POVERTY'S NOT YET HISTORY

www.rmt.org.uk :: september 2006 :: RMTnews 25 L ast year, many people wore the white Make Poverty History band in solidarity with the world’s poor and powerless for the Edinburgh demonstration before the G8 Gleneagles summit last July. And it made a difference - at least in the promises made by world leaders in Scotland. But world poverty will never be abolished by summit pronouncement. It is going to take years of determined action, and unless we keep the pressure up then people will start think that wristbands, rather than poverty, are history. So the campaign to abolish world poverty – and the white band - is back. And this time it gets personal with a call to world leaders to "keep your promises". We know they made those commitments because the eyes of the world were upon them. Now we need to make sure that they know we’re still watching. The demands that unions and others raised last year are unchanged. The world’s poor need trade justice; more and better aid; and their debt cancelled. Some progress has been made, but it could be a lot better. Debt cancellation is happening. Aid levels are increasing, but not nearly fast enough. And when it comes to world trade, progress is agonisingly slow. RIGHTS These demands matter to unions not just because we care, but because our goals of workers’ rights and decent work for all are integral to making poverty history. Economic development is not enough on its own. Its fruits need to be shared fairly. That is why trade unions put rights at work at the heart of the campaign for global economic justice. We want to see the basic decent minimum standards of the International Labour Organisation made universal. These core labour standards are freedom from child labour, no forced labour or discrimination, freedom of association (the right to join a union) and collective bargaining. World trade agreements that undermine those rights won’t Make Poverty History. JUSTICE And unions are not alone in seeing rights at work as a stepping stone to making poverty history. The Trade Justice Movement, Jubilee Debt Campaign, UK Aid Network and Stop AIDS Campaign have come together with the TUC, representing all Britain's trade unions, to form the Global Economic Justice Network and carry on the work of Make Poverty History. All the well known aid charities are represented too, through the BOND network. Together, we will watch what British politicians say and, more importantly, do about world poverty. And with our international partners we will watch world leaders. Before the St Petersburg G8 summit this July, I joined other world trade union leaders to urge President Putin to keep his fellow G8 leaders focused on world poverty. And on the weekend of the summit, British trade unionists marched to remember the Tolpuddle Martyrs who struggled for freedom of association when Britain was still a developing country. I was not the only speaker to make a direct link with the Global Call to Action Against Poverty in calling on world leaders to keep their promises. The G8 summit next year in Germany needs to keep up the momentum. This autumn we want union members to join a global month of action culminating on world poverty day, October 17, when we will once again be asking everyone to wear their white band and raise their voice again to Make Poverty History. The TUC will be calling on union members to: • Check the TUC website for action briefings and emails focusing on the workers’ rights elements of development; • Stand up Against Poverty (anytime during the 24 hours after 10am Sunday 15 October) in an official world record attempt for the largest number to stand up during one period of time around the world. • Continue to wear the white band – particularly on October 17, the fourth global White Band Day. I hope you will be able to join us as we campaign to keep the pressure up and make sure that world leaders keep their promises and more. *For information on the month of action this autumn, and how you can join in, go to the TUC website at www.tuc.org.uk/international - and you can buy "Make Poverty History: Respect Workers' Rights" white bands there, or send £5 for 5 bands to TUC White Bands, Congress House, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3LS (cheques to "TUC"). POVERTY'S NOT YET HISTORY: THE BAND IS BACK TUC general secretary Brendan Barber looks at the ongoing campaign against world poverty and the relaunch of the famous White Band CAMPAIGNING: Last year's Make Poverty History demonstration in Edinburgh Scotland G8 Summit of world leaders in Gleneagles, Scotland.