Promoting GHS for Agriculture, Transport & Industrial Workers: The TUCP Initiative

1. Promoting GHS for Agriculture, Transport & Industrial Workers: The TUCP Initiative Rafael E. Mapalo Trade Union Congress of the Philippines

2. The TUCP • Founded in 1975, composed of 30 labor federations • Long tradition in providing comprehensive health and welfare services to its members • Has a viable network for the provision of GHS information and training for workers

3. The TUCP is dedicated to… • Building a trade union social movement • Expanding and strengthening workers’ organizations • Improving conditions of work and life of workers and their families

4. CONTEXT • Highly globalized environment • Increasing feminization of labor • Growing informalization of work • Increasing precariousness of work • Need to re-invent trade unionism to become more responsive to other than the traditional needs & concerns of worker

5. OBJECTIVES • This initiative aims to contribute to the international & national campaign for the successful promotion and application of Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) through unions’ active participation.

6. OBJECTIVES • Specifically, the project works towards: • Increasing awareness, better understanding and appreciation of workers and their unions on GHS; • Integrating GHS into TUCP’s OSHE down to the local union level; and • Mobilizing union POSITIVE Core Trainers for the rapid implementation of GHS at the workplace.

7. KEY APPROACHES • Capacity-building… training of union POSITIVE Core Trainers; • Enterprise-level GHS awareness-raising activities; • Partnership [with unions, employers & government] • GHS integration into TUCP institutional education programs; and • GHS Poster campaign

8. Accomplishments & Milestones Regional Training/Workshop on Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) for POSITIVE Core Trainers To improve knowledge & skills of trade union leaders on OSH and GHS To assist trade unions in developing their respective work plans towards implementing GHS at the enterprise level 25 union leaders representing: • 5 industrial/manufacturing companies, • 3 companies in transportation & • 3 companies in the agricultural sector

9. Accomplishments & Milestones Participation-Oriented Safety Improvements by Trade Unions Initiative: National Trainers’ Conference • A comprehensive discussion of GHS as part of the overall OSH program for both unions and companies Participated in by 25 POSITIVE Core Trainers • Luzon [17], • Visayas [2], & • Mindanao [6]

10. Accomplishments & Milestones • Enterprise-Level Orientation Sessions on Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS)[…a continuing activity]

11. Accomplishments & Milestones • GHS Integration into TUCP-organized Programs

12. Accomplishments & Milestones • Mini-survey on GHS among Trade Unions • to determine the knowledge and source of GHS information among unions; • identify existing GHS-related policies of TUCP-unionized companies; • identify chemical labelling practices or systems; existing classification and hazard communications; future plans of target companies to implement GHS; and • determine the status of GHS implementations (if any) among respondent unions-companies.

13. Accomplishments & Milestones • Initial analysis of the filled-up questionnaires revealed the following results: • There is poor knowledge of GHS among unions. Likewise, there is lack of awareness and GHS-related policies among TUCP unionized companies. Hence, massive and accelerated information dissemination through organized seminars and materials distribution is needed. • Unions and companies will unlikely implement GHS due to lack of awareness and legal basis that will require employers and other stakeholders to do so. • Unions have expressed willingness and articulated that the success GHS implementation at the workplace can be assured with unions’ initiative and/or active participation.

14. Our Partners UNIONS: 7 LABOR FEDERATIONS • Associated Labour Unions (ALU) • Association of Trade Unions (ATU, Davao) • Pambansang Kilusan sa Paggawa (KILUSAN) • All Workers Alliance Trade Unions (AWATU) • Philippine Transport and General Workers Organization (PTGWO) • National Congress of Unions in the Sugar Industry of the Philippines (NACUSIP) • Philippine Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Workers’ Union (PACIWU) GOVERNMENT: (2 AGENCIES) • Occupational Safety and Health Center – Department of Labour and Employment (OSHC-DOLE) • Bureau of Investments, Department of Trade & Industry (BOI-DTI)

15. Plans of MOVING FORWARD… • Resource mobilization to support GHS activities for unions • Expansion of GHS capacity-building activities to reach a wider number of unions & companies • Intensify the conduct of local union-level education • Production of localized resource & other info materials for union trainers • Collective bargaining [for management support for workers’ education] • Establish a local labour network for GHS • Advocacy for the integration GHS in several government monitoring tools • Advocacy for the integration of GHS and chemical safety in CSR programs of companies.

16. Thank you!