UAW Brings Together Unions from Eight Nations to Plan Joint Organizing Strategies

http://blog.aflcio.org/2007/05/30/uaw-brings-together-unions-from-eight-nations-to-plan-joint-organizing-strategies/

UAW Brings Together Unions from Eight Nations to Plan Joint Organizing Strategies

The UAW spearheaded an unprecedented meeting of auto unions from eight nations to meet the challenges of globalization by developing shared strategies for moving toward the future and Amy Masciola from the AFL-CIO Organizing Department sends us this report.



Last week, representatives of auto unions from eight countries agreed to form an ad hoc global auto sector organizing working group to gather and share information, develop strategic organizing targets and coordinate solidarity among participants.

The UAW convened the meeting at its headquarters in Detroit. Participants included trade unionists from Argentina, Brazil, France, Thailand, South Korea, Sweden and the United Kingdom, as well as representatives of the International Metalworkers’ Federation, the AFL-CIO Organizing Department and the AFL-CIO Solidarity Center.

In welcoming participants, UAW Vice President and National Organizing Director Terry Thurman summarized the goals of the meeting:

We understand that in order to maintain the high standards we have fought long and hard for in the United States, we must work together to raise labor standards around the world. We must have a global strategy to unite workers in a struggle against the ill effects of the global economy.

Thurman, who chaired the three-day meeting, said that in gathering trade unionists from across the globe, the UAW sought to share information and develop an action plan to address the global assault on workers’ rights.

The same employers operate auto and truck assembly and parts factories around the world. With the big auto companies operating internationally, it is incumbent on auto unions to do the same.

FULL story at link.