Sudan: Government to set up special police force for protection of health workers
24 May 2020: After over two dozen attacks on health workers were reported in the last 2 months Sudan’s transitional authorities are mulling over creating a special police force for the protection of health workers and health facilities. Doctor’s associations and nurse’s unions have said that if safe working conditions are not ensured immediately they will walk out of work.
Pakistan: Supreme Court upholds workers’ Right to Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining
23 May 2020: The Supreme Court of Pakistan has ruled that a contract between employer and employee cannot be above the law of the land and does not hold good if it bypasses fundamental rights of workers. In the matter instituted by Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) against the Dec 7, 2018 ruling of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) which held the rights of the workers to choose a bargaining agent for their Collective Bargaining Agreement the Supreme Court held that workers’ fundamental rights of Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining could not be overruled on the basis of an agreement between the workers and the contractor or employer.
Chile: Government unleashes violence on workers protesting against food shortage
19 May 2020: Government ordered the police to use violence against protestors who took to streets amid lockdown against food shortages in poor neighbourhoods. Police came down heavily on workers in Santiago city where the government has completely failed to ensure food and health facilities for people. Owing to the protests Chilean president has promised to deliver 2.5 million baskets of food to needy families.
UAE: Migrant workers strike against non-payment of work, lack of transport
18 May 2020: Over 500 Nepali migrant workers employed at an oil and gas company in Ruwais of Abu Dhabi, have been stranded in their apartments since work has stopped and the employer is refusing to release wages for the last 2 months. The workers issued a video on Facebook putting forth their demands which include immediate release of wages and transport facilities for workers to go back to Nepal.
Kenya: Nurses defer strike for 21 days as negotiation with government begins
18 May 2020: Kenya National Union of Nurses has decided to defer their strike for 21 days after government’s assurance to negotiate on the proposed spending of Sh. 3.56 billion towards Covid-19 disease surveillance, care, treatment, purchase of PPEs for health workers for national and county facilities. In the current form the money would end up with doctors and pharmacists while the funds were released for frontline health workers. Health unions have rejected the Sh3 billion offer by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission in its current form and asked for a fresh plan for disbursing the funds.
