(PWD advocates protesting before the Chamber of Deputies in Brazil)
BWI in Latin America and the Caribbean, together with its trade union affiliates, the Union of Construction Workers (SUNTRACS) of Panama and the Construction Workers Union of the Republic of Argentina (UOCRA), pledged their support to promote decent work for people with disabilities (PWDs) amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
Through a strategic alliance with the Bureau for Workers ‘Activities (ACTRAV-ILO), the ILO's Gender, Equality and Diversity Service (GED) and the SUNCA of Uruguay, BWI is set to conduct awareness campaigns among its union affiliates to ensure decent work for all PWDs. BWI is also planning to support a regional mobilization, which will be organized by trade union confederations and social organizations in the region, on 3 December to mark the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
“The crisis created by COVID-19 has socio-economically impacted all workers. In particular, women, youth and people with physical and mental disabilities are extremely vulnerable. Unions are called to respond to this matter. The PWDs’ inclusion within BWI trade unions and their full integration to labor rights is everyone's responsibility,” said Nilton Freitas, BWI Regional Representative for Latin America and Caribbean.
This was echoed by Martín Nieves, from SUNCA-Uruguay and PIT-CNT, an organization that has widely promoted PWDs’ decent work throughout the region. “In order to achieve decent work for all, it is necessary that trade unions, governments and employers commit to a tripartite social dialogue that will promote international standards on the rights of people with disabilities.”