Organization of a Trade Union Regional Conference in Labour and the Environment in Africa
28th to 29th July 2006, Johannesburg

In Africa, poverty and environmental damage are the two sides of one same coin. Drought, deforestation, desertification, water, soil and air pollution, all have negative impacts on the lives of workers, their families and communities, with serious consequences for employment and food security as well as for occupational or public health.

The link between labour and the environment must be strengthened, ensuring social and environmental cohesion. Their relevance to production, workplaces and community realities has brought new roles both as trade unions of the 21st Century and as practical actors for change.

The important response from African Trade Union leaders to take part in the event was outstanding. High involvement and political engagement defined the type of participation. The outcomes of the working groups and the follow up proposals from the sub regional groups proved the willingness to integrate the environmental dimension into Trade Union agendas.

The major lines set up as next steps were:

§ definition of key themes for training and capacity building

§ the commitment to involve African Trade Unions which were absent in this Conference

§ the development of online communication systems to strengthen networking

§ the engagement to work for developing environmental and sustainable development departments within the Trade Unions


Objectives:

§ To establish a framework to discuss and the adopt common strategies for action on Sustainable Development by African Trade Unions to:


§ Improve the understanding of trade union concerns and needs regarding environmental issues.

§ Improve the regional understanding of Sustainable Development by trade unions. Promote an exchange of experiences and good practices.

§ Identify the training needs of African workers and their trade unions, so as to enhance their role as agents for change toward sustainability.

§ Promote action networks for empowering national organizations to implement the decisions taken regionally and to incorporate them within international processes.

§ Collaborate in the development of regional actions, as campaigns or action plans, to improve sustainability.


It was organized by ICFTU African Regional Organisation (AFRO), COSATU and Sustainlabour and it brought together 62 trade union members of 24 national trade union centres from AFRO and DOAWTU and federations.

Benin: UNSTB; Botswana: BTU; Chad: SYNADER; Congo (RDC): CSC; Ghana: GTUC; Guinea Conakry: ONSLG; Kenya: COTU; Malawi: MCTU; Mali: CSTM; Morocco: UGTM; Mauritania: UGTM; Mauritius: MTUC, MLC and NTUC; Nigeria: NLC; Senegal: SNTS/SONES, SAT-SDE; South Africa: COSATU, FEDUSA and NACTU; Tanzania: TUCTA and TPAWU; Uganda: NOTU; Zimbabwe: ZCTU; ICFTU Afro; DOAWTU; BWI; ITGLWF; ITF; IUF; PSI; UNI

The materials of the Conference are available in English and French:


Johannesburg Declaration / Declaration de Johannesburg

Final Programme

List of participants/Liste de participantes

Working book / Guides de Travail

1. Equal and sustainable access to resources and services: water, energy and land - Actions syndicales pour un accès équitable et durable aux ressources et services: eau, énergie, terre

2. Vulnerability to Climate Change: consequences on Labour and the Environment - Changements Climatiques – Vulnérabilité, les conséquences pour le travail et l’environnement

3. Hazardous substances in the workplace & the communities – linking occupational to community health - Substances dangereuses sur le lieu de travail & dans les communautés

4. Labour and Environment: making companies accountable - Travail et Environnement: rendre les entreprises responsables et transparentes

Working Groups Recommendations/ Recommandations des Groupes de Travail

2. Vulnerability to Climate Change: consequences on Labour and the Environment - Changements Climatiques – Vulnérabilité, les conséquences pour le travail et l’environnement,

3. Hazardous substances in the workplace & the communities – linking occupational to community health - Substances dangereuses sur le lieu de travail & dans les communautés

4. Labour and Environment: making companies accountable - Travail et Environnement: rendre les entreprises responsables et transparentes,

Building trade union environmental action plans in Africa: sub-regional perspective / Construire plans d’action pour l’action syndicale environnementale en Afrique : persective sous régionale

Northern and Western Africa
Afrique du Nord et de l’Ouest

Central Africa

Afrique Centrale

Southern Africa
Afrique du Sud

Eastern Africa

Afrique Orientale

Presentations / Présentations

Labour and environment, an African perspective

Travail et environnement, une perspective africaine

Greetings/Salutations : Laura Martin Murillo, Managing Director, Sustainlabour Foundation

Environment, Decent employment and Poverty Eradication

The central role of Decent Employment in poverty eradication and environmental protection, Mohamed Mwamadzingo, ILO/ACRTAV Africa Regional Office

Health in the World of Work,

Thebe A. Pule, WHO Africa Regional Office

Environmental challenges in Africa: Facts and figures from sub regional perspectives

Charles Sebukeera, Programmer Officer. African Region. Division of Early Warning and Assessment, UNEP, and

Estherine Lisinge-Fotabong from NEPAD Secretariat

Resolution of the Trade Union Assembly on Labour and the Environment Résolution de l’Assemblée Syndicale sur le Travail et l’Environnement

Fatou Ndoye, Programme Officer, Major Groups and Stakeholders Branch, UNEP

Introduction to working groups & Practical Examples of
Trade Union action on Environment
Introduction aux groupes de travail et exemples
d’actions environnementales syndicales

3. Hazardous substances in the workplace & the communities – linking occupational to community health - Substances dangereuses sur le lieu de travail & dans les communautés, Yahya Msangi, IUF

4. Labour and Environment: making companies accountable - Travail et Environnement: rendre les entreprises responsables et transparentes, Gabou Gueye, Vice Président UNI Afrique

5. Sustainable Forests / Forêts durables Inviolata Chinyangarara, Regional Coordinator, BWI, Building and Wood Workers International

Closing Ceremony
Cérémonie de Clôture

Andrew Kailembo, ICFTU – AFRO General Secretary


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