4 July, 2011
"Solidarity and Equal Opportunities: Principles of Trade Union Networks” was the motto of the second meeting of this kind conducted by ICEM’s Brazilian affiliate CNQ-CUT, the National Confederation of Chemical Workers which took place on 15-16 June, through the support of Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES), at the facilities of Sao Paulo Glass Workers’ Union in Praia Grande, with participation of more than 60 union representatives from 24 companies.
The meeting was supported and attended by ICEM, CUT, Solidarity Center AFL-CIO, FETQUIM, Social Observatory Institute (ISO) and DIEESE.
The opening session of the event was marked with a broad debate on the role of union networks in national and international solidarity in the chemical industries. ICEM’s Regional President Sergio Novais highlighted the importance of the meeting and the need for unification of the sectors. Participants dynamically discussed their expectations of the meeting.
Later in the meeting a delegates discussed various topics such as solidarity, participation of youth and women, network running, communication mechanisms, network models and statutes, decent work, and training policies. The presentation of research on the situation of trade union networks in the chemical sector with a detailed analysis on multinational participation and trade union activity conducted by ISO gave an overview to the participants.
The participants were then divided into working groups to account for future referrals and deepen the discussions presented. Gender, collective bargaining, network funding, social dialogue, internal and external challenges, and strengthening the networks were among the topics that came up with important resolutions that should strengthen the fight in the upcoming period.
At the end of the meeting participants evaluated discussions by saying "we have to act differently if we want a different life, what we did here was simply to think differently". Over the next couple of months, a report with the outcomes of the meeting will be publicised.
“Networking is one of the major priorities of ICEM sector work. The work performed by our Brazilian comrades in the chemical industry is an excellent model for the rest of the world” said ICEM’s Director of Industry and Corporate Affairs Kemal Özkan. “Our objective now is to widen this drive to the whole Americas region”.