PrepCom I: Statement by Trade Unions

Earth Summit II
CSD Discussion 30 April, 2001
New York

Trade Union Representative
Lucien Royer

Thank You Chair,

I am pleased to report that the trade unions will be involved in Earth Summit II. We plan to hold our own international Prepcomm next October in Belgium and will be coordinating the trade union activities in South Africa with our affiliates there: FEDUSA, NACTU and COSATU.

Mr. Chair, we would like Johannesburg to serve as a catalyst for workers -everywhere- …for them to become personally committed to the implementation of sustainable development. Such a commitment is needed, not only among our 155 million members, but from all workers, in all walks of life, in each and every country.

We would like Johannesburg to serve as a kick off for a new level of workplace partnerships between workers, trade unions and business, so that the energies of everyone involved at the production level is called upon, in a creative way - …in the spirit intended by Chapter 29 of Agenda 21 for Workers and Trade Unions…and in the spirit of creating tangible implementation measures at the local level, which Mr. Desai just spoke about.

Johannesburg should inspire workers to become involved - and not just to help find and fix that leaky pipe in the factory - but to participate creatively with their employer:

• to institute better ways doings things, and organise workplace training and education programmes

• to make sure that new technology works efficiently;

• to be involved in monitoring and measuring progress of sustainable development targets [at the workplace level]; …targets set by local authorities or national governments; and

• to be involved in their community with the other stakeholders that are today assembled in this panel before you.

Yes, we want Johannesburg to send a clear signal to workers and trade unions, everywhere:

• To engage them in building on their workplace skills and experiences (such a those related to occupational health & Safety structures, for example), and

• to create a type of workplace cooperation with employers that can make a real difference in the short time we have to save our planet

However, the payoff must not only translate into better or cleaner production, Mr. Chair!.

Workplace actions must be organised so as to also show workers how to become better consumers, at home an in their communities.

And in turn, the overall effect has must impact on how workers vote on election day and what they do by way of supporting public policy; yes, even contentious public policy! Imagine, that they might one day support contentious energy taxes!

Workplace actions after Johannesburg must deliver a win, win, win scenario for change, Mr. Chair: a win on production targets, a win on consumption targets and a win on social and community livelihood targets - all at the same time.

Johannesburg must be a step along this journey!

The CSD has paved the way, over the years by developing its known multi-stakeholder dialogue process; a process we have been part of, since the very beginning, and in which we wish to continue being involved; …in the prepcomms and at the Earth Summit, itself.

We believe the multistakeholder process provides the fertile soil for the kind of tangible commitments CSD governments have called for from stakeholder groups. It certainly provides the fertile soil which can fashion the type of leadership needed for effective workplace actions in the decades to come, after Johannesburg.

Mr. Chair, we feel a Multistakholder process must be incorporated within the official agenda of Earth Summit II. Also we feel the physical use of spaces in Johannesburg for meetings, events and housing must facilitate maximum stakeholder interactions at all levels. Isolating single stakeholders or groups of stakeholders from others, or from government delegations, should be avoided or minimized. Promoting proper and, perhaps, strategic mixing of stakeholders at all levels should be sought in the organising of Johannesburg -…and in paving the way for what Ministers here have come to call a "Global New Deal".

In addition Governments should compose their own delegations for the Earth Summit with a proper mixture of Major Groups representatives, so that these become a kernel for follow up action on implementation, back home, after the Earth Summit.

Now, I wish to turn to what the themes that might be adopted for Johannesburg, as their choice would have some impact on certain organisational matters.

1. The issue of integrating the social dimension of sustainable development should rotate around "Poverty", as the first main cluster of themes - and linked to employment and food security, as two sub themes.

"Employment", because the means for people working their way out of poverty have to be identified as part of any implementation strategy. And "Food Security" because that question brings together many of the issues that are of concern to us all: water, land & natural resource issues, a well as access, gender and equality questions.

2. The second main theme cluster should address issues referred to this morning, and related to 'barriers to participation' and the building of partnerships. And these should centre around two key areas: [climate change or Energy] and [Public Health].

Stakeholders and Governments should be called upon to use Johannesburg as an opportunity to build concrete targets, timelines and joint implementation measures for the next decade around these central issues; issues that you all know are key to preserving our future. These clusters, Mr. Chair, relate to issues that workers can upon - at the workplace level.

A judicious mix of proper organising of Government delegations, with stakeholder processes in Johannesburg, aimed at fashioning partnerships; along with a choice of a few thematic clusters….That, Mr. Chair has the potential of delivering powerful results from the South Africa Summit. And we the trade union movement would be committed to working with you to deliver such an outcome.

Thank you