Affiliated to the Federation of Progressive Unions (F.P.U.)

Member of the Fron Travayer Sekter Prive (F.T.S.P.)

7 October 2008

Dear Friends

It is our great pleasure to welcome you today in this activity which we consider historical for the working class of the Republic of Mauritius. We are even more pleased to associate this event with the commemoration of the International Day for Decent Work this 7th October 2008.

With a united voice we claim that Decent Work is a Fundamental Right. With globalization, workers acquired rights are at stake.

Rights acquired since the period of slavery (Code Noir sect. 4) are under threat. Two new Labour Laws have been voted this 22 October 2008 where all our fundamental rights have been put into question. These so-called Labour Legislations will not protect the workers against abusive termination of employment, hours of work have been deregulated from 8 hours to 90 hours per fortnight amongst others. We are at a cross road. We need to organize, consolidate and advocate.

Today’s activity has been made possible only with the joint resources of the P.E.E.U., C.M.C.T.E.U. and the C.M.W.E.U. For more than 20 years we have organized workers of the Private Sector. We have embarked ourselves on many struggles, the ban of asbestos, the introduction of a proper Health and Safety Structure on all worksite, a proposed Portable Severance Allowance Fund, Collective Bargaining at National Level covering all workers including migrant workers (Construction Sector). We have also embarked ourselves on non-bargaining issues to support the working class, the set up of an IT School with all logistic support, the creation of a cooperative bank amongst other.

Apart from being affiliated to the Federation of Progressive Unions, we are the founder members of the Fron Travayer Sekter Prive (FTSP) which covers workers of over 300 thousand private companies together with the unemployed and retrenched. With the structure of the FTSP we have created a striking force which today speaks for workers of the Private Sector.

Gone are the days when workers had a real political voice within the country. With the capitalist globalization where the worker is nothing but a mere commodity governed by the market forces we have a real challenge. The Private Sector with the strategy of financing political parties has controlled all Government.

So far their lobby has been successful. Their so called modern economy working 24 hours for 7 days is now becoming a reality. No more values. No more social and familial commitment, no more human rights.

Jane Ragoo & Reeaz Chuttoo, Spokesperson Fron Travayer Sekter Prive

Gerard. Tara, President - CMWEU

Just work, work and work until the bosses are satisfied. Social Protection will no longer be universal. PROFIT is before everything.

We need to reorganize. We need to defend our values and principles. We must organize and advocate for a real change.

This is why the P.E.E.U., the C.M.C.T.E.U. and the C.M.W.E.U. have for long struggled for a unification of a working class. We need to have our own identity and values.

We have now our own memorial. With our continuous effort and with the support of the Municipal Council of our home town, we have achieved our goal. More than a reality we have now a monument to honour the trade union struggle and in remembrance of all our friends who have died due to an occupational accident or disease.

This monument has been inspired and designed by Brother Reeaz Chuttoo and Sister Jane Ragoo and with the help of all friends, without failing to mention Brother Rajendra Marden. Brother Marden in the making of this monument has proved today that even after being sacked due to his absence on the day of his father’s death that we shall continue to overcome all attacks.

This monument is a symbol for the working class; nothing could represent better the working class except our tools. The idea generated from a visit in the National Union of Miners’ head office in South Africa. Even if this monument is the achievement of a long struggle of the P.E.E.U., the C.M.C.T.E.U. and the C.M.W.E.U. it now belongs to all working class in Mauritius. No confusion anymore. All workers of the Republic of Mauritius have now a “commemorium”. United We Stand, United We Act. Solidarity in Action.

We also seize this opportunity to thank the Building & Wood Workers International (BWI) and the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers’ Union (ICEM) to which we are affiliated and who have given their full support to achieve our goal. We thus have the honour to welcome among us today Brother Fabian Nkomo, the representative of the ICEM for the African Sub-Saharan Region. His presence today has enhanced the importance of this event. The support of the BWI and the ICEM paves the way to think Globally and Act Locally. We are proud also to be part of the big family of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC).

We will not let the capitalist globalization engulf us. We will fight for our Rights. We will struggle against the dismantlement of the Welfare State. Together we will fight for Decent and Safe Employment without any discrimination.

Long Live Workers Struggle !

Soobhass Ramnath, President - PEEU
Charles Turenne, President - CMCTEU

FRON TRAVAYER SEKTER PRIVE

Three Trade Unions representing interest of workers in the Private Sector in Mauritius have united their resources to have a very special activity for the Global Day of Action, which is the 7 October. They are all represented in a common Fron named the Fron Travayer Sekter Prive.

We represent unionised and non-unionised workers from the following sector of activities: chemical, construction, distribution, local industries as well and export oriented industries, hotels, pre-school, handicapped, etc., migrant workers as well as contractual workers.

We have succeeded once to force government to have asbestos ban in our country with the support of Dr John Addisson, expert, on the subject. For this we are really proud.

Workers in Mauritius have struggled very hard recently so that two new Labour Legislations where workers rights were put at stake, should not be promulgated. They have however been voted in Parliament on the 22nd of August this year. Unfortunately !

Still our struggle will continue and we have chosen the Global Day for Action for Decent work to unveil a monument in memory of workers who have lost their lives because of an occupational disease, at the same time to show workers struggle.

Our Monument represents the tools that workers use in their daily life to earn a living. This monument will be unveiled near our office in a town called Rose Hill. All Trade Unions Federations and Confederations of the country will be invited.

We will have the honour on this day to welcome Brother Fabian Nkomo from the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers Union (ICEM) to which some of our unions are affiliated. We also have the full support of the Building and Wood Workers International (BWI).

The Press of the country also will be invited.

We are really proud to be part of this activity. We should not forget that the World is but ONE Country and Mankind its Citizens.

Long Live the Working Class !

Jane Ragoo (Ms) and Reeaz Chuttoo
Spokesperson of the FTSP

Mauritius Trade Union Confedereation

The MTUC is convening all its members to a special gathering at the MAURITIUS INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION , REDUIT on Saturday 18.10.2008

We will discuss the bad effect of globalisation and the scourge of poverty. The millenium development goal and steps taken by government to achieve same wil be our concern. We are expecting about 250 participants. We are also inviting the Deputy Prime Minister to have his commitment to achieve the above.

NTUC

In the context of World Day for Decent Work, I would like to inform you that the NTUC is organising a one-day Conference for leaders and delegates of affiliated federations on 7 october to mark this special occasion.

Crucial issues pertaining to workers contained in the new labour legislations enacted will be discussed, in particular working conditions and making Sunday a normal working day, which we are contesting of course.

The new Minister of Labour has agreed to perform the opening ceremony of this conference.

CMCTEU
Our organization has been striving very hard for the past months so that the Mauritian Government does not bring about two new legilations on labour issues that will have a negative impact on job security in general for about 400.000 workers. howerver, to our dismay, even though the ILO intevened twice, our government had the two Labour Laws voted on 22nd of August without giving any attention to the workers’ views. Our struggle is still going on and we will keep you informed of same.

Since our organization represents workers of the private sector and since gradually permanent job is being replaced by contractual labour we have decided to put special emphasis on this phenomenon on the 7th of October this year. We will join our voice with other organizations miliatting for rights of workers in the private sector and we have the pleasure to inform you that a campaign on the Contract and Agency Labour will start on the 7th of October. On this special day for Decent Work we will unveil, along with other organizations, a stela in memory of workers who have died becasue of an occupational disease and for the struggle of workers in general.

The inauguration of the stela will be done in the town where our office is situated, i.e. in Rose Hill.