Secretariat Report 2011 (pdf) - International Metalworkers' Federation

Secretariat Report for the Central Committee of the IMF
Unions mobilize in Geneva for the World Day of Decent Work.
Photo: IMF / 2011
In 2010, IMF made a submission to the UN Special Representative on Business and
Human Rights, John Ruggie, to draw his attention to the role played by precarious
work in undermining human rights. The resulting Guiding Principles adopted by the
UN Human Rights Council make clear the obligation of companies to respect
workers’ rights throughout their supply chains. Similarly, intervention by IMF with
other Global Unions resulted in the OECD’s revised Guidelines for MNEs setting a
much stronger framework for implementing the rights of precarious workers.
In 2011, IMF affiliates continued to fight precarious work on many fronts, including
mass demonstrations, collective bargaining and efforts to combat legislation
designed to extend precarious employment. Actions included over 210,000 workers
protesting in Germany against the growing threat of precarious employment,
200,000 workers marching on the Indian parliament to demand social security
coverage for all precarious workers and an end to reckless contracting and
outsourcing, and more than 10,000 Indonesian workers marching in Jakarta to
demand social security reforms and abolition of precarious work.
In October 2011, IMF worked closed with the Workers’ Bureau of the ILO to prepare
a workers’ symposium on precarious work. Several IMF affiliates participated in the
symposium and made their views heard at the ILO on how precarious work is
undermining union rights and permanent employment.
Information on action against precarious work is systematically published on the
IMF’s website at http://www.imfmetal.org/precariouswork.
5. Climate Change and Sustainability
Based on a resolution adopted by the IMF Congress in 2009, IMF started building
action together with the ICEM under the title “Cutting emissions, transforming jobs:
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