17 November, 2010Building trade union networks, organizing workers in the auto sector and tackling the challenge of precarious work were major themes of the IMF Automotive Working Group meeting held on November 8 and 9 in Detroit.
USA: Forty two international trade union delegates from 13 countries met in Detroit, in the U.S. to discuss the major issues confronting auto workers throughout the world. The delegates represented workers from nearly all the auto companies worldwide.
During the meeting, which took place on November 8 and 9, the participants discussed the development of the global auto market and production. China is now the second largest (after Europe) auto market of the world and the auto industry is extremely dependent on this market and on the Latin America market as well.
It was commonly agreed to strengthen networking at the company level, but also at the international level between the different companies. The meeting decided to re-establish the GM/Opel trade union network and the Fiat/Chrysler trade union network in 2011 with two meetings organized by the IMF.
During the discussion delegates emphasized the need and the use of International Framework Agreements (IFAs) and union representatives from Daimler and VW underlined this with practical examples.
The UAW gave an impressive report on their organizing activities regarding the transplants of European and Asian auto companies in the U.S. This was followed by an intensive discussion praising their success, but also stating that this strategy needs close cooperation with the unions and works councils of the "Mother Companies".
A report of the BMW Works Council lead to a discussion about the need to establish relationships with workers' representatives in China and the delegate of the VW Works Council commented on their experiences in this regard.
Each company representative announced their next steps regarding strengthening the international union work, with some reporting a focus on developing their efforts in Russia, India and China.
All participants were in complete agreement that the meeting was a good platform not only for discussions but also for decisions to bring the union work forward and to give mutual support in organizing workers all over the world. On this basis it was decided to continue with a similar meeting next year.
At the end of the first day after a very intensive discussion about the development of the labour market the delegates passed a resolution on precarious work. The dramatic increasing of precarious work needs high attention and this issue has to be on the top of the agenda of the entire union work.