Secretariat Report 2011 (pdf) - International Metalworkers' Federation

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Secretariat Report for the Central Committee of the IMF of physical violence against workers are all increasing. IMF is often called to respond immediately to protest against a company or the government’s violent response to an industrial dispute. When a multinational is involved, we actively engage key affiliates or the ILO and other international institutions, when appropriate. Our long-term work is focused on the rights of precarious workers and Penal Code article 314 on “obstruction of business”, which is used to undermine freedom of association and the right to strike. These priority areas of work were also adopted by TUAC and the ITUC following a Global Union mission to Korea in 2009. The IMF took the lead in the Global Unions family to initiate a round of concerted action in support of trade union rights in Korea on the occasion of the G20 summit in Seoul in November 2010. Global Unions and numerous affiliates called for the Korean government to honour its international commitments and respect workers’ rights. While the international labour community is in agreement on ways to go forward, more discussions need to take place with our Korean affiliates to ensure that there is a clear consensus on how best to develop a long-term, international campaign for 2012. Russia In 2012, Russia will be taken off the list of IMF priority countries due to a somewhat improved situation regarding trade union rights in the past two years, but more because of the lack of a common view among our affiliates on how best to go forward. Still, we continue to follow all cases of trade union rights violations and are a signatory to an ILO complaint against Russia filed in 2010. Colombia IMF works with affiliates and NGOs to keep the spotlight on trade union rights violations in Colombia, and to act at the regional and international level when violations occur. The General Secretary joined an international delegation of politicians and trade union leaders to Colombia in July 2010. Organized by Justice for Colombia, participants met with senior government figures in Colombia, including President-elect Juan Manuel Santos, Vice President Angelino Garzón and Foreign Minister María Angela Holguín. President-elect Santos made strong commitments to improving human and labour rights, including the creation of an inter-institutional body and dialogue with trade unions and civil society organizations. Delegates also met with victims and family members of murdered activists and trade unionists, and with political prisoners. In December 2010, IMF participated in a Hearing on Colombia in the European Parliament in Brussels, which denounced the continuation of the civil war in Colombia, with human rights abuses occurring on an almost daily basis. Opposition politicians, human rights defenders, trade unionists, indigenous people and journalists are still being assassinated. The perpetrators continue to enjoy almost complete impunity. This event was followed by a strategy meeting for unionists involved in a campaign against the EU-Colombia free trade agreement. It is imperative to improve cooperation on Colombia between GUFs, national trade unions and NGOs. Concerted action provides for bigger impact and pressure than scattered initiatives. The IMF has taken the initiative to introduce different actors to each other, and we continue to be active. - 6 -
Secretariat Report for the Central Committee of the IMF Philippines Following an IMF mission to the Philippines and subsequent decisions taken by the Executive Committee in June 2010, the IMF wrote to the new President Benigno Aquino about the labour-related killings and other serious trade union and human rights violations that had gone unpunished under the previous administration. So far there has been no reply from the authorities, but in September 2010, an IMF delegation led by Executive Director Rob Johnston visited the Department of Labour and Employment (DOLE) in Manila, urging the new administration to address the problems. The Undersecretary of Labour responded by outlining a 22-point labour plan that the new administration hopes to adopt, including improving protection of workers' rights and establishing social dialogue mechanisms to encourage a greater respect of labour rights. At the same time, the IMF is continuing strategic work with three union groupings in the Philippines on organizing and collective bargaining, in the spirit of mutual respect and non-competition. In May 2011, IMF approved the affiliation of the Metalworkers Alliance of the Philippines (MWAP) and the Philippine Metalworkers’ Alliance (PMA). IMF is in the beginning stages of working with these unions and social partners to activate a trade union rights strategy in the Philippines. Following a mission of IMF’s Trade Union Rights Director to Zimbabwe and Swaziland, work is being developed on these countries. Also Belarus belongs to the countries of focused work, in cooperation with other Global Unions. Global campaigns and TNCs IMF works closely with ICEM and other GUFs to increase pressure on companies that violate fundamental trade union rights. We have greatly improved our capacity to coordinate with affiliates on supply chain pressure tactics. This includes using international tools such as the OECD MNE Guidelines, IFAs, Socially Responsible Investment firms and TNC networks to press companies to comply with International Labour Standards. At the regional level, we often work closely with European Works Councils. Over the past two years, notable examples of our strategic campaigns work include: Vale Inco Canada More than 3500 members of the United Steelworkers went on strike in July 2009 at operations of the Brazilian mining and metal giant Vale in Canada after the company attempted to force workers to accept large concessions despite record profits. IMF and ICEM worked jointly to coordinate global support, organizing massive solidarity actions at Vale worksites and investor events in Brazil, Germany, Sweden, United Kingdom, Spain, New Caledonia, Indonesia, Mozambique, South Korea and other countries, including a global day of action held in April 2010. 18 months later the Fair Deal NOW campaign ended in success with the ratification of a new five-year collective agreement that preserved pensions and bonuses for Canadian workers, and had an indirect impact on temporary turned permanent contracts for Vale workers in Mozambique. For details, see: http://www.imfmetal.org/index.cfm?c=25296&l=2 - 7 -
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