GLOBAL: Delegates urged real implementation and unity of action during debate of the IMF Action Programme today.

Sections 3.1, 3.2 and 3.3 were all unanimously endorsed by the IMF World Congress, but not without strong debate.

"Solidarity is not just a word," said Horacio Fuentes (CONSTRAMET, Chile) speaking on section 3.1, Build Strong National Unions.

The need for regional approaches was emphasized by IMF-JC President Koichira Nishihara, and Alexei Etmanov from ITUA in Russia where attacks on unions are an increasing challenge.

"Without collective bargaining, there would be no union," said Antonino Regazzi (FLM, Italy) for section 3.2 Bargain Collectively

IMF affiliates were called on to share their experience in national collective bargaining by delegate Aparecido Sérgio Nobre from CNM-CUT in Brazil, where workers from different regions are paid radically different wages.

USW delegate, Carol Landry emphasized inequality in wages and working conditions for women, who are bearing the brunt of the global economic crisis.

Delegates reported that the crisis is worsening trade union rights abuses in Russia, Belarus, Chile, Columbia and elsewhere during debate for section 3.3, Defend and protect workers’ rights.

John Vinesh Mudaliar (NUFCW, Fiji) summed up debate for section 3.3 and the day: "We come from many parts of the world, but we have one common task, and that is to fight for the workers."

EUROPE: In a joint submission to the European Commission, the International and European Metalworkers’ Federations have called for the establishment of a new independent authority to regulate one of the world’s most dangerous industries, ship-breaking.

The submission also calls for mandatory legislated standards after the failure of voluntary codes established by the International Labour Organisation, Basel Convention and International Maritime Organisation.

At present, ship breaking is concentrated in a few developing countries (mainly in Asia) on account of the low wages and lack of compliance with international standards on safety, health and lack of environmental controls offered in these nations.

"It is no longer acceptable that we close our eyes to the daily exploitation of ship breaking workers. Both IMF and EMF demand a safer and greener global system for dismantling ships. Our joint submission aims to give a voice to the affected workers and their concerns" states Jyrki Raina, the newly elected IMF General Secretary."

"By presenting a joint submission we hope that the Commission will

recognise the importance we place on this issue. The EU must not wait for the implementation of a new international instrument in 2015 as this will cost hundreds of lives. The EU must show leadership by creating the conditions for a European ship breaking sector that can set exemplary international standards", says Peter Scherrer, EMF General Secretary.

In their submission to a public consultation on ship breaking, the IMF and EMF call for immediate implementation of new measures to improve working conditions for ship breakers.

The submission calls for:

• Mandatory, legislated workplace, labour right and environmental standards to be applied for ship breaking employers
• All ship breaking processes to include standard inventories of all hazardous materials on board ships slated for dismantling
• A clear role for trade unions in monitoring and regulation
• Mandatory dismantling of all European military and government vessels with in the EU
• The creation of a European ship breaking sector that can set exemplary international standards by being ecologically and socially responsible as well as economically, industrially and socially innovative.

A copy of the submission is published on the IMF website.

GLOBAL: "My style of leadership is based on openness, democracy, consultation and involvement of the whole IMF family," said Jyrki Raina in his first official speech as General Secretary to the more than 800 delegates attending the IMF World Congress.

Raina stated that the IMF will have one policy, "the IMF Action Programme 2009-2013, that you, the Congress delegates will debate and adopt in the course of today and tomorrow." He added that the IMF must fortify its action, build strong unions, organise the unorganised, defend workers’ rights with innovative campaigns and promote greater equality and decent work.

The new General Secretary spoke about the economic crisis and the need to move to a sustainable future with unions participating in the change. "Now we have a historic opportunity to change this model to another one with a real development agenda for social justice, eradication of poverty, fair rules for trade and investment, and for fighting precarious employment," he said.

Raina identified the issue of precarious work as a key priority for the IMF. Raina noted that in developing countries typically 50 to 80 per cent of employment is informal and elsewhere atypical work is exploding. Raina warned of the risk that during economic recovery good jobs that have been lost will be replaced by precarious jobs. "We need an effective, comprehensive global campaign against precarious employment making it possible to involve people in joint action using the full capacity of the IMF and Global Union family," he said.

To organise the unorganised was another key point raised by Jyrki Raina. "Our strength now and in the future depends on our ability to organise workers, to negotiate collective agreements and to unite our forces in times of trouble."

Raina emphasised his commitment to maintain regional balance and actively inform and involve affiliates around the world in the work of the IMF.

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GLOBAL:  IMF affiliates were united in their support for the new leadership team elected by Congress yesterday with a mandate until 2013. Following adoption of amendments to the IMF Rules, the Congress held elections for five leadership positions ensuring greater representation of the various regions of the IMF.

Berthold Huber, IG Metall President, was elected IMF President. Huber has been a member of IG Metall since 1971 and served as IG Metall Vice President since 2003 and President since 2007.

Thomas R. Buffenbarger, International President of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, was elected by Congress delegates as IMF Vice President. Buffenbarger leads over 700,000 active and retired IAM members in Canada and the US.

Jyrki Raina, Nordic IN General Secretary, was elected IMF General Secretary. Recognising the unanimous support for his election, Raina said, "Our unity is the base of our force. It is with pride and a great sense of humility that I accept this election."  Raina began his trade union work in Finland and for the last six years has co-ordinated the Nordic unions’ activities in Europe and at the global level.

Hiroshi Kamada and Fernando Lopes were elected by the Congress as IMF Assistant General Secretaries.

The Congress also elected the members of the Executive Committee and Auditing Committee.

GLOBAL: The IMF Secretariat Report to delegates urged unions worldwide to mobilize workers to seize the opportunity the current economic crisis represents.

"More and more employers are using the financial crisis as an excuse to limit or erode fundamental worker rights," said outgoing IMF General Secretary Marcello Malentacchi.

Mr. Malentacchi blamed the failure of global financial institutions to properly control the world’s economy for the current crisis.

"The market forces that were supposed to improve welfare for all have instead created social unrest and generated more poverty in many countries.

"Knowing as we do the causes and impacts of the current crisis, we must now look to how we can transform it."

But, Malentacchi cautioned that unions’ ability to organize the unorganized was crucial to their ability to respond to the crisis.

"Opportunity is there if we can seize it, but only if we are able to reach out to workers and mobilize them into action.

"It is up to unions to ensure that we are able to motivate individuals into solidarity and collective action.

"When we work together to exert that power on a local, regional, national and global level, unions can influence and force change on companies, governments and laws.

"From there we may create the kinds of change that will bring secure jobs for a secure future."

 

The IMF Working Group on China delivered its report to the IMF World Congress calling on delegates to revive their commitment to engage with Chinese workers in multinational companies on trade union and human rights.

Goran Johnsson, former Svenska Metal President, addressed the Congress urging the IMF to increase engagement with Chinese workers and unions at the local level. "Chinese workers deserve good conditions, Chinese workers deserve democratic trade unions," Johnsson said, adding  "…if we want to achieve our objectives, we must develop new activities." Johnsson also called on the IMF and its affiliates to push for China to adopt and ratify all core ILO Conventions.

The working group reported that despite the economic downturn throughout the world, China´s economy continues to grow at a steady rate of eight per cent, noting that this figure will increase once world economies recover.

In April 2009 the IMF held a seminar in Shanghai, China to discuss issues such as collective bargaining at the national level and trade union responses to the economic crisis. IMF affiliates from five countries participated in the seminar as did local and national union leaders of the All China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU).

GLOBAL:  The new IMF website, at http://www.imfmetal.org, leads with regular news reports on issues affecting metalworkers and their unions around the world and features solidarity issues.  The site opens on a world map illustrating ´hot spots´ where continuing repression of workers´ rights are taking place in the metal sector.

The new structure of the website is easy to navigate and includes sections on IMF industrial departments and regional offices. IMF Global reports on key areas of work including export processing zones, non-manual workers and trade, employment and development.

IMF publications, such as the Auto Report and the quarterly journal Metal World, are available for download on the website. Users can also find information about the IMF, its history, structure and contact details for the head office and regional offices.

The website is published in English, French, Spanish and Russian, with some sections also available in German, Swedish and Italian.

SWEDEN: Executive Committee members of the International Metalworkers’ Federation met in Gothenburg on 21 May to discuss building closer cooperation with Global Union Federations and proposed candidates to lead the IMF for the next four years.

Proposed rule changes, if adopted by Congress delegates on 25 May, will allow for the election of one or more IMF Assistant General Secretaries as well as IMF Vice-President. Elections will also be held on Monday for the position of IMF President and IMF General Secretary.

Committee members discussed concrete steps for closer cooperation and coordination with Global Union Federations and all agreed such measures should be taken up by the new IMF leadership as a priority of future work.

Three unions were unanimously approved for affiliation to the IMF: the Vietnam National Union of Workers in Industry and Trade (VUIT) with a membership of 40,597; the Metals Industry Committee of Industrial Union of Serbia (ISS) representing 7,000 members; and the Mining and metallurgy Trade Union of Kyrgyzstan (MMTUK) representing 7,200 workers.

Marcello Malentacchi, IMF general secretary, delivered the secretariat report noting the many current struggles metalworkers are engaged in as Congress opens on Sunday and the need for strengthening our solidarity efforts in defence of labour rights around the world.

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