8 October, 2009Thousands of metalworkers have taken action this week as part of the global campaign against precarious work. Reports include sports games in Bulgaria, flashmobs in Hungary, balloon release in Germany and a massive rally in Thailand.
GLOBAL: Thousands of metalworkers have taken action this week as part of the global campaign against precarious work; many of the actions occurred yesterday, October 7, on the World Day for Decent Work, coordinated by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC).
Reports of action received so far include:
- In Bulgaria TU "Metalicy" held their national metalworkers' sport games from September 30 to October 4, focusing on the issue of precarious work.
- In Hamburg, Germany 15,000 trainees from IG Metall Küste section released balloons bearing postcards with their wished for the future. With virtually no job prospects, unpaid internships, temping, fixed-term contracts and poor pay seem to have become the rule for young people, not the exception.
- In Hungary VASAS reports they held successful flashmob actions organized in 12 towns and cities all over Hungary on October 7 gaining extensive media coverage.
- In Indonesia IMF affiliates FSPMI and Lomenik held a rally on October 8 of over 6,000 people calling for an end to precarious work.
- In South Africa Numsa held pickets on October 7 carrying posters saying "We fought slavery and labour brokering is no different".
- In Switzerland, IMF participated in a movie night viewing of the latest "Yes Men" documentary on October 7, organized by the UNI global union.
In Turkey and Thailand, IMF joined up with other global union federations to highlight the harmful effects of precarious work and contract and agency labour. On October 1, a delegation of global union leaders, including IMF general secretary Jyrki Raina, met with Turkey's Minister for Labour and were assured that the bill giving "Private Labour Offices" broad rights to place temporary workers in enterprises would not be pursued.
On October 3, Raina participated in a rally against the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, before joining a second demonstration that Birlesik Metal and Sinter Metal workers held from Kartal to the concert hall were a Solidarity Event was held. The Solidarity Event began in the evening with a film which was explaining the history of Birlesik Metal and the Sinter Metal struggle.
In Thailand, the IMF and other international trade union federations lent their support to the Thai labour movement's campaign to protect precarious workers and their demands for the ratification of core labour conventions. Ten thousand workers, including a large contingent from IMF affiliate TEAM, marched to Government House in Bangkok at noon on October 7 demanding the abolition of temporary, casual contract and other form of non-regular employment and calling for the ratification of the core International Labour Organisation conventions to protect workers' rights in Thailand.
IMF assistant general secretary Fernando Lopes spoke at the rally stating, "Around the world today, unions are taking the fight to governments, calling on them to ensure equal rights for precarious workers and to strengthen legislation to prevent employers from using precarious employment in place of permanent and direct employment."
Reports received from IMF affiliates about actions held during this global week of action will be posted on the IMF website here: