PRESS RELEASE
Ref: Strong unions are needed to make oil a blessing
Juba, August 31, 2013 (SSNA) — The conference “Petroleum workers, employers and the host nation/government: A mutual relationship for accountable management of the petroleum industry”, 30th of August 2013, is the first tripartite conference in South Sudan. The conference made these recommendations:
1. In order to make the oil resources a blessing, not a curse, we need strong trade union movement. This will assure responsible frameworks, good governance and responsible companies. Trade unions give workers a voice, and workers should be encouraged to organize.
2. A good legal framework is needed to secure workers’ rights to freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining. The government is urged to ratify and respect all core labour standards of the International Labour Organization, and we expect our government to include trade unions and employers in tripartite dialogue.
3. The companies in the oil industry must respect workers’ rights and facilitate the formations of unions as per the transitional constitution of the Republic of South Sudan. The companies also must give local union representatives opportunities to take part in training and education and to participate in union activities at local, state and national level.
4. The companies must acknowledge the unions as workers representatives and enter into collective agreements on wages, benefits, working conditions and other important issues.
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