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Unions create global network of SMURFIT KAPPA workers

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26 May, 2014Trade unions representing workers employed by paper multinational Smurfit Kappa created a global network in Madrid, Spain, on 18-19 May 2014 at a meeting organised by IndustriALL and UNI.

Trade unions representing workers employed by paper multinational Smurfit Kappa created a global network in Madrid, Spain, on 18-19 May 2014 at a meeting organised by IndustriALL and UNI.

The network aims to help affiliated unions confront company policies detrimental to workers’ interests, by maintaining permanent contact and promoting a united response to counter arbitrary actions against workers in any part of the world. This global initiative to promote unity and solidarity is in response to the increasingly arrogant behaviour of multinational companies, which disregard the need to consider the environment, respect national sovereignty, provide decent work and comply with national and international standards.

According to participants from IndustriALL’s Colombian affiliate Sintracarcol Ricardo Rueda and Arturo Cajamarca, "delegates attending this meeting were able to get to know more about the problems at plants in various parts of the world, such as outsourcing, plant closures, dismissal of workers who join unions, company attempts to promote their own benefits plans rather than reach collective agreements and disregard for trade unions. In the future, coordinated global action will allow us to express our disagreement".

The new support network is open to other Smurfit employees in any part of the world who want to contribute to promoting this united struggle.

The network formed a coordinating committee composed of six representatives, two each from Europe and Latin America and a representative from both IndustriALL Global Union and UNI Global Union.

Representatives of the European Works Council (EWC) attended the meeting in support of the creation of the network.