13 September, 2016Trade union representatives from IndustriALL Global Union, IndustriAll Europe, USW, UNITE and Community called for a global strategy to combat steel dumping at the 81th session of the OECD’s Steel Committee in Paris last week.
Massive excess capacity, especially in China, continues to threaten and disrupt economies and communities with stakes in steel production throughout the world. Trade unions believe that social partners must be included in a solution to the steel capacity crisis. Workers and communities facing displacement must receive training and assistance to manage transitions so that they can be reincorporated into the economy.
Young workers must also be given opportunities through collectively bargained apprenticeship and training programs. Core ILO standards must be respected and reinforced in this process, while success must be determined by the social and environmental value added, and not by short-term profits.
The day after the OECD meeting on 8 September, there were governmental consultations to discuss the setting up of the Global Forum on Excess Steel Capacity, decided at the recent G20 Leaders Summit in China. Trade union and industry representatives were regrettably excluded from these talks with OECD and G20 members.
IndustriALL’s assistant general secretary, Fernando Lopes, said: “The steel industry is fundamental to development. We must engage our governments to stop the unfair competition and steel dumping that are killing our steel industries and jobs. To do that unions have to be taken into account in any discussion.”