Uganda: Workers get nod for Epas talks
The Monitor (Kampala) | 27 December 2007
Uganda: Workers Get Nod for Epas Talks
Lominda Afedraru
Kampala
The government is to involve labour unions in all future Economic Partnership Agreement (EPAs) negotiations with the European Union.
Speaking at the close of a three-day African Trade Union regional conference in Kampala on December 21, State Minister for Labour, Mr Mwesigye Rukutana said governments across Africa have been ignoring the inclusion of workers in the talks and it is high time workers took the podium at these negotiations to articulate their interests as well.
"I have noted that the Trade Unionists are not involved in EPAs negotiation agreement by African heads of states. If workers are not allowed to participate in this process, how shall we know that their interests are taken care of? Since it is workers who make goods, they should therefore be involved in the negotiation process," Mr Rukutana said.
He told participants from 47 African countries that although the Uganda government is set to sign an interim agreement with the EU by the end of this month, the rest of the negotiation process will take into account issues of workers.
Late last month, the East African Community (EAC) partner states of Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi signed a framework agreement on EPAs with the EU after fears that the negotiations would collapse if the December 31 deadline is not met.
The two-year framework agreement signed in Kampala will be applied provisionally from January 1, 2008 until such a time that a comprehensive and full EPA is negotiated and signed by the two trading blocks. It covered market access, development corporation and fisheries.
At the conference, trade unionists argued that their presence in the EPAs negotiations will help address some of the critical issues and social dimensions of the agreements including giving African workers decent working and living conditions.
"The African Trade Union Organisations are concerned about the present state of EPAs. They fear that the EPAs would inhibit development in a manner that increases unemployment, poverty and inequality and erode trade preferences," trade unionists said in a statement.
"This will limit opportunities for industrialisation and develop independent industrial policy and reduce tariffs to support the local industry. The loss of income from tariffs reduces money availability for social spending and infrastructural developments," it further said.
They also urged the European Union not to impose too many demands that would stifle the talks.
The trade Unionists further agreed to lobby their governments to include in their final agreement issues involving trade unions in monitoring the implementation of the social chapter in EPAs.
The chairman General of the National Organisation of Trade Union of Uganda, Mr David Nkojjo urged parties in the EPAs negotiations to harmonise tariff issues especially for goods exported into the EU.
The Director of International Labour Organisation (ILO) based in Geneva, Mr Dan Cunniah said the Kampala declaration will enable the EPAs agreement to enhance the aspects of workers on the Trade Industry.
Civil Society Organisations however, have been warning the ACP nations to resist attempts by European Union to force them into signing a hurriedly negotiated EPA.
British charity Oxfam says developing countries risked ruining prospects for long term growth and regional integration by signing hurriedly negotiated trade pacts.
