‘organizing’ in the changing world of work · a threat to trade unionism? the non-union...
TRANSCRIPT
‘Organizing’ in the changing world of work
ORGANISING APPROACHES AND STRATEGIES
FoA & Collective Bargaining Asia has the lowest ratification of the Convention
87 (20) and Convention 98 (26).
Important countries like China, India, Iran, Korea, Burma, Thailand, Vietnam, etc. have not ratified these conventions although FoA & Right to collective bargaining exists in some form or the other.
– this implies approximately half of the world’s economically active population is still not covered by Convention No. 87 and 98.
What is Decent Work?
What is Decent Work?
Work that is productive, gives fair income,
security in the workplace & social protection for the family,
equal opportunities & treatment, better prospects for - personal devt & social
integration, freedom to organize & participate in decision making
----------------------------- concept of decent work encompasses both individual & collective dimensions (C87 & 98)
Decent Work Agenda 21st century expression of ILO constitutional
mandate: “the primary goal of the ILO today is to promote
opportunities for women and men to obtain decent and productive work, in conditions of freedom, equity, security and human dignity.”
DW - an integrated approach for addressing poverty, employment & development issues through a process that promotes empowerment, organisation & participation of people
Decent Work: nationally defined goal thru tripartite dialogue, based on national context & needs
SOCIAL FLOOR basic rights at work
No Ceiling, Perpetual progress
Relative & multiple paths
Decent Work to be achieved thru actions on 4 pillars
productive employment & sustainable enterprises
Standards & basic rights at work
social protection/ social security for all
Promotion of Social dialogue, Including Collective bargaining
Organizing & Collective action – are one of the main ways for unions to promote Decent Work for workers
But its a task made very difficult in this period of
flexible and insecure employment where neither freedom of association, nor collective rights are respected (as compared to the rights of share holders and Companies).
So, what is the state of FoA & unionism in
Asia Pacific?
8
Union Density Asia/Pacific
9
Country % Mongolia 38.9 Taiwan 37.7 Fiji 30 Israel 30 Singapore 26 Australia 24 Hong Kong 22 New Zealand 21.5 Japan 18 Sri Lanka 18 Turkey 15 Korea ?
Country % Malaysia 9 India 9 Indonesia 8 Nepal 7 Philippines 7 Pakistan 7 Papua NG 5 Bangladesh 4 Thailand 1 China ? Viet Nam ?
Source: H. Ishibashi, quoting ITUC-AP
www.itcilo.org International Training Centre of the ILO 10
www.itcilo.org International Training Centre of the ILO 11
12
13
Where is our power in a market economy?
in numbers ? Union memberships, density, collective bargaining coverage & trade union resources
Political influence ?
Social dialogue tradition & institutions in the
country?
Identity problems? How do workers perceive unions? Does the ‘past’ legacy of unions a problem?
Ability to influence capital ?
A word about new management policies
To compete effectively , Companies moving towards lean organizations, flat structures, multi-tasking - Requires also change of approach towards workers & unions
Managements not only interested in cheap labour but ‘committed’ labour force
Deal directly with workers in order to improve productivity - Instead of fighting the union, make union irrelevant by addressing workers needs
Where ever HRM principles are being introduced, unions memberships have been under threat
Human Resource Management (HRM) – a threat to Trade Unionism? The Non-Union Strategy Limiting Unions to Basic Bargaining HRM appeals to individual Can the Unions meet the challenges?
Can Unions stop these changes? Main weakness of the unionism – its existence is
built on management failure How can unions change? What needs to change? Need for unions to have a say in matters
traditionally considered management areas – need to go beyond collective bargaining towards participatory rights
Organizing Actions at Workplace
Questions to be considered Why should a worker join the union? What
can union give them in this age of precarious employment?
How have we been organizing so far?
What new strategies can we develop for organizing and strengthening TUs?
17
How do trade unions Organize?
No ready made solutions, no single model;
Strategies will depend on – Country legal framework (what rights exist?) Type of industry and state of the industry Nature of employment, types of workers (self
employed/ wage employed/home based/contract/agency, etc
Union Resources, Structure & Strategy? Image and status of the TUs What else ?
18
Facing the Organizing Challenge
Broadly speaking, TU Actions need to be taken at two levels -
Macro policy level – to create enabling
environment for organizing
In the field/workplace, at community level – where the workers are
19
Creating enabling environment What are the main demands of trade
unions in your country? Campaigns at national level on issues such
as – Freedom of Association (Right to Organise, to Union
Recognition) & Collective Bargaining Rights (ILO Conventions 87 & 98)
Tripartitism & Social Dialogue – right to be represented in the decision making bodies
Domestic social clause Building partnerships with other movements In your country context, what is needed?
20
Union Approaches Servicing Model Union/union officials provide collective & individual
services to members; Members dependent on the Union & its Office
bearers to provide what they require. Unions’ officials control union resources, strategies,
interests & develop union tactics NOT MUCH INVOLVEMENT OF MEMBERSHIP
IN TU ACTIVITIES
21
Union Approaches Organizing Model Not just an approach to organizing but also a vision
of union purpose & form - workers active participants rather than passive consumers,
Instead of just solving problems, union seeks to empower workers to solve their problems thru union
Organizing – motivated thru activism & self-help among workers;
Education, research or communication activities; Develop campaigns, alliances & use members to
support external organizing
22
Organizing workers: what are unions doing?
Organizing Strategies
1. TU resources limited - We cannot go out & organize each & every worker. SO, can we then think of a way to make workers come to us?
2. Need to go beyond wage bargaining – into social welfare
- linking with govt schemes for providing access to workers for social welfare programmes – such as in delivery of unemployment benefits (NORDIC and Belgian unions role)
- Using group insurance schemes to provide social protection - health care, life insurance (Luxembourg, Netherlands, SEWA/India),
- What is it that workers want & managements don’t give to workers?
24
Organizing Strategies
3. Leveraging power of the other organized groups - for MNCs and those companies with Export interests in OECD countries – companies that are susceptible to consumer power – build links with international TUs (GUFs), NGOs and consumer movement.
4. Role of International / Global Framework Agreements 5. Equal Pay campaign (such as in German Metal sector
for agency workers through works agreement). 6. Collective bargaining agreement to apply to
workplace, and not restricted to just direct company employees
7. Cyber space/internet as organizing tool – create space for workers to voice their feelings, needs & get in touch with other workers - provide job related news, information, respond to queries, legal services – provide possibility for joining on line and paying dues on-line – saves money and time
25
Food for thought Adopt & advocate policies that will apply to
all workers and prevent further divisions of the workers in the labour market – that is, put all workers in one boat – to promote workers solidarity.
Using Workers Capital to promote Union Rights and other labour standards
And – what else can TUs do ???
26
Organizing into a union & Organizing ‘the Union’
To attract new members – unions not only have to expand their
reach to unorganized, unrepresented workers
BUT ALSO have to make significant changes to
their culture, to their structures and services that it offers to its members.
“organizing” should also mean changing
the way unions relate to its members as well as society
Lessons from ‘organizing’ success stories
Worker involvement central to building union success - involvement of those being organized in organizing themselves and their co-workers
Highly centralized, bureaucratized and inflexible v/s union structure that incorporates the active local & workplace structures and builds necessary networks and alliances, with representative leadership
New Workers, New Expectations, New Methods? - creating workplace based structures, ad hoc committees, and decentralizing decision making, cyber meeting spaces
Participants views on the union movement, its structures and changes needed.