ACTION PLAN

Transcription

1 ACTION PLAN The 4 th UNI Global Union Congress held in Cape Town adopted the Breaking Through Action Plan The plan includes four key elements: Organising within Global Companies Holding Corporations accountable Support for organising campaigns and capacity development A dynamic and aligned union structure. This Action Plan along with the other motions adopted at Cape Town are the foundations on which the Graphical and Packaging Action Plan is built. 1. Introduction In the last four years the Graphical & Packaging sector has experienced unprecedented levels of change. The digital revolution continues to gather pace, causing significant reductions in the demand for newspapers, books and general print. The speed varies from country to country dependant on culture, language and the economy, however the switch to digital platforms is irreversible. At the same time the production of packaging continues to grow especially in the APRO region and it is predicted that global growth rates of around 4% per annum will continue into the foreseeable future. The industry has also seen an unprecedented number of mergers and acquisitions concentrating ownership in huge global and regional multinational enterprises. UNI Graphical and Packaging will continue to monitor changes to the industry and keep affiliates updated. The changes in our industry therefore require us to focus attention on the growing subsectors and also to devise ways to organise in the new digital world. It is against this background that this action plan is written. 2. Organising within Global Companies We will work to improve our existing Global Agreements, strengthening clauses on employer neutrality, agreeing dispute resolution mechanisms and extending the agreements to cover joint venture companies. We will ensure they meet annually and that reporting back to the affiliates is improved. 1

2 UNI Graphical & Packaging will seek to establish a minimum of two new Global framework agreements in the four year period. Target companies will be selected where there is both organising potential and sufficient union strength to make an agreement possible. In some cases deep research and leverage will be required to win global agreements. UNI Graphical and Packaging working with UNI SCORE will build the technical capacity to meet this challenge. Capital strategies will be pursued actively though a plan which builds long term relationships with socially responsible investors and supports their active engagement to persuade companies to respect the human rights of workers to organise and bargain. We will allocate sufficient resources to win our campaigns for global agreements. Where necessary, resources from SCORE and the Organising Fund will assist the sector and the region in this area. Recognising the crossover in packaging sector between UNI Graphical and Packaging and IndustriALL s paper sector we will seek to conclude joint agreements thus avoiding unnecessary demarcation arguments. We will update industry research to identify organising campaigns in strategic company subsectors and country targets determine countries in which there is the greatest organising potential UNI Graphical and Packaging recognises the potential to build networks and interact directly with graphical and packaging workers and affiliates through use of social media and commits to working towards making the best possible use of these tools. Active participation of our affiliates is the key to success essential to delivering our objectives. 3. Holding Corporations accountable UNI Graphical & Packaging will continue its active role as a global voice for corporate accountability. Exposing abuse of human rights and the antiunion activities of companies on our website and through social media and challenging employer strategies that exploit and marginalise workers through under payment of wages, excessive workloads and unsafe working conditions. It will continue to play a visible and leading role to strengthen and make use of the global tools available to enforce the human rights of workers to organise and bargain collectively. These include the OECD Guidelines for MNCs, the ILO Tripartite Declaration on Multinational Enterprises and the UN Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rights our longer term goal overall goal is to achieve effective and binding normative frameworks for global companies and their supply chains. 2

3 4. Support for Organising Campaigns and Capacity Development Working closely with UNI SCORE, UNI Graphical and Packaging will support the development of organising strength among affiliates in order that unions in our sector are able to win recognition for collective bargaining purposes. This sort of support will range from organiser training to active support for the planning and management of campaigns and resources for organisers. Global companies are the priority for this support, but in some cases campaign support may be targeted towards broader sectoral goals. We will continue to rely on the active support of our affiliates and the funding organisations such as the LO-TCO. We will support a minimum of one organising project in each of UNIs four regions, Prioritising countries where there is the biggest potential for growth, where we have willing partners and if possible fitting into the objectives of strengthening and winning new global framework agreements. In order to develop union strength within global companies and to set the stage for a global agreement, UNI Graphical and Packaging will continue to develop and support strong trade union alliances across companies. These will aim to share organising and bargaining strategies, to support organising campaigns within the company and to lead the effort to achieve a global agreement if one does not exist. The home unions, European Works Council and regional councils will have a critical role within these Alliances. This will ensure the effective participation and engagement of affiliates within the process of negotiating a global agreement. Affiliates ownership of the process and the delivery of global agreements will ensure that the agreements make a real difference for workers around the world. We will continue to support the existing union alliances and establish a minimum of two new union alliances in the coming period. UNI Graphical and Packaging will promote opportunities for its affiliates to exchange organising and recruitment experiences in order to develop and promote best practices in organising, recruitment and union restructuring. In particular, effective and systematic recruitment is a key part of union growth in those countries where workers are already covered by a bargaining agreement. UNI will develop materials and exchanges among affiliates to promote good practices in this area, and in particular will focus on the experiences of growth linked to collective bargaining. Support capacity-building activities for affiliates in order to improve their organisational and institutional capacity as well as sustainability of organising campaigns. 3

4 Work with UNI regional organisations and UNI SCORE to provide training to recruiters, organisers and trainers of UNI affiliates, drawing on the skills and experience of UNI affiliates with successful organising programs. 5. A Dynamic and Aligned Union Structure. Meetings and conferences will be oriented towards action and all meetings will consider union growth among global companies. Case studies of success will be highlighted and innovative campaigns will be shared across unions. We will aim to learn from each other and support each other s work. Recognising the fundamental changes to our industry which have blurred boundaries between sectors and industries, UNI Graphical and packaging will, where possible work jointly with IndustriALL s paper sector in the packaging sector and with UNI MEI in publishing and web design. UNI Graphical and Packaging will work towards implementing UNIs goal of 40% women representation on all leadership bodies. Recognising that many women in the packaging sector are agency or temporary workers affiliated unions will work towards negotiating agreements that move workers from temporary or agency workers to direct employment. 6. Affiliations We note that despite the reductions in the number of workers employed in the sector, there is potential to increase affiliation in all four regions and will therefore provide the necessary resources to this end. We will work closely with existing affiliates to build alliances and relationships with potential new affiliates that deliver results for our members. 7. Communications Develop efficient communication tools for global union alliances/networks, including on-line and web instruments and make full use of social media. Run information campaigns to make sure rank and file worker level is involved and enable them to link the situation on the national level to the international strategies. Develop information sharing between the trade union networks and the European Works Councils where they exist. Keep members informed on a regional basis on ongoing campaigns. 4

5 8. Regions Europa UNI Graphical and Packaging notes that there is a large potential for increased affiliation and organising the unorganised plants in Central and Eastern Europe. On average union density is under 15% of the workforce. In particular the huge level of investment by packaging companies in Central Europe in Poland, Czech Republic and Slovakia makes this a priority area. Noting the changes to the publishing sector and the growth of web design, UNI Graphical & Packaging will work closely with UNI Europa and UNI Mei to develop effective organising strategies for these sectors. Europa Social Dialogue provides a useful forum to discuss and prepare for changes in the sector. UNI Graphical and Packaging notes the Action plan which will be debated at the UNI Europa Graphical and Packaging Conference. APRO UNI Graphical and Packaging endorses the strategic plan from 2013 to 2017 adopted by UNI APRO Graphical and Packaging (appendix A) and notes that There is a large potential for increasing existing affiliation in packaging and security printing. In addition to the huge potential of unorganised workplaces. Americas UNI Graphical and Packaging notes the successful organising campaigns led by UNI Americas Graphical and Packaging and commits to ongoing support for these campaigns. Africa UNI Graphical and Packaging endorses the strategic plan from 2013 to 2017 adopted by UNI Africa Graphical and Packaging (appendix B) and notes the growing sector across the continent. 5