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30 November, 2009
ICEM’s Spanish affiliate FITEQA-CC.OO., 1st May Foundation, Trade Union Study Center of CC.OO and Observatory of Trade Unionism in Globalisation jointly organised a seminar on new trade union internationalism, in Barcelona on 26 November 2009.
The ICEM was represented at the seminar through its Chemical and Rubber Industries Officer Kemal Özkan along with other speakers Philippe Pochet, Director of the European Trade Union Institute, Tomas Nieber, Industrial policy officer of the IGBCE of Germany and Chairman of the ICEM’s Chemical Industries Division, Javier Doz, International Secretary, CCOO (Comisiones Obreras) and Isidor Boix, Director, Observatory on “Trade Unionism in Globalisation”, 1st May Foundation, CCOO; Secretary for International Trade Union Action of FITEQA-CCOO. The seminar was moderated by Rodolfo Benito, Chairman of the 1st May Foundation, and Confederation Research Secretary, CCOO.
Opened by Joan Carles Gallego, Secretary General, CONC, discussions took place around some basic questions such as “Internationalism as opposed to nationalism? Does this involve any aspects that are specific to trade unionism?”, “Does ‘globalisation’ offer anything new in line with trade union interests? “New trade union internationalism and the rules of world trade. Protectionism?”, “Multinationals as a possible specific framework for these concepts – codes of conduct, international framework agreements, trade union networks, EWC, worldwide committees”.
“Under the circumstances of a globalised economy using outsourcing, privatisation, capital mobility and destruction of the welfare state resulting in mass unemployment and income insecurity, we, trade unions, are not passing through easy times. We need to be able to wage efforts to reshape our organisations and policies, to overcome the challenges arising from changing circumstances” stated ICEM’s Kemal Özkan. International level industrial relations through Global/regional framework agreeements, union networking at different level and campaigning, particularly against companies that insist not to respect trade union rights and freedoms, were all important tactics for the international labour movement, concluded the seminar.
Discussions will be published soon at www.1mayo.ccoo.es