WHEREAS:

The earthquake of January 12, 2010, led to the deaths of over 230,000 Haitians and the displacement of millions.  The hemisphere’s poorest country is attempting to rebuild, but five months after the earthquake this process has stalled; and

WHEREAS:
Even before the earthquake, Haiti faced significant challenges.  80 percent of the population lived on less than $2 a day.  Fewer than 30 percent of Haitians had access to electricity; and

WHEREAS:
Employment has slowed dramatically, and in some cases halted, due to the destruction, leaving workers with no access to income to sustain themselves and their families as they begin the slow process of recovery; and

WHEREAS:
Most civil servants have yet to receive any salaries since the earthquake struck.  There is a great risk that many will leave government.  Stabilizing Haiti’s public sector must be a top priority; and

WHEREAS:
The country has a crushing external debt amounting to at least one million dollars paid weekly to foreign banks and international financial institutions before the earthquake; and

WHEREAS:
Haiti is at a crossroads.  A U.S. Senate report released June 22 warned that the “reimagination” of Haiti hoped for months ago and the commitment not to return to the dysfunctional past have been hampered by organizational problems, government dysfunction and the scale of the disaster itself; and

WHEREAS:
The Interim Haiti Reconstruction Commission was officially inaugurated on June 17.  The 26-member commission, chaired by former President Bill Clinton and Haitian President Rene Preval, will oversee every donation above $500,000. The hope is that it will ensure transparency and encourage investment; and

WHEREAS:
 In April, 2010, 120 trade unionists from around the world, representing the majority of the labor movement, met in Haiti.  Representatives from the Haitian Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor, the Minister of Labor of the Dominican Republic, the ILO and several other organizations attended.  The outcome of the summit was a trade union roadmap that emphasizes the “decent work” agenda, the strengthening of Haitian trade unions and social dialogue as key in rebuilding Haiti stronger and fairer than ever. There is an opportunity to change for the better, and the attendees called on donor governments, international institutions and the Haitian government to provide decent economic opportunities.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:
That AFSCME supports the AFL-CIO and international unions as they press international financial institutions and foreign banks to immediately cancel Haiti’s debt burden in order that all available economic resources may be devoted to rebuilding the lives and livelihoods of Haitian working families; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
ASFCME supports the trade-union roadmap, which details how a national employment policy should be established, what needs to be carried out to create decent work and salaries for workers, and how to ensure respect and protection of workers’ rights.  Good governance, political and judicial reforms and an integrated social protection system for all are mechanisms that will enable social and economic development in the longer term; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
Former President Clinton and the Interim Haiti Reconstruction Commission, as well as the Haitian government and the international community, must put the decent work agenda at the heart of new development of Haiti. Contracts for rebuilding and new construction should be conditioned on the implementation of these global sustainability and capacity building goals. There should also be full respect of trade union rights; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
AFSCME will share copies of this resolution with the AFL-CIO, the ITUC and the Interim Haiti Reconstruction Commission; and
 
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED:
This is an historic opportunity to transform the country destroyed by an earthquake into a country which cares about and respects human rights, including workers’ rights.
 
 
SUBMITTED BY: 
INTERNATIONAL EXECUTIVE BOARD