PSI Interamerica held its first regional meeting of Indigenous workers in November, with the support of the German trade union central DGB. Proposed by the Interamerican Regional Committee to Combat Racism and Xenophobia, the meeting aimed to promote a more inclusive trade unionism, where everyone feels represented and where every group of workers, with their specific characteristics, has space in the union for empowerment and struggle for equal opportunities in the world of work.

"We welcome the initiative to hold this regional meeting. It is very important to get to know the reality of all Indigenous peoples, their progress, their conflicts, and in some way also to make them aware of that reality, of the discrimination experienced by Indigenous peoples and people of African descent," says Sandra Loreto Marín Cheuquelaf, Regional President of the National Association of Tax Employees (ANEF) in the region of Araucanía, Chile, and representative of the Interamerican Regional Committee to Combat Racism and Xenophobia. "Although it is true that there were representatives from several countries, we have the challenge of continuing to integrate other Indigenous peoples into these spaces of conversation, so that everyone has access to knowledge about what is happening with other peoples of the Americas," she says.

we have the challenge of continuing to integrate other Indigenous peoples into these spaces of conversation

For PSI Interamerica Regional Secretary Jocelio Drummond, who opened the discussions, this unprecedented meeting represented a very promising beginning for the organization of a PSI working group of Indigenous peoples in the Americas. "It was a very fruitful debate, which had the direct participation of trade union leaders belonging to these peoples. There is still much room for growth, with the inclusion of participants from other countries, which should happen at the next meeting. With this we hope that the particular demands and struggles of the public workers of Indigenous peoples will be reflected in our local, regional and global actions as an international trade union organization," he assessed.

During the debate, the importance of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention 169 on Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in Independent Countries was highlighted, in particular with regard to prior consultation before adopting changes that affect the lives of Indigenous peoples.

Cheuquelaf advocates the organisation of information workshops on this instrument. “A major challenge concerns Part III of the Convention, which relates to labour. It is important to gather information on cases where the right to work of workers belonging to Indigenous peoples has been violated”. Another challenge, she said, is to identify and contact Indigenous people who are trade union leaders. "Many times there is a lack of knowledge about the roots."

After the discussions, the meeting participants agreed on the next steps to be taken:

1. To organise two videos in 2021: one to raise awareness about the importance of working on the specific issue of Indigenous peoples in PSI’s affiliated organizations, defending control of water and land use, cultural, educational, health and other issues. And another to expose the reality of persecution and discrimination to which Indigenous peoples are subjected and highlighting current struggles, making clear the need to increase solidarity.

2. Disseminate and publicize ILO Convention 169, highlighting the importance of the right to consultation when decisions affect the lives of Indigenous peoples, such as the case of signing Free Trade Agreements, among others.

3. Build and increase spaces for representation of Indigenous peoples in the national sphere, creating committees like those in Chile, or through integrating the Anti-racism Committees that exist in Brazil and other countries.

4. Organize a second meeting in the middle of 2021, with increased participation. Guatemala and Ecuador's representatives were unable to participate in this meeting due to Internet problems. In Peru, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, and Canada, there is also a great possibility of getting more people to participate in the next meeting. There is also the possibility to include participants from Paraguay, Bolivia, Honduras and other countries absent from this first meeting.

5. Discuss the organization of a Regional Meeting of Indigenous peoples at the end of 2021, in person if possible, to deepen the discussion of the themes of this group. In this meeting, we would seek the virtual participation of PSI unions from other continents, in particular from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, to exchange experiences and good practices.