GOAL! ILO TO PUSH FOR A GLOBAL ASBESTOS BAN
Employers must now end their “courtship with a known killer” says BWI
The International Labour Office (ILO) is to pursue a global ban on asbestos, the world’s biggest ever industrial killer. The landmark decision came with the adoption of a resolution on 14 June at the ILO conference in Geneva and followed a high level union campaign. more

BUT! L'OIT DOIT OEUVRER EN FAVEUR D'UNE INTERDICTION MONDIALE Les employeurs doivent arrêter de "courtiser" l'amiante Le Bureau international du travail (OIT) va mettre en place une interdiction mondiale de l'amiante, le plus grand tueur au monde jusqu'à date. Cette décision vient de tomber suite à l'adoption d'une résolution (14 juin) à la conférence internationale du Travail (CIT) à Genève et fait suite à une campagne syndicale de haut niveau. plus

Building and Woodworkers International issues “conscience” call as asbestos ban moves closer
[13 June 2006]
A global ban on asbestos, the world’s biggest ever industrial killer, has come a step closer thanks to high level union campaigning. more

Building and Woodworkers International want Action to Ban Asbestos [31 May 2006]
BWI General Secretary, Anita Normark, this year launched an appeal to join the international effort to convince the Canadian Government to recognize that asbestos is the world’s biggest industrial killer and that it should be banned in all countries. PDF

ASBESTOS KILLS. BAN IT NOW!
BWI WORKERS' MEMORIAL DAY 2006
BWI calls on Governments worldwide to commit to a global ban on the production, import, export and use of asbestos products. more

Joint Asia-Pacific declaration - Ban Asbestos! Construction unions in the Asia-Pacific region call for a ban on asbestos joint statement for International Workers Memorial Day English PDF

Resolucion são caetano do sul, Brasil Abril 2006 PDF

BWI health and safety - a top priority In construction at least 108,000 workers are killed on site every year, that figure represents 30 per cent of all fatal injuries. That is one person dying every five minutes because of bad, and illegal, working conditions. The construction industry has a deservedly notorious reputation as being dirty, difficult and dangerous. Tropical loggers stand a one in ten chance of being killed over a working lifetime. Sawmills are increasingly subcontracted and hazardous, whilst wood working continues to rely on the workers skills to avoid injuries, rather than on any prevention measures. more

BWI Opinion from the Employment Advisory Committee of the Andean Community, (CCLA). The committee recommends the banning of asbestos in the Andean Community and expresses the commitment of the region’s trade unions to campaign for such a ban. 12 July 2005 PDF briefing (Español)

BWI - Briefing calling the ILO to push for a worldwide ban on asbestos 2 June 2005 more

The tribunal on asbestos in São Paulo/Brazil more

BWI in action
Mobilising for improvements in working conditions in the building and timber trades has always been a fundamental part of BWI's global trade union activity. Notoriously dangerous, the industries in which BWI members work continue to destroy people's lives by exposing them to well known, and often avoidable, hazards. more