1. Background
‘Crisis’ exposed many vulnerabilities – export dependency, low & declining real wages for majority & insufficient social protection for workers.
Major challenges: Unemployment, underemployment, precarious work, inadequate social protection, lack of respect in practice for FoA & right to collective bargaining – a clear indication that the economies are not creating decent work
Governments looking towards Exports, FDI & MNEs as a major driver of growth and jobs

2. Background Main challenges for TUs:
Organizing, recognition of trade unions & trade unions’ rights to collective bargaining facing:
low TU density & CB coverage
growing precarious employment,
low wages & low social protection,
lack of implementation of ILO standards.
Within TUs:
Need for strengthening organizational & technical capacities for
organizing and implement social dialogue & collective bargaining
be influential on economic, social & environment policies.

3. The processes of globalization (and the neo-liberal model in it)
Financialization of the economy
Strong focus on an export-led growth
Growing income inequality which has impacted aggregate demand and sustainability of growth
Commodification of everything (labour and land first)
More competition among (unequal) countries
But also inside countries: 99% vs. 1 % (USA)
Weaker or absent intervention of public policies
Growing gap between global economy and national policy space
(investments in productive capacities unattractive, real economy vulnerable to shocks and subordinated to financial market distress and increase in foreign direct investment (FDI) & in trade for short-term profits
opposed to growth of domestic markets, which has led to vulnerabilities (including dependence on a few products or a few markets) 3 3

4. The effects on national systems
Labour standards deregulation as an answer to the international competitive pressures
Crisis of the ability of States to govern the social and economic impacts induced by globalization
Crisis of trade union membership and collective bargaining coverage
Weaker or absent resources for social protection and basic needs of people
Privatization of profits and socialization of costs and losses

5. Effects on the world of work
Flexibility of work & change in employment relations
Entailments of flexibilization of workers’ rights (right of association, establishment of TUs, collective bargaining, social security, wages, labour law)
Precarious jobs for young and women workers
900 millions of working poors (in Europe 50% of families in poverty include 1 working member)
60% of workers without a secure work contract (decent work); 75% of workers without social protection; 160 work accidents every 15 seconds
Income redistribution in favour of the rich (privatization, fiscal policies) - the theory that if rich people invest growth is stimulated – lower participation of work to the GDP
Growth but higher inequality

6. Lessons from the “crisis” 1
To produce economic and social internal stability – countries need to implement measures expanding national and regional market & domestic consumption
How to do it?
Labour standards and development: role of right of association, collective bargaining and social security
Wages are growing slower than productivity and wage share of GDP is lowering:
 need for wage policies and social protection floors aimed to reduce inequalities, align wages to productivity growth, increase wage share, avoid consumption financed through debts and promote sustainable development.

7. Lessons from the “crisis” 2
Long- & medium- term development vs. short-termism
Austerity vs. social debt
Real economy vs. finance
A broader base for trade unions: unemployed, underemployed, workers in informal economy (see ILO Convention 189 on domestic work)

8. Alternatives exist Jobs as engine for a labour-led development
Full employment is an objective
Only public policies work for long-term ends
Inclusive social and economic policies
Infrastructures for human rights
Partecipated design of transition measures
Investing in people
Financing for the just transition
Social and political alliances for alternatives to neo-liberal policies....

9. What is Decent work?
Employment creation
Social protection
Tripartism and social dialogue
Standards and rights at work
Work that is productive and generate a fair income
Work that offers security in the workplace and social protection for the workers and their families
Work that offers better opportunities of personal development and stimulate social integration;
Work that strengthens social dialogue and participation through freedom of association, the right to organize and collective bargaining;
Work that produces equal opportunities and equal treatment for all.

10. Sustainable development
Satisfies our needs today without endangering the capacity of future generations to satisfy their needs tomorrow
Social
Soportable – Sostenible - Equitativo
Ambiental – Viable – Económico

11. DEMOCRATIC INDEPENDENT FREE & REPRESENTATIVE
TRADE UNIONS
DEMOCRATIC
INDEPENDENT
FREE
&
REPRESENTATIVE

12. Checklist democratic independent free representative deficits
opportunities
diversity management
ownership
……………………

13. Organizing into a union & Organizing ‘the Union’
To attract new members –
unions 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?

14. Barriers to TU development
Internal
due to union limits/drawbacks
on account of workers
External
due to employers
Due to Governments & Political/legal

15. Key issues to be discussed
Social Dialogue & Collective Bargaining for Decent Work: Key issues for unions in the age of globalization
Country situation review - Current trends in the employment & industrial relations
ILO’s Decent Work Agenda, its significance and role of unions
Promoting labour standards in the corporate world: Public regulation vs. private standards
Organizing: Pathway to Decent Work
Follow up work plans: Promoting Organizing & Decent Work

16. An example: global Union Networks
Exchange of Information & Experiences
Collective Agreements
Organizing Strategies
Occupational Health, Safety & Environment
Company Information
Building Cross-Border Union Solidarity
Joint Actions
Campaign support
Study Visits / Shop Stewards Exchange Programmes
Implementing an Effective Communication

17. Networking
Step One: Develop a Data Base for All Unions to Determine Common Employers
Step Two: Engage in Exchanges and Build Networks Among Trade Unions with Common Employers
Step Three: Develop Common Tactics and Exchanges To Wield Increased Power
Step Four: Engage in Joint Dialogue/Action with or Against Common Employers
Step Five: Encourage and Support Formation of Global Networks