3 November, 2008
The ICEM’s Global Framework Agreement with the Freudenberg Group, a German-based rubber, auto accessories, nonwovens, and engineering company, was improved recently to include neutrality on union organising. Together with Michael Mersmann, International Director of the German union, IGBCE, ICEM General Secretary Manfred Warda and ICEM Chemicals and Rubber Officer Kemal Özkan met with Lorent Freudenberg, Human Resources Director, and Dr. Dirk Mahler, counsel of Freudenberg, to review and update the agreement with Freudenberg.
Meeting in Pittsburgh. UE's Bob Kingsley and John Hovis, USW's Leo Gerard and Gerald Fernandez
Regarding proposals put forth to the privately-held company by the ICEM, it was agreed to continue discussions on most of those issues. But the company did accept a clause in the agreement on neutrality with immediate effect.
It reads:
“The Freudenberg Group respects the right of its employees to freely decide whether or not to establish or to associate with any legitimate trade union of their choice. The Freudenberg Group shall remain strictly neutral concerning its employees’ choice in the matter.”
The agreement also contains a provision, stating, “ICEM and IGBCE agree to use their best efforts to promote constructive approaches in local organising drives in the spirit of social dialogue and to achieve positive labour relations as expressed in this Agreement.”
From left, CEP's Alan Tate, UE's Robin Alexander, ICEM Gen. Sec. Manfred Warda, and Lorent Freudenberg and Dirk Mahler of Freudenberg Group.
To establish the mutual trust and constructive approach in labour relations, the ICEM helped to arrange a US meeting in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on 1 October that brought managers of Freudenberg together with some of ICEM’s North American affiliates, including the United Steelworkers (USW), United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE), and the Communications, Energy, Paperworkers (CEP) Union of Canada.
The meeting was headed by USW President Leo Gerard and UE President John Hovis and following discussions that both labour and management termed honest and constructive, it was agreed that a model case would be implemented and executed regarding social dialogue procedures based on neutrality.
The agreement between ICEM and Freudenberg was signed in June 2000, and was the ICEM’s second such Global Framework Agreement at that time.