Ashila DANDENIYA
General Secretary of Stanup Workers Union – SRI LANKA
I am Ashila Dandeniya, general secretary of Stanup Workers Union, and I am also a former garment factory worker. We started work on the Garment Workers‘ rights in 2008, as CSO, and because of the many issues we are facing, we registered as a trade union in 2020.
We mainly represent workers in the free trade zones, including garment workers. We also specifically represent workers in the garment factory, who came from the LGBT community, Sex workers, and migrant workers. We have around 3000 members from all these sectors.
The Solidarity Agreement and what it means to me, and why I care about the solidarity agreement as a woman trade union leader,
– When we take it regionally, we have come forward through facing numerous challenges, struggling, and dealing with various issues. The struggle for workers‘ rights has never been a peaceful one for anyone. We have never received anything easily. Furthermore, in global crises, the majority of the burden has fallen on workers.
– We have experiences, such as the GSP agreements, where the burden of compensation has been placed on workers. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, it was the workers in the garment sector who were affected the most.
– We have come forward, facing these challenges, struggling against various injustices. Now, there is a new issue: the trade policy of the US President, Donald Trump. This has primarily impacted the garment sector. The majority of the burden is expected to fall on garment workers.
– In such global crises, we cannot face them through isolated struggles. These issues highlight the need for cooperation. The system is systematically attempting to prevent unity. We must break down these barriers.
– Additionally, it’s not enough to simply plan to face only the current issues that arise. Global capitalism, or the global North, presents a new problem as soon as one issue is solved.
– Even within the local context, we are in the middle of a massive crisis. The current government is working under the conditions of the IMF. As a result, labor laws are being amended in very unfair ways. The rulers are given opportunities to exploit, while workers‘ right to organize is being stripped away.
– Using laws like the ATA, workers who organize are labeled as terrorists and are being arrested. In the midst of all this, we are facing a severe economic crisis. The digital transformation is also putting workers in a position where they are being exploited even more.
– Because of all this, individually addressing these problems has become extremely challenging. This is why the need for a collective approach and cooperation arises. To achieve sustainable solutions, we need a strong framework. This is why I am very happy to be part of this agreement. We believe that this will give us strength.
And when discuss about the Agreement
– To the best of my knowledge, this includes many things. Also, all the objectives have been explained in a very broad manner. It is good that these objectives are defined in broad terms. This makes it easier to include all necessary aspects and time-related requirements.
– I have a suggestion. Let’s move forward with all these objectives by incorporating GESI (Gender Equality and Social Inclusion) principles into the actions we plan accordingly.
-I wish all of you the best, and I am very happy to offer my contribution in the form of mediation for this cause.
