The USW Fight For Worker Rights Around the Globe Tim Waters Director of Rapid Response United Steelworkers

The USW Fight For Worker Rights Around the Globe

Tim WatersDirector of Rapid Response

United Steelworkers

Rising Prices/Shrinking WagesRising Prices/Shrinking Wages

HEALTH

CARE

Up 78%since ‘01

FOOD

Up 23%since “01

GAS

Up 161% since “01

WAGES

Family Income down $1,000 /year since ‘00

Speaking of Gas Prices. . .Speaking of Gas Prices. . .

Globalization: The Real Story

1.3 Billion People Live on Less Than $1 (US) Per Day

3 Billion People (1/2 world’s population) live on less than $2 (US) per day

Source: Director General - World Health Organization

Globalization: Globalization: The Real StoryThe Real Story

CountryCountry Average WageAverage Wage(Textile Manufacturing)(Textile Manufacturing)

El SalvadorEl Salvador $0.75$0.75

NicaraguaNicaragua $0.38$0.38

IndiaIndia $0.23$0.23

ChinaChina $0.40$0.40

KenyaKenya $0.42$0.42

Source: The National Labor CommitteeSource: The National Labor Committee

Globalization: The Real StoryGlobalization: The Real Story

Sources: Director General - World Health Organization & the World BankSources: Director General - World Health Organization & the World Bank

Of The World’s Population (6.2 Billion):Of The World’s Population (6.2 Billion):

6%6% Own 59% of All the WealthOwn 59% of All the Wealth

70%70% Are Unable to Read or WriteAre Unable to Read or Write

80%80% Live in Sub-Standard HousingLive in Sub-Standard Housing

30%30% Are WhiteAre White

50%50% Suffer From MalnutritionSuffer From Malnutrition

0.5%0.5% Have a College EducationHave a College Education

1.3 Billion1.3 Billion # of People Living on Less Than $1 (US) Per # of People Living on Less Than $1 (US) Per DayDay

3 Billion3 Billion # of People living on less than $2 (US) per day# of People living on less than $2 (US) per day

In the richest nation in the world:

Over 1/2 of all female workers still earn less than $8.70 per hour ($18,000/year).

More than 1 in 5 children still live in poverty, the highest among 17 industrial nations.

We are still the only industrialized country without some system of universal health care.

37 million Americans living in poverty

De-Industrializing the US

91% Increase in the Trade Deficit

Over 3 Million Lost Jobs

Estimates show $1 billion in new trade deficit means 10,000 jobs lost.

Year Trade DeficitManufacturing Employment

2005 -$726 billion 14.2 million






“We want a different kind of globalization, one that helps raise standards, one that provides good health care and a clean environment, and one that gives aid to raise standards everywhere, so that we all rise together.”

- USW International President Leo W. Gerard

USW International Efforts

Why USW believes it is critically important to assist workers across the globe

The economics of globalization – free flow of capital

The Corporate Plan: “The Global Race to the Bottom” and what it means for workers

Working to level the playing field globally

Reality About Colombia Reality About Colombia

Since 1991, over 2,200 murders of union members Since 1991, over 2,200 murders of union members

In 2008 = approx. one union member killed each weekIn 2008 = approx. one union member killed each week

97% of cases since 1991 have gone unpunished97% of cases since 1991 have gone unpunished

The Int’l Trade Union Confederation declared Colombia The Int’l Trade Union Confederation declared Colombia to be “the most dangerous place in the world to be a to be “the most dangerous place in the world to be a union member”union member”

Ties to paramilitary groups throughout government and Ties to paramilitary groups throughout government and corporations operating in Colombiacorporations operating in Colombia

Colombia

Key USW Work:

• Raising awareness of atrocities committed against union members in Colombia through a years-long legal battle against key companies that are accused of carrying out the murders of union members

• Working at both the national and grassroots level to oppose trade deals between Colombia and the U.S. and Canada that are currently being debated by the respective governments.

Jordan Key USW Work:

•Working to end human trafficking of workers

•Teaching foreign trafficked workers what their rights are under Jordanian law.

•Holding the Jordanian government accountable to uphold their laws on worker rights

•Standing alongside sweatshop workers in the free trade zones and demanding their rights be respected

Honduras

Key USW Work:

• Working alongside ALCOA workers as they risk everything to stand up for their rights in forming a union.

• Not only demanding and winning the right for workers to form a free and independent trade union at Alcoa, but also forcing Alcoa to make whole the workers that were fired and blacklisted in the organizing drive.

•Following ALCOA around the globe to ensure they are held accountable for their actions towards their workers.

Liberia

Key USW Work:

• Providing ongoing assistance and support to the impoverished Liberian workers in their quest to build a union at the Firestone plantation where they live and work.

"The men and women in Liberia are among the bravest people I have ever known. Now that they have established a truly democratic union, with the solidarity they have shown, they can begin to reap some of the fruits of their labors.”

-USW International Vice President for Human Affairs

Fred Redmond

Finding Most Effective Method ofResearch and Solutions

Critical nature of joint efforts with local workers rights organizationsMust be independent and legitimateOften dangerous (China - Burma) but often the only way to get accurate informationWork with them through respected and very focused NGO’s such as NLCUsually much better process than slow-moving huge organizations trying to be effective against global movement of workers and manufacturing facilities

Joint USW / NLC Efforts

Allows us to research and assist workers in many other countries.Undercover information not readily available from public sourcesThis approach has helped tens of thousands of workers whose stories would never have otherwise been told by bringing strategic pressure through public campaigns against well known entitiesExamples of countries where we have jointly worked together

USW Member Education and Mobilization

Rapid Response and Legislative Relief Anti-Sweatshop Legislation

Based off legal precedent: Dog and Cat Protection Act of 2000

Bans child labor goods from entering U.S.

Bans sweatshop goods from entering our country

Creates an incentive for businesses abroad to clean up their act

Real enforcement through private right of action

Major Success for USW Rapid Response

Impact for exploited workers around the globe

Should we care?

Involving our members – 3.5 million

If not us, then who?

““If I were President, I would negotiate a If I were President, I would negotiate a free trade agreement with almost any free trade agreement with almost any

country.”country.”Senator John McCainSenator John McCain

in a Speech at the National Press Clubin a Speech at the National Press Club

Documents

The USW Fight For Worker Rights Around the Globe Tim Waters Director of Rapid Response United Steelworkers