23 May, 2011Mechanical engineering conference identifies sub-sectors as area for future work, starting with machinery for construction and mining, and agricultural machinery.
USA: The IMF's Global Conference on Mechanical Engineering brought together in Cincinnati on May 18-19, 2011 union representatives from 15 countries to debate the challenges facing workers and unions, and formulate a strategy for the sector. Also taking part in the event were delegates of the IAM Tool & Die Conference, which was meeting concurrently in Cincinnati. In his keynote address, Tom Buffenbarger, IAMAW President and IMF Vice-President, stressed the necessity to raise awareness about the importance of mechanical engineering and international relationships between unions which represent workers in this industry.
During the two-day meeting, the participants discussed developments and prospects in mechanical engineering, and the growing role of China, including in the field of green technologies. They shared their experiences of dealing with temporary and agency work as well as organizing in a sector with a high proportion of highly-skilled workers. The discussions showed that there was a need for strengthening global union power to defeat the growing attacks on workers' and trade union rights, and attempts to undermine wages and social standards. Talking about organizing in the US, UAW President Bob King stated that the National Labor Relation Board "no longer gives workers a democratic right to choose to be represented by a union".
All the participants concurred that greater attention should be devoted to organizing young people and examples were given on how unions are approaching this issue. It also became clear from the discussions on managing change in mechanical engineering that the type of future energy sources would have a major impact on the sector and unions needed to get involved in the process and influence the direction of change for the benefit of workers.
Recognizing how big and diverse the sector was, the participants agreed that future IMF activities in mechanical engineering should focus on the sub-sectoral level, starting with machinery for construction and mining, and agricultural machinery. There are transnational corporations in these sub-sectors, such as John Deere, CNH and Komatsu, and a potential for network development, building on the experience gained with the IMF Caterpillar network. The IMF will also continue to work closely with the European Metalworkers' Federation that has carried out valuable work in this area. A work proposal will be developed along these lines and submitted to the IMF Executive Committee.
Rudolf Nürnberger, President of the IMF ME Department, welcomed the outcome of the Conference. "So far mechanical engineering had not been as visible as other sectors in the IMF," he said. "This Conference has given us a good foundation for putting mechanical engineering at the forefront of the IMF industrial activities," he added.