Global Unions,Regional Integration and Framework

Agreements

Capt. Ramrao Ranadive

Global Union Federations (GUFs) seek to build international co-operation, joint action, and global solidarity among trade unions in different countries that share common employers. There is a growing global trade union recognition by multinational enterprises of GUFs at the headquarter levels, and beyond, and of the work that they do, as well as an important increase in social dialogue. In some cases, this interaction has resulted in the negotiation of International Framework Agreements (IFAs), also known as Global Framework Agreements (GFAs).

Who are Global Unions ?Global Unions are international trade union organisations working together with a shared commitment to the ideals and principles of the trade union movement. They share a common determination to organize, to defend human rights and labour standards everywhere, and to promote the growth of trade unions for the benefit of all working men and women and their families."

International workers Federation Indian Unions

Indian National Metalworkers’ FederationIndian National Mineworkers’ FederationSteel, Metal & Engineering workers’ Federation of

IndiaSimpson & Group Companies Workers and Staff

UnionWorking People Trade Union CouncilSKF Bearing India Employees’ UnionSandvik Asia Employees’ Union

• Philips & B.C. Components Employees’ Union Atlas Copco Employees’ Federation

Contents of a framework agreement with ThyssenKrupp

According to the agreement, ThyssenKrupp is obliged to comply with the principles of the International Labour Organzation (ILO), among other international standards, at all its subsidiaries worldwide. These include particularly ILO conventions nos. 29, 87, 98, 100,105, 111 ,138and 182. Under the newly signed GFA ThyssenKrupp undertakes to respect the following principles:

Equal opportunity and equal treatment Maximum working hours as regulated by a respective legislation

or a collective bargaining agreement or other agreement within the specific country

Right to a reasonable remuneration for all employees Health and safety of employees a key issue, obliging ThyssenKrupp

to adhere to local laws with regard to a safe, hygienic working environment

All employees have the right to establish trade unions and employees’ representative bodies, and to engage in collective bargaining

All forms of child and forced labour are prohibited The GFA has also strong provisions for implementation and

monitoring through an International Committee with the participation of various management and workers’ representatives.

• Refers to agreements among countries in a geographic region to reduce, and ultimately remove, tariff and non tariff barriers to the free flow of goods, services and factors of production between each other.

Regional Economic Integration

Levels of Economic Integration

1.Political Union2.Economic Union3.Common Market4.Customs Union5.Free Trade Area

• Free Trade Area: all barriers to the trade of goods and services among member countries are removed.

• Customs Union: eliminates trade barriers between member countries and adopts a common external trade policy.

• Common Market: Has no barriers to trade between member countries, includes a common external trade policy, and allows factors of production to move freely between members.

• Economic Union: involves free flow of products and factors of production between member countries and adoption of a common external trade policy. It also requires common currency, harmonization of members’ tax rates, and a common monetary and fiscal policy.

• Political Union: Moving toward economic union, raises questions of how to coordinate bureaucracy accountable to the citizens of member nations. Political union in which a central political apparatus coordinates the economic, social, and foreign policy of the member states is the answer.

• European Union • NAFTA: USA, Canada, Mexico• Andean Pact: Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Colombia and Peru (now

operates as a customs union including Venezuela but minus Chile)• MERCOSUR – originated with Brazil and Argentina includes

Paraguay and Uruguay. • ASEAN: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar,

Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam• SAARC South Asian Association for Regional

Cooperation • BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral

Technical and Economic Cooperation ) Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal

Regional Unions