#Uint11 The Arab Spring - Update on the Middle East and North Africa

Sat pm: Last presentation was by Nick Crook, UNISON International Officer, followed by a film on Labour Rights in Egypt.

Nick reported that this is a new area of work for UNISON.  We use to work on Palestine and Iraq (and to a lesser extent Iran).  No real mandate  before Conference this year. 

It is called the  “Arab Spring” but also involves North Africa. Events are ongoing. Not only in Libya (Gaddifi was killed only 2 days before) but in Syria and Egypt things are still very much a process. The Army remains in control in Egypt.

A key factor has been social and economic conditions. The role of trade unions has been a core theme. There were marked differences in the region beforehand with regard to unions.  Some such as Tunisia had powerful free trade unions, others such as in Egypt, Syria and Libra they were  government controlled unions while in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, unions were banned. Less widely reported is the protests in Jordon, Algeria and Morocco.  In Morocco the protests forced the King to announce that there will be a  constitutional monarchy. While in Bahrain there was military intervention by Saudi. 3000 trade unionists lost their jobs while several hundred were imprisoned.  Contrast the British Government response to what has happened in Libya and Bahrain. Kuwait also has a crack down on trade union protest. On May day 2011 77 national trade unions across region did sign a "democracy declaration".

The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) have a new web site (which I can't find?) and Labourstart also has lots of good information and campaigns.  Unfortunately there has been splits in Egypt trade unions which have put UNISON in a difficult position with regard to who to support.

#Uint11 Project with UNE Nicaragua

Sat pm: Ruby Cox the Chair of UNISON Greater London International Committee (I am vice Chair) spoke next with Gabriela Queuedo, the Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign Action Group Trade Union Officer (NSC).

Ruby spoke about how she first became involved in  international work in her branch (Tower Hamlets Local Government - my old branch).  Tower Hamlets  borough has the highest number of Bangladeshi residents in Europe. She was involved in making contact and organising a visit of 3 Bangladeshi trade union leaders (I also drove them around the borough during this visit). 

Ruby has an interest in Nicaragua and managed to be part of a delegation to visit this country. She was pretty horrified at the very poor working conditions and lack of employment rights. Since 2009 she had been involved in a project to fund a legal office to for the main Nicaraguan public sector trade union UNE. Gabriela explained about the NSC and how they helped Ruby with the assistance of the UNISON international department to eventually bring the project to a successful end.  The legal office is now up and running.

I think that Ruby and Clare in the previous presentation showed that it was possible for UNISON branches and Regions to start an initiate, get money and support from UNISON, work with partners and to set up successful projects.  It is often slow and frustrating but they show it can be done.

#Uint11 UNISON Northern region “Solidarity Work in Southwest Colombia”

Sat pm: UNISON Northern Region Convenor, Clare Williams, together with local organiser, Patrick Kane gave the next related presentation on a project her region had helped set up in Columbia.

Firstly she explained "Why do we do it?" The global neoliberal economic model is responsible for causing and intensifying much of the world’s problems.

Then how they went about the project and how this initiative had benefits for both sides.  It was empowering, it changed lives, builds the union, it helped also build a social movement with a common vision and encourage an internationalist approach.

The project was to fund an education scheme for the wives, daughters and mothers of sugar cane cutters in Valle del Cauca in Columbia. In September 2007 15,000 sugar cane cutters went out on strike for 2 months. Region supported a capacity building project for the group. They had local contacts and made an expression of interest.  Followed by a proposal using the UIDF application form. Application was approved and funding sent out in instalments.

Lessons: Remember things will go wrong, it is a learning process! Not everything works first time.

#Uint11 Introduction to UNISON's International Development Fund

Saturday and Day 2 of the 2011 UNISON International Seminar.  I missed the morning session since I had to attend SERTUC Regional Council. I'll post on that later.

After lunch National officer Ravinder Gill gave an introduction to the UNISON International Development Fund (UIDF).

The UIDF was set up in 2004 to support the unions international commitments and unions in developing countries.  The fund receives money from UNISON commercial partners not members subscriptions. Ravinder (who is a trustee with me on the UNISON staff pension fund) explained the funds approach to funding applications and project criteria.

Since beginning of this year 13 new projects have been agreed such as capacity building in the FTUK (Federation of Trade Unions of Kaw Thoo Lei) in Burma.

Key messages about UIDF projects: They should be strategic and sustainable, realistic timeframe, build relationships, utilise existing skills and experiences and establish a legacy.

#Uint11 UNISON International Seminar 2011: Haneen Maikey "Al Qaws"

Friday evening saw the start of the 2011 UNISON International Seminar at the UNISON centre in Euston, London.  There are about 80 registered BIROS (jargin for Branch International Officers which use to puzzle me before I found out what it meant), Regional and National International Committee delegates.

First Speaker was UNISON Head of Pensions, Glyn Jenkins, who used the opportunity to gave everyone an update on the dispute.

The keynote speaker was Haneen Maikey, Director of Al Qaws, the Palestinian NGO for LGBT rights.  This report is based on tweets that I did during her speech and the Q&A. See #unisonint11 (UNISON Young member @Graham_NEC suggests that I should use #Uint11 instead - so from now on I will use this one).

Usual warning about the complete accuracy of my hurried notes especially via fumbled tweeting - on such a sensitive subject. 

"Sexuality in Palestinian context is very complicated. What makes Queer Politics relevant to the Palestinian struggle? Pinkwashing is used by Israel to try and divide us.There is a taboo in Palestine about all forms of sexuality both in public and in private spaces.  Her father would prefer for her to marry a man and express her lesbianism in another way. 

In West Bank homosexuality is legal. Al Qaws does not operate in Gaza (for reasons unclear) The price of "coming out" is very high. It must be a personal decision.  80% of their funding comes from America and Europe.  They were able to persuade a Western based LGBT group not to open a gesture office in Beirut which would have caused conflict.  The 1948 Nakba 'Catastrophe' is the real issue. 711,000 Palestine refugees in 1949 there are now 4.7 million 2010. 20% of Israeli are Palestinian.  Israel tries to divert attention from colonialism, war crimes and occupation.

Resist pinkwashing and the attempt by Israel to promote its policy of victimisation by using pictures of Palestine gays being beaten up. They use these image to try and rebrand Israel.  They attempt to show Palestine as primitive.  Not just the government but well funded privates groups who are Islamophobic.  There is little solidarity with Israeli Queer groups since we are concerned with struggle while they are about equality.  While the main Israeli gay youth society promotes militarism and support the IDF.  They support gay individuals in Gaza but cannot enter.  Most human right groups cannot enter Gaza either. There are some links with Palestine trade unions but they are not close and this is an aspect to explore in the future".  Finally Haneen urged us to look at and support their new web site http://www.pinkwashingisrael.com/