Organising in a Global Economy

An ITGLWF Perspective

Aims for Session

• Globalisation and its impact on organising

• The peculiarities of textile, clothing and footwear

• The ITGLWF response

• IFAs and Organising • Some other approaches

• (The China Syndrome)

The 4 Pillars of Globalisation• Rapid advances in transport and

communications technology

• Mobile international capital

• Free trade policy

• Increased labour migration

• Segmented and oppressed global labour markets

The Global Assembly line

• Garments designed in the USA • Manufactured under contract in China• by a company owned in Hong Kong • Using raw materials from all around the world.• transported to the UK in container ships

carrying a flag of convenience and crewed by Filipino seafarers.

• Payroll and other data tasks carried out in Asia

The ‘New Economy’ in Textiles Clothing and Footwear

Retailer Manufacturer Suppliers

Fo

rmal eco

no

my

Info

rmal E

con

om

y

Own label

Wholly owned subsidiaries

O u t s o u r c e dO u t s o u r c e d

Logistics

To what extent are similar patterns emerging in manufacture or service delivery in your sector?

The ‘New Economy’ in Textiles Clothing and Footwear

Retailer Manufacturer Suppliers

Fo

rmal eco

no

my

Info

rmal E

con

om

y

Own label

Wholly owned subsidiaries

O u t s o u r c e dO u t s o u r c e d

Logistics

Subcontractor

Shop houses, sub subcontractors and homeworkers

Global Supply Chains and International Framework Agreements

Retailer Manufacturer Suppliers

Logistics

Merchandiser

Strategy on IFAs

• IFA – a test for Global Unions?

• Ability to negotiate a collective agreement at global level

• Ability to use that agreement to support organising on the ground eg Accor Hotels

• Entry point however is via a well organised HQ MNC

• What happens when this is not the case?

MNC

Fo

rmal

eco

no

my

Info

rmal

Eco

no

my

Subsidiary - Wholly ownedcontractor

subcontractor

Homeworkersfreelancers

Trade Union Organisation in the supply chain

MNC e.g. Nike

Fo

rmal

eco

no

my

IFAsIn

form

al E

con

om

y

Subsidiarycontractor

subcontractor

Homeworkersfreelancers

Code of conduct

No Production!

Corporate Social responsibilityModel 1(Buyer) eg Nike

Code

MonitoringImplementation

VerificationReporting

The Code Problem

Eg Supplier Factory in

Central America

Current situation

CSR Model 2

MonitoringImplementation

VerificationReporting

Multi Stakeholder Initiative

Successful campaigns to disclose locations of suppliers/contractors

Sectoral Framework Agreement on Trade Union Rights

Dealing with a Freedom of Association violation

Limitations

• Disclosure of locations does not lead to wide scale organising

• Tackling violations via IFA or MSI involvement is piecemeal and reactive

• Does not tackle the crucial issue of access for organisers

Our approach

• GS and GUF staff involvement in major MSIs

• Bespoke framework agreements on trade union rights

• Research on organising targets

• Major suppliers / brands

• Regional meetings with csr staff from brands

• National meetings between csr staff, suppliers EPZ managers and government officials on FOA and access

Questions

• What experience do we have of IFAs or codes of conduct or other instruments being used as organising levers?

• What is happening specifically around the issue of trade union access in your sector?

• How does your GUF approach the issue of freedom Of Association in China?