In commemoration of the World Day for Decent Work, Electricity Employee’s Union (EEU) on Wednesday planted 25 trees at the Orugu Dam at Allen Town and Kingtom Power Station in Freetown.
15 acacia mangium trees were planted at the Orugu dam and 10 at the Kingtom Power Station.
Trees alter the environment in which we live by moderating climate, improving air quality, conserving water, and harboring wildlife. Climate control is obtained by moderating the effects of sun, wind, and rain.
EEU Women’s Coordinator, Sarah Thomas said that Decent Work agenda was set down by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), in 2000.
She added that the four strategic objectives of the agenda are; creating jobs; guaranteeing rights at work; spreading social protection and promoting dialogue and conflict prevention. These four objectives, she said can make a major contribution to realizing the UN Millennium Development Goals, adding that Sierra Leone as a member of the world community, can make a real difference by implementing it. The Coordinator reiterated that the growth of precarious work is an issue that has been exercised for many years, stating that the rise of the global economy has been marked by the marketing of public services and policies which drive countries to restructure, outsource, subcontract and privatize their public services.
This she said led to the casualization and informalisation of many public sector jobs as social spending by governments diminishes and employers look for what they see as more ‘flexible’ and cheaper work force.
Mrs Thomas maintained that precarious work is characterized by uncertainty and insecurity through the use of stand-by, temporary, employment agency, casual, part time and no direct or an unclear employer or employee relationship.
Women, she maintained comprise the majority of users of public services. “The provision of universally accessible, publicly funded quality water and health care services is crucial to empowering women and promoting gender equality, she said. Thomas said that where States fail to provide adequate public services, the burden falls heavily on women to compensate for their non-availability.
The key message of the campaign she explained are: access to safe and affordable water which is a fundamental human right; universal access to safe, affordable water promotes public health and accelerates development; publicly funded quality health care services are crucial to empowering women and reliance on private provision of health care and water services exacerbates inequalities, and government must invest in water, electricity health and sanitation services.
EEU she said would like to see legislation introduced which requires regulators to set standards for employers with regard training opportunities, working conditions and employment rights based on the standards in the ILO’s Declaration of Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work.
The Western Area Forest Officer at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security Gbassay Vandi said that the ventures taken by EEU is on the right path as it helps in the climate.
By Abibatu Kamara
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