home / course outline / general information / facilitators / materials / summaries / links
Session 1 / Session 2 / Session 3 / Session 4 / Session 5 / Session 6 / Session 7 / Session 8

Session Seven Outline: Building a Strategy

Aims

• to develop skills in planning a programme of action on a TNC
• to develop skills in evaluating strategic options

Summaries of session 7

• BUL1 (Plamen Dimitrov)
• EST1 (Tiia Kask)
• GBR1 (Les Ford)
• SWE1 (Ola Niclason)

Activities

Rights to company information

Take turns to read the input from other study circles in the project on what useful sources of information there are for finding out about companies, and the rights to information which exist in different countries. Discuss a strategy aimed at strengthening rights to information in your country and internationally.

Campaigning against TNCs

Each group of two or three should present their proposed programme of action on a TNC. The study circle should discuss and evaluate critically each proposal. The group must consider how the programme of action would be implemented including:

• what types of international solidarity would it be useful to develop?
• who could you work with within your organisation, within your local community, and elsewhere to build that solidarity?
• what are the key problems you may face in making alliances at local level, and how could you overcome these?

From these discussions, compile general guidelines for building a programme of action against TNCs. The facilitator should write these up on flipchart paper.

Summary and Evaluation of this session

The study circle evaluates the session, using the form provided

Activities before Session 8

Reflect on what you have learnt in the course and what your ideas are for future studies and action on TNCs.

Session 7: Notes for the facilitator

You will need:

• Session evaluation sheet
• Flipchart paper and pens

Points to bear in mind:
This session is aimed at consolidating the knowledge which has been generated during the previous six sessions. It is important that in this session, study circle members are given the opportunity to consider in concrete terms how to take up a campaign against a local TNC. It would be useful to constantly refer to the issues and methods which have been discussed in previous sessions. You might want to encourage them to take the proposal for a programme of action against a local TNC into their organisations.

This session also considers the question of how to strengthen rights to information. Since this is an issue which study circle members might want to collaborate on in the future either at a local or international level, it is important to ensure that they consider concrete options for sustained joint activity. Drawing up guidelines for organising campaigns against TNCs will act as a summary of the session. Prepare for this discussion in advance using the separate sheet Guidelines for organising a programme of action against a local TNC: Key points for facilitators.

Activities before Session 8:

• put the results of your discussions on strategies for confronting a local TNC and strengthening rights to information onto the Internet.
• download materials for Session 8.

Guidelines for organising a programme of action against a local TNC

Key points for facilitators

You may like to help the discussion with the following points:

• it is important to gather background information on the TNC in order to inform the most appropriate strategy for your programme of action. The guidelines provided in Session Four called Finding out about the local activities of a TNC: some questions to ask is a useful reference point.
• make use of different sources of information including company annual reports and financial statements, trade unions, international trade secretariats, community groups, databases, newspapers, and the Internet.
• identify clear issues and demands around which the programme of action will be built.
• decide which structure in your organisation will be responsible for organising and co-ordinating the programme of action.
• discuss who you want to reach with the programme of action. For example, other workers and members of the public.
• discuss how you will reach your target constituency.
• consider how to involve other organisations at a local level in the programme of action. For example, trade unions and community groups. These organisations should be included in the planning process.
• consider how to involve other organisations at an international level in the programme of action. For example, international trade union organisations and other trade unions organising in the company.
• when involving other organisations either at a local or international level, it is important to be clear about the activities in which they can become involved. There are different kinds of actions which can be considered including: letters of protest to management, press releases, pickets, sympathy strikes, consumer boycotts, meetings, pamphlets etc.
• communication is essential. There should be regular updating of information so that other organisations can be kept informed of developments. If possible, the use of information technology can be used to send out regular information effectively and cheaply.
• the decision when or how the programme of action should come to an end is crucial. It is a decision which must be taken democratically and should involve consultation with other organisations which have participated.

For problems or questions regarding this site contact [Alana Dave].
Technical problems and ideas contact [Technical staff].
This site was developed with financial assistance from the European Commision's Socrates Programme