Global Unions have kicked off a world asbestos ban campaign in Geneva, where some 4,000 worker, employer and government representatives from around the world have gathered for the annual conference of the UN�s 178-member International Labour Organization (ILO).

Guy Ryder, General Secretary of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU), will announce at a special event by Global Unions, the beginning of a country-by-country process that trade unions hope will bring an end to the death and destruction caused by asbestos, which continues to kill over 100,000 people per year throughout the world and inflicts suffering among millions more.

Global Unions have formally delivered a letter to every government attending the ILO Conference, asking them to become involved in nationally banning asbestos or in supporting a world ban o­n the commercialization and use of the product.

�Asbestos is a threat to everyone, not just workers�, Ryder said, �from children in schools, to young and old in private and public buildings where asbestos is present and to whole communities where it exists as a pollutant".

All asbestos can cause lung cancer, malignant mesothelioma and gastrointestinal cancers. It has been declared a proven human carcinogen by the international Agency for Research o­n Cancer of the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Ryder said that nearly 40 countries have already banned asbestos and nearly 80 more that still actively use asbestos will be called upon to stop such activities.

A trade union profile of each country�s status and performance relative to asbestos is available at: http://www.global-unions.org/pdf/ohsewpL_6.EN.pdf

More information: Lucien Royer, ICFTU/TUACEmail: [email protected] Web: www.icftu.org/ 

The representatives of six political parties of Nepal met Indian Minister for External Affairs Mr. K. Natwar Singh at his office today. The delegation handed him over a copy of their consensual road map for restoration of full democracy and peace in Nepal. Mr. Singh was happy and expressed full support to the proposed road map. The meeting lasted for more than 45 minutes in a happy and relaxed ambiance.

On 4^th June 2005, a joint meeting of the women's associations of Nepal was held successfully. The meeting was organized by ANWA in its central office Alok Nagar, Kathmandu. Some important decisions were taken in the meeting.

The meeting strongly condemned and criticized the King�s regressive step of 1^st Feb 2005. The King�s steps have hampered and threatened women's rights. The meeting came to a common consensus to continue struggling to end autocracy and achieve complete democracy and also support and express solidarity with the seven political partys� joint struggle. Women committed to keep up efforts to strengthen the movement till success is achieved.

Unionists claim that the abolition of international import quotas for textiles and garments and the implementation of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) trade initiatives could result in layoffs for 300,000 of the o­ne million Thai textile and garment workers. There are about 2,300 textile and garment factories in Thailand, but experts believe the number will eventually fall to 1,500.

�The workers are almost unable to bear the situation,� said Premwadee Chaijantha, a leading textile union member who has been working for 14 years in the industry and earns Bt207 a day.