P u b l ic S e r v i ce s I n te r n a t i on a l

A S IA PA C IF IC NE W S
Edition: January 2016

I N S I D E

T H I S

M AT E R N I T Y

I S S U E :

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Maternity and Paternity at work

PSI support the campaign

against water privatisation in
India

Infographic: Human rights of

women

Thailand nurses union submits

proposal calling for resolution to
disparity in salary

Glenn Barclay, New Zealand

PSA new national secretary

Jakarta water workers protest

rally

Online Course on Workers

Rights in the Global Economy

FOLLOW OUR TWITTER

AND

P AT E R N I T Y

In 2019, the ILO will mark the first centenary of international labour standards on
maternity protection. The first convention
on maternity protection was adopted during the first International Labour Conference in 1919 (Convention No. 3). This
convention was followed by the adoption
of two other maternity protection conventions (N0 103 in 1952 and No 183 in
2000). Indeed, these standards progressively expanded the scope and entitlements related to maternity protection at
work in line with the evolving status and
recognition of womens rights in the world
of work.
Over time, there has been a gradual improvement in maternity protection across
the world. In 1994, 38 per cent of countries for which information was available
provided at least 14 weeks of maternity
leave. By 2013, among this same set of
countries, 51 per cent provided at least
14 weeks of maternity leave, including a
trend supporting paternity leave. However,
paternity leave is found more frequently in

AT W O R K

higher income countries. Many countries also

make leave available to adoptive parents.
Mothers and fathers in a number of countries
enjoy leave policies instead of or beyond
legislated provisions through collective bargaining agreements.
Despite progress in maternity benefits, an
ILO report finds most women around the
world are still not protected at work.
Maternity protection is a fundamental human
right and an indispensable element of comprehensive work-family policies. Therefore, it
is crucial to promoting maternal and child
health and preventing discrimination against
women in the workplace. It must be union
policy to achieve the goal of maternity protection legislation that will enable women to
combine their reproductive and productive
roles successfully and to promote equal opportunity and treatment in employment and
occupation, without prejudice to health and
economic security. To read more, download
a PDF of the full report: http://tinyurl.com/
o89dz9l

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Ed itio n : Jan uar y 2016

P SI

S U P P O R T S T H E C A M PA I G N A G A I N S T W AT E R
P R I VAT I S AT I O N I N I N D I A
Though unions in India have been fighting against the privatization
of water in Nagpur, State of Maharasthtra, for years, the World
Bank and water industry are promoting Nagpur as a success to the
world. Today, this model of water privatisation is being replicated in
hundreds of cities across India, promising to devastate communities across the country. The union coalition in Nagpur will not allow
this to continue unchallenged and sent a petition to the World Bank,
calling on them to end their promotion and financial support of all
forms of water privatization and acknowledge the failures behind it.
Unions stand in solidarity with communities in Nagpur in demanding
water for life, not for profit! For more information, please visit PSIs Website: http://tinyurl.com/gt4f2ap

INFORGRAPHIC: HUMAN

RIGHTS OF WOMEN

Women are entitled to the full and equal enjoyment of all of

their human rights and to be free from all forms of discrimination - this is fundamental to achieve human rights, peace and
security, and sustainable development. Yet, discrimination
against women persists in many areas, directly and indirectly,
through laws and policies, social norms and practices and
gender-based stereotypes. Gender equality before the law
does not necessarily mean that women in practice have equal
opportunities. This infographic takes a closer look at the various forms of discrimination women face: http://tinyurl.com/zkuyasq

THAILAND

NURSES UNION SUBMITS PROPOSAL

C A L L I N G F O R A R E S O L U T I O N T O D I S PA R I T Y I N S A L A R Y
PSI affiliate, the Nursing Union of Thailand (NUOT), together
with 30 other allied organisations submitted a demand to the
first house speakers on 18 December 2015 to assist in solving
problems of unfair pay, social protection andsocial security for
health workers. Ms. Matty Jarujit, NUOT general secretary, says
that improving the quality of health workers conditions is necessary to a working environment that upholds ethical practice and
is committed to standards and good quality health services. She
continued to explain that the unions will continue to monitor demands until the government is accepted it. For more information, please contact: jarujit15@gmail.com

A S IA PA C I FI C N EW S

Page 3

G L E N N B A R C L AY , N E W Z E A L A N D PS A

NEW

N AT I O N A L S E C R E TA R Y
Mr. Glenn Barclay has been nominated as the new national secretary of PSI affiliate and New Zealands largest
union, the Public Service Association (PSA). Glenn is
taking up the role of Mr. Richard Wagstaff who has been
national secretary for 16 years and is now moving on to
his new role as president of the New Zealand Council of
Trade Unions.

Glenn will join fellow national secretary Ms. Erin Polaczuk

to lead the 62,000 strong membership.
Glenn is a familiar face within PSI: he was previously coordinator of the Health and Social Services Network as
well as the pension network in PSIs Asia Pacific region.
PSI is looking forward to working with him in the development of union strategies and promoting quality public services. To read more, please see: http://tinyurl.com/gl7t5my

J A K A R TA W AT E R W O R K E R S P R O T E S T R A L LY
Around 600 members of the Serikat Pekerja Perusahaan Daerah Air Minum Jakarta (SP PDAM Jakarta) and Serikat Pekerja Air Minum Indonesia (SPPAI) held a joint rally in front of
their company office on Friday 17 December 2015. The rally
was held after negotiations between the unions and the management of PAM Jaya, the municipal water services, ground
to a halt. The privatisation of PAM Jaya is at the root of this
protest. Since its privatisation in 1997, the Jakarta water services has been operated by two foreign companies: Suez and
Aetra. Both companies have since violated employees basic
rights.
The unions have been trying to redress discrimination around
the remuneration of seconded employees to PAM Jaya who
have been working for both private operators. This discrimination has been going on for years. In addition to calling for an
end to discrimination, the union has also demanded the payment of the difference in remuneration. We are just demanding our unfulfilled rights. It is not our intention to disturb
the firms operation by doing this demonstration. We are doing this solely as the struggle for justice. We demand our
rights, including Employee Performance Incentive Payment (TKK) and the Remainder of the Insufficient Payment
(SKB) of our basic salary, said SPPDAM Chairman Sopiyanto at the demonstration. The unions warn that if management will not meet them, the rally will continue until the end of January 2016.

P u b l i c S e r vi ce s I nt e r n a t i o na l
Asia Pacific Regional Organisation
Regional Secretary: Ms. V. Lakshmi
Wisma AUPE, 295 Upper Paya Lebar Road
Phone: +65.6282.3219
Fax: +65.6280.4919
Email: lakshmi.vaidhiyanathan@world-psi.org

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Web: www.world-psi.org

Public Services International (PSI) is a global union federation representing 20 million members in 150 countries.
Asia Pacific News (AP News) is published and electronically distributed by Public Services International Asia
Pacific Regional Organisation (PSI APRO). Please send
comments and contributions to: indah.budiarti@worldpsi.org

ONLINE COURSE ON WORKERS

RIGHTS IN THE GLOBAL ECONOMY
The next Massive Open Online
Course (MOOC) on Workers Rights
in a Global Economy is starting on 3
March 2016. The six weeks online
course will discuss what Global
Workers Rights are and which instruments and strategies can be
used to implement them. Based on a
careful mix of video lectures, readings, online resources and interviews
with activists and labour scholars
from around the world, participants
will gain both knowledge and practical skills for furthering workers rights
worldwide.
The course has been jointly developed by an international team
from the partner universities of the Global Labour University, the
Bureau for Workers Activities of the International Labour Organisation and national and global trade unions. It brings together labour
expertise from around the world. Participation in the online course
is free in the Audit Track: it gives you full access to all course material, to the course community and entitles you to a Statement of
Participation after successfully completing the course. Those seeking a formal recognition as a certified training can choose the Certificate Track: for 49 Euros it allows you to earn a verified certificate
and a certificate supplement after passing an online-proctored exam on the course content. If you wish to participate, please enroll
at: http://tinyurl.com/hffmlk7