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SESSION FIVE: RESPONDING TO GLOBALISATION
Place: PILER’s Office in Karachi
Date: Thursday, April 22nd, 1999
The Participants read and discussed the reports
from the other participating countries. The moderator’s comments were discussed
specially in regard to the correspondence between Don and Marlon. Following are their
responses.
- From all the reports the question portion has completely
disappeared, which so far was the best part of the reports for that’s where the
participants could inquire specific things about another country’s situation and
working people.
- The discussions are becoming repetitive. May be along with
focusing on each session’s theme, we should also open up a bit more on the
worker’s experience of changes in the workplace and relate that to the topic of each
session. So far the participants felt that the session one had generated maximum
participation between them because it was directly connected to their experience which is
why it also reflected the difference of opinion.
- The participants responses varied to the questions that
moderator had raised in his comments. 1)In response to the first some thought yes, the
government together with TUs should formulate it’s own SAP and implement. Others
disagreed and said that there was no need for such a program and if it is inevitable the
government should improve the working of nonproftable/sick units and make them more
competitive. 2)Generally the response to second question was NO because workers feel that
they can not trust their governments and it would only mean that there would be no end to
trade offs and the same situation will persist. 3)As the SAP is fully implented the unions
will become powerless, unless there are federations at national, regional and
international level coming together to fight and negociate for the rights of the workers.
Following was our main discussion on
‘Responses to Globalization"
- It is important to form regional and international unions in
the same TNCs so that workers can join hands on issues and fight for their rights. Unless
all the workers of a TNC around the world are linked and communicate with each other at
least at the leadership level, it would be impossible to safegaurd their interests in
isolation.
- Also there should be TUs formed on sector to sector basis
like food workers or transport workers unions which will again be aforum to adapt
stretegies.
- The workers federation should be part of all trade
agreements and they should have there representative while the negotiations between the
governments and international financial institutions like IMF/WB go on.
- The existing international trade secretarite and fedarations
can be a great help in this direction.
- The TUs in TNCs should actively work to organize the
temporary, contracted and subcontracted labour. Some participants thought that it was
completely impossible because these workers were too insecure to join unions. Others said
that unions should devise new ways of organizing them without risking their jobs. For
instance at their homes and communities and slowly they should emerge as they feel secure.
- There major time of the session went in to the discussion
about making the communication tools more easily available to workers. The participants
felt that unless the workers had access to these tools nothing will workout. Some said
that its virtually impossible for a worker to have a computer and access this information.
Other thought that the computers at workplace could be used for such activities but the
managements will never allow. In this regard some participants came up with the idea that
there should be a worker’s resource Centre established where a couple of computers
should available so that workers could come together and access all information. They also
stressed that unless all international sites like IUF, IFWEA and ILO etc. will have
information in local and regional languages available, it would not be useful.
Questions
Which are the major TNCs in your country?
Do you have any of the TNCs which have international
unions?
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