1Fichter, Helfen & Sydow: Ensuring Core Labor Standards through IFAs?

Setting Standards of Labor Practices in Global Production Networks –

Trade Union Involvement via International Framework Agreements?

Michael Fichter, Markus Helfen & Jörg Sydow

Institute of Political Science & Institute of Management,Freie Universität Berlin, Germany

GUF WorkshopFriedrich-Ebert-Foundation / Hans-Böckler-Foundation

IGM BildungsstätteMay 18, 2009

IFAs – The challenges lying ahead

2Fichter, Helfen & Sydow: Ensuring Core Labor Standards through IFAs?

Labor in the Global Value Network

What are some characteristics of labor's situation?

• geographical dispersion

• mutual dependency

• competition for jobs

• fragmented representation

• status hierarchy (vertical + horizontal / core - periphery)

3Fichter, Helfen & Sydow: Ensuring Core Labor Standards through IFAs?

Core groups

Functional flexibilityTemporarywork

Out-sourcing

Self-employed Peripheral GroupsNumerical Flexibility

Fixed-termcontracts

Part-timeWork

(Source: Atkinson 1985)

4Fichter, Helfen & Sydow: Ensuring Core Labor Standards through IFAs?

Challenges for labour: A governance issue?

(Re)gaining employee collective voice globally

How? What strategies?

• Organizing at the workplace

• Building local and regional networks (company-based, sectoral, regional)

• Cross-border exchange and cooperation in the global value network

• International Framework Agreements

• Political actions for implementation of ILO standards and comprehensive labour laws

5Fichter, Helfen & Sydow: Ensuring Core Labor Standards through IFAs?

Challenges

International Framework Agreements

• Organizing Space

• Governance. Linking Trade Union Input throughout the GPN

• Transcending the European realm.USA and Japan

• More, Better or Both

• From TNC-based to Branch IFAs

• Strategic Role of IFAs in GUF Strategies