15 November, 20192019 is coming to an end, but IndustriALL continues to fight for an economic and social model that puts people first. Together with our affiliated unions we challenge the power of multinational companies, while globally, anti-union behaviour by governments and employers becomes more prevalent.
We are less than a year away from IndustriALL’s third Congress, to be held in Cape Town in October 2020, where we will unite for a just future under the slogan Amandla Awethu.
This issue of Global Worker takes a closer look at two successful organizing initiatives; Bhutanese students in Japan who ended up working long hours, sometimes illegally, for low wages managed to form a union with the support of JAM.
And home-based workers, primarily women, fighting forward and forming a union to claim rights for their members and winning significant victories.
Mining giant BHP has a clear policy to outsource workers, who end up working side by side with those on permanent contracts, but with less pay and more precarious conditions. After a decision in our Executive Committee, IndustriALL launched a campaign against the company together with the global network of unions at BHP operations.
7 October, World Day for Decent Work, is a day of action for unions around the world, repeating the message to STOP Precarious Work. See photos of union action.
Now more than ever, we need to come together and fight back. With hundreds of millions of unionized workers around the world, we are a force to be reckoned with.
Now more than ever, we need to come together and fight back. With hundreds of millions of unionized workers around the world, we are a force to be reckoned with. Here are some of the issues central to unions’ struggles in the coming period.
Nearly one year ago, at our Executive Committee in Mexico City in December 2018, IndustriALL adopted an action plan on international trade and manufacturing policies to help affiliates become more involved in talks concerning multilateral trade agreements and treaties. We delve deeper into what the African Continental Free Trade Agreement will entail. Will it promote fair trade and create decent jobs?
We are seeing a profound transformation in the world of work, a transformation which brings both challenges and opportunities. As unions we need to protect workers along the way; read about the recently signed agreement with French car manufacturer Renault on building the world of work.
Beauty Zibula from South African textile union SACTWU has left IndustriALL’s Executive Committee and instead taken up a seat in South Africa’s parliament. She talks of her journey from the shop floor to the centre of politics in this interview.
This is an issue with inspiring stories; when we come together, we win.
A luta continua.
Valter Sanches
General Secretary