SESSION SIX:
	RESPONDING TO GLOBALISATION
	COURSE EVALUATION

RESPONDING TO GLOBALISATION

1. Organising in TNCs (45 minutes)

Read the reports sent by study circles in other countries. Discuss the proposals which they have made regarding organising in TNCs.

Proposal: Trade Unions should have a forum at the international level

The group agreed, and mentioned that this group will be the forum where we can discuss common concerns, exchange of information, an opportunity to learn, and, most importantly, an opportunity to plan for future joint actions.

The forum could be inside or outside of the ICFTU.

With or without the forum, it is important to relate to trade unions in other countries.

The group is also curious on whether the different labor centres in the Philippines have the same view on globalisation. (A centre is composed of different federations and unions. We have around 9 labor centres.)

Proposal: Unite the workers in the same TNCs located in the same country.

Not only the workers in the same TNCs but also the all of the workers in TNCs in the same country. They should also join the same federation or at least be members of only two federations. Better yet, the federations of which they are members should merge.

The different unions in the TNCs should also be a structure, like for example, a council of leaders.

All trade union centers in the Philippines should have a joint forum on globalization.

However, sometimes there are conflicts among unions in the same TNC.

Furthermore, we should build regional alliances of workers in the same TNC.

Proposal: Organize unions in unorganized TNCs.

Some suggest that the labor centers should help each other but others opine that due to past animosities, this may be difficult. However, we may try to prod the different unions to unite at the industry level.

Proposal: Conduct social investigation of TNCs

Agree, so that we can identify where they get their resources, raw materials, and capital. We must also find out the real owners, their distribution channels, and their customers.

2. An Action Plan for Asia (1 hour)

Consider the Action Plan which was drawn up by the ICFTU-APRO in Singapore. Discuss:

Does this Plan adequately address the problems faced by workers in Asia?

By and large, the action plan is acceptable; it is the implementation of the recommend actions that is crucial. However, there are some who expressed reservations about high-level national councils since they have rarely worked well in the past, even as it is normally in these fora that government and business try to ram "labor flexibility" down the workers’ throats. But others argue that considering the economic crisis, there is no other way but to work with business and government.

Of course, there are no illusions that we can get everything that we want. However, these fora provide additional opprtunities for unions to fight for workers rights and for the membership to see the relevance of unions in their lives. If only the process of engagement may help us organize more workers and make unions officers and members more active, the engagement alone is worth it.

There can be no argument against the creation of jobs. However, these should be regular jobs, not temporary, casual, or subcontracted jobs. At the same time, these should not only be for new entrants but also for those who have been dismissed.

The problem with point number two (preventing viable jobs from being lost by separating non-performing assets) is that this can be used as a pretext for unnecessarily dismissing workers, especially unionized workforce, only to replace them with casuals, contractuals, and non-unionized workers.

Priority over assets is fine, but these should also include assets that are subject to specific liens such as mortgages. Also, they should have first preference even over taxes, and should be paid immediately after the closure.

Social action plans should be at the company, industry, and national levels.

The rest of the recommendations are good.

The group also made additional recommendations:

The government should require companies to set a trust fund for their workers.

The group as a whole suggested that in cases where the employer is really having financial difficulties, workers should be more flexible, even to the point of accepting reduced wages. In order to make sure that the data presented to the workers is accurate, unions should have representatives in management boards.

Social safety nets, including retirement benefits, disability and sickness benefits, etc. should improved drastically. Comprehensive and massive information dissemination of government social security programs, and reasonable requirements to qualify.

What would you include in an Action Plan for the Asian region?

There should be an international treaty whereby all companies are jointly and solidarily liable for the violation of national labor laws committed by their subsidiaries, subcontracts or contractors, branches, offices, etc. regardless of the location of the parent companies and the subsidiaries, etc. The workers will then have the option to sue the TNC in its home country for labor rights violations committed by the subsidiaries, subcontractors, etc. committed in another country.

There should also be safeguards against foreign entities leaving the country in order to evade payment of the claims of labor. Examples include a surety bond, prohibition on abrupt sale of assets, and limitation on the allowable amount of mortgage on specific assets.

3. Evaluating the ISC Programme (45 minutes)

1) What did you like and not like about the study circle programme?

2) What did you like about the education materials, and what were the problems?

3) What did you learn from the exchange between the different countries?

4) In what other ways did you benefit from the ISC programme?

5) What suggestions do you have for how you can continue to build links in the region?

6) How will you take what you have learnt in the ISC programme back into your union?

What we liked about the program is that we were able to learn about globalization and its effects on us as workers and as citizens. With this, we are aware of the economic context of the difficulties facing us.

The materials are very informative and are short and concise. As unionists, we can use these materials as references not only at the plant level, but also as activists working for a better society.

What we did not like is that some of the countries, including us, sometimes submit the reports late.

We feel that the exchange of information and experiences among the participating countries made us realise how similar our situations, problems, experiences are. Hopefully, we can echo everything we learned through education sessions within our own unions. Considering that management often argue that there exists a global economic crisis, our additional knowledge will help argue our case during negotiations.

We hope that we can build cooperative relationship with workers in other countries, especially on the issue of organizing unions at the plant level and regional groupings.

We also learned to appreciate how technology could be used for the benefit of the working class.

We strongly recommend the continuation and expansion of this kind of ISC. It helps us gain and share knowledge on strategies and tactics that could help us fight for our rights. Hopefully, we will also learn to use and have access to computers so that we can communicate directly with the other participants. We also wish that we can have the resources to replicate these sessions at the plant level.

Finally, we want to thank the organizers, facilitators, computer operators, funders, colleagues, etc. for making this wonderful experience possible. We look forward to continued cooperation with all of you.

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