www.rerunthevote.org - Members of
27 strong FIFA Executive Committee warned to keep workers’ rights on agenda - Brussels, 5
November 2013 (ITUC OnLine): FIFA President Sepp Blatter should give a detailed
report to next months Executive Committee meeting in Brazil about what FIFA has
done in the two months since it finally acknowledged the problems facing
workers constructing World Cup infrastructure in Qatar. Sharan Burrow,
General Secretary, International Trade Union Confederation said after two years
of inaction, every month that goes by means more workers will lose their lives
in Qatar’s World Cup infrastructure programme. FIFA should use the 4 -5
December meeting in Brazil to fully inform the public about what action it is
taking so that confidence can begin to be restored.
Members of
FIFA’s powerful Executive Committee are being pressured to keep the plight of
workers in Qatar by supporters of the global campaign www.rerunthevote.org
Public
outrage about conditions in Qatar forced FIFA to acknowledge the problem of
workers’ rights in Qatar at their last Executive Committee meeting. The ITUC
estimates 4000 workers could die building World Cup infrastructure by 2022. FIFA
President Sepp Blatter has said that "FIFA cannot interfere with the
labour rights of any country, but we cannot ignore them."
“It is
shameful that FIFA continues to distance itself from taking any real action in
Qatar despite FIFA inspired worker laws evident in other countries hosting the
World Cup. FIFA and its local organising committee in Qatar have the power to
improve the conditions for 1.3 million workers in Qatar” said Sharan Burrow.
Thousands
of supporters of the ITUC backed campaign www.rerunthevote.org are
contacting the 27 members of the FIFA Executive Committee asking them to:
•
Keep the issue of workers’ rights in Qatar on the Executive Committee meeting
agenda;
•
Investigate the deaths of workers in Qatar;
•
Demand joint inspections with trade unions of Qatar’s labour camps and
worksites.
Members of
FIFA’s Executive Committee which controversially awarded Qatar the right to
host the World Cup are expressing concern about the situation.
Northern
Ireland's Jim Boyce, Jordan’s Prince Ali bin al-Hussein and Germany’s Theo
Zwanziger have all spoken out on the issue.
“Workers’
rights must be a condition of Qatar hosting the World Cup in 2022. If there are
no labour rights, there should be no World Cup in Qatar. There is still time to
re-run the vote for the 2022 World Cup if Qatar does not reform its ways,” said
Sharan Burrow.
The ITUC
called FIFA’s proposed courtesy visit to the Emir as a weak and disappointing
response to the crisis unfolding in the country. Sepp Blatter is expected to
report on his visit at the Executive Committee meeting in Brazil.
Trade
unionists and football fans can send a message to their FIFA representative at www.rerunthevote.org
