ILO, Decent Work Agenda and Policy Coherence ORGANISING APPROACHES AND STRATEGIES

Transcription

1 ILO, Decent Work Agenda and Policy Coherence ORGANISING APPROACHES AND STRATEGIES

2 Foundation of the ILO In 1919 Its roots in the social matrix of 19c Europe & North America, where the Industrial Revolution began, generating extraordinary economic development, though at the price of intolerable human suffering and social unrest Organized labour had become a new force in the industrialized countries demanding democratic rights and decent living conditions for working people

3 Three Motives for ILSs Humanitarian: conditions of labour exist involving injustice, hardship and privation to large numbers of people. (ILO Constitution) Political: The Preamble notes that injustice produces unrest so great that the peace and harmony of the world are imperiled. Economic: The Preamble states that the failure of any nation to adopt humane conditions of labour is an obstacle in the way of other nations which desire to improve the conditions in their own countries.

4 Some statistics in the world of work 1.2 B live in poverty 1B unemployed and underemployed Half of world population live in less than $2/day M children are child laborers 30M work in EPZs 3,500 die daily of work-related illnesses and accidents. 90M people work or live outside their own country

5 FoA & Collective Bargaining Asia has the lowest ratification of the Convention 87 (18) and Convention 98 (21). 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.

6 Ratifications of ILO Fundamental Conventions Country Freedom of association Forced labour Discriminati on Child labour C087 C098 C029 C105 C100 C111 C138 C182 Total: Africa (54) Americas (35) Arab States (11) Asia (34) Europe (51) The Asia and Pacific region is similar in number with the Americas, and still Asia has an average of 50% less ratifications than the Americas 6

7 Ratifications of ILO Governance Conventions The Asia and Pacific Region is similar in number with the Americas, and still Asia has much less ratifications that the Americas.

8 Ratifications of ILO Governance Conventions 10 members have not ratified them: BRUNEI KIRIBATI MALDIVES MARSHALL ISLANDS MYANMAR PALAU SAMOA TIMOR LESTE TUVALU VANUATU

9 What is Decent Work?

10 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)

11 Decent Work Agenda 21 st 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

12 Decent Work: nationally defined goal thru tripartite dialogue, based on national context & needs Relative & multiple paths No Ceiling, Perpetual progress SOCIAL FLOOR basic rights at work

13 Decent Work to be achieved thru actions on 4 pillars productive employment & sustainable enterprises social protection/ social security for all Standards & basic rights at work Promotion of Social dialogue, Including Collective bargaining

14 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? 14

15 ITUC-AP Estimates 15

16 Wage Distribution and CBA Coverage ITUC-AP 16

17 International Training Centre of the ILO 17

18 International Training Centre of the ILO 18

19 19

20 20

21 CEACR s Observations regarding Convention 87 in the Region Violence, murder, torture and intimidation of TU leaders EPZs: violations of TU rights, need for specific legislation Refusal to register workers organizations Excessively high minimum membership request for initial and continued registration for both TU and TU federations and confederations Lack of independence of the judiciary Obstacles to the right to strike/sympathy strikes and secondary boycotts. Complicated ballot processes and penalties. Compulsory settlement mechanisms. Legislations in violation of C 87 in general Unlawful limitations of workers rights in public service Difference between employment and TU membership s age

22 CEACR s Observations regarding Convention 98 in the Region. Most recurrent violations: Dismissal of workers for industrial action taken Compulsory arbitration imposed by request of 1 party only Broad interpretation of disorderly behaviour to fire workers without noticenor compensation EPZs: fail to apply the Convention regarding the protection of workers rights and the promotion of collective bargaining. Anti union discrimination Lack of legislation to protect against acts of interference Public sector s rights to collective bargaining. Unproper tripartite consultations for wage fixing in the public sector. The annulment of collective agreements. The determination of the most representative organization should be based in objective pre established criteria Percentage required to be recognized as CB agent

23 Where is union power?!? 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?

24 How are unions dealing with Global Governance Processes Creating an enabling environment Strengthening capacity Coalition building Online campaigns Direct engagement Organizing workers 24

25 Important elements of trade union campaigns Securing cooperation Planning and preparation Communication Good mix of strategies Follow up and evaluation

26 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 Social clause Building partnerships with other movements In your country context, what is needed? 26

27 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? 27

28 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 28

29 Organizing workers: what are unions doing?

30 30

31 Servicing Model Union Approaches 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 31

32 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 32

33 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? 33

34 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 34

35 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??? 35

36 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

37 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

38 Participants views on the union movement, its structures and changes needed.