30 May, 2013IndustriALL Global Union’s Executive Committee on 29 May commits to a comprehensive action plan on sustainable industrial policy. The Committee also affiliates the first new independent union from Egypt.
Representing 50 million workers from a range of industrial sectors, IndustriALL Global Union wants to push for recognition of the importance of industry to national economies and as providers of good quality jobs.
The Executive Committee endorsed a comprehensive action plan on sustainable industrial policy to:
- Build a common understanding among affiliates on union priorities, based on a discussion paper
- Develop a strategic approach to sustainability for each sector
- Share effective strategies for influencing governments on sustainable industrial policies
- Use trade union networks in multinational companies to identify joint actions
- Convene regional workshops to identify key sustainability issues and develop joint actions
Robust discussions were held around the issues of trade union networks and global framework agreements (GFA) with multinational companies (MNC). IndustriALL Assistant General Secretary Kemal Özkan reported on newly established trade union networks at International Paper, Sappi, Saint Gobain and Owens Illinois. This year 21 company and sectoral networks will meet to build solidarity and joint action.
Both positive and negative examples of GFAs have been experienced by IndustriALL affiliates. The Executive decided to set up a working group to monitor the contents and proper implementation of GFAs, and to work on a Charter of Principles to Confront Corporate Bad Behaviour, proposed by Workers’ Uniting.
IndustriALL has concluded over 40 GFAs with major companies. Recently, a revised GFA was signed with Lafarge, and on 14 June a new GFA with Italian electric power utility Enel will be signed. The agreements contain improved language on permanent employment over precarious work and neutrality on organizing. New processes have been initiated with French oil and gas company Total, and the mining giant Anglo American.
The Executive established a working group for developing a new affiliation fee system by the next Congress.
The Committee approved the affiliation of the eight unions from Argentina, Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Nigeria, Moldova, Tunisia, and the first new independent union from Egypt, the electricity workers’ union.
The Executive Committee decided to meet on 4-5 December in Tunis as a show of support for democratic development in Tunisia after the revolution that launched the Arab spring in 2011.