Organizing in the Era of Globalization

Organizing in the Era of Globalization Issues and Strategies Arun Kumar, Actrav-ILO-Turin

Changing World of Work • Globalization, Economic Liberalisation, Privatisation & ‘withdrawal of State’ is changing the world of work • More competition = more pressure on industries to reduce costs – leading to: Downsizing, increasing workload, insecurity of employment, preference for casual-contract labour, Outsourcing • Shift from Manufacturing to Services – from blue collar to white to ‘no collar’ workers – nature of employment from ‘appointment’ to ‘assignment’

Changing World of Work • Labour law reforms (employment flexibility) • ‘Unorganizing’ the Organised & growing informal economy • Weakening of TUs thru new Human Resource (HR) policies

Union Densities (Trends) Source: Jelle Visser, “Union Membership Statistics in 24 Countries”, Monthly Labour Review, January 2006.

State of Unionization • Union memberships are down, memberships range from 3% - 19%; Unionisation lowest in agriculture & informal economy dominated countries & declining in most countries; • Except – Sweden (81%), Finland (76%), Denmark (74%) • Labour laws not favourable for organizing

So, 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/etc • Union resources (financial, material & people) • Image and status of the TUs • What else ?

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, at workplace – to promote organizing

Macro level Actions TU movement needs campaigns at national level on issues such as – • Labour law reforms to ensure the Right to Organise, to Union Recognition, for Collective Bargaining Rights (ILO Conventions 87 & 98) • Tripartism–Right to be represented in the decision making bodies at Govt level

Macro level Actions • Campaign for domestic ‘social clause’ (Companies using public funds/ subsidies/national resources to respect workers rights) • Partnerships with other social organizations/ linking workers movement with others • What else does Unions need to do?

Organizing Actions at Workplace Questions to be considered • Why should a worker join the union? What can union give them in this age of flexible employment? • Where is our power in a market economy? – in numbers or ? • How have we been organizing so far? • What new strategies can we develop for organizing and strengthening TUs?

Organizing Models 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

Organizing Models Organizing Model • Implies 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 fosters activism, leadership & organization amongst workers – seeks to empower workers to solve their problems thru union

Organizing Models Organizing Model Requires - • Organizing activities, led by lead organizers who motivate activism & self-help among workers; • Education, research or communication activities; • Develop campaigns, alliances & use members to support external organizing

Organizing Workers in the Economy Some ideas

Organizing Strategies • 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? • Need to go beyond collective bargaining – into social welfare services – linking with govt programmes for providing access to workers for social welfare programmes

Organizing Strategies • Using group insurance schemes to provide social protection - health care, life insurance • Organizing thru thrift, credit and social welfare services (SEWA) • Organizing not at workplace but at workers living areas • What new services can TUs provide?

Organizing Strategies • Leveraging power of the ‘organised’- Eg. Railway unions extending their reach to hawkers, coolies, contractors workers, etc • Multi-union organizing – number of unions coordinating efforts to target a large establishment or number of small employers in the same industry • Use of IT to target workers in Call centres, home workers, tele-workers, etc • Use of company financial information – for organizing • Stock ownership as a tool to assert workers rights

Organizing Strategies • 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. • Role of international labour solidarity and IFAs

Organizing Migrant Workers Suggested Strategies • Advocate for universal labour rights – abolish distinctions for temporary workers (delinking workers rights from nationality/citizenship) • Working at community level, Self-help groups – building leadership among migrants • Needs of Migrant workers? Set up Welfare & Service centres– health care & workers rights services – help lines • TU Education and Rights Awareness Activities

Organizing thru SHGs & Cooperatives relevant for informal economy workers, self employed and home based workers. builds workers own leadership and self reliance; brings in new activists into the labour movement, successfully used by the NGOs but not trade unions.

Organizing Strategies • Using Workers Capital to promote Union Rights and other labour standards – Labour Social Clause in the Investment Pattern - Need to think beyond Rate of Interest.

Organizing Strategies • 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. • And – what else can TUs do ???

Organizing in the Era of Globalization