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SESSION SIX: RESPONDING TO GLOBALISATION

Four participants were absent, however two of them had managed to pass on their views earlier in separate meetings while they excused themselves from the main meeting due to commitments elsewhere.

Read and discussed the reports from other countries. The proposals coming from all the participants generated great interest and the following discussion took place:

An International Forum representing unions in Asia

Participants agreed as to the need of an international forum representing unions but the participants from the informal sector stressed the need for a greater role of unorganized workers in it. Others thought that unless the informal sector workers organize themselves at local levels, it would be impossible to get their representation in such a forum. The participants also discussed the need for a joint action plan for this forum even if to start with limited activities so that workers can begin some work together at a regional level.

Uniting the workers in the same TNCs

Participants feel that their experiences of uniting workers in the same TNCs and at industry and sector level has been often more positives than on the political agendas and federation level. Federations are often found fighting each other and the conflicts between the leaderships are always a major problem. While the experience of organizing in the same TNC like in the case of Lever Brothers unions (it has been mentioned in earlier sessions) and sector based unions like IUF’s Food & Allied Unions has been extremely encouraging. So building on the past experience the work should continue in the same direction towards achieving a national and regional level broad based alliance. Participants also feel a strong need for bringing federations closer and together they can play a more important role for the benefit of workers in Globalization.

The participants also felt the need for more information about the workings and practices of TNCs so that workers can use it to their advantage.

Organizing the unorganized workers.

The participants feel that the huge majority of unorganized sector can bring back the strength that TUs seem to have lost in the recent years. Some expressed their apprehension about it because at work place it’s impossible to get even in touch with the temporary workers for they feel very insecure being seen with the union members. Others suggested that it was possible to contact these workers in their communities as they mostly come from the same localities, which are closer to their workplace. They agreed that in a neutral place the permanent and temporary workers feel easier to communicate while at work even if they are not hostile to each other, they maintain their distance.

The Social Action Plan For Asia

The participants felt that this Plan does adequately address the concerns and issues of the workers in Asia however there is a need to increase safety nets for the temporary/contract workers. Although through creation of jobs especially for the new entrants and labour intensive public workers program the situation substantially improves for them but before such an implementation takes place it is necessary to ensure that the jobs of Temporary/contracted/subcontracted workers are regularized on permanent basis.

The participants are of the view that it is good to see an action plan and recommendations on paper but what really matters is that how it is implemented. It should be made compulsory for the governments, whose track record in the poor countries of Asia has been very poor, to implement it and for the TNCs to invest in a country unless these recommendations are practiced. The formation of an international forum that we have discussed already can help a great deal in the implementation of this Plan.

The participants also feel that there is a new role for the unions and federations to play but it can not be achieved unless there is a mutual trust between the employer, workers and the union. Together they can help the Asia economies to improve and save people from their hardships as well as make it for the employers competitive to produce with more labour intensive industries.

• It was a very useful program because it provided the participants with an opportunity to come together and study globalization.
• The education material was very good and focused but at times they felt that they did not have enough knowledge to grasp these concepts but slowly it became easier. It had very few case studies included from the participating countries. With more practical information about the struggles of workers from these countries, the education material would have become more useful.
• The participants feel they learnt that the workers from other countries also have similar problems. Even in the case of countries which are different like Australia the only difference is of the degrees of these problem plus how do their government respond to globalization. They were scared of Internet and computers but when it brought them closer to the workers with other countries they feel more confident about using it.
• The participants felt that though there had been occasions in the past when the workers from the informal and formal sectors came together and also learnt about globalization but mostly they had been silent listeners. With its intensive 2 hours and six sessions they realized the link between their present hardships, between the temporary/casual and permanent workers and the changing market forces. It often happens that one goes back after a session and some question arises so with a study circle it is easier to come back and discuss that question. They also feel that the facilitator should have produced more material in Urdu other than the given course and may be arranged for an expert explaining us more about how globalization is coming to our own countries.
• The participants opined that there should be a continuation of linkages between all ISC participants. With Internet, it is possible to keep contact and inform each other about activities.
• When we joined this study circle we had no idea how globalization has effected us in our day to day life. Now it is easier to link it with our situation and explain it to our fellow members and the colleagues at work. But the participants feel that there is a greater need for more widespread awareness on this issue.

• It is a very innovative and useful format to study through the Internet. It was very educative both for the participants and the facilitator. But organizing the participants to come together has been the most difficult part and involved much more work than anticipated. Probably if the participants themselves could use computers and communicate to each other its usefulness will increase manifold. The worst part is that by the time we seem to be coming together as a study circle, it is ended. Besides we had not planned enough time, which caused delays, and no time left for attention to the smaller details and good reporting of the sessions.
• There needs to be more input from the participating countries in designing the education material. It would not only become more relevant for the participants but also make them feel closer as they would know more about each other’s country, situation and struggles.
• There is a great potential for the workers to come closer, understand that they all face similar problems, discuss issues and evolve strategies together to fight for their rights. It also helps to break cultural barriers and stereotypes about other people and brings a racial, cultural and religious harmony. We must devise the ways for the participants to be able to communicate to each other directly.
• It was a first program of its kind and we gained experience as to how it can be improved. The best part was that how slowly participants started unwinding and show us the concrete side of the major economic changes through their day to day life experience of changes at the workplace. There were often debates and arguments between the participants from the unorganized and organized sector as has been evident from the sessions. But slowly and unnoticeably a common understanding of issues between the two emerged.
• I believe we must give shape to some platform for a continued linkage and understanding of issues thereby evolving common strategies. Also an electronic newsletter can play a vital role in it. There is a need for more communication between if not the participants, at least facilitators to build a team effort in this direction.

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