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Trade Unionists meet on Chinese
investment in Africa
Accra, June 10, Ghanadot/GNA - More than 30 Trade Unionists
in Sub-Saharan Africa have converged in Accra on Tuesday to
discuss the impact of Chinese investments on African
economies.
The participants would also develop a trade union policy and
strategy towards collective bargaining and social dialogue
on Chinese investments and organise workers to campaign
against bad practices.
Dr Yaw Baah, Director of the Labour, Research and Policy
Institute of the Ghana Trades Union Congress, said at the
opening of the two-day workshop that China's interest,
especially in oil producing countries in Africa, was as a
result of her growing energy needs to power her industrial
growth.
Presenting an overview on China's investment and its
challenges for Africa, Dr Baah said the net benefits or
effects of her investments in the Continent were difficult
to assess, as a result of the absence of required data to do
so.
He said a survey by the African Labour Research Network had
confirmed high employment rate, especially in the textiles
industry in many African countries, and noted that 67,000
jobs had been lost in South Africa due to the influx of
Chinese imported textile.
He indicated that, although China's contribution to trade,
foreign direct investment and aid were worth noting, other
issues on her labour laws and human rights needed to be
improved.
Dr Baah, therefore, called on the African Heads of State to
seek the support of the African Trades Unions to find out
ways to fashion out a win-win situation for both the
investors and Africa.
Mr Rayford Mbulu, Regional Chairperson of the International
Chemical Energy Mine Workers Union (ICEM), called on all
African countries to stand up against any investments that
would maximize profits to the detriment of the local people.
He said a resolution would be issued at the end of the
workshop and circulated to the 95 member states of the ICEM
for necessary action.
GNA
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