BWI launches COVID-19 declaration and General Secretary Report
BWI launched its Declaration on COVID-19 dubbed as "Building a Better Future: Organising for Resiliency in a time of Adversity."
In a series of posts on social media on 7 July, BWI presented an inclusive and equitable road to recovery for jobs and industries in construction, building materials, wood and forestry sectors that contribute to a socially and ecologically sustainable future. It was adopted by the BWI World Board in May and June 2020.
BWI has considered the complexity of the crisis that is taking shape to formulate this declaration, which offers trade unions a united way forward that can be taken nationally, regionally and globally in eight areas:
- Making work safer by prioritising occupational health and safety.
- Protecting wages and securing jobs
- Advocating for the economic, political and labour rights of migrant workers
- Promoting gender mainstreaming in the response to the crisis and gender equity in the recovery as well as taking on gender based violence as a worker issue.
- Leading stewardship in forestry and its value chain.
- Holding multinationals accountable for working conditions and jobs as well as requiring corporations to make significant contribution to recovery.
- Championing global solidarity and international cooperation to address sovereign debt and global recovery.
- Building the post pandemic future – a future that is green and provides social justice.
BWI also launched the General Secretary’s Report in a series of short videos discussing the global union’s analysis of the crisis, the role of workers amidst the pandemic and ways forward to a more progressive post-crisis world.
BWI General Secretary Ambet Yuson addressed trade union affiliates, friends and allies in 7 video messages posted online.
The declaration is available in the following languages: