130 likes | 206 Views
ACFTU Turin course on Promoting Social Dialogue for Workers’ Rights. Raghwan-ILO-ACTRAV Globalisation and the Development of Framework Agreements. What is a Global Agreement?. An agreement between a global (multinational) company and a Global Union Federation (GUF)
E N D
ACFTU Turin course on Promoting Social Dialogue for Workers’ Rights Raghwan-ILO-ACTRAV Globalisation and the Development of Framework Agreements
What is a Global Agreement? • An agreement between a global (multinational) company and a Global Union Federation (GUF) • It is Social Dialogue at international level (across countries)
Why Global Agreements? • Historical development • Local companies-local collective agreements • National companies-national collective agreements • Global companies (across countries)- global agreements
What are the benefits for Employers? • It is a signed agreement with its workers (unions) • It is a commitment to social responsibility • A commitment to the consumers that the goods are rightly priced; right quality and produced under right conditions
What is in a Framework Agreement? In practise it is a commitment on:- • To observe International Labour Standards for the recognition of the right to join a trade union, to bargain collectively and to non-discrimination in employment
What is in it? • To never use child labour or forced labour • To observe decent working conditions • To adhere to good environmental standards
Benefits for workers • Assists in organising- shows examples of unions being able to increase union membership • Countries where it was difficult to oragnise workers have been made possible to oragnise • Assists in organising work outsourced • Signed agreement with the employer • Respect for fundamental rights
What are the standards and are they different for different companies? • The standards are as outlined by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) • These can apply to all countries-developed, developing –rich or poor countries
Does it mean same wages and work conditions in all the countries where a company has factories? • No! • The Framework agreement can replace local level union negotiations • The wages and work conditions are ditermined by negotiations between the company and the union at the enterprise or national level • Also it is based on national legislation (minimum wages)
Examples of Global Agreements Building Workers International (BWI) • IKEA- a furniture making company –parent company based in Sweden • Faber Castell –makes pencils –German company International Metal Workers Federation (IMF) • Volkswagen (cars), Daimler and Chrysler (cars)-parent company in Germany
Examples Union Network International (UNI) • Carrefour-French supermarket company, H&M –a Swedish Clothes outlet company International Union of Food and Allied Workers (IUF) • Danone-Food –French company, Accor-hotel chain-French
Monitoring of commitment What happens if a company does not follow the agreement? • The workers or the union can report the matter to the GUF and the GUF would take it up with the company
What is the implication for Chinese trade unions? • Assist in organising multinational companies • Development of cooperation with International Trade unions-GUFs • Need for active unions at local and enterprise levels.