International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) | February 24, 2004
Commenting on the publication in London today of the report of the World Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalisation, ICFTU General Secretary Guy Ryder said, "A major mission of the international trade union movement is closing the ever-increasing gap between the haves and the have-nots. Today we warmly welcome the World Commission's report which seeks to do precisely this. We look forward to playing our part in seeing these very important recommendations becoming a reality, and we will not allow them to become simply political rhetoric".
The report, which the ICFTU is hailing as a major breakthrough, calls for a forum to be set up by international organisations to achieve a fairer form of globalisation and which will address and monitor the social impact of developments and policies in the global economy. This Globalisation Policy Forum must bring about cohesion between the international institutions on social issues.
"National and international trade unions alike are consistently pushing for more complementary policies of international institutions. The international trade union movement applauds this report since it understands the myriad issues involved in developing a more inclusive form of globalisation including growth, investment and decent employment in the global economy" added Ryder.
"We expect international meetings this year, such as the G8 Summit in the US in June, to give the report full backing and examine how to implement its recommendations."
The report, two years in the making, was prepared by a special World Commission made up of 26 high-level members including trade union leaders John Sweeney, President of the ICFTU's US affiliate the AFL-CIO, Zwelinzima Vavi, General Secretary of COSATU in South Africa, and Bill Brett, then the Chair of the Workers' Group at the International Labour Organisation. As the UN's only tripartite body, governed by representatives of governments, trade unions and employers' organisations, the ILO has a key role to play in bringing social and employment concerns to the forefront of the process of globalisation.
Ryder remarked that "Formal structures for consultation with the international labour movement and the business community should be established in international institutions such as the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The report is pushing for precisely this".
In line with the ICFTU's recent work, the World Commission report calls for better conditions for workers in Export Processing Zones (EPZs). These zones, which according to the World Commission employ in excess of 50 million workers worldwide, in countries as varied as the Dominican Republic and the Philippines, are often a hotbed of anti-union activity. Fundamental trade union rights are denied to workers, most of whom are women, as the zones are often beyond the reach of national labour laws which may themselves be weak.
"It is high time that the international community supported us in our struggle for decent work in EPZs. We need to halt the "race to the bottom" that all too often dictates working life in EPZs where competition is based on poor labour standards and daily violations of fundamental rights. For this reason, the ICFTU fully backs the World Commission's call to provide support to those in EPZs," said Ryder.
The World Commission report underlines the essential role of collective bargaining in promoting productivity, ensuring equality and giving workers a voice at the workplace. However, it is key that the role of trade unions is supported by international organisations. The report targets the responsibilities of the international institutions and stresses the role they must play in ensuring that fair labour standards are not undermined.
"We need to go beyond the status quo, and ensure that the trade union voice is heard in all important international institutions which exercise a profound influence over globalisation," said Ryder. "All organisations in the multilateral system need to deal with international economic and labour policies in a more integrated and consistent way as a foundation for economic development and social justice. This of course needs to be backed by an ILO which is equipped fully with the authority it needs to bring about respect for core labour standards. But the significance of this report is that it offers all of us the chance to make a new start on globalisation".
Website of the World Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalisation: http://www.ilo.org/public/english/wcsdg/
The ICFTU represents over 150 million workers in 233 affiliated organisations in 152 countries and territories.International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU):
