19th. Canadian Conference on Global Health Global Health in the shifting world economy Ottawa 21 23 october 2012 The new economy, migration and occupational health Determinants of workers health Oscar Feo Istúriz
Three facts have transformed the working world, with great impact on life and health The new technology paradigm The new division of labour Affecting health and life of workers and populations
New technology paradigm 1. Computers and automation of life. Information technology 3r. Industrial revolution 2. Robotics. Robotization of production 3. Nanotechnology. New materials. 4. Biotechnology and genetic engineering Paradoxically, this great technological development does not produce well being It only serves for accumulation and profit for minorities
New technology paradigm coexists with: 1. Over exploitation of human labor maquila, labor flexibility, child labor, new forms of slavery 2. Accelerated extraction of raw materials and natural resources / ecological destruction 3. Dismantling of social protection systems 4. Acceleration of the economy. Global warming Structural unemployment, impoverishment, precarization of working conditions
New international division of labour Industrialized Countries CONTROL POWER AND PRODUCTION Before Produce manufactured goods Now Produce knowledge and technology. EXPORTS CAPITAL Pheripheral countries Exports raw material Manufacturing output moved to periphery looking for cheap workforce, and EXPORTS WORKFORCE Globalization. Financialization of economy
New international division of labour Few countries concentrate knowledge, technology, power, and control production processes. while the rest provide cheap labor and raw materials Over production obsolescence
GLOBAL CRISIS
THE GLOBAL CRISIS not only finantial and economic Environmental. Ecological Oil. Energy Food. Water Labour Political. Ethical CIVILIZATIONAL CRISIS
Economic crisis?? or crisis of the development model? The problem is the concentration of wealth. The but richest there 10% receives world is is more and controls getting poverty 85% of richer!! the wealth, 50% live only with 1%
LABOUR CRISIS STRUCTURAL UNEMPLOYMENT Precarization Increased accidents and diseases
Impact on workers health
Deafness, silicosis, metal, solvents and pesticides poisoning, neurotoxicity, nephrtoxicity, musculoskeletal disorders, occupational cancer, abortions, mental health, Karoshi, suicide, aging and premature death Combination of harmful processes We still face old physical, chemical, biological risks with their burden of accidents and occupational diseases With new processes and diseases related to new technologies and their impact on work organization
Combination and accumulation of new and old processes and patterns The new technology: computers, robotics, nanotechnology, new risks and forms of work organization, coexist with old Taylorist and Fordist models, always looking for the maximum exploitation of labor Combined patterns of risk and harm
Some facts from South America 500 millons inhabitants very rich countries, but 50% of population lives in poverty 30 % lack of permanent access to basic health services 1/3 does not have access to safe water and basic sanitation High rates of child and maternal mortality, 80% easily preventable New and old diseases and epidemics INEQUALITY AND SOCIAL EXCLUSION
? LAC Work accidents 140.000 work related deaths 30,000 for fatal injuries 380 workers die each day!!! 9%-12% of PIB in LAC
Child Labour 20 million working children in Latin America 20% of them between 10-14 years old Very bad working conditions
A WHO report says that each year about 13 million people die, due to unhealthy environmental factors such as pollution, hazards in the workplace, radiation, agricultural and climate change risks. Globally, 19% of all cancers are attributed to the environment, in particular to the work environment, representing 1.3 million deaths each year. WHO has classified 107 substances, mixtures, and exposure situations as carcinogenic to humans.
Brief comment about migrations
Before. FORCED MIGRATION Slavery was the biggest work forced migration. Triangular commerce between Europa, Africa and America 100 millions of africans were secuestred and forced to work as slaves in America
? migrations Or are rich countries stealing our staff? NOW
What can we do?
CHALLENGES 1. Strengthen Union Organization. Support alliances with new social movements 2. Strengthening Occupational Health in the struggles of workers. 3. Fighting for the extension of social security to the entire population. Universality 4. Incorporate migrant workers into trade unions, social movements and struggles INFORMATION - ORGANIZATION - MOBILIZATION