Frankfurt am Main – Trade unionists from around the world called for social minimum standards at the IndustriALL conference on global framework agreements and trade union networks, with the aim of shaping globalization in a humane way. “We must focus on the main players in globalization—the multinational corporations. We negotiate global framework agreements with them on minimum working conditions that apply worldwide,” said Berthold Huber, First Chairman of IG Metall and President of IndustriALL Global Union, in Frankfurt.
Global framework agreements are important tools for union organizing. “We want to use global framework agreements to build union structures both at company locations and among suppliers,” said Huber. This would advance union networking across locations, countries, and regions while simultaneously establishing information-sharing and negotiation structures between management and employee representatives. This is urgently needed. All over the world, people are still working under unspeakable conditions or are being persecuted and oppressed because they have organized into unions. “Global framework agreements are and will remain the best way to secure workers’ rights in multinational corporations and a global economy,” affirmed Jyrki Raina, General Secretary of IndustriALL.
Trade unionists from around the world will gather at the IndustriALL conference on October 17 and 18 to discuss their work with multinational corporations and agree on the next joint steps and strategies. IndustriALL Global Union, the global umbrella organization for industrial unions, represents approximately 50 million union members from 140 countries in the metal, electrical, chemical, and textile industries, as well as in mining and energy. The International Metalworkers’ Federation (IMB), the International Federation of Energy, Mining and Industrial Workers’ Unions (ICEM), and the International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers’ Federation (ITBLAV) merged to form the umbrella organization in June 2012. There are now approximately 80 international framework agreements worldwide. More than 20 of these fall within IG Metall’s organizational scope, including those with VW, Daimler, BMW, MAN, and Siemens.
