IMF Executive Discusses Plans for 2010
Programme of activities 2010 and ways out of the crisis were on the focus as IMF's Executive Committee met in Geneva.
GENEVA: The Executive Committee of the International Metalworkers' Federation met in Geneva on 15 and 16 December to discuss the situation in the industry in the middle of the crisis, to evaluate the developments in the IMF since the election of the new leadership at the Congress in May 2009, and to adopt a programme of activities and budget for 2010.
Despite some signs of recovery in a number of countries, the crisis is far from over in the metal industries. A great number of jobs have been lost, and the risk of increasing precarious work is evident. Metalworkers' unions will need to adopt offensive strategies to safeguard the interests of workers.
After a vivid discussion on trade union networks in transnational companies, the Executive Committee decided to set up a working group to develop guidelines for the constitution, tasks and coordination of networks. Networks were seen as a potentially useful tool for exchange of information, organising unorganised plants, and for developing joint initiatives and common platforms.
The newly created unit on trade union rights and campaigns will enhance IMF's capacity to respond in a fast and efficient manner to violations of trade union rights. Climate change remains another priority area for the IMF, which insists on including social justice and employment aspects in the combat against global warming. Furthermore the IMF will make efforts to promote sustainable trade, development and employment, and to improve communication at regional and global levels.
Following the signature of a Declaration of Intent by IMF, ICEM and ITGLWF in March, the Executive Committee gave a mandate to IMF President Berthold Huber and General Secretary Jyrki Raina to continue discussions with the leadership of the other two Global Union Federations on the creation of a unified global union structure for manufacturing industries. An analysis of the policies, structures and finances of the three federations, as well as potential benefits and negative effects of a structural change, will be produced for a continued discussion at regional meetings and at the next Executive Committee meeting in June 2010.
The Committee approved the affiliation of the Free Metalworkers' Union (SPM) from Belarus, CONSFETEMA from Chile, and SNTIMMEE-CDT from Morocco. [Dec 17, 2009 – Alex Ivanou]
Safeguarding Agreement Achieved at Daimler in Sindelfingen
In November Daimler AG announced the plans to shift the C-Class Model from the plant in Sindelfingen to the Alabama plant in the USA. Thanks to the union efforts workers managed to keep their jobs.
GERMANY: In November the management board of Daimler AG announced their plans to shift production of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class model designed for the U.S. market to the plant in Alabama, USA. This announcement caused a lot of anxiety and worries among 37,000 employees of the plant in Sindelfingen, Germany. In fact according to the works council such decision put in danger 3,000 jobs and could potentially affect the decision on further production of the E-Class model on the German site.
The works council together with the IMF German affiliate IG Metall organized a number of protest actions including short-term strikes and a few demonstrations inside and outside of the company; each action gathered about 10,000 to 15,000 workers of the plant.
Following the pressure made by the works council together with the union on Wednesday, 9 December the management signed a shop agreement excluding involuntary dismissals until December 31, 2019 for the entire workforce of the Sindelfingen plant.
In addition the Sindelfingen plant is confirmed as the production site for luxury cars within the Daimler Group. 2,700 jobs will be created through additional products including Mercedes-Benz SL-Class. Also the management plans include 500 non-manual workers involved in temporary support activities for the Research & Development Department and Production Planning to be employed on permanent basis. [Dec 17, 2009 – Alex Ivanou]
Trade Unions Demand a Bigger Say in Building Future Auto Industry
Governments, employers and trade unions discussed the impact of the global economic and job crisis within the automotive industry in the Asia-Pacific.
JAPAN: Fifty high level government, employer and trade union representatives from Japan, Republic of Korea, India, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia, and Philippines examined the employment relationship and rights at work in the automotive industry at the Asian Regional Workshop for the Automotive Industry, held on 7-9th December in Tokyo (Japan).
According to a background paper prepared for the workshop "A substantial element of automotive industry employment since the recovery from the economic downturn of the early 1990´s has taken the form of temporary contract work, with labour recruited via employment agencies." Reports from the eight countries revealed interesting similarities but also differences, however in all of the countries the automotive industry is a cornerstone of industrial production and employment. Industrial relations however turn out to be different in all eight countries.
"The workshop was part of an action programme for the automotive industry. It was planned before the global economic crisis began but adapted in a way to better respond to the crisis." said Mr. George Dragnich, ILO Executive Director, and Social Dialogue, who organized the workshop.
Acting in his role as elected spokesperson for the trade unions Mr Nishihara President of the IMF-JC and JAW stated that "For many workers in the industry the last year has been a difficult one that has been filled with uncertainty due to structural changes. Where ever possible we have been able to lessen the impact on workers by negotiating measures to keep plants open often at a cost to our members terms and conditions of employment."
"We firmly believe that the involvement of workers in strategic decision making is a responsible and desirable approach for both employees and employers. Union involvement guarantees that employees are recognized as stakeholders with a long term interest in the success of the company, and also helps drive through changes with employee support which improve productivity and profitability", said Nishihara.
In a subsequent discussion about the need for social dialogue in the industry the employers group outlined the belief that it should not undermine the ability of managers to manage. The example given was the difficulties arising from sharing information on issues such as mergers, acquisitions and takeovers.
The trade unions however took a different view that if anything the current crisis had shown the need for all parties to work together to build a sustainable future. In addition the unions felt that they had a legitimate right to have a say in significant decisions which could affect the long term viability of a company. The role of the unions was not just to manage decline but should also be an equal partner in the decision making process. A formal report of the meeting will shortly be available from the ILO. [Dec 15, 2009 – Alex Ivanou]
Constructive Relationship Agreement with Thales Australia
Agreement offers new organizing opportunities for non-manual workers.
AUSTRALIA: IMF-Australian affiliates AMWU and AWU together with three other unions recently concluded a constructive relationship agreement with the French company. According to this agreement Thales recognizes that "The workforce, at all levels and without regard to job function, whether directly or indirectly engaged, have the right to join and be represented by the appropriate union, this includes the right to bargain collectively in good faith, and to have appropriate union representation and information in the workplace". Thales further expects and encourages its other partners, i.e. contractors, to also respect workers' rights to organize and collective bargaining.
Mike Nicolaides, the AMWU's Technical, Supervisory and Administrative Division Secretary, welcomed this agreement by which the company formally recognizes the benefits of union membership and working with the trade unions. "Not only has the company signed a document but it is giving practical expression to the document in the workplace, facilitating contact between employees and the unions in largely un-unionised sites" Mike said.
This is an important breakthrough at a company which was hostile to union activity during the eleven years of conservative government in Australia. Recent changes in labour legislation introducing more protection for employees and greater powers for unions to achieve collective agreements have been instrumental in reaching this agreement.
Thales employs a total of 3,800 people in Australia in over 35 sites. Roughly 2,200 are covered by collective agreements in force. The other 1,600 are predominantly non-manual employees, covered by individual common law contracts or on expired collective agreements, and the vast bulk of them are non-unionised. The company's stated intention is to move towards a single national agreement over time to cover all employees.
The agreement provisions provide genuine opportunity for the unions to organize non-manual employees, to the benefit of those employees and the company's. The AMWU together with another union has started conducting focus groups and induction courses of the company's non-manual workers at certain bigger sites with some encouraging results. [Dec 15, 2009 – Anne-Marie Mureau]
Unions at Siemens in India: Need to Cooperate
Unions discuss closer cooperation and networking within Siemens operations in India.
INDIA: On December 5 - 7, 2009 the International Metalworkers' Federation, supported by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, organized a seminar for unions organizing workers in the different locations of Siemens in India. This was the first time ever that these unions belonging to different union federations and partly without a membership in national federations came together.
Werner Mönius, chairman of the Siemens SEC (European Works' Council Siemens), Dieter Scheitor (IG Metall coordinator for Siemens) and Robert Steiert (IMF) informed about the company's strategy & development and the necessity of networking within transnational companies.
The Indian unions reported and discussed the industrial relations within Siemens India and pointed out especially tendencies to "promote" manual workers to "officers" to convince them not to join unions. Some unions complainted about increased tensions with management and a development to an outsourcing of low-wage jobs and the use of contract and precarious labour.
The necessity of networking and closer cooperation was seen by the participating unions and resulted in the decision to create a structure for this cooperation nationally and to strengthen the connections to the union in the mother company.
3 colleagues were nominated for developping concrete proposals for such a formal structure which shall be discussed and hopefully accepted by the unions present on the seminar. Further unions which could not take part in this years' workshop shall be integrated step by step into the upcoming network and structure. [Dec 15, 2009 – Alex Ivanou]
Unions Hold Hearings Against Proposed EU-Colombia Free Trade Agreement
European trade unions highlight atrocities committed against Colombian trade unionists and discuss negative impacts of a potential EU-Colombia trade deal.
BELGIUM: At a special hearing in the European Parliament on 9 December trade unions from around Europe together with several members of the European Parliament came together to speak up against the EU-Colombia Free Trade Agreement.
The hearing was chaired by UK MEP Richard Howitt who said that 'Colombia is the most dangerous place in the world to be a trade unionist'. Other speakers included the leader of the Colombian CUT confederation, European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) leader John Monks, Senator Jorge Robledo from Colombia and Yessika Hoyos, daughter of a murdered Colombian trade union leader who was herself recently awarded the AFL-CIO human rights prize for her work to bring those who murder trade unionists to justice.
Colombian trade unions have expressed their opposition to an EU-Colombia trade deal, as have the International Trade Union Confederation, the ETUC, the International Metalworkers’ Federation and many IMF affiliates.
Opponents to the trade deal argue such an agreement will be a political endorsement for the government and policies of President Uribe at a time when his government is failing to protect the most basic human rights of Colombian citizens. Accordingly, the US Congress and Canadian Parliament have recently blocked similar agreements because of these concerns, and the Norwegian Parliament has refused to ratify a proposed EFTA agreement with Colombia.
The hearing was organised by coalition group, Justice for Colombia, working with the ETUC, the Trades Union Congress (TUC), the Irish Congress of Trades Union (ICTU), IMF-affiliate Unite the Union, and others. [Dec 14, 2009 – Kristyne Peter]
Workers Die at Tuzla Shipyards
Two new fatalities happened at Tuzla shipyards in Turkey. Limter İş is calling the deaths occupational murder and is demanding employers and the Turkish Ministry of Labour take adequate measures.
TURKEY: Two Tuzla shipyard workers have died in the last two weeks reports Limter İş which is attributing the fatalities to a weak health and safety policy and the failure of both the Turkish government and employers to improve the situation.
On November 29, 2009, Mahmut Altınöz, who worked for the company Geles Gemi, a subcontractor of the big shipyard Çeliktrans, fell to his death . Altınöz was 30 years old and a father of one child. A week later, on Sunday, December 6, Ercan Sancar, a father of three children, died following a fall from the depot's dampers. His death is the 14th fatality at Tuzla shipyards this year.
In addition to the weak health and safety policies inside the yards, employers deny employees fundamental workers' rights. At the Torgem shipyard in Tuzla, workers and members of Limter İş demanded to be paid four months wages in arrears and protested against the rapacity of the employer caused their comrades' deaths.
The trade union Limter İş demands that the Turkish Employers' Federation GİSBİR and the Ministry of Labour take adequate measures among others including:
- Workers dismissed after their protests must be reinstated;
- Those responsible for the occupational murders must be liable.
- Health and safety regulations on hard and difficult work must be introduced at the shipyards.
- The working day should not exceed 7.5 hours.
- The main employer must pay full social security contributions for workers based on their real wages.
- Workers should have access to medical services including infirmary, doctor and ambulance.
- System of subcontracting must be removed
- Freedom of association must be respected
- A special independent commission must be created for investigations at the shipyards with consequent sanctions. Limter İs, TMMOB (Engineers Chamber), TTB (Doctors' Chamber), Baro (Lawyers), Labour Ministry and GİSBİR (Employers' Federation) must be represented in this commission.
[Dec 11, 2009 – Alex Ivanou]
Global Unions Promote Green Growth for Jobs and Social Justice
Announcing a labour approach to tackling Climate Change, the Global Unions have produced a joint publication "Green Growth for jobs and social justice".
GLOBAL: On the eve of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 15) taking place from December 7 to 18, 2009 in Copenhagen the Global Unions have released a new publication "Getting the world to work: Green Growth for jobs and social justice".
Following the first joint publication ‘Global Union Strategies for Recovery' produced earlier this year which discusses union responses to the economic crisis, the second edition, ‘Green Growth for jobs and social justice', highlights union approaches to tackling climate change. The publication contains a mix of shared principles and sectoral perspectives from Global Unions that are demanding a focus on workers' and communities' interests when tackling the issue of Climate Change.
IMF together with the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM) made their joint contribution to the publication providing metalworkers views in ‘Cutting emissions - transforming jobs' edited by the IMF and ICEM General Secretaries Jyrki Raina and Manfred Warda.
The web and print quality publication can be downloaded from the Global Unions' website.
As part of the Climate Change discussion on December 16, together with the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM), European Metalworkers' Federation (EMF) and the European Mine, Chemical and Energy Workers' Federation (EMCEF), IMF will be holding an event at the World of Work (WoW) pavilion on cutting emissions and transforming industrial jobs.
Speakers include Poul Nyrup Rasmussen (former-Danish Prime Minister and President of European Socialists and representatives of the South African government delegation to COP 15. For more details download the flyer here. [Dec 10, 2009 – Alex Ivanou]
Latin American Trade Union Network of Miners' Affiliates
At the Regional Planning Seminar on Mining, held in Santiago, Chile, affiliates from Argentina, Chile, Mexico and Peru agreed a programme of action on employment and trade union conditions in the mining sector.
CHILE: IMF affiliates in the region's mining sector AOMA in Argentina, CONSTRAMET and CONSFETEMA in Chile, SNTMMSRM in Mexico and SINTRAMIN in Peru, attended the Regional Planning Seminar on Mining, held in Santiago, Chile, from December 3 to 4, and agreed a programme of action for the next three years on employment and trade union conditions in the mining sector.
The seminar discussed the main employment problems in the mining sector, including precarious work and working conditions.
The seminar formulated national and regional objectives and actions to combat these problems. Regional initiatives include the creation of a horizontal network to deal with trade union work, communication, the operation of national councils, collective bargaining with transnational companies and the negotiation of International Framework Agreements.
Affiliates agreed to focus on collective bargaining, training and trade union structures during the coming years.
The meeting debated the current employment and trade union situation at the Pascua Lama mining project on the Argentina-Chile border, the world's first binational project. Delegates agreed to organise joint action by unions in both these countries in order to protect workers' rights.
Finally, the union leaders signed a declaration of solidarity in support of the Mexican miners' union and its general secretary, Napoleón Gómez Urrutia, in their fight for trade union autonomy and respect for trade union rights. [Dec 09, 2009 – Valeska Solis]
Breakthrough at Honda Motor Argentina
ASIMRA has concluded a recognition agreement with the Japanese company.
ARGENTINA: After several months of discussion, the IMF-affiliated Argentinean supervisors' union ASIMRA has reached an agreement with Honda Motor Argentina on the following points:
- ASIMRA is the trade union recognized for negotiating a collective agreement for supervisors at Honda Motor Argentina;
- the parties commit themselves to negotiating a collective agreement in the course of 2010, after carrying out an analysis of market prospects and the company's situation;
- the parties will initiate negotiations on a collective agreement for a plant that Honda plans to open in Campana;
- the parties are willing to maintain harmonious relations within a framework of social peace.
Jyrki Raina, General Secretary of the International Metalworkers' Federation (IMF), stated "This is an excellent achievement for ASIMRA, which has faced difficulties to obtain recognition for collective bargaining with some other companies."
The Honda plant in Campana in Buenos Aires province was due to open in the second half of 2009, but the economic recession brought the project to a halt. Construction work has resumed. The plant plans to open in April 2010 and create some 800 jobs.
Progress has also been reported at Toyota Argentina, which has now recognized the existence of different levels of supervisory functions. The Argentinean labour minister has communicated to ASIMRA that it would soon formally acknowledge these facts. ASIMRA has received the support from the blue-collar workers' union SMATA in seeking recognition to represent the 300 white collar workers at the Toyota plant located in Zárate, province of Buenos Aires.
ASIMRA is pushing for similar developments at other automotive companies operating in Argentina with the support of IMF. [Dec 08, 2009 – Anne-Marie Mureau]
Unions to Vale: You Can Run But You Can't Hide
Some 200 trade unionists from Canada and the USA held rolling protest actions in New York City calling on mining giant Vale to negotiate with the USW who represents 3,500 workers on strike since July.
USA: About 200 trade unionists converged on downtown New York City on December 3 to protest Vale CEO Roger Agnelli's receiving of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Global Citizenship Award. Other actions were taken at Goldman Sachs and Mitsui, a major Vale shareholder.
"The day started with a protest at the Goldman Sachs investors' conference where Vale was presenting and numerous people exiting the hotel told us that our chants were coming though loud and clear to the 5th floor meeting room," reported the United Steelworkers' Mike Zielinski.
"Next up was a demonstration at the offices of Mitsui, a major shareholder in Vale with a seat on the board of directors. They were compelled to send down their administrative manager to meet with us and get an earful about Vale's misconduct," Zielinski said.
Later that evening, outside the Waldorf Astoria, New York City's iconic luxury hotel where Agnelli was scheduled to receive the award, hundreds of union activists massed on Park Avenue across from the Waldorf's main entrance. The Grim Reaper swept past the efforts of the police to block its path and led a march of protesters right past the hotel entrance as the limos were rolling up and unloading. All up and down Park Avenue the chants were bouncing off the buildings: "Vale Says Cut Back/We say FIGHT BACK!" and "Roger, Roger/One Day Longer".
Inside the hotel, half a dozen people passed out flyers while two supporters, costumed as invited guests, infiltrated the dinner, one was wearing a tuxedo and the other an evening gown. They placed leaflets on the tables and told guests of Vale's mistreatment of its Canadian employees before they were discovered and police were called to escort them out.
The International Metalworkers' Federation (IMF), together with the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM) are working with the United Steelworkers (USW) in a global campaign to prevent Brazilian mining giant Vale from eroding working conditions and denying basic labour rights at Vale operations worldwide.
More actions are scheduled to take place around the world until Vale returns to the bargaining table and agrees to a Fair Deal NOW.
For more information about the IMF's campaign, click here.
Click here to send a message to Vale demanding a Fair Deal NOW for Canadian workers on strike. [Dec 08, 2009 – Kristyne Peter]
