joci.org

To IYCW National Movements

To Friendly Organizations who are in solidarity with the IYCW

Solidarity greetings from the continental team of the YCW of the Americas. We hope that the development of your actions is improving the working and living conditions of the working class, in particular the young workers around the world.

As you already know, the solidarity plan that we developed in the IYCW to support the reconstruction of the Haiti YCW after the appalling earthquake that hit them is being implemented. We wish to inform you that our friend Leonel Poma joined the reconstruction team over a week ago. He and Yves Rameau, both members of the IYCW international team, are now working together there. We would like to present a report on the first stage of the plan we are carrying out.

Progress in the reconstruction of the Haiti YCW after the earthquake

Current context

YCW reconstruction commission in a YCW camp

There is a big apathy of the people regarding international support because it doesn’t reach the most affected directly. This is why people have started to organize themselves: they have set up their own small businesses or their temporary shelters on the rubble, and people are selling essential goods informally.

Many people have relatives who have not yet been removed from the rubble. For instance, Estelot, an activist of the Haiti YCW, has a relative in the rubble of his house and he doesn’t know when he will be able to remove him.

Many people moved to other cities fearing that the quake might come back. This means that there is a population increase in other cities and no one knows whether this will be permanent or temporary.

Most people have a feeling of guilt promoted by the Evangelist church. That church says that the earthquake took place because people committed a lot of sins and they encourage people to participate in massive masses.

After the quake, the economic system which generates alternative work is not working. Therefore, a lot of YCW activists and young workers are left completely on their own economically-speaking. The presence of the state is not much felt and this makes it more difficult to rebuild the city and to channel international support in an orderly way.

Be first to comment this article | Quote this article on your site | Views: 262

Fundraising to rebuild the movement

We are launching this campaign in support for Haiti.

Yves Rameau, a member of the international team of the IYCW, is Haitian and was in the country when the tragedy occurred. When communication was possible, he sent us the following message:

“Thank God I am still alive. At the moment I am in the Dominican Republic to see what I can do. In Haiti there is no communication, the Internet doesn’t work, the banks either. We are in a very precarious situation but I have some information I can share with you.

I am quite well but young people of the Haiti YCW, in particular in Port-au-Prince, are in a very, very difficult situation.

The YCW office collapsed with two people inside, Pierlyne who is a national fulltimer and Patrick Hugo Noel. Pierlyne was seriously injured and is now in a hospital in Les Cayes. Patrick, the treasurer and bookkeeper, is dead. Two other activists also died, as well as a former YCW member.

Most people have no house today, and are cut off from livelihood. The Haiti YCW has no more office… In Port-au-Prince, it is very difficult to find a doctor due to the number of people with injuries.”

Be first to comment this article | Quote this article on your site | Views: 495

As you know, a major earthquake (of magnitude 7.3 on the Richter scale according to agencies) hit Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti, on January 12 in the evening. The epicenter was located at some fifteen kilometers from that city which is the most populated of the country. The earthquake that rocked the island is the strongest in many decades. Fifty to hundred thousand people are feared dead.

The IYCW would like to express its sympathy and solidarity with the Haitian people after this terrible natural tragedy.

Over the past few days, the International and JOCA Secretariats have tried to get in touch with our YCW friends in Haiti but of course communications with the country are extremely difficult.

Several movements expressed their solidarity and support in prayer, and some, together with other organizations, are trying to organize support campaigns.

As an international movement, we would like to express our support to the Haitian people as well as our faith in them. We know the strength they have shown in their struggle, in particular the working class, to overcome natural, political and economic crises and we hope that this disaster they have to go through today will only reinforce the values of struggle which characterize them.

We urge all the members of the movement to send support messages, to be unified with the Haitian people through their prayers and, if possible, to assist in the organization of support campaigns.

The international team of the IYCW will continue to try getting back in touch with our Haitian friends and will let you know if we get any information.

We would like to convey to the Haitian people the positive energy of all young workers around the globe, who are “worth more than all the gold in the world” and show solidarity each day of their lives.

The international team  

Be first to comment this article | Quote this article on your site | Views: 518

International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

The 25th of November is very important day for all men and women all around the world. International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

In Nicaragua, the majority of workers in manufacturing factories (FTZ) are women. There is a high rate of turnover, health problems, and a high level of dissatisfaction among workers due to bad working conditions. One situation that women have to face is the abuse of power by supervisors, sexual harassment as well as verbal, and even physical, abuse. It is also clear that the male labor force is valued more than the female labor force. If women want to get better posts, one condition is that they don’t get pregnant.

Cucu, a domestic workers in Cimahi, West Java, Indonesia, has been living under pressure since she became a victim of rape by a Government worker in her city earlier this year. The police have not given serious attention to her case which was reported by 17 organizations (including Indonesia YCW) to the police on May 29th, 2009. Domestic workers are the most vulnerable to violence and usually they will keep their mouths silent because of strong threats by the perpetrator. Cucu is working almost 24 hours a day with very limited time to sleep. She has no time for her self and her family. She receives the salary Rp. 300.000 or USD 35 a month. It is very far away from the minimum wage set up by the government in Indonesia.

Be first to comment this article | Quote this article on your site | Views: 839