IndustriALL signs global agreement with Saab

The framework agreement was signed on 13 June 2012 and covers all employees of the Group, its suppliers and subcontractors. The agreement outlines the principles by which it will operate, including referring to the International Labour Organization an dthe OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. The agreement includes clauses on:

In a separate clause the company undertakes “not to organize or finance company/«yellow» unions, not to implement or support any union busting activity and not to adopt initiatives capable to discourage workers from forming authentic unions.”

In signing the agreement, Monika Theodorsson, executive committee member of IndustriALL Global Union and First secretary of IF Metall said: "Global framework agreements are extremely important as tools to achieve and secure better working conditions, and we are very happy to have signed one with Saab. Hopefully there will be further of our global companies following this road".
 

Saab AB is a Swedish aerospace and defence aircraft manufacturer with over 13,000 employees. More than 60 per cent of company sales are made abroad, its most important markets today are Europe, South Africa, Australia and the US.

Currently, IndustriALL Global Union has three GFAs signed with Swedish-based multinational companies including Electrolux, SKF and Saab AB.

Metalworkers give green light to IndustriALL

Delegates of the metalworking unions across the world gathered this morning, 18 June 2012 in Copenhagen, Denmark to make the final steps towards founding new IndustriALL Global Union, which will represent collective interests of 50 million workers in mining, energy and manufacturing sectors.

Opening the meeting IMF and IG Metall President Berthold Huber spoke of the global challenges the trade union movement needs to meet today. He also underlined that the new organization should be stronger than any of the three founding union federations IMF, ICEM and ITGLWF.

Addressing the delegates, IMF General Secretary Jyrki Raina welcomed delegates reminding them of the proud history of the IMF, first established in 1893 by thirty members from metalworkers’ unions in eight countries. Meeting in a small hotel in Zurich, they created an International Bureau later transformed into the International Metalworkers’ Federation.

“Time has come to make a new important step and form IndustriALL Global Union,” said Raina.

Delegates approved by the majority of votes the candidates to the positions of Directors of Industrial Departments, stating however the new set of Directors will have to be revised in future and the new organization will have to ensure a higher representation of women in leadership positions.

Delegates approved the set of merger documents as well as the Statutes of IndustriALL Global Union, which will hold its first Congress tomorrow at 14:00.

Aerospace Steering Committee

Participants toured the Farnborough Air Show where they witnessed both the positive and negative aspects of the globalization of the aerospace industry. They saw firsthand the rise of the aerospace industry in countries like China, and they saw how aerospace companies had continued to outsource significant segments of their work. 

During the second day of our meeting, participants exchanged views on what they had observed at the air show. They commented on dangerous trends in the industry including the use of temporary, precarious, and contingent workers. They also discussed efforts to counter the growing use of anti-union activities, including promoting the development of aerospace union networks, building partnerships, negotiating international frameworks, and most importantly organizing and coordinated bargaining. 

At the conclusion of the conference, participants agreed to strengthen the global alliance of the world’s aerospace unions that was founded in Seattle, Washington two years ago. Participants also agreed that next year when the conference was reconvened in Paris in conjunction with the Paris Air Show, awards would be given to companies that have taken the high road of globalization and have partnered with their labour unions. Participants also agreed to hand out an award for companies that had taken the low road on globalization for example General Electric who have been pursuing poor employee relations with unions in the UK.  

Rob Johnston Executive Director of IndustriALL commented, “During the show we have seen the best and worst of the industry. The best are the products and technology made by our members, the worst is the absence of the recognition of labour’s contribution to the industry. By attending and highlighting the labour dimension we have made steps towards addressing this absence. We will continue to raise the profile of the labour dimension until our members get the recognition they deserve.”

As always, participants pledged to build solidarity among one another in the days ahead.  They concluded the conference secure in the knowledge that  with the support of IndustriALL Global Union, and the commitment of each of their unions, the goal of creating a Global Aerospace Union will be achieved. 

ADDITIONAL NEWS

AFFILIATE PRESS RELEASE: Unite calls for global campaign against poor industrial relations at GE

Unite, Britain's biggest union has called for the creation of a global network of trade unions to campaign against poor industrial relations at global aero engine giant GE. 

Unite raised its concerns about problems with GE in the UK over pension changes and union recognition rights at a meeting of IndustriALL, the global union federation for manufacturing industries which met in London this week. 

See more details here:

 

 

EADS

The agreement with EADS recognizes the right to freedom of association and the right to bargain collectively. The ILO core labour standards referred to in the agreement include the provisions relating to no use of forced or child labour, the right to equal opportunities and the need to refrain from discrimination. EADS also agrees to promote lifelong continuing training and to protect health and safety in the work place.

The agreement expects EADS suppliers will recognize and apply the same principles of this framework agreement and encourages them to introduce and implement equivalent practices in their own companies.

The agreement was first reached with the European Works Council of EADS at the end of June and was co-signed by ex-IMF President Jürgen Peters and ex-IMF General Secretary Marcello Malentacchi in the first week of July.

Ford Union Network Meeting

IMF-ICEM-ITGLWF Thai Leadership forum

ICEM and IMF Joint Global Workshop on Union Networking in Mining and Basic Metals Industries.