UNI Commerce Global. Agreements. Must-win target for 2011: Signing a global agreement with IKEA

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1 UNI Commerce Global Union: New Breakthroughs with Global Agreements UNI Commerce signs another global agreement this time with leading global fashion retailer Inditex UNI Commerce s 2009 global conference in Dublin provided the perfect setting for the signing of a global agreement with Spanishbased Inditex, leading global fashion retailer and best known for its Zara label. The agreement, which covers 90,000 workers in 73 countries worldwide, ensures that core labour standards and rights are protected through social dialogue with Inditex management, wherever the Group operates. The agreement endorses a range of fundamental workers rights enshrined in ILO Conventions and explicitly allows union access to workplaces. The agreement has already strengthened social dialogue in Germany between UNI affiliate Ver.di and Zara Germany, where both parties jointly sent a letter to all employees committing themselves to dialogue and cooperation. UNI Commerce and affiliates have also used the agreement to facilitate meetings between the unions and local management in Argentina, Chile and the USA to resolve local issues and to discuss union organising. Must-win target for 2011: Signing a global agreement with IKEA IKEA is the world s leading furniture retailer, which employs 123,000 workers in retail and related services and plays a pivotal role in the sector. IKEA has developed a public image that has elevated the company into the premier league of good employers. According to information from UNI affiliates, employment conditions in the company seem to be worsening (stress, overtime, low salaries, bad HR management). The employment of temporary staff, subcontracting and outsourcing (security, check-out services) appear to be on the rise. Management s attitude to trade union representation differs from country to country, and a negative trend seems to be developing. A public commitment to ILO labour standards through a global agreement with UNI, including neutrality, guaranteed union access and recognition of collective bargaining rights would serve the interests of the unions and the company likewise. Such an agreement would cover retail as well as all related services, including cleaning and security, both in-house and out-contracted. Such an agreement would also be extremely useful for both unions and the company to deal with the challenges reported by affiliates. UNI Commerce will develop a global union alliance for its affiliates to build local and global dialogue, strengthen union organisation and support the monitoring and implementation of labour standards wherever the company operates. 1 Breaking Through 1

2 Must-win target for 2014: Signing more global agreements The strategic plan adopted the UNI Commerce s global conference in October 2009 identifies 16 multinational retail companies as a focus for global and regional sector activities. These companies jointly employ almost 4.5 million workers. Union density in the retail sector in general and in the 16 target companies varies from country to country and ranges from almost 0 to 95%. In order to become a strong representative for commerce workers in the 16 target companies and a more powerful and influential dialogue partner for the world s largest corporations, UNI Commerce Global Union will increase its efforts to organise commerce workers into unions. UNI Commerce will seek to develop local and global dialogue, to set up union alliances and to achieve global agreements with the following companies: Aldi, Casino Group, Hennes & Mauritz, Hero, Lidl (Schwarz Group), Lotte, Tesco, Wal-Mart. UNI Commerce Global Union will map companies, countries and unions in order to identify organising potential for affiliates and determine support strategies, e.g. in the alliances and to identify potential new affiliates. UNI Commerce will cooperate closely with the regions to achieve this goal by developing regional union alliances, regional dialogue and organising strategies to strengthen union organisation and increase union power on all levels. 2

3 Strategic Priorities for UNI Commerce Global Union This Strategic Plan, which is based on the UNI commerce action plan adopted by the UNI commerce global conference on 2 October 2009, will be implemented though the Annual Work Programme. The UNI commerce regional organisations will develop their annual workplans in alignment with the UNI commerce strategic plan. Strategic Objective 1: Global (and Regional) Companies To build organising strength within the global and regional corporations operating in our sectors and to negotiate global and regional agreements. UNI Commerce Global Union Global Target Companies: 1 Aldi 2 Carrefour 3 Casino Group 4 Hennes & Mauritz 5 IKEA 6 Inditex 7 Lidl (Schwarz Group= 8 Metro 9 Tesco 10 Walmart UNI Commerce Global Union Regional Target Companies: 11 Cencosud 12 Hero 13 Ripley 14 Shoprite 15 Takashimaya 16 Pick n Pay Action-oriented research into Global Companies Undertake in-depth research into multinational commerce companies and create a multinationals database which contains information on corporate issues, union organisation, collective agreements, working relationships, leverage points, organising opportunities etc, making use of the information regions have collected up to now. Research and monitor consolidarion trends for the commerce industry and develop best practice, including information on the impact of corporate take-overs on the workforce, particularly regarding application of collective agreements, redundancies, union consultation, etc. Communication and engagement of members Develop efficient communication tools for the global union alliances, EWCs and other networks. European Work Councils Make social dialogue part of the union work nationally as well as on a global multinational company level, within the European union social dialogue framework and in all European Works Councils (EWC). Cross sector initiatives To collect and share best practice with other UNI sectors and to coordinate with the UNI activities on private equity. Union Alliances To develop union alliances among affiliates and support networks for individual global companies, in order to increase union organising capacity, to improve groupwide employment standards and to develop dialogue with the company. New Global Agreements To work towards the signing of new Global Agreements with global companies, using the development of global union alliances and the process of negotiation as a tool to strengthen union organising capacity and improve employment across the company; the aim is for 100 such agreements to be in place by the Cape Town World Congress in Existing Global Agreements To work in partnership as a union alliance, with companies with existing Global Agreements; to monitor for compliance; to disseminate as widely as possible the terms of Global Agreements, so that agreements are of real value in raising employment standards; to hold regular liaison meetings with companies, and to renegotiate Global Agreements as appropriate. European Work Councils To work with representatives on European Works Councils and global works councils, to assist UNI to meet its strategic objectives. 3 Breaking Through 3

4 Company Global agreement Union alliance Time frame Aldi UNI Commerce to create a global union alliance First step: UNI Europa to create a regional union alliance Carrefour 2001 UNI Commerce to create a support network for the global union alliance to exchange information and best practice and monitor the implementation of the global agreement UNI Europa to ensure a close link between the EWC and the global union alliance April onwards Casino Group UNI Commerce to create a global union alliance First step: UNI Americas to create a regional union alliance 2011 Cencosud Company considering GA proposal UNI Americas to further develop the regional alliance and to continue negotiations for a GA Ongoing Hennes & Mauritz 2007 UNI Commerce to create a global union alliance First step: UNI Europa to create a regional union alliance, assisted by the joint EU project 2011 Hero : Indonesian Tripartite Commerce Agreement 2011? UNI Asia & Pacific to create a regional alliance and to start negotiations with the company for a GA Framework agreement under discussion. IKEA 2011 UNI Commerce to create a global union alliance UNI Swedish affiliates to facilitate introductory talks and UNI Commerce to enter into negotiations after introductory talks by Swedish affiliates UNI Europa to ensure close link between the EWC and the global union alliance and to ensure EWC support for the GA negotiations. Inditex 2009 UNI Commerce to create a support network for the global union alliance to exchange information and best practice and monitor the implementation of the global agreement. UNI Europa to support the creation of an EWC. 2 nd half of 1 st quarter of Ongoing 2 nd half of Lidl (Schwarz Group) UNI Europa to create a regional union alliance. Vienna Dialogue Metro Group 2004 UNI Commerce to create a global union alliance. UNI Europa to ensure close link between the EWC and the global union alliance. Pick n Pay UNI Africa and SDA to create a union alliance and to start negotiations for a GA. June, Berlin April 4

5 PROGRAMME Ripley Negotiations underway signature expected UNI Americas to create a transnational union network and to finalise negotiations for a GA Shoprite 2011 UNI Africa to further develop the regional alliance. Alliance Organising Project. UNICOME India to organise the Mumbai store. -12 Takashimaya 2008 UNI Asia & Pacific to create a regional union alliance. Tesco Walmart UNI Commerce to further develop the global union alliance and to enter into negotiations for a GA UNI Commerce to support the organising campaign in Turkey. UNI commerce to support the organising campaign in Korea UNI Commerce to create a global union alliance. UNI Americas to further develop the regional alliance. Organising project in Argentina, Brazil and Chile. 3 rd meeting of the global alliance: March, Liverpool April and July Strategic Objective 2: Organising and capacity development To gain union recognition in the industries where UNI sectors operate and to further facilitate union growth by building the capacity to support organising campaigns worldwide. Union recognition and grow strength of unions Develop organising activities within individual countries and across borders to strengthen the union power, exploiting regional and national characteristics. Organising capacity building Build the capacity of affiliates to develop social dialogue on national level in order to resolve local issues, strengthen our work and achieve decent working conditions worldwide. Capacity to develop organising skills and campaigns building Set up working groups or campaign teams as required. Strategic Objective 3: Jobs with social security and justice for all To raise employment standards in the services sector. Employment expertise Research and monitor changing work relationships and collect and share best practice on evolving employment patterns (part-time, casual, contract and agency labour). Raising employment standards Cooperate with the ILO and with employers to collect information on the impact of new technologies on the workforce, particularly regarding RFID and Self checkouts. Develop strategies how the introduction of new technologies can best serve the interests of workers. Introduce skills development programme for commerce workers in cooperation with governments and employers in the sector. Extend CBA coverage Collect and share best practice on the unions responses to industrial changes, particularly regarding collective agreements, (re-) training and corporate social responsibility. Strategic Objective 4: Political and regulatory influence To change global and regional processes of integration and regulatory frameworks and be a recognised partner in these processes. Represent union and workers interests in industry-wide and regulatory organisations Strengthen existing labour legislation and collective agreements by building strategic cooperation with different CSR organisations(sai, BSCI, GSCP, CCC, Global Compact, OECD etc) in order to incorporate decent work into corporate policies, monitor the implementation of international labour standards and 5 Breaking Through 5

6 good CSR practice, in multinational companies and their supply chains. Influence European Institutions Influence the European Institutions on commerce issues. European institutions as political and legislative bodies have a decisive role regarding regulation of the labour conditions in the E.U. In addition, the field of activity of the European Commission goes beyond European borders because it is in charge of global commerce negotiations. Strategic alliances with other social justice organisations Build strategic alliances with like-minded organisations in order to strengthen the full integration of vulnerable groups in working life and society, such as young workers and migrant workers. Strengthen cooperation with other global unions in order to coordinate efforts to improve the working conditions in the supply chains. Improve synergies among different levels of workers representation Focus on a better coordination between different levels of workers representation including company level (trade union, EWCs), branch level (collective bargaining, regional social dialogue) and where relevant intersectoral level. Regional social dialogue Promote transnational social dialogue as a relevant level for improving employment and working conditions at both branch and company level. Seek partnership with employers in favour of a sustainable development of the commerce sector based on skill development, decent pay and health and safety working environment. Strategic Objective 5: UNI as a proactive, innovative and inclusive organisation To operate an effective, innovative and well-run UNI Global Union and to secure the active involvement of all affiliates and their members in our work. Integrated structure globally and regionally Maintain close consultation and cooperation among UNI Commerce and regional commerce in implementing the work plan. Strategic plans in each of the sectors and regions Send a quarterly update to statutory committees on the implementation of the work plan. Use new technology imaginatively and creatively Use new technologies to ensure active participation of affiliates in the work of the sector. Develop the sector website into a useful working tool for affiliates. Use new technologies to ensure active participation of committee members. Build UNIs visibility and strength Issue regular sector bulletins with information on activities of UNI Commerce and its affiliates. Regularly issue publications on issues concerning the sector. Facilitate regular committee meetings. 6