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4 November, 1999The IMF is considering to expand its World Company Councils to include two Finnish transnationals.
FINLAND: The IMF has met with its Finnish affiliates and the Trade Union Solidarity Centre of Finland (SASK) to discuss the possibility of establishing IMF world company councils (WCC) and launching solidarity projects for two Finnish-owned transnational companies: Kone and Nokia.
Kone, which began to internationalise its activities in the 1960s, is the world's third-largest elevator manufacturer and has manufacturing facilities in 10 countries, of which at least four are developing countries -- Brazil, India, Mexico and the People's Republic of China. Total employment for Kone amounts to approximately 23,000, of which 53% is in Europe and 24% in North America (excluding Mexico).
Nokia, the world's No. 1 mobile phone manufacturer, became global in the early 1980s and is expanding rapidly, notably on the digital cell phones market. It has production sites in over a dozen countries, including Brazil, Hungary, Malaysia, Mexico, the People's Republic of China, South Korea and the USA. In 1998, Nokia employed about 44,600 people worldwide -- a 21.5% increase compared to the preceding year, and it is expected the number of foreign subsidiaries will continue to expand.
The meeting with the Finnish trade unions and SASK discussed initiating solidarity projects in foreign subsidiaries of these two companies, especially for those situated in developing countries.
A working group, set up to study the feasibility of the above projects, will report back early in the new year.
The IMF has, to date, 10 WCCs in the auto sector, 6 for the electrical and electronics sector, and 2 for mechanical engineering.
Kone, which began to internationalise its activities in the 1960s, is the world's third-largest elevator manufacturer and has manufacturing facilities in 10 countries, of which at least four are developing countries -- Brazil, India, Mexico and the People's Republic of China. Total employment for Kone amounts to approximately 23,000, of which 53% is in Europe and 24% in North America (excluding Mexico).
Nokia, the world's No. 1 mobile phone manufacturer, became global in the early 1980s and is expanding rapidly, notably on the digital cell phones market. It has production sites in over a dozen countries, including Brazil, Hungary, Malaysia, Mexico, the People's Republic of China, South Korea and the USA. In 1998, Nokia employed about 44,600 people worldwide -- a 21.5% increase compared to the preceding year, and it is expected the number of foreign subsidiaries will continue to expand.
The meeting with the Finnish trade unions and SASK discussed initiating solidarity projects in foreign subsidiaries of these two companies, especially for those situated in developing countries.
A working group, set up to study the feasibility of the above projects, will report back early in the new year.
The IMF has, to date, 10 WCCs in the auto sector, 6 for the electrical and electronics sector, and 2 for mechanical engineering.