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The IMF has affiliates in 100 countries. Click on any country below to learn about affiliated organisations.

IMF Affiliates

In 1957, the IMF opened an office in Tokyo for the Japanese metalworkers' unions. In 1960 the IMF opened its Latin America office, now in Montevideo, Uruguay.In 1966, the first meeting of the World Company Councils for the automobile industry was held in Detroit, USA. Today, Company Council meetings are held as the need arises. In 1969, the first IMF regional office opened in New Delhi, India. In 1982, two white South African affiliates were expelled. The IMF was fully committed to supporting the new independent trade unions in South Africa. This support was strengthened with the opening of a new IMF office in Johannesburg in 1984. In 1991, the IMF Central Committee decided to admit trade unions from Central and Eastern Europe as affiliates. In 1993, a 100-point Action Programme was adopted at the IMF Centenary Congress in Zurich, Switzerland. In 1998 the IMF opened a regional office for Southeast Asia in Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaIn 2001, the 30th IMF Congress was held in Sydney, Australia. A new Action Programme for 2002-2005 was adopted. In 2002, the IMF signed its first International Framework Agreement in the auto industry with Volkswagen. In 2005, the IMF Congress adopted changes to the IMF Rules, increasing the participation of women in IMF structures, and updating the Action Programme. In 2002-2003, the IMF and its affiliates successfully campaigned for the release of imprisoned Korean trade unionists.In 2006, the IMF launched an international solidarity campaign in support of the Mexican miners' union.

Milestones in IMF history

The International Metalworkers' Federation (IMF) represents the collective interests of 25 million metalworkers from more than 200 unions in 100 countries. The IMF is a federation of national metalworkers' unions - a 'union of unions' at world level, and one of the oldest Global Union Federations. The IMF aims to improve metalworkers' wages, working and living conditions and defends the rights of metalworkers at a global level.To achieve this, we work with <a href="index.cfm?n=628">national affiliates</a> with the aim of building a strong international labour movement.Worldwide activities of the IMF are co-ordinated from our <a href="index.cfm?n=630">headquarters</a> in Geneva, Switzerland together with our network of <a href="index.cfm?n=631">regional offices</a>.<h3>Solidarity in action</h3>Read about the work of the IMF in action, as showcased in our case studies: <ul><li><a href="index.cfm?c=17919">Global action against precarious work</a></li><li><a href="index.cfm?c=19354">Asking for justice in Mexico!</a></li><li><a href="index.cfm?c=19355">Reducing shipbreaking hazards in India</a></li><li><a href="index.cfm?c=19356">Release Korean Unionists!</a></li><li><a href="index.cfm?c=19357">Organizing women workers in Indonesia</a></li><li><a href="../index.cfm?c=20712">Building sustainable unions in Africa</a></li></ul>

For a strong international labour movement

Millions of workers throughout the world work in Export Processing Zones or EPZs. Most of them are young women, who may have migrated to find work but are only offered temporary contracts with low levels of pay and substandard working conditions.  Precarious work is endemic in EPZs. Electronics is the principal IMF industry found in EPZs and IMF is working with its affiliates to encourage organising efforts. An important factor in successful organising is to ensure that women are adequately represented in the trade union and play a central role in EPZ organising.

Export Processing Zones

GENEVA: The <a href="../congress2009/files/09042021363279/Report-secretariat-2009-english-FINAL.pdf" title="Report of the Secretariat 2009">Report of the Secretariat</a> report details IMF work against the 2005-2009 Action Programme.Including an introduction from outgoing IMF General Secretary, Marcello Malentacchi, the report provides analysis on successes, and remaining challenges to improving metalworkers&#039; wages, working and living conditions. As well as providing an evaluation of different strategies, the report makes recommendations on future actions required by the IMF and affiliates in order to achieve our goals.Compiling country by country reports in alphabetical order, the <a href="../congress2009/files/09042223270179/Reports_of_Affiliates_2009-EN.pdf" title="Reports of Affiliates">Reports of Affiliates</a> provides a snapshot on the circumstances for metalworkers globally. For the first time IMF affiliates were asked to specifically report on the situation for precarious workers and how unions are responding. Both reports provide crucial information for delegates&#039; preparation for the IMF World Congress. All Congress delegates will receive a printed copy of both reports in their Congress kit when they arrive in Gothenburg and electronic copies have already been circulated. To download copies please visit <a href="../Congress2009">www.imfmetal.org/Congress2009</a>

New reports covering the activities of the IMF Secretariat and affiliates over the last four years are now available to download on the IMF World Congress Website.

New Congress reports now available

If you have questions about the International Metalworkers' Federation or require information about unions or metalworkers, please write to us. We strive to answer enquiries promptly. International Metalworkers&#039; Federation 54bis, route des Acacias Case Postale 1516 CH-1227 Geneva Switzerland Telephone: + 41 22 308 5050 Fax: + 41 22 308 5055 E-mail: <a href="mailto:info@imfmetal.org">info@imfmetal.org</a>

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GENEVA: The struggle for precarious workers to win equality on the job takes centre stage at the third annual Geneva Labour Film Shorts Festival, featuring films that tell the story of irregular workers in Korea and the drastic measures they take to be heard; the fight for equality among contract workers in India; the struggle of migrant workers living outside of Tel Aviv in an abandoned shopping mall; and union successes in organising EPZ workers.A film about undocumented Burmese migrant fishers was awarded Best Labour Film Short of 2009 by the film festival jury. The film, Abandoned, not forgotten: the plight of Burma's migrant fishers, produced by the International Transport Workers' Federation, exposes the brutal treatment of migrant workers from Burma who work in Thailand's billion dollar export fishing industry. Other films to be shown address the need to defend independent media, union strategies to end child labour, the need for maternity protection for women workers and a united steelworkers' response to the global financial crisis.This year's jury is made up of members of the Global Union Communicator's Task Force, representing global union federations and the International Confederation of Trade Unions.The event will take place in downtown Geneva at the historic Grütli Theatre (rue du General-Dufour 16) on 16 June from 19h00 to 22h00, a reception begins at 18h30 to welcome filmgoers. The festival is hosted by all global union federations, the ITUC and TUAC. The films are in English or have English subtitles and admission is free.For more information and film programme, visit the festival website at: <a href="http://www.labourfilmshorts.org/">http://www.labourfilmshorts.org/</a>

The third annual Geneva Labour Film Shorts Festival features fourteen films from around the world produced by, for, and about unions and working people.

2009 Geneva Labour Film Shorts Festival

Precarious work is focus of 2009 labour film festival

Workers in the world&#039;s iron and steel industry are severely affected by the cyclical nature of this sector. Through trade union strength at national and international levels this department advances workers' rights. In order to do this we facilitate meetings, undertake research and challenge companies who fail to recognise that trade unions often hold the solution to workplace problems. Rob Johnston, <a href="mailto:rjohnston@imfmetal.org">rjohnston@imfmetal.org</a>, is director for this sector.

Iron, steel and non-ferrous metals

This department deals with a wide range of companies, for example producers of consumer electronics and computer hardware and software. Companies include GE, Philips, Siemens, Infineon and Intel. The department aims to develop trade union strategies for the sector and improving and strengthening the information exchange in transnational companies. Jenny Holdcroft, <a href="mailto:jholdcroft@imfmetal.org">jholdcroft@imfmetal.org</a>, is director for this sector.

Electrical and electronics

The Aerospace department aims to coordinate affiliates' policy in the sector and to develop a common strategy for unions to address developments and challenges in the industry. The work is carried out through a Steering Committee. There is also close cooperation with the European Metalworkers' Federation and its Aerospace working group.Jenny Holdcroft, <a href="mailto:jholdcroft@imfmetal.org">jholdcroft@imfmetal.org</a>, is director for aerospace.

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