Profiles of Educators: Asia Pacific

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The profiles are organised alphabetically by country and then by union. If you are an educator within an ITF affiliated union, please download and respond to the questionnaire at the end of this page.

Countries currently represented

Australia
Bangladesh
India
Sri Lanka

Australia

Name: Eddie Seymour
Union: Maritime Union of Australia (MUA)
Position in Union: National Training & Development Officer

History: I was a Stevedore (Docker) for 25 years before becoming a seafarer for 6 years.

I have been the MUA’s training officer since August 2003.

Union Education Activities: The MUA delivers it’s own courses for our delegates which are comprised of modules from the ACTU Organising Works training program as well as skills training i.e. Negotiations, Public Speaking, Rules of Debate, Chairing Meetings, Global Solidarity, Use of MUA Web site. These courses are conducted on the basis of utilisation of Role Playing utilising real issues from the workplace, which provides the delegates with the confidence and skills to take back to their workplace.

Areas of Interest: The main source of satisfaction for me is when one observes a delegate leave the training course with enhanced skills and knowledge and also receive feedback that the training has assisted that delegate successfully deal with issues in the workplace.

Problems Faced: Lack of understanding within the union that developing training modules is a time consuming process that cannot be achieved overnight. Reluctance and barriers put up by employers to release workers to attend union training.

Strengthening links with other educators:
This initiative by the ITF Education Section is to be commended as it shares views and opinions of other educators within the ITF.

I agree with the development of a central database (suggested by Ray Spry, Shut, RMT, Great Britain) of training materials which can be assessed by all is an excellent suggestion.

The international trainers seminar in London (2003) conducted by the ITF Education section is another example of strengthening links. For example the MUA contacted the trainer Anna Hellstroem, (from Swedish Transport Workers' Union to obtain information about a particular company affiliate which the MUA was in dispute with.

I suggest that regional seminars would be beneficial to all affiliates but would need to include developing country affiliates as well as developed countries affiliates. The purpose behind this is to assist those with minimal resources by sharing experiences/skills/knowledge.

Contact e-mail: eddieseymour@mua.org.au

Bangladesh

Name: Rizwanur Rahman Khan
Union: Bangladesh Railway Employees’ League
History: I joined BREL in 1984 and was elected as secretary in 1986.

My involvement in Trade union education began in 1985, when I was involved in a union education programme sponsored by Asian American Free Labour Institute.

I became fully involved in BREL Education programmes since 1993, having attended the ITF organised Training the trainer programme. I am presently a team member of a BILS’ project on Youth Leadership Development Programme and responsible for the Chittagong region.

Union Education Activities: Union education activities are done through the Bangladesh Institute of Labour studies (BILS). The union’s relationship with BILS is through the national centre ‘ the Bangladesh Free Trade Union Congress.

BILS was established in 1995 with the participation of the 13 leading national trade unions federations of Bangladesh. BILS also have programmes for training trainers and organise education programmes for different sectors in Bangladesh. These programmes also include training on labour rights and labour.

Areas of interest: I have a keen interest in Trade union education particularly in the field of organising, occupational health and safety, leadership development, labour law and rights.

Problems faced: It is very difficult to draw the proper attention of the trade union leadership to the need to organise an education programme.

Strengthening links: By communicating to other educators and maintaining links with the ITF education Department.

Contact Email: rizwanctg9@yahoo.com

India

Name: Pijush Chakraborty
Union: N.F.Railway Mazdoor Union affiliated to the All India Railwaymen's Federation (AIRF)

Length of time in the Union and as an Educator: 14 years working the in the secretariat of the NFRMU and 8 years as an educator.

I joined the Pandu Branch of N.F.Railway Mazdoor Union (NFRMU) in the year 1992 whilst working as a Traffic Inspector in the N.F.Railway, a Zonal Railway of Indian railways. I was elected Assistant Secretary of the Branch in 1993 and I started publishing a monthly bulletin of NFRMU. I was nominated as editor and in the year of 1996 I was elected as Organising Secretary of the Central Committee of NFRMU.

I become an educator in the union after I participated ITF Educators` Training Programme at New Delhi in the year 1997.

Union Activities: Consists mainly of training workers about the rules and regulations, their privileges and their duties towards the family, society and country. Elimination of Child Labour, Sexual harassment are also activities the union is involved in. Information on HIV / AIDS has newly been included in our Education programme.

Our Education Programmes have been partly supported by ITF & FES through AIRF and ILO, ICFTU through HMS. Conducting local, divisional and zonal level education programmes. Also participating in national level education programme which are run by AIRF.

Areas of interest: Organising workers particularly motivating youth who have no interest in the union. In our union there is no sufficient IT equipments and youths are very much interested to explore about computer activities. Hence to educate them through Computer is very meaningful and interesting.

I also enjoy educating workers on how to edit the bulletin and making contact with the media.

Problems faced: Lack of modern devices,

Strengthening links: To strengthen links with those on the educators` network we should communicate our activities at least fortnightly through e-mail, by joining bulletin board, by keeping constant touch with ITF Education Cell

Contact Email: pijush@union.org.za

Name: Dinesh Panchal
Union: Western Railway Employees’ Union, Mumbai (Affiliated to All India Railwaymen’s Federation)

Position in Union: 1. Chief Educator, 2. Assistant Secretary, 3. Chief Editor, Railway Sentinel (Gujarati Edition), Union’s Monthly Journal.

History: Working as a Guard in passenger trains since last 17 years on Ahmedabad Division, Western Region of Indian Railways. Rose from executive member of union to the level of Assistant Secretary within 14 Years.

Working as Educator of the union from 1992 and Chief Educator from 2004. I am also Chief Editor of Union’s Monthly Journal from 1997

Union’s Activities: Union has a very good infrastructure for workers’ education in all fields and for all level of workers. Union has established Maniben Kara Foundation in 1980 for carrying out various Non-bargaining activities. Apart from Education activities, the union is organizing HIV/AIDS awareness programmes, Anti-dowry campaigns, Cancer detection camps, Eye Check up camps, Blood Donation camps, Health Check up Camps, Child Care Camps etc under the auspices of Maniben Kara Foundation.

I am responsible for conducting education programmes for all levels of members including youth & women on entire Western zone. I am also responsible for coordinating various programs including annual conference once a year for young members of the union.

Areas of interest: Trade union Education, Non-bargaining Activities.

Problems faced: None because Mr. Umraomal Purohit, President of the Union (President, ITF) personally taking care of solving problems on priority, specially the problems faced by the education wing of the union.

Strengthening links: ITF should nominate at least one educator, according to the size of the union, in all its affiliates with the consent of the General Secretary of Concerned Union and he/she would act as a contact person for all the education activities. Moreover, there should be periodical meetings of Education contact persons of all the affiliates to review the education activities and to access each others education kit/literature/system adopted by their unions.

Contact e-mail: didypanchal@yahoo.com

Sri Lanka

Name: Bandula Idamegama
Unions: National Union of Seafarers Sri Lanka (NUSS) and Jathika Sevak Sangamaya Transport Workers Federation (JSS)-Dockers, road passenger transport and railway workers.

History:
I have been with the JSS Transport Workers Federation for 15 years now and with the NUSS for 2 years since its formation. And I have been into TU Education for around 10 years now.

Unions education activities
Collective Bargaining, Organising the Unorganised, ILO Conventions, translating of ITF-conducted education programmes, HIV/AIDS, leadership training etc.

Areas of interest
I enjoy educating seafarers, particularly on the international scene (IMO/ILO conventions, International Solidarity Campaigns, IBF-negotiated CBAs and their workings, the workings of global multi-modal logistics companies and Civil Aviation etc

I am particularly interested in borrowing knowledge from disciplines such as Marketing, Management, Sociology, economics and cross-fertilizing them with existing trade union knowledge. From this I am able to design innovative organising and educational methods.

Problems faced
The traditional approach adopted by senior trade unionists to union work and labour education.

Strengthening links with other educators
Already I work as an educator-cum-translator for FES, AFL-CIO- sponsored education programs conducted in Sri Lanka by the American Solidarity Center for International Labor Solidarity (ACILS), Oxfam (Australia) and the International Metal Workers Federation (IMF). Their programmes are organised for unions in all sectors of the economy. Therefore, I enjoy excellent chemistry with union leaders irrespective of ideologies or politics. I would therefore, like to kick around some ideas with other educators on the network.

Contact e-mail: bandula59@yahoo.com

Name: Jayaraj Palihawadana
Union: Sri Lanka Nidahas Sewaka Sangamaya
Position in Union: General Secretary/Educator
History: A lawyer by profession, 10 years within the union and 3years as an educator.

Union Education Activities: Began with legal education because there is shortage of funds to facilitate other types of education activities.
Has also initiated human rights seminars.

Areas of interest: Trade union and labour law, being a Lawyer by profession it’s not surprising!

Problems faced: Getting management to grant leave to union members. They often don’t allow them to participate.
Secondly, seminars are delivered in local language and not English, therefore all materials have to be translated.

Strengthening links: There needs to be a single person within unions who act as an education contact. As a network we should have a common email address. Also copy of list of educators with all contact details.

Contact email: slnss@srilankan.aero, 9463@srilankan.aero

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