Press Conference Invite

UNIONS TO CALL FOR ALL COMMONWEALTH GAMES CONTRACTS TO GO TO COMPANIES THAT COMPLY WITH INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS AND INDIAN LAWS

~ QUESTIONABLE ROLE FOR MULTINATIONAL SECURITY FIRM G4S ~

WHEN: 4 pm, Friday 17th October
WHERE: Press Club of India, Raisina Marg, New Delhi

WHO: Philip Bowyer, Deputy General Secretary, UNI Global Union; Sudhir Kumar, CITU Delhi; Piyush Sarkar, CITU, West Bengal; Mr. Shantakumar, INTUC, Karnataka; Mr. Suresh Babu, INTUC, Kerala; N.M Muthappa, INTUC, Karnataka.

WHAT: Press conference to demand guarantees from Organising Committee of Commonwealth Games 2010 regarding contractors’ support of international and national human rights and labor laws.

The union leaders will address concerns regarding G4S participation in the 2010 Commonwealth Games, lay out their plans as the Games contracts are awarded and discuss their efforts regarding G4S to obey the laws in India and to raise standards for workers in the sector, and the global campaign, Alliance for Justice at G4S.

The union leaders will also share findings of a recent report titled ‘The Inequality Beneath India’s Economic Boom – G4 Security Workers Fight for their Rightful Place in a Growing Economy’

We would request you to designate a reporter and photographer to attend this press conference.

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UK-based multinational G4S is the largest private security firm in the world and one of the largest private sector employers in India, with over 130,000 workers.

India’s security industry is growing rapidly, generating a million new jobs a year. UNI Global Union, along with Indian unions, INTUC and CITU have talked to large numbers security workers across the industry who consistently report low pay (often below the declared minimum wages) and poor working conditions.

Given its powerful position in the Indian economy, G4S holds the key to raising wages and conditions for Indian security workers. Unfortunately, G4S has chosen to take the low road, impoverishing workers to increase profit margins.

CITU and INTUC have been working with UNI Global Union to raise standards in the security sector as part of an international campaign to demand better working conditions, fair pay and union rights for G4S workers.

For more information contact:

Lisa Eldret, UNI Global Union: securityworkers@unidocindia.org