|
CUT hosts Brazilian Policy Dialogue on Informal Work A policy dialogue titled “Regulation of informal work: street traders and waste collectors (catadores) was hoted by CUT-SP on 23rd of August in Bras, Sao Paulo and attended by street vendors of Sao Paulo, members of CUT affiliates and delegates to the StreetNet Congress. The National President of CUT Arturo Henrique da Silva Santos welcomed the delegates of street trader organisations from more than 25 countries and said they had a commitment to cooperate and learn from StreetNet’s experience. Growing pressure to address informal work International Secretary Joao Felicio said that hosting the 2nd International Congress of StreetNet had been important for CUT as their last congress had noted the growing importance of the representation and struggle of the informal workers and the challenge that this poses. Growing pressure exists to make effective interventions to address the situation where 45 million people work in Brazil alone and more broadly in Latin America as a whole where the informal sector is fast expanding. He continued, “we know that women are the poorest, have no social rights and that their access to public power is denied and they face exclusion.” Military used to repress workers Da Silva Santos said that in Latin America there are now democratic governments who are receptive to dialogue and there has never been a better chance to advance the organisation and address the needs of vulnerable workers. The informal economy workers were often brutally repressed with military force and lack the means to negotiate their rights, therefore a strong strategy is called for to advance their demands for recognition. Pat Horn, Co-ordinator of StreetNet said that this was the fourth Policy Dialogue on street vending but the first held in Latin America. The previous policy dialogues had been held in Patna (India) 2002, in Accra (Ghana) in 2002 and in Johannesburg (South Africa) in 2003. Antonio Carlos Spis, ADH CUT, chairing the Policy Dialogue, welcomed the first presenter Clarisse Gnahoui from USYNVEPID, Benin. Gnahoui related how as a market vendor she had tried to personally resolve problems in the market where she worked, and after failing had formed the union which now has close to 2000 members. The problems negotiated are tariffs and tax increases, the allocation of trading spaces; storage space and micro-finance for buying stock. She said an obstacle to their first attempt to negotiate with the government was that there is no policy on market and street trading and only after many attempts did government agree to discuss problems face to face with the union. Lack of consultation with market traders One of the structures they have formed is a committee that negotiates on day-to-day issues with the market management committee to whom they pay their levies. She said that a dispute that arose was over the introduction of security without consultation with the market traders. Their protest on the decision led to a debate in the media on the workplace rights that the union was defending. As a result of the organised protest the security project was scrapped. She said that informal workers are the majority in Benin and with formal workers are making a significant contribution to the economy and there is a need to see national policies do not perpetuate economic injustices against workers. StreetNet had built her confidence to negotiate through its work of training and organisation. Forced eviction of the poor Beto Custodio, a Sao Paulo city councillor representing the PT (Workers’ Party) discussed the new local government bill on street vending that had been presented the day before to the city and called on the street vendors of Sao Paulo to make submissions and comments on it. He said it was typical in all Brazilian cities for “cleaning” to mean the forced eviction of the poor from the streets. Street vendors have been the target of military force. Custodio said the new bill makes provision for a negotiating structure involving different unions and civil society (see below). He said that informal workers need to organise sectorally and demand a just law and respect for decent working conditions. He said his party the PT was protesting against the harassment of street vendors who are put in prison for earning a living. Their voice must be heard for the adoption of the new law which could alleviate many of the problems experienced now in governance of public space as the work space of the poor. In response to a question from the floor he said that street vendors organisations and civil society had participated in the drafting of the Bill. Public sector workers Monica Valente, Public Services International (PSI) spokesperson for Latin America said the PSI is planning a partnership with StreetNet on opposing policies on neo-liberalism and privatisation which would be discussed at their congress in September. Further, they would work for the protection of informal workers rights, particularly women who represent 60% and for all workers’ access to health. The third speaker Arbind Singh, NASVI, India, talked about the work of his organisation at the macro and micro-levels in harmonising the implementation of a new national policy on street vendors in India where 23% of the population in the town and cities are street vendors. He said that regulations had to be implemented at village/town (municipal) and state levels in adherance with the new policy. This entails the introduction of street vending committees, the demarcation of new trading spaces and the issue of identity cards and permits to street vendors. The process was uneven and while in some states 100 000s of ID cards have been issued, in other cases NASVI has pursued litigation as a means to ensure that the national policy is implemented. An important new provision is that of the municipal corporation which is the sole legal authority to issue permits and collect money which has cut out corrupt practices of extortion that was a problem in the past. He said NASVI’s role over the last decade was to lobby political parties for new policy, taking part in the drafting of new laws and afterwards pushing for the full implementation. He said one of the biggest steps forward ever made in improving the living conditions of the working poor in India had been achieved following much hard work by NASVI and SEWA in pushing for the approval of social welfare and pensions by the government for unorganised workers who represent 92% of the workforce (370 million workers). The decision was announced during India’s 60th year of Independence celebrations. Extreme inequalities After lunch the Minister of Welfare, Luiz Marinho, addressed the Policy Dialogue presenting a perspective from government. He said that under President Lula, Brazil has a democratic government from the left that has a responsibility to reduce poverty and reduce the extreme inequalities between the rich and the poor. Informal economy workers were seen as a second sector and he believed the challenge was to reduce the size of the sector and to formalise work. Marinho said that the government had raised minimum wage levels, gave aid to those who face destitution (Family Aid Plan) and a new pension plan was introduced which subsidised the elderly poor. He said the Government Development Solidarity Agency works with informal economy organisations and had the potential to create social and economic values that build socialism and the development of new economic opportunities for the poor. The Solidarity Agency had assisted the wastepickers build a national cooperative movement and this was seen as an advance by the poor in creating opportunities and social values in work. The Policy Dialogue concluded with a presentation by the Carlos Enrique e Eduardo of the Movimento Nacional dos Catadores de Material Reciclával (MNCR) and Antonieta Vieira, a sociologist from the University of Sao Paulo. Struggle for recognition of work leads to national cooperative movement The MCNR is national co-operative movement which started in 2001 with 17 000 people in 17 states, and five years later has 30 000 members. In 2003, wastecollection was recognised as an occupation and regulation was introduced at the federal, state and municipal levels. The most important elements for MNCR’s development were first, the struggle for the social function of waste collectors - they are now seen as workers and environmental agents who clean the city and economise power. He/she is a citizen who deserves protection and support of government and society. The second step was grassroots organisation into associations and co-operatives to work as waste collectors. Third, they also needed training, and fourth, representation on local government in making public policy, and partnerships in civil society. As part of creating a solidarity economy, the movement has obtained the credit needed to build the infrastructure for its work and products, and health and safety regulations have been negotiated. |
Return