Community and international solidarity

Community and international solidarity

Community and international solidarity...building stronger solidarity is possible Context and challenges Social justice, not social crisis Though political powers try and make us feel that we are working in isolation, rather than as a community, the trade union movement gives us the power to overcome that oppression and stand together to make a difference. We have seen this in the past few years as workers around the world are coming together to say enough is enough if there is no bread, there will be no peace. What has inspired people to work together is the wave of fight backs that we have seen from corners of the world that we least expected. The popular uprisings, most commonly known now as the Arab Spring, which started in Tunisia and spread through the region showed what can happen when ordinary people The Occupy movement act together to express their rejection of a system that keeps them demanded an end to powerless. Frustrated with the lack of jobs, oppressed by inequality and lack of opportunity which worsens every day, ordinary workers, control on democracy especially the young, took to the streets and initiated change in their by the corporate sector countries. In India, millions of people, including members of the nation s and its theme of equality eleven largest trade unions, took to the streets in a nationwide strike for the 99% became a that sought to address rampant inflation, an end to the privatization of public entities, and increased labour protections including calls for defining political moment. a social security system and a minimum wage. The strikes targeted the financial institutions, the postal service, and the transportation sector. Across China literally thousands of strikes occurred over working conditions in every sector of the economy with workers demanding unpaid wages and free collective bargaining. In the transplanted auto manufacturers, workers, mostly young, rejected imposed conditions of work and demanded a say in their contracts. Inspired by their courage and victories. President Ken Lewenza said in 2010: In India, millions of people, including members of the nation s eleven largest trade unions, took to the streets in a nationwide strike that sought to address rampant inflation, an end to the privatization of public entities, and increased labour protections including calls for a social security system and a minimum wage. The strikes targeted the financial institutions, the postal service, and the transportation sector. Across China literally thousands of strikes occurred over working conditions in every sector of the economy with workers demanding unpaid wages and free collective bargaining. In the transplanted auto manufacturers, workers, mostly young, rejected imposed conditions of work and demanded a say in their contracts. Inspired by their courage and victories our union stood in solidarity with their struggle and CAW President Ken Lewenza said in 2010: I was inspired by the news of Chinese autoworkers who, against all odds and possibly severe repercussions, took to the streets in protest over insufficient wages and poor working conditions at two Honda parts factories in the province of Guangdong. This was followed by a worker-lead protest at a Toyota parts facility Collective Bargaining and Political Action Program Community and International Solidarity 139

In Spain, where official unemployment rates are 24% (but stand at 50% for youth), young and old have repeatedly joined together on the streets to express their outrage at austerity programs being pitched to deal with an economic crisis created by the banks The Occupy Wall Street movement brought a democratic cry of outrage from youth and quickly spread to 82 countries around the world. Joined by people from all walks of life, and many unions such as our own, the Occupy movement demanded an end to control of democracy by the corporate sector. Its theme of equality for the 99% became a defining political message. Unions were born out of struggles much like these. Our successes extended progress beyond organized workers, and our struggles became part of a social movement for a more humane society here and for peace and justice internationally. Our ongoing commitment to broader social change in solidarity with other working and oppressed peoples engages our union in campaigns and struggles here in Canada, and around the world. The individual strikes, protests, and fight backs of working people around the world are part of a common struggle one which challenges the rich and powerful, one which builds our shared vision for equality, peace, and solidarity. Our vision of solidarity and social unionism has led to deep links with social justice advocates in Canada, and a strong international reputation. Whatever our separate conditions and circumstances workers share common problems and goals. When we support other working people in their fight to achieve some of the victories that we have already won, then workers everywhere are stronger. As globalization and right-wing restructuring have deepened the problems of poverty, inequality, and repression our vision of social unionism becomes ever more important. As CAW President Ken Lewenza has said: It is high time we put an end to the agenda of cutthroat corporate competition that hides under the veil of globalization. Workers security, standard of living and quality of life are not up for negotiation. Examples of building solidarity with the SJF In January 2010, when an earthquake devastated Haiti, the poorest country in the western hemisphere, CAW members and locals responded to the union s appeal in support for the relief effort. Over $400,000 was raised thanks to contributions from local unions, Locals, Councils and Retirees Chapters, and the Social Justice Fund. The CAW-SJF chose to support organizations that have had a strong history of working in Haiti like Doctors without Borders and other independent agencies to work with to rebuild the communities. December 2004, when an earthquake and resulting tsunami devastated many regions of southeast Asia CAW members and locals helped with the relief effort. Since the Tsunami, the CAW Social Justice Fund has been working with the Andhra Pradesh Vyavasaya Vruthidarula Union (APVVU) to rebuild communities and work to strengthen the unionization of fish and agricultural workers to address the problems of hunger, poverty and displacement and thereby promote equity and social justice. The impact of work is clearly visible people no longer have to take migrant jobs which uproot them and their children. Children no longer have to work in the fields, but can go to school. Not only do they now have assured employment, but their families also have an opportunity for a better life. Collective Bargaining and Political Action Program Community and International Solidarity 140

Crisis, what crisis? The world of work is in crisis with the escalating role of temporary help agencies and labour brokers in almost every country around the world. These precarious jobs are uncertain, unpredictable and risky. Workers who fill them are at best only partially protected by labour laws, social security programs, pension plans and live under the constant threat of unemployment. They also encounter great difficulties trying to join, or form, a trade union. The use of labour brokers and temporary agencies is fast becoming the biggest obstacle to respect for workers rights. It breeds the insecurity, anxiety, instability and inequality that is becoming the norm for too many workers. Workers around the world are demanding change, and are holding their governments accountable for the quality of jobs created in a post-recession economy, not just the quantity of jobs. CAW members have joined the global fight for Decent Work for the creation of good, full-time, permanent, safe, fairly-compensated jobs where workers have a real voice in the workplace. In Canada, with one third of workers now in non-standard employment including temporary, contract and part-time jobs, it is clear that decent work must be at the centre of government strategies for economic development. We must challenge the power corporations are wielding in their pursuit of unrestricted access to these precarious work arrangements, further eroding the standard employer-employee relationship. The CAW has hosted roundtable discussions with Canadian unions, action centre coordinators, researchers, and community activists and others who are engaged in the fight against precarious work. We learned from the leadership of the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa of their fight at the bargaining table and on the streets to ban the use of labour brokers. What we cannot win in the boardroom, we can win in the streets, was a call to action on behalf of the nearly one million people in South Africa employed through brokers. Political action priorities The CAW understands that making contact with workers in other countries is critical to finding out first-hand about what is going on in the world. Only then can we learn from others, and find out what we can do to support each other s struggles, because they are fighting for the same basic things we believe in, whether or not there is a direct impact on us. We participate actively in the global labour movement by building direct bilateral relationships with other unions and by participating in five international global union federations IndustriALL, the International Transport workers Federation (ITF), the International Union of Food and Agricultural Workers (IUF), the International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers Associations (IFATCA) and Union Network International (UNI). The CAW will: continue to actively participate in global union federations, their committees, congresses, campaigns and international mobilization actions. Thoughts on international solidarity We are all in this project together. It is not about charity. Rather, it is the expression of our mutual responsibility for each other as members of one human family sharing one small planet, our only home. States must wake up from the illusion that each one has a stake to protect that is separate from that of another. What happens to one of us happens to all of us. We win or we lose, together. Virginia Dandan, Independent Expert on Human Rights and International Solidarity, United Nations Human Rights Council It is obvious that the world of work is in crisis we speak about the global financial crisis which broke in 2008. And very quickly people saw that the financial crisis became a social crisis as people lost their jobs lost their livelihoods, and despite all the efforts made in recent years, we are still in the a situation where the world of work is in crisis. Guy Ryder, Director General, International Labour Organization, United Nations Collective Bargaining and Political Action Program Community and International Solidarity 141

Bargaining priorities Social Justice Fund One concrete expression of our commitment to solidarity is the CAW Social Justice Fund (SJF), which was founded in our 1990 Detroit Three automakers bargaining. Since then, the SJF has supported more than 900 projects at home and abroad, and has made a huge difference in the lives of tens of thousands of people. Our goal in founding the SJF was not to establish a new charity. We wanted to create a new way of working with workers in other countries not as recipients of a rich country s aid, but as full partners in a joint struggle to build a better world. Model language to establish the Social Justice Fund The company agrees to pay into the CAW Social Justice Fund [insert amount] per hour per employee for all compensated hours, effective [insert starting date]. Such monies will be paid on a quarterly basis into the CAW Social Justice Fund which is a registered charity established by the National Union, CAW. The company will forward payments on a quarterly basis to the CAW Social Justice Fund, 205 Placer Court, Toronto, ON, M2H 3H9. The company will be issued with a charitable receipt by the Fund for each payment. The SJF offers compassionate solidarity and financial support to those hard-hit by natural disasters, war, and famine. But it also provides financial and organizational support to social justice groups mobilizing in their own communities, in the interests of co-workers, fellow citizens, and neighbours. Here in Canada the SJF also supports women s shelters, food banks, street youth projects, and other initiatives again with a special emphasis on our joint struggle to eradicate poverty and hardship, not just ameliorate it. Only 30% per cent of CAW members are covered by collective agreements which include SJF contributions. In these units, our main bargaining goal will be to increase the level of SJF funding and to build on that financial support through workplace educational and solidarity-building efforts, to enhance the awareness among CAW members of the fund and its goals. For the majority of CAW members, bargaining SJF contributions should be a priority in coming rounds of bargaining. The SJF is typically funded on a cents-per-hour basis (similar to our PEL program). Local committees can start by negotiating a small hourly contribution to get the SJF in each workplace, and then build on that over time. For small units, it may be preferable to negotiate an annual lump sum (ranging from $1,000 to $5,000), instead of hourly contributions: This ensures a larger total contribution to the fund, and may be easier to administer. As our union changes we need to ensure that the SJF is negotiated in workplaces all across our union. We cannot rely on any one sector to provide the bulk of support to our international fund. In the years ahead new trails must be blazed into all our sectors. The SJF is one of the important ways that we ensure our vision of social unionism translates into projects that make a difference in peoples lives. The CAW will aim to: Expand the work of the Social Justice Fund by negotiating contributions from across all of our workplaces. In those workplace already contributing to the Social Justice Fund, we will increase funding levels. Collective Bargaining and Political Action Program Community and International Solidarity 142