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13 May, 2004Increasing activities for organising non-manual workers and the situation in China were discussed at the IMF Executive Committee meeting on May 12-13.
GENEVA: High on the agenda at the just concluded two-day meeting of the IMF Executive Committee, in Geneva, was the topic of non-manual workers and IMF policy and activities in this area.
The issue of non-manual workers has become a global one and Executive Committee members felt it was very timely to address it. The composition of today's workforce is shifting from blue-collar to white-collar jobs, and as manufacturing becomes more and more technology intensive, this trend is bound to continue. At the same time, the unionization rate is low among these workers.
The changes in the industrial and occupational structure represent a major challenge for the trade unions, but they also offer an opportunity. Organising the unorganised is at the core of the IMF's Action Programme, and the mission of unions is to organise both the traditional core occupations and the non-manual, and represent the interests of both.
The IMF, recognising the importance of recruiting non-manual workers, recommended that its activities be strengthened worldwide for this group.
The issue of China was another key topic for discussion at the IMF Executive meeting.
A decision was taken to set up an ad hoc working group, to be led and coordinated by the IMF. Among its tasks will be to:
Regarding trade union developments in Belarus, the Executive Committee took the decision to immediately suspend the Automobile & Agricultural Machinery Workers' Union (AAM) from IMF affiliation and to recommend its expulsion to the IMF Central Committee. (See the associated link for background information.)
The next meeting of the IMF Executive will be held in Geneva in December.
The issue of non-manual workers has become a global one and Executive Committee members felt it was very timely to address it. The composition of today's workforce is shifting from blue-collar to white-collar jobs, and as manufacturing becomes more and more technology intensive, this trend is bound to continue. At the same time, the unionization rate is low among these workers.
The changes in the industrial and occupational structure represent a major challenge for the trade unions, but they also offer an opportunity. Organising the unorganised is at the core of the IMF's Action Programme, and the mission of unions is to organise both the traditional core occupations and the non-manual, and represent the interests of both.
The IMF, recognising the importance of recruiting non-manual workers, recommended that its activities be strengthened worldwide for this group.
The issue of China was another key topic for discussion at the IMF Executive meeting.
A decision was taken to set up an ad hoc working group, to be led and coordinated by the IMF. Among its tasks will be to:
- gather information on all on-going projects in China initiated and carried out by IMF affiliates or in association with other organisations, and
- make proposals to the Executive in terms of activities that should be organised by the IMF.
Regarding trade union developments in Belarus, the Executive Committee took the decision to immediately suspend the Automobile & Agricultural Machinery Workers' Union (AAM) from IMF affiliation and to recommend its expulsion to the IMF Central Committee. (See the associated link for background information.)
The next meeting of the IMF Executive will be held in Geneva in December.