Fighting Inequality by Zero Discrimination

On Zero Discrimination Day, we launched the documentary Fight against Inequality which tells from the perspective of the presidents of the Young Workers and LGBTQIA+ Committees and to Combat Racism and Xenophobia, what progress has been achieved by the project of the same name promoted by DGB Bildungswerk with Public Services International (PSI).

This important project has been promoting affirmative union organizing policies with/for sectors of society in PSI's structure. Focusing on its young, black, indigenous, LGBTQIA+ members, among other discriminated groups such as workers with disabilities, its main objective is to promote stronger and more inclusive unions through the adoption of concrete actions.

To combat prejudice, forms of discrimination and violation of human rights, as well as to promote decent work and more inclusive unions, the organization of campaigns and committees of representatives stimulated by the project has played an essential role. Not only for the work within the trade union movement, but also for the advancement of agendas in our societies, the participation of these representatives in official, tripartite and collective bargaining spaces is already present.

The fight for Zero Discrimination and against Inequality is part of the work of building a more inclusive trade unionism and is fundamental in the promotion of quality public services capable of caring for all with dignity and respect.

In this context, the assumption of new progressive governments in our region opens a wide range of opportunities for the approval of laws, valorization mechanisms and structures that promote equality in the countries of our region and in the world of work. The project that encouraged the creation of committees for young workers, anti-racism, LGBTQIA+ people in all PSI Inter-Americas sub-regions; is now preparing for the creation of a new committee for people with disabilities, aiming for major advances in 2023 in its essential themes.

The presence of committee members at PSI's constituent meetings has helped to include in the agenda the topics presented by the committees themselves, which has enriched the debate and facilitated the understanding of the unions and their leaders on the issues and the actions to be taken. The actions envisaged by the project were successfully implemented in 2022.

Between face-to-face, hybrid and virtual activities, more than 20 activities were carried out involving hundreds of workers. The trajectory ranged from quarterly follow-up meetings to training and planning seminars, through a large youth festival during the pandemic, two meetings of indigenous peoples to the expected First Meeting of People with Disabilities in December 2022, which had representation from all subregions.