The IMF has affiliates in 100 countries. Click on any country below to learn about affiliated organisations.

The International Metalworkers' Federation is one of the largest and oldest Global Union Federations.

The IMF was created in August 1893 when thirty members from metalworkers unions in eight countries met in a small hotel in Zurich with the aim of creating an International Bureau, thus founding the IMF. These early members laid the foundations for international cooperation between all metalworkers' unions of the world.

Organising workers

Data collected by the Bureau at the time showed that social and economic conditions for metalworkers were extremely difficult. Working hours in Europe ranged from 11.5 to 15 hours a day and wages were very low. Only a small number of metalworkers were organised and the structure of unions at the national level was highly fragmented.

From the beginning, solidarity between unions extended further than simply exchanging information and was focused on offering mutual support:

• Within the first three years, British metalworkers contributed 1,000 marks to the Solingen cutlery-makers out on a protracted strike.  
• Swiss metalworkers contributed 100 Swiss francs to moulders engaged in a harsh struggle in Nuremberg.
• German metalworkers later reciprocated in 1897 when British engineering workers were fighting for the eight-hour day and foundry workers in Denmark demanding higher wages were locked out.
• Everywhere, especially in Germany, funds were raised, establishing a tradition of international solidarity that has significantly strengthened metalworkers' unions to this day.

Eight hours work, leisure and sleep

The early 1900's were characterised by rapid economic growth in international trade and investments. Metalworkers understood the important strategic role that the IMF could play in protecting human and trade union rights. In 1893 the first Congress wrote:

"Our endeavour must be to fulfil the slogan of the May Day celebrations: eight hours' work, eight hours' leisure, eight hours' sleep."

In 1904, the different unions, which now included representatives from 11 countries, decided to create the International Metalworkers' Federation (IMF).

The goals of the Federation have always been to:

• encourage metalworkers' organisations to co-operate on trade union matters;
• support unionisation efforts in countries where trade unions are weak; and
• establish guidelines for effectively implementing solidarity actions during labour disputes.

At our 2005 Congress, we adopted an Action Programme setting out four main areas for action, which include:

• global structures to meet global challenges
• strategies to engage transnational companies
• solidarity and organising
• a social dimension to economic globalisation

In our commitment to creating global structures to meet global challenges, the IMF will:

• continue to build a global union able to co-ordinate and implement actions at all levels, wherever and whenever they are required;
• continue to work with other Global Union Federations and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and the Trade Union Advisory Committee to the OECD to pursue the interests of its affiliates;
• encourage cooperation and build unity between unions; and
• begin building information networks between affiliates and maintain and effective communications system.

As we develop strategies to engage transnational companies, the IMF will:

• continue to focus on building and maintaining solidarity among trade unions and workers across the global production chains of metalworking companies and industries;
• strengthen links between unions that represent workers across production chains in transnational corporations through the IMF World Company Councils and sector-based networks and action groups;
• negotiate and implement international framework agreements with transnational corporations;
• find and support other mechanisms that engage transnational corporations.

As we strengthen solidarity and capacity to organise, the IMF will:

• defend and promote collective bargaining, assisting affiliates in bargaining on wages and working conditions, and on outsourcing, job security and other issues associated with corporate restructuring;
• promote union building by co-ordinating and supporting projects as well as providing advice to its affiliates on issues such as organising strategies, unions structures and equal rights;
• promote equal rights, including improving the representation of women in IMF structures;
• protect and promote health and safety at work, including campaigning for a ban on asbestos;
• take international solidarity actions in support of social achievements, workers' rights, organising and collective bargaining; and
• organise the unorganised, particularly of women, young workers and non-manual workers and in export processing zones and small- and medium-sized enterprises.

To promote a social dimension to economic globalisation, the IMF will:

• cooperate with and be part of the social movement against globalisation that favours only the transnational corporations;
• demand that all national governments implement internationally recognised Core Labour Standards, including the right to organise and bargain collectively, and that these rights are included in all trade agreements; and
• fight for sustainable economic development and growth as described in the document Strategies for an alternative economic programme, based on the following four pillars:
  • job creation and purchasing power
  • debt cancellation and development assistance
  • regulations capital movements
  • reform of the global institutions of governance

The International Metalworkers’ Federation boasts more than 200 affiliated unions in 100 countries and represents the interests of 25 million metalworkers worldwide.

Congress

Our key decision-making body is Congress, which meets once every four years and agrees to an action programme which sets out the long-term aims and goals of our work. All affiliates have the right to send delegates to Congress.

Congress also determines the Rules of the organisation, indicating how the IMF is run.

Committees

The Central Committee meets once every two years and is responsible for all decisions made between Congresses.

The Congress elects the President and the General Secretary of the IMF and the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee consists of 25 members, including at least six women, and meets twice a year. All regions in the world are represented in the ExComm.

The Finance Committee consists of six members from the Executive Committee, plus the IMF President, Vice President and General Secretary. This Committee makes recommendations about financial planning and examines the IMF annual budget.

The Secretariat carries out the decisions made by Congress and the Central Committee. It is managed by the General Secretary.

The IMF headquarters is located in Geneva, Switzerland, where the activities of the organisation are coordinated through a network of regional offices.

IMF activities are primarily financed by affiliation fees from its member organisations.

The core mission of the International Metalworkers’ Federation is to improve workers’ wages, working and living conditions, and to ensure that workers’ rights are respected, particularly in the metal industry.

The IMF represents blue- and white-collar workers in industries such as steel, non-ferrous metals and ore mining, mechanical engineering, shipbuilding, automobile, aerospace, electrical and electronics.

The IMF brings together metalworker trade unions at national and international level to help members challenge the neo-liberal agenda of corporations and conservative governments and to ensure all share in the wealth generated through sustainable economic growth.

By working with other organisations, the IMF aims to

• Build a global metalworkers’ movement.
• Organise the unorganised.
• Strengthen international solidarity.
• Engage with trans-national corporations.
• Negotiate international framework agreements.
• Secure workers’ rights, including the rights of women workers.
• Fight for sustainable economic development, and
• Promote fair trade, social justice and the elimination of poverty.

See our 2009-2013 Action Programme for full details.

From technology and communications to trade, economics and politics, the world is undergoing rapid change. The consequences of this rapid globalisation directly impact workers around the world, affecting their daily working and family lives.

The key challenge unions face today is to make economic globalisation serve rather than enslave working people; to defend their rights in the face of increasingly centralised bodies of power.

The International Metalworkers’ Federation (IMF) is a worldwide association of national metal trade unions. Our job is to support solidarity across national boundaries between blue- and white-collar workers in key industrial sectors, improving pay and working conditions for millions of people.

	"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." Jyrki Raina IMF General Secretary
	"Taking a national approach to policy has limited effect for trade unions nowadays. We must follow up our statements on international cooperation and solidarity with adequate actions. Despite our national differences, there is more that unites than divides us." Berthold Huber IMF President

Unions today – more relevant than ever

Trade unions are being confronted by the new and difficult challenges of economic globalisation. Modern technology has erased geographical borders and increased the pace of change in industry. Twenty years ago, companies found it difficult to move production from one country to another – today it can be done quickly and easily. The driving force behind this change is the quest for ever cheaper production.

Every one of these decisions affects working people and their families, which is why we believe that international trade union activities are more relevant than ever.

The International Metalworkers’ Federation (IMF) represents the collective interests of 25 million metalworkers from more than 200 unions in 100 countries. The IMF is a federation of national metalworkers’ unions – a ‘union of unions’ at world level, and one of the oldest Global Union Federations. 

The IMF aims to improve metalworkers’ wages, working and living conditions and defends the rights of metalworkers at a global level.

To achieve this, we work with national affiliates with the aim of building a strong international labour movement.

Worldwide activities of the IMF are co-ordinated from our headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland together with our network of regional offices.

Solidarity in action

Read about the work of the IMF in action, as showcased in our case studies:

• Global action against precarious work
• Asking for justice in Mexico!
• Reducing shipbreaking hazards in India
• Release Korean Unionists!
• Organizing women workers in Indonesia
• Building sustainable unions in Africa

Millions of workers throughout the world work in Export Processing Zones or EPZs. Most of them are young women, who may have migrated to find work but are only offered temporary contracts with low levels of pay and substandard working conditions.  Precarious work is endemic in EPZs. Electronics is the principal IMF industry found in EPZs and IMF is working with its affiliates to encourage organising efforts. An important factor in successful organising is to ensure that women are adequately represented in the trade union and play a central role in EPZ organising.

GENEVA: The Report of the Secretariat report details IMF work against the 2005-2009 Action Programme.

Including an introduction from outgoing IMF General Secretary, Marcello Malentacchi, the report provides analysis on successes, and remaining challenges to improving metalworkers' wages, working and living conditions.

As well as providing an evaluation of different strategies, the report makes recommendations on future actions required by the IMF and affiliates in order to achieve our goals.

Compiling country by country reports in alphabetical order, the Reports of Affiliates provides a snapshot on the circumstances for metalworkers globally.

For the first time IMF affiliates were asked to specifically report on the situation for precarious workers and how unions are responding.

Both reports provide crucial information for delegates' preparation for the IMF World Congress.

All Congress delegates will receive a printed copy of both reports in their Congress kit when they arrive in Gothenburg and electronic copies have already been circulated.

To download copies please visit www.imfmetal.org/Congress2009

SWEDEN: The 32^nd IMF World Congress will be structured around debate of the IMF Action Programme, which sets out the strategies for global action by the IMF and affiliates over the next four years.

With the April 15 deadline for submission of amendments to the draft Action Programme now passed, proposals will now be incorporated for consideration by the Action Programme Committee, which will meet prior to Congress.

In a change from previous years, delegates will be able to raise proposals for amendments that have been rejected by the Action Programme Committee from the Congress floor, providing the proposal was submitted prior to April 15.

A range of resolutions proposed by IMF affiliates will also be debated and voted on concurrent with related Action Programme sections.

Delegates will be able to take part in the debate of different resolutions and Action Programme sections by submitting a formal request to speak once the relevant agenda item has been opened.

Voting will take place initially through a show of hands. Affiliates are allotted votes according to the number of members they have declared to the IMF for the purpose of calculating their subscriptions, and only affiliates who have fulfilled their obligations to the IMF in terms of subscription payments are eligible to vote.

Delegates at Congress will also take part in the elections for a new IMF General Secretary and IMF President.

Current IMF General Secretary Marcello Malentacchi will step down at Congress after 20 years in the role, and Jurgen Peters is also stepping down after six years as IMF President.

More information about the IMF Action Programme debate and voting is available in the IMF Congress Programme and Guide.