UĦM Voice of the Workers eMagazine issue 25

VOICE OF THE

WORKERS ISSUE 25 June 2014

World Cup and Sporting Events Does the show have to go on?

Contents A success or an own goal?

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The human price of international sporting events

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World Cup, Sporting Events, and Human Rights

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World Cup and sporting events Worker issues, racism, health & safety

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The World Cup and workers’ rights on the international radar

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Editor’s note josef Vella The World Cup finals in Brazil are in full swing. An international sporting event watched by millions all over the globe. Back on the 30th October, 2008, there was nation-wide celebration in Brazil when FIFA awarded it the World Cup finals. The country was enjoying a new lease of life under President Lula, and this decision was heralded as a major injection into Brazil’s economic and social fibre.

Apart from all the glitter and excitement, such sporting events merit serious reflection. First of all, the long-lasting economic VOICE OF THE

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benefit of such events on developing countries is dubious.

The economic argument in favour of developing countries was made when FIFA chose South Africa to host the Cup in 2010. However, apart from some infrastructural improvements, the benefits of the World Cup did not significantly alter the fortunes of the country, and the wealth generated did not trickle down to the people.

the economic benefits failed to live up to the hype and came at a very high price. Many now see Africa’s first ever World Cup as a squandered opportunity. Johan Fourie, an economics professor at Stellenbosch University in South Africa, stated that “There’s certainly been a benefit -- but at what cost?” For example, it was calculated that the country spent a whopping $13,000 per visitor.

In South Africa, 159,000 new jobs were predicted, including full- and part- time jobs, both permanent and temporary. The 2010 World Cup boosted tourism and national pride, but it’s clear

All this cost being borne by developing countries also diverts expenditure away from where funding is most needed and used to fund the immense 1

editorial

expense for hosting the event.

This is the background behind much of the protests that have recently plagued Brazil. What these people are claiming merits reflection. It is estimated that Brazil will be paying 11.3 to 14.5 billion dollars to meet its obligations. Football legend (now congressman) Romario called for his fellow politicians to “wake up,” adding that continued demonstrations were the way for social issues to get the attention they deserve. Investment in health care and infrastructure and transport is lacking; there is a 5.5 million deficit in housing; and 15 million households lacking basic sanitation; crime is a serious issue; and the number of homeless people is very evident on the streets, bringing to the fore a cruel economic divide still

plaguing the country. To build the venues and the roads leading to them, thousands of families were forcibly displaced from their homes. These were displaced to peripheral areas, distant from the network of social, economic and cultural integration.

Workers’ rights were also of concern. These included issues of health and safety, adequate pay, human working hours, health care, meals provosion and transportation. In World Cup stadiums alone, there were a total of 92 strikes, protesting against unfair working conditions.

Workers in Qatar, that will be hosting the Cup in 2122, were not so lucky. The Guardian Newspaper talks reported hundreds of the 1.4 million migrant workers dying each

year; workers with passports and exit visas withheld, and there were disturbing reports from organisations such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, as well as the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC).

Between February and March alone, more than 60 workers lost their lives. Most of the others are treated and exploited like slaves, some of them working extremely long and dangerous hours for around 40 euros per month.

Football is really a beautiful game.

As we watch each match with passion, let us remember that not all that glitters is gold, and that a human price is being paid for our enjoyment as well as the unfair wealth of others. The show must go on. If we look away, that is.

A success or an own goal?

The World Cup in Brazil has drawn the world’s attention to a spectacular sporting event. However, attention was also on Brazil for other reasons: workers’ rights, huge spending at the expense of social investment, forced evictions to make way for sports venues, and more. The same is being said of the Brazilian Olympics, and more is being said of the serious workers’ rights issues in Qatar. International sporting events are immense money spinners. However, is the wealth and knowledge being generated being permeated to every level of society?

What price are people paying for the purpose of the world’s entertainment? Is all this worth the human cost? Can we do somethinbg about it? We can start the change by becoming aware of what is happening behind the scenes, and demanding socially and ethically positive action when staging international sporting events.

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feature story

The human price of international sporting events Welcome to Brazil 2014 “This is the time for football’s largest international festival, but it is also time for us to celebrate, thanks to football, the values of fair play and peaceful coexistence among all peoples.”

Dilma Rousseff President of Brazil

Paying the price “I feel like a fool, because when Brazil won (the bid) for this Olympics nonsense I was on the Linha Amarela highway, and I was honking like an idiot (in celebration). Now I’m paying for it. Is this the World Cup? Is this the Olympic spirit?”

Michel, forcibly evicted from the neighborhood of Restinga, Rio de Janeiro

Stopping forced evictions of families for the Brazilian Olympics “Ensure that the urban redevelopment for the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics is appropriately regulated to avoid forced evictions and removals and make all effort to ensure that future events will bring lasting benefits to the poorest and most marginalized urban dwellers” Recommendation from the UN’s Council on Human Rights to the government of Brazil during the Universal Periodic Review process in May 2012.

Who to believe?

“Contrary to what the international media says there has not been a single injury or death on the World Cup projects,” Nasser Al Khater Media and marketing Director Qatar Organising Committee

Handwash?

“They have a problem and we know that, but this is not a question for Fifa,’’ Sepp Blatter, FIFA President in Hong Kong April 2012 (source: the Guardian)

Sporting death “That what the Qatari sells as change is nothing more than promotion and window dressing.

There is no serious progress.”

Sharan Burrow General Secretary of ETUC, who is warning that 4,000 workers could lose their lives by the time the World Cup in Qatar takes place in 2022.

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feature story

Worker protests in pictures

Brazilian Protesters take over the Cristo Redentor statue viewing platform in Corcovado, Rio de Janeiro. The protestors were asking for improved funding for public education instead of expenditure in athletic events.

Riot police forces stand guard during a demonstration by striking subway workers and members of the MTST (Homeless Workers’ Movement) in Sao Paulo.

Metro’s workers demand 12.2 percent salary raise.

The five-day-old strike has already caused massive traffic jams in Brazil’s largest city as its new stadium prepares to welcome more than 60,000 fans for Brazil-Croatia game.

Subway train operators, along with activists from social movements, clash with riot police in front of the Ana Rosa metro station, in an ongoing subway strike, in Sao Paulo.

Source: NELSON ALMEIDA/AFP/Getty Images

Source: AP Photo/Mario Angelo

Source: NELSON ALMEIDA/AFP/Getty Images

8 construction workers have died on Football stadiums in Brazil 2014 VOICE OF THE

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MCESD

World Cup, Sporting Events, and Human Rights Sports bring peoples together. It plays a role in ensuring peace and cooperation among the different cultures in the world. There is no doubt that the World Cup and other international sporting events are drivers of the economy hosting them. However, normally major sporting events such as the upcoming World Cup fail to address the difficulties of certain host countries.

sporting events are also used to make a statement or to champion an initiative. One can take the example of the 2008 Beijing Olympics which was boycotted by some famous and influential people so as to make a statement with regard to the poor human rights record in the country and China’s political way of dealing with the issue of Tibet, amongst others.

History has shown that major sporting events brings to the forefront issues such as human rights abuses, strikes and workers’ labour conditions as well as security threats. Worldwide

Major sporting events also bring with them the issue of National Security and terrorism threats.

Anti- terrorist teams are normally employed so as to ensure that such events are not the target of any type of terrorist attack.

One hopes that certain countries use such events as a catalyst for internal reform. But unfortunately this is not always the case. Some also criticize the fact that certain countries, including China and currently Brazil, go so far as to relocate houses so as to make way for the event’s necessary infrastructure. Some say that people are forced to evacuate and this definitely sheds a bad light on the event.

Brazil has seen many protests over the money being spent despite the high cost of living and poor services.

It is not the first time a major sporting event failed to solve a host country’s problems, an expert says.

MCESD 280/3, Republic Street, Valletta, VLT1112 Tel: (+356) 2200 3300 www.mcesd.org.mt

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MEUSAC

World Cup and sporting events

Worker issues, racism, health & safety

Brazil will be hosting two major sporting events in the coming years: the June-July 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

National and international media, unions, activists, human rights organisations, and other groups have already manifested their concerns on the health and safety of workers at the massive infrastructural projects that are being carried out in preparation for the events. The same issues have already been raised in relation to the FIFA World Cup to be held in Qatar in 2022.

Health and safety at work is in fact one of the areas where the EU has had the biggest impact – with a solid legal framework covering the maximum number of risks with the minimum number of regulations. Also, in order to combat the rise of racism and xenophobia within an EU context, EU Member States were obliged to transpose a Framework Decision into national law by 2010. This decision was created in order to discourage perpetrators and create an instrument which strengthens the continent’s fight against racism and xenophobia.

Every worker in the EU has certain minimum rights relating to: • health and safety at work: general rights and obligations, workplaces, work equipment, specific risks and vulnerable workers; • equal opportunities for women and men: equal treatment at work, pregnancy and parental leave; • protection against discrimination based on sex, race, religion, age, disability and sexual orientation; and • labour law: part-time work, fixed-term contracts, working hours, employment of young people, informing and consulting employees.

Individual EU countries must make sure that their national laws protect these rights laid down by EU employment laws.

For more information on worker’s rights in the EU, one may contact MEUSAC by sending an email on info.meusac@gov.mt or alternatively by phone on 2200 3300.

MEUSAC 280 Republic Street, Valletta VLT 1112 Tel: +356 2200 3315 • Fax: +356 2200 3329 • Email: info.meusac@gov.mt www.meusac.gov.mt VOICE OF THE

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CIA

The World Cup and workers’ rights on the international radar Labor Protests Turn Violent In Brazil As World Cup Approaches With approximately a month before the start of the World Cup tournament, protesters took to the streets on to demonstrate in what became a fiery rally.

News

Call on EU and Brazil to address the criminalisation of the social protest and violations of labor, economic and social rights in the run up to the World Cup On the occasion of the 25 April 2014 BrazilEuropean Union Human Rights Dialogue, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and its member organization, Justica Global, express their concern over the worsening of social tensions caused by the organization of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, especially the increased repression and criminalization of social protest and the violation of labor, economic and social rights resulting from the organization of this mega-event. http://tinyurl.com/kns9bmy

Read more and join the dialogue here: http://tinyurl.com/ko2bpn9 Re-RUN the Vote: No World Cup without workers rights This summer, June 12th, the football World Cup will start in Brazil.

VOTE

Press release

The Brussels Office of the Confederazione Italiana Agricoltori has collected some samples of how the issue of workers’ rights and the right to protest are being reported and tackled internationally.

In 2022, this event is planned for Qatar. So far, just from one country, India, over 700 migrant workers have died during construction. With still eight years to go; during which many more workers from many countries are expected to die or get injured in slavery-like conditions.

Act by voting not to run the World Cup in Qatar here: http://www.rerunthevote.org/?lang=en Video about Qatar news and latest issues available here: http://tinyurl.com/lw25cll

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