A new ILO report on the situation of workers in the Occupied Territories praises the historic steps taken toward cooperation between the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions and the Histadrut. The report notes there are a number of new joint projects and initiatives being pursued that should increase and strengthen the cooperation between the two labor federations.

Under the agreement between the two labor groups, Histadrut will reimburse the PGFTU for  the  fees paid by Palestinians working for Israeli employers, and transfer at least 50 percent of such fees to the Palestinian union in the future. Educational and vocational courses and workshops will be made available to Palestinians, particularly in the area of workers’ rights and occupational health and safety, Legal assistance will be given by the Histadrut to Palestinian workers employed by Israeli employers.

There will be joint projects between the truck drivers unions of both organization on labor rights and occupational safety and health, and similarly with their construction unions. On the negative side, the ILO notes that “the Gaza branch of the PGFTU is still suffering from the attacks against unionists and the takeover of offices and facilities by Hamas.”

Thousands of Bulgarian workers rallied in central Sofia on June 16 to protest against the Socialist-led government’s failure to protect jobs and its credit-fueled boom from the financial crisis.   Between 2,000 and 3,000 teachers, farmers, miners, haulers and others, led by Bulgaria’s largest trade union, CITUB, gathered in front of Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev’s office. They waved banners reading “We want our money!” and “Bring Back Our Hopes!”

The protesters demanded the government  drop its plan to freeze an initially planned 10 percent increase in public sector salaries as part of spending cuts—a  step that will affect 400,000 public servants. In a declaration to the cabinet, they called for a gradual increase in the monthly minimum salary and a sharp increase in jobless benefits. They also want the government to pay the interest on the mortgages of families worst hit by the crisis for one year.

Bulgaria is the European Union’s newest member Its export-oriented economy is expected to contract 2 percent this year. Thousands are losing their jobs each month. Economists have warned that the government’s pre-election spending spree threatens to create a budget deficit that would force the country to seek aid from the International Monetary Fund.

Chile Passes Law to Eliminate Gender Gap on Wages
The Chilean Parliament on May 20 unanimously approved the law to close the wage gap, introducing the principle  of  equal remuneration for men and women into the Labor Code. The following day, in her traditional state of the nation speech to Congress, socialist president Michelle Bachelet praised  lawmakers for approving the law.

The law states that employers must abide by the principle of equal compensation for men and women who do work of equal value. However, differences in pay  may be permitted, based on objective grounds, including employee skills and qualifications, fitness, responsibility or productivity, The  wage gap law, introduced by one female and nine male legislators in July 2006, is a  first for Latin America.

The new law requires employers with more than 200 employees to draw up a register specifying their positions, functions, and essential technical qualifications. However, small and medium businesses, which account for 80 percent of employment in Chile, are exempt. Another problem for the new law is that women workers in Chile earn an average of 31.1 percent less than men. But among the professionals, the wage gap is as high as 49.8 percent.

British Airways Ask Staff  to Work for Nothing
British Airways, which reported a record annual loss last month, said on June 16 it had asked its staff to work for free as part of the company’s battle for “survival” in tough market conditions. The appeal to its British-based employees asks the company staff to volunteer between a week and a month in unpaid leave or unpaid work. “I am looking for every single part of the company to take part in some way in this cash-effective way of helping the company’s survival plan. It really counts,” said Willie Walsh, the company’s chief executive.

BA, Europe’s third largest airline by revenue,  posted annual operating losses of 220 million pounds ($362 million) and scrapped its dividend in May, saying it had suffered from a downturn in air travel and forecast no immediate revival. It said 1,000 employees had volunteered to take part in a  Business Revival Scheme that allowed staff to take a month’s unpaid leave or switch to part-time contracts.

 The new cost-cutting plan would  not be compulsory, but the company  was, instead, encouraging staff  to “play their part,” a spokeswoman said. Last week, the company said it was in discussions with its pilots about taking pay cuts, Walsh has also said there will be more layoffs, after reducing BA’s headcount by 2,500 since March last year.

European Workers Will Have Their Paid Parental Leave Raised to Four Months
Parental leave will be increased from  three to four months and will apply to all employees regardless of the type of contract, according to an agreement signed June 18 by social partners in the presence of Vladimir Spidia, EU Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities.  The benefits of the new  agreement apply to each parent.

“At the end of parental leave, workers shall have the right to return to the same job or, if that is not possible, to an equivalent or similar job, consistent with their employment contract or employment relationship,” reads the text, Moreover, parents returning to work have the opportunity to request a change in their working conditions (working hours, for example). Parents on leave will continue to receive a salary. Parents who have adopted a child are also eligible to benefit from parental leave under the new rules.

The European Commission must now examine the agreement.  Before the summer, it will submit a proposal to the Council for implementation. The directive  must be adopted by a qualified majority of the Council.

Russia Leads Europe in the Killing of Journalists
A new count shows that Russia leads Europe in the number of journalists killed in homicides and accidents since 1991 and that many of the deaths were politically motivated but largely ignored by law enforcement authorities, The International Union of Journalists presented a report on June 15 that lists 312 homicides and accidents in Russia. On the list are four journalists who died this year.

In contrast,  two journalists have been killed in Germany since 1991, while one journalist has been killed in Britain and none in France or Italy, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. John Crowfoot, editor and author of the report, criticized law enforcement authorities for not doing more to bring the killers to justice.

“There is a group of states  which have a persistent problem of impunity,” Crowfoot said. “They are Turkey, India, Mexico, Brazil and Russia.” He added that reporters and lawyers need to work more closely with the police and prosecutors.