Networking and Alliance Building at the National Level

Establishing a PSI Migrant and Refugee Rights Activist Network in the MENA and joining other networks and alliances with civil society and other stakeholders in defending migrant and refugee rights at the national level.

Some examples:

During the covid-19 pandemic, PSI affiliates in Algeria, Kuwait, Jordan, and Tunisia conducted humanitarian and awareness actions and provided personal protective equipment to migrants and raised their awareness on how to protect themselves and their families from the virus.

In Kuwait during the pandemic, PSI affiliates, in coordination with their trade union centre (KTUF) convened regular meetings with leaders of migrant worker associations to find solutions for their issues, such as expired residency permits, late salaries and unsafe living arrangements, and worked closely with the Public Authority for Manpower to solve urgent issues affecting the migrant workers.

In Tunisia, a bilateral agreement was signed between the World Health Organization and the Ministry of Health that stipulates that all migrant workers, including undocumented migrants, have the right to receive health care in the public hospitals. PSI affiliates played a key role to ensure the good implementation of this agreement. Moreover, PSI affiliates in Tunisia joined their trade union center (UGTT) in advocating for the rights of migrant workers to organize and join trade unions, which became effective as of December 2020. UGTT distributed membership cards to all migrant workers, including to undocumented migrant workers, who were mostly concentrated in informal and low-paid sectors, such as in municipal services and garbage collection. Migrant focal points were established within UGTT with the purpose of organizing and welcoming undocumented migrant workers into the unions and providing them the necessary legal and other forms of assistance.

Influencing Regional and Global Policy through Solidarity-Building

Engaging PSI unions in the MENA in regional and global policy on migrant and refugee rights, such as the UN Global Compact on Migration and the UN Global Compact on Refugees, in alliances with other Global Unions and civil society.

Some examples:

PSI affiliates in the MENA region are actively engaged in the regional review of the UN GCM, participating the GCM-led processes as well as in the Civil Society Regional Conference on the GCM in the Arab Region. They focus their work on the GCM Objectives that are important for the unions, such as addressing drivers and structural factors (Objective 2), pathways for regular migration (Objective 5), fair and ethical recruitment for decent work (Objective 6), saving lives and missing migrants (Objective 8), access to basic services (Objective 15), anti-discrimination (Objective 17), skills development and recognition (Objective 18) and portability of social security (Objective 22).

PSI affiliates are joining their partners, civil society organizations, other trade unions, and the Global Unions in building strong alliances for the respect of human rights for migrants and refugee and fighting discrimination. Among these important networks are the Trade Union network for migrants in the Mediterranean and Sub Sahara (RSMMS) that includes PSI affiliates from Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria and the Cross Regional Center for refugees and migrants (CCRM).

In solidarity with PSI affiliates globally, PSI MENA affiliates mark important international days, such as 21 March Anti-racism Day, 20 June World Refugee Day and 18 December International Migrants Day with joint statements, workshops and public events commemorating these dates by raising awareness on migrant and refugee rights.

Conclusion and way forward

As the countries in the MENA region grapple with on-going economic, social, political and environmental crises that are exacerbating poverty, inequality and forced migration, it is all the more imperative to strengthen the trade union movement and to support workers’ solidarity. By reinforcing union values and building workers’ power, trade unions can take up their role in correcting injustices and working in social dialogue to pursue an inclusive, gender-responsive, human rights-based trade union agenda that puts people over profit. Such agenda includes the most vulnerable part of the workforce, i.e. refugees and migrant workers, who are often concentrated in informal and precarious work, with no access to rights and representation and no social protection.

The important work of PSI affiliates in the MENA region is only starting to create ripples in addressing the root causes and consequences of the multiple crises that are driving forced displacement and migration. While international responses remain weak, the challenges remain and will only grow in intensity and complexity. Amidst all these, building worker power and solidarity within and across borders will be the bedrock of the trade union movement, as we continue to rise up to all these challenges, to uphold human rights, to defend the most vulnerable and to fight for social justice across the globe.

Resources

#Health & Social Care Services

#Algeria

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