Framework agreements in focus at IMF Executive

SAN DIEGO: At its recently concluded meeting in San Diego, California, USA, the IMF Executive Committee approved the proposed programme of activities for 2003. Amongst others, the Executive discussed the following issues:

• International Framework Agreements: In order to lay down rules of conduct for transnational companies, the IMF, as a major focus in the years to come, will pursue International Framework Agreements, negotiated between trade unions at a global level and company management.
• Women's representation: The percentage of women members in the IMF is not reflected at any level of its structures, either formal or informal. For example, the IMF Executive Committee has never included a woman. The Executive therefore decided that:
  • The IMF shall reestablish a Women's Committee.
  • An IMF Women's Conference will be held in conjunction with IMF Congresses.
  • Affiliates shall target a 20 per cent participation by women at the IMF Central Committee meeting in 2003 and the Congress in 2005.
  • Steps must be taken to ensure that the IMF Executive includes a substantial number of women. How this will be done must be discussed at the next meeting of the Executive, and as there might be implications for the IMF Rules, probably also at the next IMF Congress.
• Belarus: The Executive issued a declaration appealing for support for the IMF's Belarus affiliates (see separate article). Moreover, since the Congress of the Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus (FTUB) is in effect controlled by the repressive government of Lukashenko, the IMF recommends all IMF affiliates to urge their respective trade union confederations not to have any contact with the FTUB. The IMF will organise a seminar about trade union rights in Belarus in the first half of next year.

The core issues of the IMF are, of course, organising the unorganised, international solidarity, and dealing with transnational corporations. Within this context a programme of activities was decided, including:

• seminars on International Framework Agreements;
• a conference on ICT companies;
• regional conferences on export processing zones;
• an organising programme in Mexico;
• projects on training trainers in Russia and Ukraine;
• a seminar on organising non-manual workers.

The IMF also welcomes three new affiliates, adding to the more than 200 in the federation:

• Limter-Is (Turkey), shipbuilding & ship repairing sector, 1,112 members;
• International Union of Elevator Constructors (USA/Canada), engineering sector, 27,000 members;
• International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (USA/Canada), shipbuilding sector, 1,250 members (there are other sectors not affiliated to the IMF).