Training Manual on Organizing the Unorganized

Training Manual on Organizing the Unorganized

Surendra Pratap, Centre for Workers Education, New Delhi

Who we areWe are steel workersWe are wage labourWhy Organizing is importantWhat capital wants and what labour wantsCapital divides, Union UnitesOnly unions can ensure redistributive justiceWhat is organizingArticulating common cause and building unity in diversity is core of organizingForms of organizing may be different depending on conditionsStrategies of organizing may be different depending on conditionsWhat is lawOrganizing is a process by which trade unions canvas, recruit, consolidate, seek recognition for, formalize into a unionized group, negotiate for, and manage as a bargaining unit Organizing challenges---Macro level, field levelTwo model of organizingBuilding inclusive and democratic structureBuilding national and international solidarity

Organizing plan-10 stepsIdentifying strengths and weaknesses---group exercise

Identifying priority issues of workers----group exercise

Listing of activities for: 1. Creating enabling environment, 2. Capacity building, 3, Organising activities in fieldImplementation planEvaluation

Contents

WE ARE STEEL

WORKERS

WHO WE ARE?Employment 398434 in 1991-92 to 364801 in 2004-05

Production increased

14.33 million tones to 36.1 million tones

Country Labour cost in steel per hour

USA USD 19Japan USD 18Russia USD3China USD 2India USD 1

Casual and contract workers

form significant section of workforce

One third employment is

only in SAIL and RINL

SAIL and RINL’s share in

total production

came down by 20 percent

Minimum wages

becoming maximum wages for

casual contract workers

Unionization is almost absent except in

public sector and TATA steel

Total CTU membership in industry-only 28865

WHO WE ARE?

WE ARE WAGE LABOUR

403,000 people in India die

every year due to work-related

problems

Total membership of CTUs-24884802

Unionization-Only 6.35%

Ratio of labour cost to total cost decreased from 7.78 to 5.81% (2000-01to-2004-05

Labour cost increased by 36%, Profits by 305%

Total workers

4575

Selfemployed

2582

Casual 1297Regular 695

(Total 1992Manufacturing total

459

Factory workers

60.80

Contract workers

27%

Minimum wage becoming the maximum

Working 10-12 hours

labour laws not implemented

WHO WE ARE?

WE ARE WAGE LABOUR

For attracting capital all the governments are competing with each other

Capital is dead labour, It lives

only by sucking more

and more labour

Hazardous and labour intensive operations shifting to developing countries

Asia as one of the hubs of Global Factory

Footloose Capital exploiting the global reserve army of labour

Offering•Cheap labour•Cheap land and resources•Peaceful IR

ByMaking laws meaning lessAllowing Self certificationMaking SEZs and NMIZsExpanding reserve army of labourTrade union repression

WHO WE ARE?

WE ARE WAGE LABOUR

We work even if

wages are low

Working conditions

are badIt affects

our health badly

Only thing worse

and more horrible

than work is no work

No way to escape

The only way for us is to jump

in the struggle

and change it for better

We work because there is no other way for us to

make a living

WHY ORGANIZING IS IMPORTANT

Capital Wants

More profit by

exploiting labour more

Freedom to Hire and

fire

Lowest wages

and working conditions

Less leisure more

workload

So that labour

produces and

reproduces labour

Labour Wants

Job security and

pension

Decent wages and

working conditions

More leisure less workload

Better future for children

Democratic institutions to ensure

redistributive justice

Balance of power decides the fate of labour

Labour has only power-Its united strength

No union-labour laws become meaningless

Only unions can ensure workers’ rights

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AT COUNTRY/SOCIETY

LEVEL

WHY ORGANIZING IS IMPORTANT

Struggle for right to organize

and collective

bargaining is actually

the struggle for building a democratic

and civilized society Political

organizations of workers

at national

level ensure

democracy and

distributive justice

It is a society

where all the wealth

and resources

are controlled by a small section.

Then how the

redistributive justice

can be ensured?Organizin

g is main way to

promote Decent Work & Social

Protection for

workers

WHAT IS ORGANIZING

ARTICULATING THE COMMON CAUSE AND BUILDING UNITY IN

DIVERSITY IS THE CORE OF ORGANIZING

Union Unites

Promoting

cooperation and unity

among workers

in various ways

Capital Divides

Promoting

divisions and

competition

among workers

in various ways

WHAT IS ORGANIZING

ARTICULATING THE COMMON CAUSE AND BUILDING UNITY IN

DIVERSITY IS THE CORE OF ORGANIZING

Union Unites

Organize all section of

workers on a common platform putting them in

same boat

Adopt & advocate

policies that apply to all section of

workers and prevent further

divisions of workers

Capital Divides

Divisions in factory—skilled/

unskilled, regular/casual/contrac

t

Low paying factory

workers/high paying factory workers

Inter sectoral

divisions

Divisions in society-

caste and religion

WHAT IS ORGANIZING

FORMS OF ORGANIZATIONS MAY BE DIFFERENT IN DIFFERENT

CONDITIONSMULTIPLE FORMS OF ORGANIZING

CAN ALSO BE USED

Shop floor trade unions

Community unions

Political Organization of

workers

Sectoral trade unions

Cooperatives of workers

ORGANIZING STRATEGIES DEPEND ON

STRATEGIES OF ORGANIZING MAY BE DIFFERENT IN DIFFERENT

CONDITIONSMULTIPLE FORMS OF ORGANIZING STRATEGIES CAN ALSO BE USED

Country legal framework Nature of

employment, types of

workers (self employed/wa

ge employed/ho

me based/ contract/etc

Union resources (financial, material &

people)

Type of industry and state of the

industry

Union Strategy & Structure

What

else?

What is Law?ILO Convention

on Right to Organize and

Collective Bargaining not

ratified

The right to organize under

Article 19 (1) (c) of Constitution

Registration of trade unions--

Trade union Act

No national law on Recognition

Right to strike limited by TU act

and ID act .

Law reflects on the balance of power between

labour and capital

Balance of power in favour of labour—new

protective labour laws

Balance of power in favour of

capital-existing protective labour

laws also become

meaningless

Amendments in laws in

agenda

Allowing Self

certification

SEZS and NMIZs

Judicial precedents

Non implementa

tion

Defunct enforcement machinery

WHAT IS ORGANIZING

Organizing is life of trade unions,

constantly renewing and refreshing itself

new members Bringing new blood, new ideas, new skills and new leadership

Organizing is a process

by which trade

unions canvas, recruit,

consolidate, seek

recognition for,

formalize into a

unionized group,

negotiate for, and

manage as a

bargaining unit

Countering capitals anti-

union propaganda

by Union propaganda,

and wider level

information dissemination is part of organizing

Reach of trade unions

and their positive image in

society also depends on Organizing

Strength and power of Trade

unions and their finances

depend on organizing

ORGANIZING CHALLENGES

Macro policy level – to create enabling environment for organizing

In the field, at workplace, at community level – where the workers are

Two main Targets to strengthen Organizing

Creating enabling environment

Campaigns at national level on issues such as –ratification of ILO convention

Against amendments in labour laws/self certification/granting exemption in labour laws to industries

For social security

For pro-labour and pro-people economic policies

Building partnerships with other movements

Capacity building of Trade unions and organizing actions at workplace

How have we been organizing so far?

What new strategies can we develop for organizing and strengthening TUs?

Why should a worker join the union?

What can union give them in this age of flexible employment?

Two Models of Organizing Servicing Model

Union/union officials provide collective & individual services to members

Members dependent on the Union & its Office bearers to provide what they require Union officials control union resources, strategies, interests & develop union tactics

Not much involvement of membership in TU activities

Organizing Model

workers active participants rather than passive consumers Instead of just solving problems, union seeks to empower workers to solve their problems through union Organizing activities led by organizers who motivate activism among workers

Capacity building- Education, research and communication

Develop campaigns, alliances & use members to support external organizing

WHAT IS ORGANIZING

BUILDING AN INCLUSIVE AND DEMOCRATIC STRUCTURE AT ALL

LEVELS ORGANIZATION

Union must

organize itself in such a

way that at all

levels of leadership all social sections and all major

category of workers

are represent

ed

Union must

Frame its policy in such a

way that it represents concerns

and voices of all social

sections and all

categories of

workers, And it is reflected

in its charter of demands

WHAT IS ORGANIZING

BUILDING SOLIDARITY SECTORAL, INTERSECTORAL,

NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY

In the global

village fate of workers and other sections of the society is linked

Building solidarity between

Trade union

movement and other people’s

movement is

emerging as key

issue of organizing

In the global factory

fate of all workers is

linked

Building National

and Internatio

nal solidarity of workers

is emerging as the key

issue of organizing

ORGANIZING PLAN Step 1. Identifying our strengths and weaknesses Step2-Identifying target factory/industry/region for organizing

Step-3-Identifying issues of various sections of workers

Step-4-Identifying issues of common interest and priority issues

Step-5-Identifying most promising section of workers

Step-6- Identifying targets for collective bargaining Step-7-Planning and implementing activities for initiating organizing and routine services to be provided to members

Step-8-Launching of union Step-9-Recognition of union

Step-10-Going for a collective bargaining agreement

ORGANIZING PLAN-step-1

Identifying our Strengths and weaknessesGroup exercise

Strengths and weakness covering

•Right to organize in law and constitution and in practice •General environment for Unionism, general approach of governments and employers towards trade unions, and other related aspects

• Workers’ awareness, approach, willingness etc towards unions and for organizing work

• Strengths and weaknesses of trade unions and its various aspects


Identifying our Strengths and weaknessesGroup exercise

Workers are to be divided in groups of five each (keeping in view the diversity)

Each group appoints a chair and a reporter

Each lists the strengths and weaknesses on a flip chart and group reporter makes presentation

Listing of common strengths and weaknesses listed by various groups at one column and uncommon in another column

Open discussion to see which uncommon issues can be listed as common issues

Making a final list of common- strengths and weaknesses


Target factory/industry/locality-

Basis for selection-

Identifying target factory/industry/region for organizing

ORGANIZING PLAN-step-3Identifying our Issues/problems of different section of

workersGroup exercise

Workers are to be divided in groups of five each (keeping in view the diversity)

Each group appoints a chair and a reporter

Each lists the issues/problems of workers on a flip chart and group reporter makes presentation

Listing of common issues/problems of workers listed by various groups at one column and uncommon in another column

Open discussion to see which uncommon issues can be listed as common issues

Making a final list of common- issues/problems of workers


Identifying the Priority Issues of workersOpen Discussion

Listing of Priority issues of workers that union needs to raise in order to organize them


Identifying the most promising sections of workers

Open Discussion

Identifying those sections of workers who will respond positively to the efforts of organizing them

Section of workers-----casual/comtract/women

Which department of factory----etc


Identifying target authorities and forms of collective bargaining

Open Discussion

On which issue with whom we have to collectively bargain and what can be probable forms of collective bargaining


Planning of Activities for one year for Organizing and Routine Services to be Provided to Members

Open DiscussionPutting the Listed priority Issues and Strengths and Weaknesses in three columns

Keeping this in mind listing the activities for:1. Creating enabling environment2. Capacity Building3. Organizing actions at workplace

Listing of activities

Organizing PlanPriority Issues Strengths Weaknesses

Plan of Organizing-List of Activities1. Creating enabling environment

S. No. Activities

Plan of Organizing-List of Activities2. Capacity Building

S. No. Activities

Plan of Organizing-List of Activities3. Organizing actions at workplace

S. No. Activities

Activities Actions Work details Month Responsibility

Implementation Plan

Activities

Actions Work details Month

Campaign1Issue:

Pamphlet distribution

Writing pamphlet

Printing Pamphlet

Distribution of pamphlets

Demonstration

Meeting with all groups to be participating in Demo and fixing date of demonstrationAdministrative formalities like booking place taking permission and taking appointment to submit memorandumDrafting memorandum

Implementation Plan


Implementation Plan


Implementation Plan

1. Do you feel that the workshop aims have been met?

2. What parts of the workshop have you found most interesting?

3. What parts of the workshop have you found least useful?

4. Are there any important topics/issues that have been left out?

5. What comments do you have on the facilities? 6. What improvements would you like to see if the

workshop was organized again? 7. what are your main learning from this workshop?

Evaluation

Documents

Training Manual on Organizing the Unorganized