PSLINK participates in the PSI Meeting on Social Protection for migrant workers

There are now around 232 million international migrants according to the United Nations, majority of whom are migrant workers. Given the trend towards temporary/circular migration models, increasing precariousness of jobs everywhere, and the failure of states to address underdevelopment (particularly of countries of origin) and its underlying structural causes, ensuring access to and portability of social protection for migrant workers has become all the more pertinent.

“When social protection is not available, people struggle to survive,” said Annie Enriquez-Geron, General Secretary of Public Services Labor Independent Confederation (PSLINK)  as well as Vice President for PSI Asia Pacific Region.

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Day 1 Nov 28 2013 Pictures

“Social protection is necessary for economic development and social justice. We can address the global race to the bottom by pushing for social protection floors and quality public services,” Enriquez-Geron said.

Migrant workers, particularly women and undocumented workers, are often excluded from the coverage of social protection schemes due to nationality or residency restrictions. Even in cases where migrant workers are entitled to some form of social security in their country of employment, they are most likely to lose their accumulated benefits when they return back their origin countries due to non-portability of benefits. Thus, many migrant workers pay into the social security system of their country of employment and yet get nothing in the end.

Other critical issues are the lack of coordination on social security for migrant workers between origin and destination countries and the lack of awareness/information on the right to social security among migrant workers.

It is within this context that PSI held the 2-day Public Service Trade Union Action Planning Meeting on Social Protection for Migrant Workers in Hotel Sylter, Berlin, Germany on November 28-29, 2013.

The meeting’s objectives were to:

• Strengthen solidarity between public service trade unions in origin and destination countries in promoting migrant workers’ rights and access to quality public services for all;
• Build a common understanding among public service trade unions of the existing policy frameworks, realities and challenges in ensuring access to social protection for migrant health and social care workers; and
• Formulate a three-year action plan to be undertaken by public service trade unions in Asia and Europe to ensure access to social protection for migrant health and social care workers.

Around 20 participants including PSI affiliates from countries of origin such as the Philippines, India, and Vietnam, and countries of destination such as Germany, Finland, Norway and Denmark, attended the meeting. The meeting was organized through the collaboration of the ILO and PSI under the EU-funded Decent Work Across Borders Project.

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Day 2 Nov 29 2013 Pictures