Japan International Labour Foundation (JILAF) and Lao Federation of Trade Unions (LFTU) jointly held seminars on OSH (POSITIVE) and Collective Bargaining. The POSITIVE seminar was held from Dec. 15 to Dec. 18, and the Collective Bargaining held on Dec.18 and Dec. 19, 2009. Both seminars were held in Pakse, Champasak Province, which is located in southern part of Laos. There joined 18 trade union leaders, 7 from LFTU Central Office, and 11 from 7 provinces near Champasak province, where the seminars were held.
In the POSITIVE seminar, first we implemented "Checklist Exercise" at a wood processing company, and then learned how to improve workplace environment through lectures on 6 technical areas, on OSH activities by Japanese Trade Unions, and group work.
JILAF introduced POSITIVE seminar in 2007 in Laos in cooperation with LFTU. We have conducted seminars in Northern and Middle part of the country since then. Now that the seminar was held in southern part, POSITIVE trainers have been developed in most of all the areas in there. JILAF will conduct "Core Trainers' Training" as a next step.
It was the second time to hold the seminar on Collective Bargaining since May. We invited Mr. Shigeru WADA, Senior Specialist in Workers' Activities of ILO-Bangkok, as a lecturer this time. In the seminar, we had lectures on what Collective Bargaining is, on Industrial Relations and Collective Bargaining in Japan, and the present situation of Collective Bargaining in Laos. We also did a role-play on Collective Bargaining and got feedback and advice from the expert and trainers.
In Laos, it is expected the importance of Collective Bargaining will be increasing because of the emergence of multinational companies, therefore, LFTU shows strong interests in the way of effective collective bargaining. JILAF will continue holding seminar on Collective Bargaining in cooperation with LFTU.