Good article Melody. The death and destruction that the profit motive wreaks on its own workers across the world is not just confined to the Third World. Here in Canberra a building company has barred unions from entering to inspect safety conditions. The clash between profit and safety is a never ending one and strong unions are one way of gaining and enforcing safer workplaces.

That is going to take some time in poor countries and developing ones.

The main question I have is what solution do you suggest Melody? You mentioned labour impact statements - I'm not sure how they would work or be effective.

One strategy might be to enforce labour standards on multinationals in their home jurisdictions to force them to apply those standards in other countries. That doesn't help Chinese mines for example, whose main way forward appears to me to build trade unions to defend safety.

Good article so thanks again.

Excellent and frightening article Melody.

Agree with your points Passy.

I am concerned with the solution. It is not going to be with global corporations, whose greed created this situation. It is not going to be with our own western-nation governments who are increasingly dependent on the largesse of over-sized private monopolies. Hence the Howard driven push to third world working conditions with his irony laden "work-choices".

However, we cannot continue to exploit natural resources at the rate we are doing. So instead of concern for human welfare perhaps simple pragmatic realisation of sustainable practices will bring about a more equitable global community.

But I'm not going to hold my breath. Sustainability requires cooperation, whereas exploitation requires self interest. which will win out?

Greetings from Laos. Thank you for your thoughtful comments and I would answer by saying:

1. Australia needs to integrate OHS programs into 'governance' assistance programs and sponsor stand alone OHS and management training in Asia.
2. Australian safety and health practitioners should be encouraged to leave the safety of their duvets and maybe help mentor safety and health providers here and support appropriate technology in safety. The one OHS overseas focussed OHS specialist working on mine safety in China, John Ninness <john@ninnessconsulting.com.au> was hugely dispirited at Australia's indifference. Aid projects usually tend to work with Governments who are part of the problem. Wider participation is to be encouraged. Low tech. problem solving approaches taken.
3. Trade union to trade union aid needs to be bumped up, difficult as Australian trade unions are losing ground. The VTHC based Australia Asia Workers Links is understaffed and under resourced.
4. Translation of OHS materials into Asian constituent languages. My book Working for Life is in English (www.amrc.org.hk/publications)The Lao itching to read it, but there is no money for translation.
5. Labour impact studies: similar to EIA and gender impact: Each project funded by donors has to complete and act on hazard analysis, risk management including training, instituting suitable hazard control mechanisms, health monitoring, in this way by passing local government inaction and allowing knowledge and techniques begin to spread.
6. Ensuring that all Australian companies have active OHS programs that accord with Australian Standards (even if they are lousy they are better than none) with transparent complaint channels so that workers can report breaches without retribution.
7. Engaging with Asian OH and S and labour groups who have great expertise, and culturally appropriate approaches but little support. Most of the really great changes that have occurred have resulted from local action not the ILO.
8. Be part of the region. A medical team investigating the Gold Peak metal poisoning had no Australian member, despite them being asked. Instead French, Americans German and Canadian experts came to Hong Kong at their own expense for discussion with local NGO's. No More room.

What all this points to is the critical need for a global fightback campaign by trade unionism.

Also, we need to act locally. Without a strong trade union movement in our own country, we can not muster the political will to support the efforts of trade unions and work safety practices in poorer countries - especially when so many of them are ongoing targets for persecution.

A year ago I would have been pessimistic. However, after the unifying impact of the Your Rights At Work campaign here, I think there is some cause for hope.

Good points SJF, although your rights at work was also a disguised election campaign for Labor and the trade union leadership seems to have gone cold on mobilising workers against Rudd (but not against Iemma's privatisation of power proposals.)

I agree it was a good campaign and gives hope, but wonder if it will continue, eg around safety at work. Some unions are good, some not so good. But I agree with your idea about acting locally to defend safety globally.

“Workers who produce our daily, taken-for-granted, goods need more from us that we are giving.”

They can vote to change the governments if they are in democracies. The Chinese still suffer the political corruption of Chinese Marxist communism, no wonder their conditions are worse than democratic Australians.

More yadda-yadda about the never coming revolt of the masses to overturn the evils of capitalism.

The sooner you stop clinging to the aspirations of a mid nineteenth century philosopher who never saw the horror of his politics the sooner you will be able to move on and get a real life.

Capitalism works and allows people the hope to aspire to their potential.

Socialism / communism has no hope, it just keeps everyone equally under the same yoke of servitude to a soulless State.