‘Organizing’ in the changing world of work ORGANISING APPROACHES AND STRATEGIES Arun Kumar, Actrav-ILO-Turin

2 Organizing & Collective action – are one of the main ways for unions to promote Decent Work & Social Protection 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 A-P?

FoA & Collective Bargaining Asia has the lowest ratification of the Convention 87 (19) and Convention 98 (25). 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.

Union Density Asia/Pacific 4 Country% Mongolia38.9 Taiwan37.7 Fiji30 Israel30 Singapore26 Australia24 Hong Kong22 New Zealand21.5 Japan18 Sri Lanka18 Turkey15 Korea? Country % Malaysia9 India9 Indonesia8 Nepal7 Philippines7 Pakistan7 Papua NG5 Bangladesh4 Thailand1 China? Viet Nam?

Training Centre of the ILO 5 Complaints presented before the Committee on Freedom of Association ( ) 00 Europa 22% North America 6% Latin America 47% Africa 12% Asia 13% Continent N° of cases L. America 1328 Europe 614 Africa 352 Asia 356 N. America 173 Total 2823

Training Centre of the ILO 6

Where is our power in a market economy? 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 ?

A word about new management policies  To compete effectively, Companies moving towards lean organizations, flat structures, multi-tasking - Requires also change of approach towards workers & unions  Managements not only interested in cheap labour but ‘committed’ labour force  Deal directly with workers in order to improve productivity - Instead of fighting the union, make union irrelevant by addressing workers needs – restricts union to just wage bargaining  Where ever HRM principles are being introduced, unions memberships have been under threat - Can the Unions meet the challenges posed by new management policies? How can unions change? What needs to change?

9 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?  How have we been organizing so far?  What new strategies can we develop for organizing and strengthening TUs?

10 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 ?

11 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

12 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  Domestic social clause  Building partnerships with other movements  In your country context, what is needed?

13 Union Approaches 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

14 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

Organizing workers: what are unions doing?

16 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?

17 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 – youth lives on the net – how can union use internet for organizing and membership servicing?

OECD Guidelines for MNEs and ILO MNE Declaration International instruments accepted by tripartite social partners – seek to promote socially responsible behaviour of MNEs, including the right of their employees to be represented by trade unions. OECD Guidelines now require MNEs to – Respect human rights of all workers, in line with the Guiding Principles for Implementing the UN Framework for Business and Human Rights(Protect, Respect, Remedy) - also require compliance in subsidiaries and supply chains. Complaints can be made to National Contact Points. Where to get these instruments:

19 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 ???

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 - so what needs to change in the unions?

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

Barriers to TU development Internal/due to union limitations/ drawbacks On account of Worker Due to Employers Government/ Political/ legal