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22 June, 2000The IMF's Central Committee adopts statement of support for the Coordinated Bargaining Committee (CBC) of GE unions.
BIRMINGHAM: There was unanimous approval at the International Metalworkers' Federation Central Committee meeting, this week in Birmingham, of the IMF's statement of support for international coordination at General Electric. The GE strategy of income cutting and employment downsizing in a global auction to determine which workers can be forced to work for the lowest possible wage is deplorable, says the statement. The company is currently in the midst of bargaining with 40,000 members of 14 U.S. unions.
GE recorded net profits of $10.7 billion in 1999. Nearly $5 billion of these profits were distributed to stockholders last year. In the months leading up to the opening of the year 2000 contract negotiations, however, the U.S. unions have been subjected to a reckless campaign by top GE management to intimidate workers and their unions. "We don't need some third party to give people voice and dignity," says the company.
As part of the effort, the IMF will coordinate efforts to identify common strategic goals in the areas of collective bargaining and organisational policy among the IMF-affiliated GE unions around the world. IMF Departments will promote the systematic exchange of information and joint research programmes at regional and international levels.
In the statement, the IMF, representing 23 million members of 195 unions in 101 countries, resolves to (quote):
- Pledge to our North American colleagues in the CBC, our full support and solidarity during their crucial negotiations with General Electric. We fully realise that the outcome of these negotiations will have consequences in all countries with IMF affiliates.
- Join with our U.S. brothers and sisters in observing the second annual GE International Solidarity Day this Friday, June 23, 2000.
- Monitor and oppose GE's transfer and the relocation of work for the purpose of exploiting working people and pitting us against one another.
- Commit our full support to the principle of setting international labour standards as a condition for world trade.
- Strengthen and expand our contacts with GE unions and to facilitate the exchange of information.
- Confirm our fundamental belief that the best hope of progress is to build and encourage strong democratic, independent and militant unions throughout the world, that will promote and defend the working and living conditions of all workers.
To these ends, we call upon all IMF-affiliated unions to leave no task undone in mobilising support for the GE workers in the United States until they win a fair contract from General Electric in 2000.
GE recorded net profits of $10.7 billion in 1999. Nearly $5 billion of these profits were distributed to stockholders last year. In the months leading up to the opening of the year 2000 contract negotiations, however, the U.S. unions have been subjected to a reckless campaign by top GE management to intimidate workers and their unions. "We don't need some third party to give people voice and dignity," says the company.
As part of the effort, the IMF will coordinate efforts to identify common strategic goals in the areas of collective bargaining and organisational policy among the IMF-affiliated GE unions around the world. IMF Departments will promote the systematic exchange of information and joint research programmes at regional and international levels.
In the statement, the IMF, representing 23 million members of 195 unions in 101 countries, resolves to (quote):
- Pledge to our North American colleagues in the CBC, our full support and solidarity during their crucial negotiations with General Electric. We fully realise that the outcome of these negotiations will have consequences in all countries with IMF affiliates.
- Join with our U.S. brothers and sisters in observing the second annual GE International Solidarity Day this Friday, June 23, 2000.
- Monitor and oppose GE's transfer and the relocation of work for the purpose of exploiting working people and pitting us against one another.
- Commit our full support to the principle of setting international labour standards as a condition for world trade.
- Strengthen and expand our contacts with GE unions and to facilitate the exchange of information.
- Confirm our fundamental belief that the best hope of progress is to build and encourage strong democratic, independent and militant unions throughout the world, that will promote and defend the working and living conditions of all workers.
To these ends, we call upon all IMF-affiliated unions to leave no task undone in mobilising support for the GE workers in the United States until they win a fair contract from General Electric in 2000.