CROSS-BORDER SOCIAL DIALOGUE AND AGREEMENTS: An ...

Chapter 4
International framework agreements
in the context of global production
Nikolaus Hammer 1
he emergence of international framework agreements (IFAs) can
Tbe situated at the confluence of different forces, such as the
changing international political economy — the rising power of multinational
corporations (MNCs), the role of the World Trade Organization
(WTO), the weakening of the nation State — and the failure to create a
social counterweight within a multilateral context (see for example
O’Brien, 2000). Still, labour has managed to shape a new tool of transnational
industrial relations to establish fundamental labour rights, based
on elements from different historical and regional episodes, global union
councils and European works councils (EWCs) (Fairbrother and
Hammer, 2005).
IFAs have moved some way from the international labour strategies
of the 1960s, such as the campaigns against MNCs or coordinated bargaining
(see for example Levinson, 1972; Gallin, this volume), and reflect
the current international political economy. 2 A good number of IFAs for
instance contain references to the MNC’s suppliers and subcontractors
— in some cases supplier compliance with the IFA is even mandatory —
1
Lecturer, Centre for Labour Market Studies, University of Leicester (UK).
2
IFAs also reflect the current political economy in so far as the overwhelming majority has been concluded
with MNCs headquartered in Europe (see table 1 in the appendix) which reflects particular industrial
relations traditions but also poses challenges for transnational labour cooperation (see below).
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