IMF Holds Asia-Pacific Auto Conference
Auto industry wage systems, outsourcing and policy vs contract workers in focus as 65 trade unionists from 8 countries meet in Thailand.
ASIA-PACIFIC: Against the backdrop of a gloomy world economy and the formation of global auto industry alliances, 65 trade unionists from IMF affiliates in 8 countries have come together for discussions in Bangkok, Thailand.
In his presentation to the conference, the head of the IMF Automotive Department, Peter Unterweger, laid out current auto industry trends. Auto manufacturers are merging or creating global alliances to rationalise, leaving only five major worldwide car alliances today.
"Alliances permit rationalisation across several enterprises internationally and allow companies to pit workers in different countries and companies against each other. Therefore, trade union information exchange and strategic coordination must be reinforced at the international level," stressed Unterweger.
With cross-border information exchange and establishing contacts being the objective of the conference, delegates reported on industrial relations, labour struggles, organising strategies and collective bargaining in their respective countries.
Judging by the discussions, one of the topics raising the most interest is the status of the hired or contract workforce within plants, and how different unions tackle the issue of organising and protecting the rights of these workers.
To strengthen cross-border solidarity, conference delegates are forming company workshops. For example, around 10 trade unionists from Toyota-related plants in four countries have reported on and discussed the problems and opportunities they are encountering.
Represented at the conference are unions from Australia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, South Korea and Thailand.
Note: Earlier this year, a regional conference for the auto industry in Latin America was held in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
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