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<p>Millions of workers around the globe continue to face repression, imprisonment, discrimination and all kinds of threats and pressures due to their trade union activities. Trade unionists are killed in the exercise of their rights. </p><p>Poor labour standards and lax enforcement of labour legislation are often used as a means to attract much-needed foreign investment as is the case in export processing zones (EPZs).  Millions of workers, above all women, are employed today in such zones. Discrimination and abuses are common in EPZs where attempts to form unions and bargain collectively are often met with intimidation, violence, sackings and even death threats.  </p><p>The policies of international financial institutions have also hurt workers around the world.  By imposing conditions designed first and foremost to promote labour market deregulation, privatisation and economic liberalization, these policies have undermined basic workers' rights, exacerbated financial instability, fuelled inequalities, and created serious hardships for workers and their communities.</p>

Preface

3. GLOBAL SOLIDARITY IN ACTION

3.3 Defend and protect workers rights

1. OUR MISSION

2. THE WORLD TODAY

2.1 Profits over people

2.2 Unemployment and job insecurity

2.3 Unions under attack

2.4 Fundamental workers´ rights denied

2.5 Spreading influence of Transnational Corporations

2.6 World trade system in disarray

2.7 An unsustainable future

2.8 Alliances, resistance and opportunities

3.1 Build strong national trade unions

3.1.1 Organise the unorganised

3.1.2 Strive for trade union unity at the national level

3.1.3 Build unions through education, training and effective exchange of information

3.2 Strengthening collective bargaining

3.3.1 Fight for trade union rights

3.3.2 Fight for Equal Rights

3.3.3 Fight for safe workplaces

3.4 Build a counterweight to the power of transnational corporations

3.4.1 Strengthening union solidarity and cooperation across sectors and TNCs

3.4.2 Advance fundamental rights through International Framework Agreements

<p>TNCs seek to shift their risks and costs onto workers, often with institutional and government support. In addition, offshoring, outsourcing and subcontracting have become an integral part of corporate cost-reduction strategies and affect not only production work but also increasingly high-skilled and well-paid jobs in design, research and development activities. Relocation as well as a large part of green-field investment takes place in countries where, in many cases, there is a very low rate of unionisation, no democratic unions or no unions at all. </p><p>TNCs have provided employment through direct capital investment, while building complex global supply chains and multi-level networks, which reach out to thousands of contractors and suppliers all over the world.  These networks have made it possible for companies to source goods and services anywhere, reorganise production lines quickly, forcing workers to adapt constantly to new performance requirements, or to leave the country at a moment's notice if a cheaper and more compliant workforce is available somewhere else.</p><p>TNCs have thus significantly altered the industrial structure within and among countries for their own benefits, including by moving decision-making centres and by transforming the employment relationship on which labour protection systems are largely based.  While it is abundantly clear that TNCs have a significant influence over the working conditions of millions of workers across the world, they refuse to recognize their influence and they argue that they are not responsible for the workers along the supply chain.  </p><p>TNCs have created a global labour market in which workers from the same and/or different countries are continuously put into competition with each other.  Moreover, the unrestricted mobility of capital allows it to take advantage of differences in wages, working conditions, and labour legislation.  Conflicts of interests are created between groups of workers in different regions, between workers at different worksites, and also within and across countries. Workers are pushed to work faster, cheaper, and for longer hours, which leads to increasing work-related health problems. The TNCs ability to relocate manufacturing and research and development is a threat not only to jobs but also to wages and workers' bargaining power. </p><p>To date, trade unions have had limited success in challenging the power of TNCs. The relocation process driven by TNCs is taking a heavy toll on workers and many regions are facing the spectre of de-industrialisation. However, industry is a key component of growth, technological and social development, and balanced trade patterns. It is vital for employment. Government policies are therefore needed to promote equitable and sustainable growth, facilitate the adaptation of traditional industries, and encourage the development of new ones.  Unions have a new role to play in this field, linking the social and environmental dimension in their strategy for the benefit of all workers.  </p>

<p>Throughout the world, people are meeting and mobilising against the destructive effect of unbridled capitalism, all-out deregulation and corporate abuses; they call for the promotion of democracy, human rights, and social justice.  Various social and political movements have rejected the neo-liberal consensus and are following a different path. The World Social Forum process that started in 2001 in Porto Alegre, Brazil is still the largest and most inclusive space where alliances can be built and joint initiatives taken with different social actors. In the last decade, real political change has taken place in some countries, most notably in Latin America, where democratic and progressive governments have come to power and have challenged the neo-liberal economic model by renationalizing their key natural resources and using its profits to benefit the many and not just the few. Numerous movements and networks that play an important role in local and global politics have emerged, creating spaces of dialogue and common action, and building broad-based coalitions. </p><p>There is now a window of opportunity for the world's progressive social forces to get together and come up with alternatives to neo-liberal policies.  Alternatives dedicated to sustainable development, human rights, gender equity and the protection of individual and collective rights in the economy offer opportunities for solidarity and alliances for working people everywhere.</p>

<p>Given the enormous challenges working people face in today's globalised economy, organising remains a basic task for all trade unions and organising drives should be carried out by IMF affiliates themselves.</p><p>The shift from secure to insecure forms of employment, the attacks on trade union rights and the fragmentation of collective bargaining systems has seriously eroded our capacity to organise and effectively represent the interests of workers.  In addition to that the structural change in employment, in particular in the developed countries has resulted in a decline in the proportion of blue-collar workers who are traditionally well organized and an increase in the proportion of highly educated and non-manual workers.  The trade unions have found it more difficult to organise these workers.</p><p>To win and defend metalworkers' rights, we need strong, national unions in all countries. Therefore, one of the key objectives of the IMF is to encourage workers to build independent, democratic and representative national unions that are autonomous from employers, political parties and governments. This includes overcoming weaknesses in existing unions and, where required, building new unions capable of tackling the challenges of today.</p><p>However, it is not only a question of what unions do. In some countries, such as Belarus, Colombia, Thailand and the Philippines, governments and companies actively work to eliminate trade union structures, murder and intimidate activists or alternatively to fragment union structures and encourage enterprise level unionism, which seriously undermines the possibility for trade union strength.  All workers, regardless of their status, must have the right to organize.  The IMF and its affiliates must fight for legislation that allows workers to make their own decisions regarding their representative structures, and will pressure companies to always respect workers' decisions instead of hiding behind national laws when these do not conform to internationally recognized labour rights.</p><p><strong>IMF affiliates will:</strong></p><ul><li>Prioritise organising as a key means of building union strength at the national level;</li><li>Utilise organising strategies at the sectoral level and in key TNCs;</li><li>Provide practical solidarity support to unions attempting to organise workers anywhere, particularly along the supply chain of TNCs, and including in the affiliate's home country; </li><li>Fight to remove legal barriers which prevent precarious workers from joining national unions;</li><li>Step-up organising of non-manual workers, who account for a growing part of the workforce, to build greater solidarity and bargaining strength; and </li><li>Push for the elimination of legal restrictions on the right to organise for non-manual workers. </li></ul><p><strong>To assist affiliates in organising, the IMF will:</strong></p><ul><li>Support unions in developing their own organising campaigns and strategies, particularly for organising women, migrants, youth, and workers in precarious employment;</li><li>Strengthen its efforts to raise awareness about organising non-manual workers' in all regions, promote the exchange of information and experiences on organising tools and policies, and address topics of special relevance to non-manual workers; </li><li>Identify and develop union organising opportunities with affiliates, especially where TNC investments create new or growing concentrations of workers. The IMF Executive Committee, informed by the Regions, will prioritise the countries which should be the focus of this work. This will include countries such as China where the IMF currently has no affiliates;</li><li>Utilise IFAs or other means to develop cross-border organising campaigns;</li><li>Co-ordinate organising activities:</li><li>throughout supply chains by targetting contractors and workers in different forms of precarious employment;</li><li>in EPZs, where workers' rights are ignored and exploited; and</li><li>wherever multi-company, or multi-plant organising campaigns could be co-ordinated;</li><li>Provide forums for the exchange of information and experiences;</li><li>Provide training on issues relevant for organising and keeping members; and</li><li>Support national efforts to bring about changes in legislation to protect the right to organise and bargaining collectively by working together with other GUFs, the ITUC, the TUAC, and the ILO.</li></ul><p><strong>IMF will provide assistance to trade unions that:</strong></p><ul><li>are committed to activities leading to self-reliance;</li><li>have established their own priorities and identified their needs;</li><li>are working in accordance with the IMF Action Programme;</li><li>are building union structures that respond to workers' needs locally and internationally and that include women at all levels;</li><li>are able to organise activities or are prepared to closely co-operate with the appropriate IMF regional office;</li><li>are building union structures that are democratic, and independent of political parties and employers;</li><li>are ready to co-operate with other IMF affiliates at local, national and international level; and</li><li>are confronting and fighting repressive governments.</li></ul>

<p>In countries where national unions are vulnerable or enterprise unions predominate, the IMF will work with affiliates to promote national unity and strengthened national structures.  This includes developing strategies to prevent workers' organisations from being played off against one another or becoming dependent on management. Using tools such as Country Councils, the IMF will work to avoid competition and encourage co-operation and solidarity between workers. </p><p>Given that strong national unions are often born out of different historical backgrounds, it is necessary to seek unity of action even when unification into a single national union is not realistic. The IMF will focus its attention on ensuring that the unions we support have the capacity to organise, bargain and prioritise work on a national level, and that different unions within a country work in concert in the interests of all metalworkers.</p><p>In countries where labour legislation does not permit national unions, the IMF will work with national centres, other global unions, and the ITUC to assist workers and their unions in overturning laws that prevent workers from forming national unions.</p><p><strong>To assist affiliates in achieving unity at the national level, the IMF will:</strong></p><ul><li>Utilise IMF Country Council structures to build greater unity and solidarity in action; and</li><li>Focus its union building activities in countries where affiliates are predominantly enterprise-level unions in TNC's on the strengthening of national structures, and on building unity among unions by encouraging changes in union structures.</li></ul><p><strong>IMF affiliates will:</strong></p><ul><li>Work with other affiliates at the national level to build common positions and platforms on issues affecting metalworkers, particularly collective bargaining.</li></ul>

<p>COLOMBIA: A shareholders meeting of Siderúrgica del Pacífico (Sidelpa), owned by the Gerdau Group, which acquired Sidelpa and Diaco in 2005, has decided to stop production and wind up the company, directly or indirectly leaving around 400 workers without jobs. </p><p>The company said the closure was due to the world financial crisis (variations in world demand for steel) and the shutdown of a furnace at the steelworks by the government environmental authority, Corporación Autónoma del Valle del Cauca, which ordered a halt to production on June 2, 2009 because of air pollution. </p><p>Immediately after the company announced the news, the 280 directly employed workers declared themselves in permanent assembly, according to the union (Sindicato de Trabajadores de la Siderúrgica del Pacífico). Edgar Perea, union vice president, told the media that the company had presented a voluntary redundancy plan but added that "we did not accept the plan because what we want to do is work".  </p><p>These were not the only workers to lose their jobs. More than 150 contract workers and 200 workers at Diaco, Cali, which processes Sidelpa products, are also now unemployed, said Sintrametal, to which the union is affiliated.  </p><p>Edward Portilla, Sintrametal's national vice president, explained that the company wants "to get rid of us. It dismissed about 200 workers in November and December and then implemented a compulsory redundancy programme. Then came the CVC order, which the company used as an excuse."</p><p>Given the seriousness of the situation, which leaves 400 families without an income, the IMF Regional Office calls on its affiliates to show solidarity with the Sidelpa workers' fight to keep their jobs.</p>

280 Sidelpa workers are in permanent assembly after Gerdau announced the closure of the company, located in Cali. The IMF Regional Office in Latin America and the Caribbean calls on trade unions to show solidarity with their colleagues.

SINTRAMETAL's public statment on the closure of SIDELPA

Sidelpa closure puts 400 out of work

<ol><li>In order to achieve these objectives, the IMF works to build a strong international trade union movement capable of effectively representing and promoting workers' interests, in the face of an ever-expanding global economy -- a global economy that has yet to embrace, let alone recognise, adopt and enforce workers' rights.</li><li>The IMF affirms<em> </em>that only through trade unions and the practice of collective bargaining the goals of attaining social security and constant progress for workers can be achieved. The IMF therefore fights for all workers in their desire for freedom of association to form their own trade unions, the right to collective bargaining, the right to enter into collective agreements and the right to strike to achieve their demands.</li><li>The IMF also supports all its affiliated unions, particularly in developing countries, in their efforts to achieve higher living standards for workers and to promote democratic, economic and social development.</li><li>The IMF also fights for all other related internationally recognised labour standards, such as the right to a livable wage, safe and healthy working conditions, prohibitions against discrimination, and prohibitions against child labour or compulsory forced labour.</li><li>The IMF stands ready to make common cause with other independent, autonomous, and democratic trade union organisations, notably the International Trade Union Confederation and other Global Union Federations in pursuing international trade union objectives. It seeks to work with non-governmental organisations which share a commitment to promote trade union and other human rights.</li><li>Specific IMF activities which support these objectives include: <ol type="A"><li>Supporting the organisational efforts of metalworkers everywhere, particularly in developing countries and in all countries where freedom of association and the existence of free trade unions are threatened.</li><li>Actively voicing metalworkers' positions on potential international trade union, political, social, and economic issues concerning metalworkers throughout the world. Such participation includes appearances and submissions with respect to relevant international forums such as the World Trade Organisation, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, International Trade Union Confederations, etc.</li><li>Serving as a catalyst, depository and exchange of information and material for affiliates needed in accomplishing these objectives.</li><li>Providing moral and practical support and leading in the development of creative and innovative strategies to assist in economic, political and social conflicts.</li></ol></li></ol>

ARTICLE 1 - PURPOSE OF THE FEDERATION

ARTICLE 2 - MISSION OF THE FEDERATION

ARTICLE 3 - STRUCTURE OF THE FEDERATION

ARTICLE 4 -- EXECUTING BODIES OF THE FEDERATION

ARTICLE 5 - DUTIES OF THE PRESIDENT

ARTICLE 6 - NATIONAL SECTIONS AND COMMITTEES

ARTICLE 7 - ADMISSION

ARTICLE 8 - FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS

ARTICLE 9 - SUBSCRIPTIONS IN ARREARS AND EXONERATIONS

ARTICLE 10 - REVISION OF RULES

ARTICLE 11 - IMF HEADQUARTERS

<ol type="A"><li><div>The highest authority of the Federation is the Congress.</div></li><li><div>The Congress takes place as often as seems advisable, but at least every four years, and is convened by the General Secretary on the decision of the Central Committee.</div></li><li><div>The place, date, and agenda are determined by the Central Committee.</div></li><li><div>Notification of the convening of Congress must be given to affiliates at least four months beforehand.</div></li><li><div>The Congress is composed of representatives of the national organisations affiliated with the Federation.</div></li><li><div>Each affiliated organisation shall determine the number of representatives at the Congress and shall bear their expenses. Affiliated organisations requiring financial assistance to secure participation should make arrangements with the General Secretary well in advance of Congress.</div></li><li><div>A delegate may also represent several of the organisations of his or her country. </div></li><li><div>Such authority shall be in writing to the General Secretary signed by the Principal Officer of the affiliate delegating the representation.</div></li><li><div>Each affiliated organisation, which has fulfilled its financial obligations to the IMF, has the right to vote at the Congress.</div></li><li><div>For the first 200,000 members, affiliates have voting rights according to their membership.  For membership above 200,000, voting rights are in proportion with the subscriptions ratio paid under Article 7.</div></li><li><div>The Congress shall review reports, motions and resolutions offered by affiliates and the Executive Committee.</div></li><li><div>All reports and motions for the Congress must be received by the General Secretary three months before the opening of Congress<em>.</em></div></li><li><div>The General Secretary must notify all affiliated organisations of the Federation of the motions, allowing enough time for them to be brought to the notice of their members before the Congress meets.</div></li><li><div>Reports, motions and resolutions of the Congress are to be adopted by a simple majority of the eligible votes, while alterations of the Rules must require a two-thirds majority of the eligible votes.</div></li><li><div>Each regular Congress shall elect by simple majority of eligible votes<em> </em>the President of the Federation who holds an elected position within his or her organisation.</div></li><li><div>Each regular Congress shall also elect by simple majority of eligible votes the General Secretary of the Federation.</div></li><li><div>Each regular Congress shall also elect by simple majority of eligible votes the Vice President of the Federation who holds an elected position within his or her organisation.</div></li><li><div>Each regular Congress shall also elect with simple majority of eligible votes one or more Assistant General Secretaries of the Federation.</div></li><li><div>Each regular Congress shall also elect by simple majority of eligible votes<em> </em>the Executive Committee members.</div></li><li><div>Each regular Congress shall also elect by simple majority of eligible votes<em> </em>the Auditing Committee members.</div></li><li><div>The Congress determines its own standing orders.</div></li></ol>

2.     The Congress

<ol><li>Funding for the Federation consists of: <ol type="A"><li>Statutory annual subscriptions from affiliated unions as determined by the Congress, and</li><li>B. Voluntary contributions.</li></ol></li><li>The annual subscription of CHF 1.10 per member is payable according to Gross National Product (GNP) on the basis of the six groups below. For the purpose of these rules, GNP is as determined by the United Nations.</li><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="402"><tbody><tr><td width="100" valign="bottom"><p align="center">Subscription <br />Groups</p></td><td width="151" valign="bottom"><p>GNP per Capita</p></td><td width="151" valign="bottom"><p align="center">Subscription Ratio / Amount of subscription<br />per member per year</p></td></tr><tr><td width="100" valign="bottom"><p align="center">Group 1</p></td><td width="151" valign="bottom"><p>Over USD 10,000 </p></td><td width="151" valign="bottom"><p>100% / CHF 1.100</p></td></tr><tr><td width="100" valign="bottom"><p align="center">Group 2</p></td><td width="151" valign="bottom"><p>USD 5,001-10,000 </p></td><td width="151" valign="bottom"><p>60% / CHF 0.660</p></td></tr><tr><td width="100" valign="bottom"><p align="center">Group 3</p></td><td width="151" valign="bottom"><p>USD 2,501-5,000 </p></td><td width="151" valign="bottom"><p>30% / CHF 0.330</p></td></tr><tr><td width="100" valign="bottom"><p align="center">Group 4</p></td><td width="151" valign="bottom"><p>USD 1,001-2,500 </p></td><td width="151" valign="bottom"><p>15% / CHF 0.165</p></td></tr><tr><td width="100" valign="bottom"><p align="center">Group 5</p></td><td width="151" valign="bottom"><p>USD 501-1,000 </p></td><td width="151" valign="bottom"><p>5% / CHF 0.055</p></td></tr><tr><td width="100" valign="bottom"><p align="center">Group 6</p></td><td width="151" valign="bottom"><p>Less than USD 500 </p></td><td width="151" valign="bottom"><p>2% / CHF 0.022</p></td></tr></tbody></table><li>The minimum annual subscription by any affiliate shall be no less than CHF 250.</li><li>Subscriptions to be paid for the first year by newly affiliated organisations shall be calculated in proportion to the organisation's date of affiliation.</li><li>Subscriptions are to be paid in the first half of each year, on the basis of the number of members at the end of the previous year.</li><li>To the extent that these subscriptions should not be sufficient, the Central Committee is entitled to raise them accordingly.</li><li>The Executive Committee will determine guidelines to apply for the transition to the subscription system in this Article.</li></ol>

ARTICLE 8 - FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS,ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS, SPECIAL CONTRIBUTIONS

<p>Many other events and collaborations made possible by Congress also contributed to the IMF's mission.</p><p>The IMF Women's Conference, held two days prior to Congress, focused on the impact of precarious work on the lives of women workers and their families. The Conference also evaluated the impact of the Congress 2005 decision to mandate the inclusion of women on the IMF Executive Committee.</p><p>A series of side events on shipbreaking, organizing workers in export processing zones and climate change gave delegates to the Congress an opportunity to explore in detail some of the specific challenges facing metalworkers globally. </p><p>Congress delegates also participated in a range of social events that took place around the Congress, including a women's dinner and an opening reception and ceremony, culminating in a special closing party celebrating the contributions made by many to the work of the IMF and this particular Congress.</p><p>For a full round up of Congress news, go to: <br /><a href="../congress2009">www.imfmetal.org/congress2009</a> </p><p><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="1" align="center"><tbody><tr><td><font face="verdana" size="1"><strong><a href="../index.cfm?c=20058&mwId=20047&l=2"><< back</a></strong></font></td><td> </td><td><font face="verdana" size="1"><strong><a href="../index.cfm?c=20056&mwId=20047&l=2">beginning</a></strong></font></td></tr></tbody></table></p>

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Congress happenings

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2.4 Fundamental workers´ rights denied

2.5 Spreading influence of Transnational Corporations

2.8 Alliances, resistance and opportunities

3.1.1 Organise the unorganised

3.1.2 Strive for trade union unity at the national level

Sidelpa closure puts 400 out of work

ARTICLE 2 - MISSION OF THE FEDERATION

2. The Congress

ARTICLE 8 - FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS, ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS, SPECIAL CONTRIBUTIONS

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