Africa Projects

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Regional education projects often have sub regional and national components for which activities are carried out. These projects can either be industry specific or cross sectional. The ITF currently has the following projects in Africa, please click on the links below to go the desired project.

*Please note website links for the cooperating organisations can be found at the bottom of this page.

Industrial Projects

Road Transport Project – Strengthening union organising and bargaining along West African transport corridors

The road transport industry continues to grow largely due to the effects of liberalisation, deregulation, outsourcing. The sector still remains remains primarily unregulated and where regulations exist enforcibility is very poor, making the industry a very high-risk job. Many West african unions lack collective bargaining agreements. Employers are unwilling to sign collective agreements and refuse to bargain at a national level citing it as being detrimental to their subregional competitiveness.

The project focuses on establishing a regional agreement on the minimum standards for long-distance road transport workers along the main West African transport corridors. This requires the adoption of such standards at Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) level which would then be implemented at the national level.

The project objectives are;

Enable unions to negotiate demands related to minimum standards at a national level;
Build the capacity and leadership role of the regional committee of union representatives to engage in dialogue and coordinate union bargaining campaigns at a regional level;
Enable unions to organise and service members effectively along the regional transport corridors and hubs.

Target group: Organisers and negotiators in West Africa
Project Period: 2009-2011
Cooperating Organisation: SASK

Cross Sectional Projects

HIV/AIDS and transport workers in Africa

HIV/AIDS continues to affect labour, setting back economic activity and social progress. The vast majority of people living with HIV/AIDS in Africa are between the ages of 15 and 49 - in the prime of their working lives. Employers are often forced to retrain and replace workers to ill to work, impacting on economic growth and development. Therefore overall aim of the project is to significantly reduce the impact of HIV among transport workers.

Project objectives:

Mainstream HIV/AIDS by integrating it as an issue into unions’ core activities thereby strengthening the support given by unions to transport workers, their families and affiliated communities.
Improve the knowledge, skills and competencies of trade union leaders to address HIV/AIDS as an integral component of union organising campaigns and to engage employers on HIV/AIDS workplace interventions.
Build the knowledge and awareness of transport workers, their families and affiliated communities thereby encouraging them to know their HIV status, reducing further transmission and increasing the likelihood of member and family HIV testing and linkage to treatment. Becoming involved in wellness centres will enable unions to reach workers and associated communities.
Strengthen the collective voice of transport workers living with HIV/AIDS through enabling them to tell their stories and thereby combating secrecy, stigma and discrimination in their workplace and communities.
Strengthen trade unions by organising unorganised workers along transport corridors through addressing their HIV vulnerability.

Target Group: Leadership, membership, educators, organisers and women activists, unorganised workers
Project Period: 2009-2012
Cooperating organisation: FNV Mondiaal

Click here for HIV/AIDS website

Useful links:
The ITF is not responsible for the content of external internet sites
FNV Mondiaal
Trade Union Solidarity Support Organisation

SASK
Trade Union Solidarity Support Organisation

LO-TCO
Trade Union Solidarity Support Organisation

Gewerkschaft TRANSNET
ITF Affiliate

Gewerkschaft vida
ITF Affiliate, Austria

SEV Schweizerischer Eisenbahn- und Verkehrspersonal-Verband
ITF Affiliate

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