Informacije so moč

Sindikat kot kreator znanja v konfliktu o onesnaženosti z azbestom v Buenos Airesu, Argentini

Jorge R. Afarian

V spodnjem prispevku je predstavljen večletni boj Sindikata delavcev podzemne železnice in premetroja v Buenos Airesu, v katerem je sindikat odkril prisotnost azbesta na delovnem mestu ter sprožil javno kampanjo za celovito rešitev problema Azbesta v Argentini, ki ne ogroža le delavcev metroja in premetroja, pač pa vse, ki na primer uporabljajo javni prevoz. Primer nas lahko spomni na pridružitev Sindikata Lidl kampanji za zaščito pitne vode v letu 2021. Tudi takrat so se delavke kljub pritiskom, da v tej zadevi ne gre za vprašanje, ki spada v “delovno področje” sindikata, presegle ozko razumevanje sindikalizma, ki bi bilo omejeno samo na delovno mesto. Delavski boj je boj za boljše pogoje na delovnem mestu in doma (ali na poti do službe)!

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Informacije so moč: sindikat kot kreator znanja v konfliktu o onesnaženosti z azbestom v Buenos Airesu, Argentini

Jorge R. Afarian, doktor delavkega prava, predavatelj na Univerzi v Buenos Airesu, Argentini

Februarja 2018 je Sindikat delavcev podzemne železnice in premetroja (AGTSyP v španščini) izvedel za možnost, da je v podzemni železnici avtonomnega mesta Buenos Aires prisoten azbest. Sindikat madridske podzemne železnice je namreč poročal o hudi bolezni delavca zaradi vdihavanja tega zelo strupenega, hlapljivega in mikroskopskega minerala, vlada Buenos Airesa pa je leta 2011 od madridske podzemne železnice kupila več vlakov modela CAF 5000. Ker je šlo za isto znamko in model vlaka, kot je bil tisti, s katerim je prišel v stik oboleli španski delavec, je to vzbudilo sum o prisotnosti tega izredno rakotvornega minerala tudi v Buenos Airesu.

Od takrat je sindikat AGTSyP izdelal različne ukrepe in strategije za odpravo prisotnosti azbesta v podzemni železnici. Najprej je vložil zahtevo za inšpekcijski pregled vlakov španskega podjetja modela CAF 500 pri Generalnem direktoratu za varstvo pri delu. Na tej točki se je v zadevo vključila tudi univerza Universidad Nacional del Sur, s čimer se je še razširil obseg raziskave prisotnosti azbesta v podzemni železnici. V različnih poročilih se je potrdila prisotnost azbesta na petih linijah podzemne železnice in na liniji premetroja. Na večini delovnih mest v prevoznem sistemu je bila torej prisotna onesnaženost z azbestom.

Ko se je potrdilo, da je v metroju prisoten azbest, je sindikat oblikoval zahteve, med katerimi je bila odstranitev azbesta iz celotnega sistema podzemne železnice, zaščita delavcev pred okužbo, zaščita potnikov in odgovornost podjetij in države za vnos azbesta na delovno mesto in okolje nasploh. Sindikat je konflikt v javnosti predstavljal kot vprašanje javnega zdravja in okoljsko vprašanje, saj je podzemna železnica javna služba, azbest pa predstavlja tveganje tudi za potnike.

Kampanja AGTSyP je potekala vzporedno s preiskavo, ki so jo vodili sindikalni zaupniki in ostali delavci sami. Sindikat je na ta način zbral ogromno ključnih informacij, ki jih je uporabil tako za oblikovanje pravnih zahtevkov kot za javno kampanjo, s katero je potnike ozaveščal o onesnaženosti ter na ta način krepil javni interes za težavo. Leta 2019 so bili dokazi, ki jih je zbral sindikat, uporabljeni tudi v skupinski tožbi na področju varstva okolja.

Pri zbiranju informacij je sindikat sodeloval s skupinami strokovnjakov, med katerimi so bili zdravniki, pravniki, socialni psihologi, kemiki, inženirji, biologi ter strokovnjaki za varnost in higieno pri delu. Znanje strokovnjakov se je dopolnjevalo in povezovalo z znanjem delavcev in prispevalo k temu, da se je spor obravnaval kot zadeva javnega pomena. Informacije, ki jih je skupaj s strokovnjaki zbral sindikat, so postale pomemben vir tudi za prevozniške sindikate v drugih državah, na primer v Čilu, Kolumbiji, Braziliji, Španiji (Barcelona in Madrid), Franciji in drugje.

Informacije, ki jih je zbral sindikat, so bile pomembne za vključitev javnosti v konflikt. Sindikat je s številnimi obsežnimi kampanjami, ki so bile namenjene uporabnikom podzemne železnice, opozarjal na prisotnost azbesta in na ogroženost njihovega zdravja in življenja. Na ta način se je sindikat vzpostavil kot pomemben nosilec znanstveno potrjenih informacij.

Konec leta 2023 je sindikat nacionalnemu kongresu predložil predlog zakona, s katerim bi se vzpostavil register območij v državi, ki so onesnažena z azbestom. Namen predloga je med drugim tudi to, da se državne politike za odstranjevanje azbesta v državi oblikujejo v sodelovanju s sindikati.

Prikazano je bilo, kako je sindikat širil krog svojih aktivnosti. Od potrditve, da je podzemna železnica onesnažena z azbestom in potrebe, da se zaščiti zdravje delavcev, do tega, da je sindikat prevzel tudi zastopanje uporabnikov podzemne železnice. Zdaj je sindikat predložil tudi predlog zakona, da bi zaščitil ne le delavce in uporabnike, ampak dosegel tudi celovito rešitev problema azbesta v Argentini. Ta primer kliče k ponovnemu premisleku o vlogi sindikatov v družbi in njihovi sposobnosti zastopanja v zadevah javnega in kolektivnega dobrega.

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Information is Power: the Union as a Knowledge Creator in the Asbestos Contamination Conflict in the City of Buenos Aires, Argentina

Jorge R. Afarian, PhD in Labour Law, Lecturer at the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina

In February 2018, the Subway and Premetro Workers' Union (AGTSyP, in Spanish) became aware of the potential presence of asbestos in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires subway system following a report by the Madrid Metro union regarding a severe illness suffered by a worker due to the inhalation of this highly toxic, volatile, and microscopic mineral. Several trains of the CAF 5000 model, which were part of line B of the subway, had been purchased by the Government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires from the Madrid Metro in 2011. This raised suspicions about the presence of this highly carcinogenic mineral in Buenos Aires, given that it was the same brand and model that had come into contact with the ill Spanish worker.

Since then, AGTSyP has developed a variety of actions and strategies to denounce the presence of asbestos in the subway. These efforts began with a request for an inspection of the Spanish company’s CAF 5000 trains by the General Directorate of Labour Protection. The scope of this demand expanded with the collaboration of the National University of the South, and through various reports, the presence of asbestos was confirmed on lines B, C, and E. Subsequently, contamination was also confirmed on lines A, D, and the Premetro, leaving few workspaces free from asbestos in the transport system.

After this confirmation, the union articulated demands that included the removal of asbestos from the entire subway system, protection of the health of workers from contamination, safeguarding passengers, and holding companies and the state accountable for introducing asbestos into the workplace and the environment at large. The union consistently framed the conflict as a public health and environmental issue, as the subway is a public service and asbestos poses risks to passengers.

All of these efforts by AGTSyP were carried out through an investigation led by the workers themselves, including union delegates and leaders. As a result, the union was able to gather a substantial amount of valuable information for building legal and administrative claims, as well as for generating public interest among passengers through widespread information campaigns across the transport network. In 2019, the evidence collected by the union led to an environmental protection class action lawsuit, which was accepted by the courts due to the strength of its arguments.

Gathering useful information was a challenge that the union met with the help of a team of experts, including doctors, lawyers, social psychologists, chemists, engineers, biologists, and occupational safety and hygiene specialists. The role of this group of experts, who contributed to framing the conflict as one of public interest, worked synergistically with the knowledge of the workers to channel the conflict and the legal claims as matters of public and collective concern. The information collected by the union and its expert team has sparked interest among other transport unions, such as those in Chile, Colombia, Brazil, Spain (Barcelona and Madrid), France, and many others. The Argentine case is now considered an unprecedented experience globally.

At the same time, the extensive information gathered by the union helped shape public participation in the conflict. Since 2021, numerous actions and widespread public awareness campaigns have been carried out, specifically targeting subway and premetro users, to raise awareness that their health and lives may be at risk, as asbestos does not distinguish between workers and transport users. These actions have opened a new role for the union as a carrier of valuable and scientifically validated information.

By the end of 2023, the union presented a bill to the National Congress aimed at creating a registry of asbestos-contaminated areas nationwide, both in the private and public sectors. The purpose of this law is also to generate policies in collaboration with unions for the removal and final disposal of asbestos in the country.

As can be seen, the union’s actions have expanded their areas of interest over time. From the confirmation of asbestos in the transport system and the need to protect workers' health, the union has taken on the representation of subway passengers in both collective actions and administrative legal claims. Now, the union has presented a national bill to protect not only subway workers and users but also to seek a comprehensive solution to the asbestos problem in Argentina. This situation compels a reconsideration of the role of unions in society and their representational capacity in matters of common and collective goods.

Union Awareness Campaign: “All Subway Have Asbestos” (2019) Union Awareness Campaign: “All Subway Have Asbestos” (2019)

Class Action Awareness Campaign: “Your Health May Be at Risk,” aimed at encouraging passengers to join the legal action (2021) Class Action Awareness Campaign: “Your Health May Be at Risk,” aimed at encouraging passengers to join the legal action (2021).

The full project can be consulted here: https://www4.hcdn.gob.ar/dependencias/dsecretaria/Periodo2023/PDF2023/TP2023/4505-D-2023.pdf

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