A new group, consisting of members and representatives of various unions has recently been formed in support of the Bhopal Disaster survivors. Trade Union Friends of Bhopal aims to build a network of unions and union members, starting here in the UK but aiming to spread worldwide. Given the occupational safety issues leading up to the disaster in Bhopal, trades unions would seem like a natural place for support of the Bhopal campaign to flourish. In the words of this new group:
“Calling UK Trade Union members! The Trade Union Friends of Bhopal (Bhopal Saathi) has been newly formed to build awareness, support and solidarity with the survivors of the Bhopal disaster amongst UK Trade Union members. (Our focus is on the UK but with an intention to build global links.) The Hindi word Saathi means friend or comrade and reflects what we see as our core values: global solidarity, health, environment, justice and steadfastness.
“As a network of concerned trade unionists, TUFB will campaign for justice for the people of Bhopal and, drawing inspiration from their long struggle, support campaigns for all victims of corporate crime. TUFB will also campaign for prevention through stronger global regulation on health, safety and environmental protection. Regulation which puts regard for human life and the environment at the centre, and ahead of profit, is crucial.
“So, we are looking to encourage and support activities in the trade union movement. Please do get involved. We will be calling on branches to mark the anniversary of the Bhopal disaster on 3 December and will be providing support for those doing this. Branches could also consider putting forward motions within their union, both to gain commitment but also to encourage a discussion about Bhopal. We would welcome other suggestions for action that we could help plan and support.
“You can find us on Facebook, Twitter @TUFriendsBhopal and the Web. Please do “like” our page on Facebook and follow us on Twitter, and if you’d like to receive occasional updates from us, or be sure to stay in touch, please do drop us an email on [email protected] and we’ll put you on our mailing list.”
