11th TRADE GROUP
CONFERENCE
Malmö, 18-20/6/2001
Item 15: Resolutions and statements
The Belize Workers’ Union, supported by the St. Kitts Nevis Trades & Labour Union, forwarded on June 3 a resolution on Cuba, the text of which is attached. The deadline for receiving resolutions was March 16, 2001, and June 4, 2001 for emergency resolutions.
The Conference is invited to rule as to the admissibility of this resolution, and to discuss its content as appropriate.
The Secretariat proposes that the Conference discuss, amend and complete the resolution prepared by the Secretariat regarding the promotion of sustainable tourism, in order to present it at the next IUF Congress. Its main purpose is to establish the sector’s major directions for the next Congress period, in line with the priorities set by the Trade Group Conference.
The Secretariat is also proposing to amend the Trade Group’s Regulations as follows:
By adding the following sentence to Article 5: The President, the Vice Presidents and the Secretary of the Trade Group shall constitute the Trade Group Steering Committee. The Steering Committee shall meet at least once a year between the Trade Group statutory meetings.
The Trade Group Board Regulations are attached to this document with the amendment included in bold underlined text.
The Conference is asked please to provide useful proposals regarding these drafts and to instruct the Steering Committee to provide appropriate follow-up.
Caribbean Resolution on Cuba
submitted by: The Belize Workers’ Union
Whereas the Caribbean Trade Union Movement recognizes and accepts the Cuban workers as brothers and sisters:
and whereas the HRCT workers in Cuba are unionized in large numbers and participate in normal Trade Union activity:
Be it resolved that the IUF investigates the desirability of establishing relations with the Cuban Trade Union Movement:
and Be it further resolved that a fact finding mission of the IUF be sent to Cuba for discussions with the Cuban Trade Union Movement;
and Be it agreed that that mission shall report its findings to the meeting of the HRCT Trade Group Board in 2002.
Resolution on the Promotion of Sustainable Tourism
(Draft for submission to the 24th Congress of the IUF – May 2002)
Whereas there is a lack of public involvement in decisions regarding the development of tourism and, therefore, market forces have primacy over the collective interest;
Whereas the development of job-creating tourism is dependent upon the provision of quality services and the respect for basic standards of respect for the natural and cultural environment, the populations and the workers in the sector;
Whereas the sector is characterised by a relatively high proportion of casual employment imposed by employers (term contracts, seasonal work contracts, temporary and interim work contracts, employment/training contracts, access to employment or return-to-work contracts);
Whereas there is an abnormally high level of staff turnover in the sector and a shortage of qualified personnel in some countries;
In view of the development of transnational corporations in the sector and the trend toward vertical integration allowing tourism mega-corporations to be active in all operations related to tourism (design and sale of travel in originating countries, provision of accommodation and service structures in tourism destination countries);
The 24th Congress of the IUF, meeting in Geneva on May 14-17, 2002, calls upon affiliated organisations and the Secretariat, at their respective levels, to:
- defend and promote a vision of sustainable tourism that is not limited to the preservation of the natural environment and the cultural heritage, but also includes responsible behaviour toward the customers and the workers in the sector;
- intervene in all appropriate structures and at all appropriate levels to promote a trade union vision of tourism development based, among other things, on the “IUF Policy for the Tourism Sector” adopted by the Executive Committee at its meeting of May 10-11, 2000;
- work jointly and with other trade union or sister organisations to analyse the influence of tourism mega-corporations on the development of tourism and social conditions in the host countries;
- defend the concept of quality tourism, based on the quality of the services provided to the customer. Such quality is dependent on the quality of the training provided to the workers and the quality of the working conditions.
- Promote the ratification of ILO Convention Nr. 172 on working conditions in hotels, restaurants and similar facilities, and the reference to ILO Recommendation Nr. 179 in negotiations between social counterparts;
- Continue and increase efforts to develop sustainable relations with the transnational corporations in the sector and to negotiate international agreements reinforcing the rights of affiliated organisations;
- Continue and develop initiatives such as the IUF list of recommended/not recommended hotels, intended to promote the respect for union rights and core labour standards as contained in relevant ILO Conventions;
- Place a special focus on women workers issues, since women account for a large and often majority share of workers in the sector and face specific difficulties, due to the specific constraints associated with the work in hotels, restaurant and other tourism facilities, especially as regards balancing family and work responsibilities.
HRCT
11th TRADE GROUP
CONFERENCE
Malmö, 18-20/6/2001
REGULATIONS OF THE HOTEL, RESTAURANT, CATERING AND TOURISM WORKERS TRADE GROUP
The HRCT Workers’ Trade Group (hereafter referred to as the “Trade Group”) constitutes a special group within the International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers’ Associations (IUF) on the basis of Article 14 (69-74) of the IUF Rules.
Article 1
The object of the Trade Group shall be to unite, within the IUF, all hotel, restaurant, catering and tourism workers’ organisations which engage in trade union activity, in order to further their common interests and to strengthen international solidarity.
Article 2
The Trade Group will seek to achieve this aim by the following means:
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a.exchange of reports and of information on the situation and the activities of the affiliated organisations in the catering trades;
b.support and promotion of all endeavours to improve wages, working conditions and social conditions of workers in the hotel, restaurant, catering and tourism trades;
c.activities on the basis of Articles 2 and 3 of the IUF Rules.
Article 3
The duties of the affiliated organisations are laid down in Article 16 (76-78) of the IUF Rules.
Article 4
The governing bodies of the Trade Group are:
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1.the Group Conference
2.the Board
Article 5
The statutory Conference shall fix the number of members of the Board, shall elect them and amongst them the Chairperson of the Group and a first and second Vice-Chairperson.
The President, the Vice Presidents and the Secretary of the Trade Group shall constitute the Trade Group Steering Committee. The Steering Committee shall meet at least once a year between the Trade Group statutory meetings.
At the election appropriate consideration shall be given to the various regions. If a member of the Board retires during the period between two Statutory Conferences, his/her union shall appoint a substitute. The Board meetings shall be convened by the secretariat as often as circumstances demand, at the request of the Chairperson of the Trade Group.
Delegation expenses incurred in connection with Board meetings and Conferences shall be assumed by the participating unions.
Article 6
The Board is composed of one titular member and two alternate members per region. Those regions with a total membership in the HRCT sector exceeding 60,000 are entitled to one additional titular member and two alternate members.
The trade Group Board shall, from 2002 onwards, be made up of at least 40% representatives of either sex.
Article 7
Trade Group Conferences shall be convened when the Board or the Governing Bodies of the IUF consider it necessary, at least once every five years. The Conference shall be convened at least six months in advance in consultation with the IUF secretariat.
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a.An extraordinary Conference shall be called when the majority of member organisations or the IUF Executive Committee consider it necessary. It shall deal only with those issues, which caused the extraordinary Conference to be called.
b.All proposals concerning the agenda of the Conference shall be communicated to the IUF secretariat at least four months before the date of the Conference in order to allow sufficient time for translation and timely transmittal to affiliates.
c.Organisations affiliated to the Trade Group shall be entitled to representation rights at Conference as follows:
5,001 to 10,000 members: 2 delegates
10,001 to 20,000 members: 3 delegates
and a further delegate for each additional 20,000 members or fraction thereof. The total number of delegates from one organisation shall, however, not exceed 10. Representation rights shall be based on the number of members affiliated to the Trade Group in the year prior to the Conference.
Organisations, which for financial or other reasons, cannot send to the Conference the number of delegates to which they are entitled, are nonetheless entitled the full exercise of their voting rights by the delegates present. In case of doubt, the Conference will make the appropriate decision.
Members of the Board are also entitled to voting rights.
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d.Only such organisations, which have completely fulfilled their obligations under the IUF Rules are entitled to voting at Conference.
e.Expenses of delegates incurred in connection with a Conference shall be assumed by the affiliate concerned.
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1.Review of activities since the last Conference;
2.Discussion and decision on proposals submitted;
3.Election of the Board and of its Chairperson and of a first and second Vice Chairperson;
4.Examination of issues connected with the aims stated in the Trade Group Regulations and the IUF Rules.