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STOP Precarious Work

On 7 October 2013, the World Day for Decent Work, IndustriALL Global Union is calling on all its affiliates to mobilize their members and join the global fight against precarious work.

Global capital is driving fundamental changes to the way that people are employed. Secure jobs are becoming more and more rare, while agency work, contract work and temporary work are taking over. For young people, there is practically no other option – the only jobs on offer are insecure.

Workers in precarious jobs have little chance to join a union or to bargain collectively. Pay and conditions are being driven ever lower by companies that rely on precarious work to reduce their labour costs and pass all the risks of employment onto workers.

Unions are pushing against this tide by organizing precarious workers, fighting laws that expand precarious work and mobilizing in support of secure employment with good pay and working conditions.

Download all campaign materials here

Download "The Triangular Trap" here

See STOP Precarious Work video here

 
Material
×

STOP Precarious Work

On 7 October 2014, the World Day for Decent Work, IndustriALL Global Union is calling on all its affiliates to mobilize their members and join the global fight to STOP Precarious Work.

Unions are pushing against this tide by organizing precarious workers, fighting laws that expand precarious work and mobilizing in support of secure employment with good pay and working conditions.

STOP Precarious Work
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Actions taken 2013

Sri Lanka

Burkina Faso

Cameroon

Japan

Mauritius

Indonesia

Mexico

Russia

Kosovo

Colombia (2)

Zimbabwe

Nigeria

Georgia

Philippines

Somalia

Chile

Madagascar

Brasil

Thailand

India

Cambodia

FInland

Belarus

Czech Republic

Canada

Croatia

Colombia

Netherlands

Denmark

Sweden

Poster and leaflets Artwork 2013 (all languages)

ACTIONS BY COUNTRY 2012

Unity to fight precarious work in Thailand

30 July 2014 at 16:09

The number of people in precarious work in Thailand has reached a critical limit. Last April, Yongyuth, the general secretary of IndustriALL Global Union affiliate The National Metal Federation (TEAM), gave several examples from the garment, electronics and auto industries, where less than 50 per cent of the workers have permanent contracts

IndustriALL women’s workshop in Colombia promotes organizing

30 July 2014 at 16:01

IndustriALL Colombia organized its 20th women’s workshop in Bogotá on 3 and 4 July 2014. Women from the affiliated unions Sintravidricol, Sintracarbon, Sintraindomecol, Utrammicol and Sintraelecol attended the workshop.

Numsa strike enters its fourth week

24 July 2014 at 14:06

Over 200,000 members of the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) working in the engineering sector are now entering the fourth week of industrial action, which began on 1 July 2014.

Bargaining strategies to combat precarious work

24 June 2014 at 12:14

IndustriALL is launching a new publication to promote the use of collective bargaining strategies as essential tools in the fight against precarious work

Unions seek deferral of Brazil Mining Code

18 June 2014 at 12:51

The issue of sustainability is at the heart of efforts on the part of Brazilian unions to halt the adoption of a controversial new mining law pending a process of public consultation. Brazilian unions as well social and environmental groups are united in their attempt to postpone the vote on the mining code, which they say lacks legitimacy.

Standing up for safe working conditions

16 June 2014 at 13:30

Workers at Huhtamaki’s plant in Commerce, California, have asked management to “engage in a good faith dialogue” about working conditions in the plant. Temperatures can reach 100 degrees F or more, and workers are subject to a disciplinary system they say management uses “only as a tool to punish workers.”

In the U.S., Huhtamaki Takes the Low Road

14 May 2014 at 16:02

A new report on Huhtamaki, a Finnish packaging company, reveals how the company’s expansion strategy in the U.S. is creating low-wage, precarious employment while threatening the job security and living standards of unionized employees.

Rio Tinto slammed for slipping safety standards at Melbourne AGM

12 May 2014 at 21:55

Rio Tinto is notorious for its union bashing tactics and abuse of precarious workers. Along with a protest outside, Australian unions CFMEU and AWU took the floor at Rio Tinto’s annual general meeting in Melbourne on 8 May, slamming the company’s poor safety standards and unfair practices.

Unity and solidarity with Colombian trade unions!

8 May 2014 at 16:26

IndustriALL Global Union’s First Latin America Regional Conference, held in Bogota, Colombia, on 4-8 May, took several initiatives in solidarity with Colombian trade unions, whose work is impeded by the systematic violation of trade union rights.

Oil services giant Schlumberger abusing agency workers in Indonesia

7 May 2014 at 16:03

The local subsidiary of US – headquartered Schlumberger is using a labour agency to avoid the trade union and pay workers lower benefits in Indonesia. Workers are mounting a fight back with the help of IndustriALL Global Union affiliate, FSP KEP-KSPI.

FUP Women’s Network at Petrobras meets in Salvador

2 May 2014 at 13:54

The Brazilian oil workers’ union FUP has a women’s network and collective at Petrobras. On 25 – 27 April they met for the second time in Salvador. The meeting was held against the background of right wing attacks against the national oil company Petrobras, attacks which are multiplying in the election year. The conference was attended by around 60 women.

Dis-connecting people - raising the voice of workers at Nokia India

2 May 2014 at 11:15

On International Workers' Day, trade union Thozhilalar Sangam at Nokia India released a film called Dis-Connecting People. The film documents the voices of workers that have been muted in the battle between the state and the company.

Indonesia: 363 workers suspended for demanding an end to precarious contracts

30 April 2014 at 11:00

At the World Energy Conference IndustriALL Global Union affiliates adopted a resolution to push for the reinstatement of 363 precarious workers into permanent employment at the Indonesian state owned company Pertamina in Aceh.

IndustriALL Indonesian Council intensifies organizing and campaigning for a better future

25 March 2014 at 11:29

On 10-11 March, 2014 IndustriALL Indonesian Council members gathered at the National Unity Meeting held in Jakarta. 24 union leaders consisting of 9 women and 15 men representing 11 national federations from mining, oil and gas, to manufacturing sectors, discussed labour situations and organizing strategy, the national laws and maternity protection campaign.

Precarious work divides the working class

24 March 2014 at 17:02

There are many ways to weaken the trade union movement but extensive use of temporary agency workers is one of the more efficient weapons employers have. As precarious work continues to divide the working class, trade unions’ fight against it becomes every day a bigger challenge.

Fight against precarious work: a central demand in Rio Tinto Campaign

2 March 2014 at 13:29

Rio Tinto is notorious for its union bashing tactics and abuse of precarious workers. As a consequence, IndustriALL Global Union launched in Cape Town, South Africa, on 6 February, its global corporate campaign against mining giant Rio Tinto. The main aim of this campaign is to force a seismic shift in the way Rio Tinto relates to workers and trade unions across their operations.

African unions confront precarious work

29 January 2014 at 16:30

Meeting in Togo, affiliates from 13 African countries evaluated their successes and challenges in 2013 and strategized how they will continue to make progress against precarious work in 2014.

Thai and Indonesian unions foster solidarity

29 January 2014 at 15:51

The national campaigns against precarious work in Indonesia in 2012 and 2013 mobilized millions of workers and showed true trade union power. It inspired many unions around the world, including Thai unions participating at national workshops on precarious work, organizing and campaigning held in Bangkok, in September last year. The result was a study visit to Indonesia.

IndustriALL affiliates continue their struggle to STOP precarious work

18 December 2013 at 17:30

2013 is coming to an end. During this year IndustriALL affiliates have taken major actions to defend their labour rights and the rights of the precarious workers working alongside them.

IndustriALL launches second issue of “Global Worker”

5 December 2013 at 11:47

The second issue of IndustriALL Global Union’s journal, “Global Worker”, was launched this week at the 4-5 December IndustriALL Executive Committee meeting in Geneva. Sign up to receive copies of the journal or view online.

REPORT: IndustriALL leading the struggle for Bangladeshi garment workers

28 November 2013 at 10:55

The Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh is a historic breakthrough covering more than 2 million garment workers. Breaking from failed corporate-led social auditing of the past, under the Accord trade unions and multinational companies are working together to improve the precarious situation of garment workers in Bangladesh.

Indian unions win for contract workers

22 November 2013 at 11:26

The five recognized Indian trade union centers operating in the coal industry have reached an agreement on the wage of contract workers engaged in mining activities in the state-owned Coal India Limited (CIL) and its subsidiaries on 18 February of this year. Campaigns are taking place to ensure that this agreement is implemented and respected.

Shipbuilding and shipbreaking unions will focus on organizing Precarious Workers

20 November 2013 at 15:58

At IndustriALL Global Union’s Shipbuilding-shipbreaking Action group meeting on 12-14 November in Denmark, unions prioritized their activities on organizing and fighting precarious work and will start mapping Multinational Coorporation’s (MNC) in order to the possibilities of creating new trade union networks.

Materials unions intensify global solidarity

18 November 2013 at 15:24

Around 80 union delegates of 18 countries from all continents representing glass, cement and ceramics workers attended IndustriALL’s World Conference for the Materials Industries in Bangkok, Thailand on 12-13 November to discuss a wide range issues.

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