectors workers, and the informal sector.
With regards to the design, Chapter 29 is limited as an organizing framework, because it addresses problems a traditional UNCTAD/ILO manner. The Chapter is not written in a particularly realistic way and overlooks important issues such as the general lack of workers' rights in many countries and the fact that the burden of macro-structural adjustment has fallen largely on workers. Additional pressures on workers may result from new SED and environmental strategies. These would then add to the impacts that structural adjustment programs have already had.
COMPARISON BETWEEN CURRENT CANADIAN GOVERNMENT POLICY AND COMMITMENTS MADE
Not completed.
CANADIAN ACTIVITIES EVOLVING THROUGH THE SUSTAINABILITY PROCESS
Canadian workers and trade unions have long been active in economic and environmental issues, especially occupational health and safety, waste management, and the management of toxic chemicals. They have introduced workplace environmental committees, through union-management committees, into business, industry, and educational institutions. Both the Federal and provincial governments have worked with the labour unions in developing workplace environmental education programs.
Specifically, the Canadian Labour Congress has developed a Union Environmental Action Course for Canada. Parts of this initiative have been used to develop programs internationally and have been incorporated into ILO environmental education initiatives. As well, governments and labour unions have developed a consultative process on such matters as environmental protection, pollution prevention, and waste management.
OTHER RELEVANT INTERNATIONAL SUSTAINABILITY-RELATED FORA
International Confederation of Free Trade Unions
SUGGESTED READINGS AND INFORMATION SOURCES
Canadian Chamber of Commerce (CCC) and National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy (NRTEE). Focus 2000: A Small Business Guide to Environmental Management, (Ottawa: NRTEE, September 1991).
International Development Research Centre (IDRC). Agenda 21: Abstracts, Reviews, and Commentaries. (Theodora Carroll-Foster, editor), (Ottawa: IDRC, 1993).
Schreker, Ted with Hugh Mackenzie and John O'Grady. Sustainable Development: Getting There From Here, A Handbook for Union Environment Committees and Joint Labour-Management Environment Committees, (Ottawa: Canadian Labour Congress and the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy, 1993).
Cite as: Projet de société: Canada and Agenda 21.Winnipeg: IISD, 1995. Online. Internet. http://iisd.ca/worldsd/canada/projet/c29.htm.
