Trade Union Movement: Nairobi conference Global ...
Transcript of Trade Union Movement: Nairobi conference Global ...
1
Global development agenda, decent work and social justice: Challenges for AfricanTrade Union Movement:
Nairobi conference
Global development agenda and its implications for African workers
Presentation by:
Mohammed Mwamadzingo,Regional Desk Officer for Africa, ILO/ACTRAV Geneva
Sarova Stanley Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya12-14 February 2014
1
2
Key concerns of trade unions in the global agenda in 2014
1. The current status and future of
organized labour
2. The future of capitalism and
globalization
3. The major geopolitical uncertainties
4. The digital world
5. Leadership and societal values
2
Most urgent global issues in 2014
3
Key challenges facing Africa in 2014
4
Key challenges facing Africa in 2014
5
Agenda 1: The future of organized labour
6
• Union development, union decline
• Union splits
• Recruiting and organizing
– Youth in trade unions
– Women in trade unions
• Union leadership
• Union politics and activism
• Union solidarity and the global economy
Agenda 2: The future of capitalism and globalization
7
• As the pace of globalization continues to
increase, new opportunities and challenges will
arise.
– Globalization has brought immense benefits
to many sectors,
– But, many more countries and individuals
remain and continue to become increasingly
vulnerable.
Agenda 2: The future of capitalism and globalization
8
Agenda 2: The future of capitalism and globalizationIs advancing globalization having a positive or negative impact?
9
Agenda 2: The future of capitalism and globalizationAre you confident that current global leadership has the capacity to solve severe income inequalities?
10
Agenda 2: The future of capitalism and globalization-Summary
11
• Globalization is creating a world that is more
volatile with increased economic uncertainty.
• Globalization seem to be creating de-
globalization, and are even co-existing.
• There is loss of trust in the ability of
governments (even if democratically elected)
and business leaders to resolve crises and
improve lives in their communities.
Agenda 3: Geopolitical uncertainties
12
• Around the world, 1.6 billion people are affected
by conflict.
• The international community has been
successful at reducing overall levels of violence,
but regional hotspots continue to flare at
enormous human and economic cost.
• Question: what is the source of global conflict?
Agenda 3: Geopolitical uncertaintiesWill political stability increase or decrease in your region?
13
Agenda 3: Geopolitical uncertaintiesWhat is the source of global conflict?
14
• Much of the global conflict is not security conflict,
but economic conflict.
– Examples in Africa
• Kenya,
• South Africa,
• Somalia,
• Mali,
• Nigeria
• Central African Republic
Agenda 3: Geopolitical uncertaintiesWhat is the source of global conflict?
15
• Much of the global conflict is not security conflict,
but economic conflict.
• Current geopolitical risks:
– Middle East / North Africa: what was seen as
Arab Spring in 2012 is now turning to be a
societal polarization
– Eurozone crisis
– Rise of China (most important and
dangerous)
Agenda 3: Geopolitical uncertaintiesWhat is the source of global conflict?
16
– Rise of China (most important and
dangerous) and its implication on Africa
• China has been matching its growing economic
might by expanding its military muscle
• China has the second largest military expenditure
in the world and increasing by 10% each year for
the last 2 decades
• China’s military muscle is not visible in Africa
• China’s presence in infrastructure development
(Tazara in 1975, airports, stadia, high-rise
buildings, roads, housing, state houses)
Agenda 3: Geopolitical uncertaintiesWhat is the source of global conflict?
17
– Rise of China (most important and
dangerous) and its implication on Africa
• China gives Africa USD 18 billion each year,
45.7% of its global aid. Are there no poor countries
in Asia?
• Africa is hosting about 1 million Chinese migrants
• Deeper discussion between Africa and China
– New scramble (“new liberalism”) for Africa
– Social tensions (Coal mines in Zambia, gold mining in
Ghana, Lesotho, Ethiopia)
– Nature of investment vis-a-vis direct poverty alleviation
– Cultural integration
– Language barriers
Agenda 3: Geopolitical uncertaintiesSummary
18
• African institutions have not evolved to
adapt to current geopolitical uncertainties
• Disparity between rich and poor will be a
big source of conflict in many regions of
the world
• Youth unemployment is unravelling social
cohesion and eroding social peace
Agenda 4: The digital world
19
• ITUC Third World Congress 2014 (18-23
May 2014) will be a paperless event.
– What does it mean to an African trade
union leader?
• Today’s leaders (including trade union
leaders) have been trained in a world that
no longer exists.
Agenda 4: The digital world
20
• Positive attributes of the digital world
– Vast amounts of data are sent and received
by billions of interconnected devices
– Much more power and storage of data
– Different sources and kinds of data: social
networking sites, mobile communications
– Intimate information about people giving
insights that help us to function better in the
real world
Agenda 4: The digital world
21
• Negative attributes of the digital world
– Lack of trusted relationships
– Challenges to incumbent power structures,
exposing vulnerabilities
– Lack of cohesion-divisions and
fragmentations remain
Trade unions and the digital divide
Agenda 5: Restoring leadership and societal values
22
• The mistrust in governments and institutions is
growing, as today’s economic and political
systems struggle to come to terms with the
complexities and interdependencies of the 21st
century.
• People today are more influenced by their
friends than by political doctrine or famous
people. And those friends could be from
anywhere.
Agenda 5: Restoring leadership and societal values
• In Africa, we have seen too many people who
seek leadership in order to make money, exert
influence and spread money to their friends and
cronies
• Young people tend to have the strongest
feelings: not at all satisfied with the attention
governments give to a lack of values in
leadership
23
Agenda 5: Restoring leadership and societal values
– Challenge leaders and institutions to
have the will and wisdom to make a
break with the old ways of doing things
– Back to basic values that we have lost
due to greed and drive for excellence
– Search of role models-leadership is
critical to demonstrating values and
ethical action
24
Organize: Unions must consolidate their ranks, reach out
and organize more workers in the factories, offices and
in the communities, build unity with other oppressed and
exploited sections in our society and internationally.
Trade union unity: is a prerequisite for the labour world to
play its rightful role in the management of public affairs,
both at the national level and at the regional level.
Workers’ education and research: Unions must deepen
their understanding of the failure of the free-market
globalization phenomenon and call for a new
sustainable—economic, social, and ideological—
paradigm.25
Implications for trade unions
Restore social values: Unions must assume their original
role as in the 1950s and 1960s. We must be the
champions of social values in our communities. 50
years of political bickering has shown that politicians and
NGOs cannot be trusted.
– We must teach our communities to say “jambo”,
“thank you”, and “please”.
– We must integrate our original African social values
within the modern social networking arrangements
– We must emphasize on “respect”
26
Implications for trade unions
Provide “role models” : Again, just as we provided guidance
to the independence movements, we are now called to
provide “role models” to our societies.
- We must demonstrate our nationalist and Pan-
Africanism to our communities.
- We must reincarnate the likes of Rashid Kawawa,
Ahmed Tlili, Wogu Ananaba and Tom Mboya.
27
Implications for trade unions
Implications for trade unions
Trade unions must be
visible in AU Agenda
2063:• African Identity and Renaissance,
• The struggle against colonialism and
the right to self-determination of
people still under colonial rule,
• Integration Agenda,
• Agenda for Social and Economic
Development,
• Agenda for Peace and Security,
• Democratic Governance,
• Determining Africa’s Destiny, and
• Africa’s place in the world
28
29
Thank you
29
Global development agenda, decent work and social justice: Challenges for African Trade Union Movement:Nairobi conference