The key discussion issues and observations are summarized as follows;

Current Issues in Sanitation Sector:

• Job/income insecurity due to informality, outsourcing, privatization and irregular job

• Poor access to OSH measures and occupational benefits at workplaces

• Harassment, exploitation, social stigma and discrimination on wage

• Lack of social and legal protection due to anti-labor laws and policy

• Inadequate education, awareness, knowledge on TU rights among sanitation workers

Vision for Next 3-5 Years

• Strong union with increased membership including youth and women

• Improved working conditions with OSH mechanism

• Formalization of employment and fair occupational benefits

• Labour friendly laws, protection measures and its implementation

• Community awareness and multi-stakeholders’ support for sanitation workers

Priority Actions:  

• Mass education, awareness and capacity building of union leaders and members

• Organizing campaigns at central, province and local level based on union’ strengths   

• Worker to worker organizing campaign where applicable and effective

• Lobby and advocacy campaign for formalization/regularization of sanitation workers

• Production and dissemination of impactful video on sanitation workers for public awareness and policy influence  

• Media advocacy for public support and solidarity for sanitation workers

Collaboration/Partnership Strategy (based on SWOT analysis):

• Networking with like-minded organization for improved laws and policy

• Collaborating with TUSSO, CSOs & Media for capacity building & advocacy initiatives

• Leveraging with political parties for policy reforms and implementation

• Mobilization of trained volunteers/graduates in organizing efforts and union activities

• Collective lobby and advocacy efforts on common issues of sanitation workers

Organizing Method:

• Depending upon the situation, need and priority of unions, the individuals unions will apply either or both organizing models such as Worker to Worker Model and Organizer to Workers Model. The unions will have more clarity on this modality in our forth-coming discussion. In connection to this, the individual unions expect to identify and mobilize the potential organizers as per the union’s need and priority of expanding unions in a ways to contribute towards achieving project’s overall goal in sanitation sector in South Asia.

Organizing Modality: The agreed process for organizing efforts are; 

• Identify leaders/organizers

• Capacity building of organizers based on need assessment

• Training on result indicators and reporting mechanism

• Mobilization of trained organizer in the field

• Monitoring of the progress and needful support and guidance

• Review, experience sharing and development/implementation of further actionable plan

Conclusion

The planning meeting has brought together the diverse experience, expertise and knowledge of individual union in sanitation sector from all across South Asia Region creating uniformity in understanding the core issues of sanitation workers and developing collective strategy dedicated towards not only organizing and expanding unions but also improving overall managerial capacity of unions increasing their visibility in wider spectrum. The meeting has generated common understanding about building union’s strengths in all aspects in order to implement their priority set forth for greater and larger results. In the meantime, supplementary technical and financial assistance in needful interventions of committed unions could contribute towards achieving visible change in the world of sanitation workers.