30 March, 2012Bosch worker representatives from around the world were able to address international management directly and build solidarity for freedom of association and collective bargaining at all Bosch sites globally.
GERMANY/GLOBAL: The 3rd Bosch World Meeting, gathering more than 60 worker representatives from 34 countries around the world including for the first time from India, Malaysia and China, took place on March 21 to 23 in Abstatt, Germany.
The participation of union representatives from Malaysia was made possible after the local union successful organized the Bosch plant in Malaysia with support from the International Metalworkers' Federation (IMF) and the Works Council in Germany.
At the meeting the Board of Management once again committed to guaranteeing worldwide the right of all employees to join a union of their free choice and their commitment to negotiate collective agreements with these unions. A very important task of this World Meeting is to support each other in ensuring that this commitment will be realized at all Bosch sites worldwide as expressed in the International Framework Agreement with the company.
Delegates at the meeting issued an International Declaration of Solidarity for the members of the Korean Metal Workers' Union (KMWU) who are currently in conflict with the South Korean Bosch management. The local union president was dismissed after workers did not show for work on the last day of the year. The management claimed it was an illegal strike, whereas the workers believed it was a negotiated day off.
"The delegates of the Bosch World Meeting express their highest respect and their deep appreciation of the courage, the determination, and the unity which our South Korean colleagues have demonstrated in their conflict. We support the colleagues in their efforts and their struggle to defend workers' and trade union rights," reads the statement.
During the World Meeting the main issues addressed in the country reports dealt with investment and employment and the need to guarantee a future and secure jobs. Several delegates at the meeting were able to directly ask the Board of Management about specific issues and receive better information than they would have got locally. "This access to information and the exchange of experiences was a crucial element of the meeting," said IMF Automotive Director Helmut Lense.
A very important part of the discussion addressed the impacts of the financial crisis on employees. Especially in Germany dismissals were avoided by creating several instruments of flexibility. These examples could provide a basis for managing similar situations in the future without mass layoffs also in other countries.
At the conclusion of the meeting, all delegates agreed to continue with the world meetings and expressed their commitment to start negotiations with management on an agreement for holding the regular world meetings, which would also be an important step forward to building and strengthening a work with all Bosch workers.