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MEETING OF EASTERN REGION OF THE EUROPEAN METAL WORKERS’ FEDERATION

PREPARATIONS FOR THE EMF CONGRESS IN LISABON




Zagreb, March 19 – 20, 2007.
A meeting of metal workers’ trade union organizations from the eastern region of EMF (European Metal Workers’ Federation) was held in Zagreb on March 19 and 20, 2007. The meeting was attended by the representatives of the following trade unions: ’’Solidarnost’’, Poland, ’’OS Kovo’’, Czech Republic, ’’OZ Kovo’’, Slovakia, ’’VASAS’’, Hungary, ’’SKEI’’, Slovenia, ’’SMH’’, Croatia, ’’SMBiH’’, Bosnia and Herzegovina, MWBU ’’Nezavisnost’’, Serbia, ’’SMCG’’, Montenegro, ’’SMER’’, Macedonia, ’’Metalicy’’, Bulgaria, ’’FNS Solidaritatea’’, Rumania, ’’Metarom’’, Rumania. The meeting was also attended by Peter Scherrer, Secretary General of EMF and Alicja Masievic, EMF’s assistant. The subject of the meeting was the preparation for the EMF Congress, which will take place in Lisabon on June 6 - 7, 2007, as well as the EMF’s future activities in the region.

Peter Scherrer, Secretary General of EMF, informed the participants about current activities of the European Metal Workers’ Federation, as well as about the problems faced by European metal workers at this time. A current urgent problem is EADS (’’Airbus’’ company) which intends to dismiss several thousand workers, because it plans to transfer a part of its production to China. In cooperation with EMF, the national trade unions where EADS has its registered offices, organize protest gatherings and express their disagreement with the company’s policy. Also, ’’Delphi’’ company intends to close its plants in Spain, where several hundred workers shall lose their jobs.

The participants in the meeting were also informed about the happenings in Slovak Republic, where trade unions joined the ’’left wing’’ at previous elections, with a strong conviction that the Labor Law, being the most restrictive in Europe, would be changed. However, under great pressure of employers who stopped at nothing in order to prevent the enacting of an advantageous law for workers, the Government was trying to drag out a new proposal. A conclusion of the meeting in Zagreb was that one should send telegrams of support on the occasion of these events, signed by presidents of trade unions from a region.

In continuation of the meeting, a possible division of the eastern region in two parts was discussed, in eastern and southeastern region. Each of these two regions would have a Vice-President of EMF and a member of the EMF’s managing board. After a discussion lasting several hours as to whether this division was necessary or not and stating the arguments for and against, a decision was made, by a majority of votes, that the proposal of regional division should be accepted.

Whether this division will be realized, it will depend on the amendments to the EMF’s Statute, namely, whether the Congress will adopt the amendment by which this division is verified. If this division would occur, Josef Stredula, ’’OS Kovo’’, Czech Republic, was nominated for Vice-President of the EMF’s East European region, and Adam Ditmer, ’’Solidarnost’’, Poland, was nominated for a member of the Managing Board. Colleague Vassil Janatchkov of ’’Metalicy’’, Bulgaria, was nominated for the EMF’s Vice-President for the region of South-East Europe.

As to the member of the Managing Board for the region of South-East Europe, the participants could not make an agreement, but they will have to coordinate their views and reach a decision before the Congress. If the regional division does not occur during the Congress, the Group will meet and decide who will be nominated for these two positions for the entire East European region.

Alicja Masievic presented a possible program of work and schedule of activities to be performed by the EMF in South-East Europe. Those are DGB projects on social dialogue, Taiex project for 2007, organization of conference in 2007. The possibility of financing their work in the EMF was pointed out to the participants in the meeting, namely, covering travelling and accomodation expenses on the occasion of participating in the EMF’s Committees, as well as in the meetings of the Executive Committee, in the amount of 50% of overall costs.

Although it was envisaged that employment, minimal earnings and restructuring should be discussed as well, these topics were not even opened for discussion, because the participants’ discussion of the preceding items lasted too long.

 
     
 
 
 
 
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