12 March, 2015IndustriALL Global Union’s global framework agreement partner, Belgian-based chemicals company, Solvay, has taken the lead in labour relations in the chemical industry in forming a Global Forum with participation of union representatives from different continents.
The very first meeting of the Global Forum took place on 4-6 March 2015 at the central offices of Solvay in Brussels. The objective of the Forum is to strengthen social dialogue within the group at a global level. The three-day meeting included Solvay top management and employees’ representatives from Europe, Asia, North America and Latin America. IndustriALL Global Union was also present.
Solvay management considers the Forum an important opportunity to assess the company’s results, understand strategic challenges, create a common culture and coordinate actions in a global context.
The Forum gives a platform for union representatives to get mutual knowledge and meet top level company managers, including the Chief Executive Officer Jean-Pierre Clamadieu, to raise their problems, share their views and establish genuine global-level social dialogue.
“IndustriALL congratulates Solvay with this Global Forum as it sets the bar higher for industrial relations in the chemical industry at international level” said Kemal Özkan, IndustriALL Global Union’s Assistant General Secretary, who was present in the first meeting. “In the globalized chemical sector such benchmarks are critically important for our members worldwide and IndustriALL will continue to widen these practices with our industry-leading companies.”
Having celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2013, Solvay employs around 26,000 employees in 119 sites in 52 countries.