Organising in a Global Economy
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Transcript of Organising in a Global Economy
Organising in a Global Economy
An ITGLWF Perspective
Aims for Session
• Globalisation and its impact on organising
• The peculiarities of textile, clothing and footwear
• The ITGLWF response
• IFAs and Organising • Some other approaches
• (The China Syndrome)
The 4 Pillars of Globalisation• Rapid advances in transport and
communications technology
• Mobile international capital
• Free trade policy
• Increased labour migration
• Segmented and oppressed global labour markets
The Global Assembly line
• Garments designed in the USA • Manufactured under contract in China• by a company owned in Hong Kong • Using raw materials from all around the world.• transported to the UK in container ships
carrying a flag of convenience and crewed by Filipino seafarers.
• Payroll and other data tasks carried out in Asia
The ‘New Economy’ in Textiles Clothing and Footwear
Retailer Manufacturer Suppliers
Fo
rmal eco
no
my
Info
rmal E
con
om
y
Own label
Wholly owned subsidiaries
O u t s o u r c e dO u t s o u r c e d
Logistics
To what extent are similar patterns emerging in manufacture or service delivery in your sector?
The ‘New Economy’ in Textiles Clothing and Footwear
Retailer Manufacturer Suppliers
Fo
rmal eco
no
my
Info
rmal E
con
om
y
Own label
Wholly owned subsidiaries
O u t s o u r c e dO u t s o u r c e d
Logistics
Subcontractor
Shop houses, sub subcontractors and homeworkers
Global Supply Chains and International Framework Agreements
Retailer Manufacturer Suppliers
Logistics
Merchandiser
Strategy on IFAs
• IFA – a test for Global Unions?
• Ability to negotiate a collective agreement at global level
• Ability to use that agreement to support organising on the ground eg Accor Hotels
• Entry point however is via a well organised HQ MNC
• What happens when this is not the case?
MNC
Fo
rmal
eco
no
my
Info
rmal
Eco
no
my
Subsidiary - Wholly ownedcontractor
subcontractor
Homeworkersfreelancers
Trade Union Organisation in the supply chain
MNC e.g. Nike
Fo
rmal
eco
no
my
IFAsIn
form
al E
con
om
y
Subsidiarycontractor
subcontractor
Homeworkersfreelancers
Code of conduct
No Production!
Corporate Social responsibilityModel 1(Buyer) eg Nike
Code
MonitoringImplementation
VerificationReporting
The Code Problem
Eg Supplier Factory in
Central America
Current situation
CSR Model 2
MonitoringImplementation
VerificationReporting
Multi Stakeholder Initiative
Successful campaigns to disclose locations of suppliers/contractors
Sectoral Framework Agreement on Trade Union Rights
Dealing with a Freedom of Association violation
Limitations
• Disclosure of locations does not lead to wide scale organising
• Tackling violations via IFA or MSI involvement is piecemeal and reactive
• Does not tackle the crucial issue of access for organisers
Our approach
• GS and GUF staff involvement in major MSIs
• Bespoke framework agreements on trade union rights
• Research on organising targets
• Major suppliers / brands
• Regional meetings with csr staff from brands
• National meetings between csr staff, suppliers EPZ managers and government officials on FOA and access
Questions
• What experience do we have of IFAs or codes of conduct or other instruments being used as organising levers?
• What is happening specifically around the issue of trade union access in your sector?
• How does your GUF approach the issue of freedom Of Association in China?