Indicator history

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Do the trade unions engage in specific activities recruiting or supporting/defending the rights of migrants groups?

Code:
RED58
Key Area:
Employment
Strand(s):
Racism
16/01/2012 - 15:37
Short Answer

Yes, trade unions engage in specific activities supporting or defending the rights of migrants groups.

Qualitative Info

The authors of the study Sindicatos e Imigração em Portugal [Trade Unions and Immigration in Portugal] published in the framework of the Observatório da Imigração [Immigration Observatory] verified that trade-unions in Portugal had an important role in shaping immigration policies, and developed a significant effort to help immigrant workers in the regularization of their situation. One of the main objectives of trade-unions has also been the development of anti-racist actions, a difficult task, not so much at the level of interpersonal relations, where they find little discrimination, but at the level of wage differences, professional status and recognition of skills. In general, trade-unions have never opposed the entry of immigrants and have provided support to their regularization, as well as defended their work rights. The approach of the unions towards immigrants is one of «Equal Treatment», with a discourse focused on equal rights in relation to national citizens, and not on a «Specific Treatment».

Groups affected/interested Migrants
Type (R/D) Anti-migrant/xenophobia
Key socio-economic / Institutional Areas Employment - labour market
External Url http://www.oi.acidi.gov.pt/docs/Estudos_OI/OI_34.pdf
Situation(s)
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