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CONFERENCE OF EUROPEAN METAL WORKERS’ FEDERATION (EMF) IN BUDAPEST

STRENGTHENING TRADE UNIONS IN SOUTHEAST EUROPE




Budapest, November 9 2007
The EMF Conference, which took place in Budapest from October 24 – 26, 2007, is a good sign that not only those who live on the territory of Southeast Europe care for its future, but trade unions from the EU countries also show interest in this unstable area in political and economic sense, the influence and greatness of which define the paths that the EMF will follow when trade union development is in question. Twenty-two trade union representatives, EMF representatives, Secretary General Peter Scherrer, Friedrich Ebert Foundation, Frank Hantke, as the organizer of this Conference, tell quite enough about the seriousness and attractive topics that were on the Conference agenda. For three days the participants read the reports and discussed about current topics concerning trade unions of Southeast Europe.

SOUTHEAST EUROPE AND REGIONAL COOPERATION

On the first day, after the welcome address of the President of Hungarian Trade Union “VASAS”, Bela Balogh, our host in Budapest, Peter Scherrer, EMF Secretary General, gave an opening statement on the topic “Southeast Europe, regional cooperation and key issues.”

-‘’The objective of the Conference was strengthening trade unions and unionist movement in Southeast Europe in order to cope more successfully with the problems of globalization, privatization, opening their areas for market economy, thereby becoming stronger. The EMF has performed these activities since the 90-ies and we can be satisfied with the results achieved.
Since the Prague Conference, Conference on Bled, all the way to Istanbul Conference, we made efforts to perform the agreed activities and engage as many organizations and persons as possible in the project. To which extent can the metal industry of Southeast Europe be developed and enhanced, and that these won’t be unrealistic desires and visions? The possibilities are great and the period of large-scale systems remains behind us, and trade unions have to develop a strategy of activities in small and medium-size enterprises. The resolution of Lisbon Conference that the area of Southeast Europe should be divided into the East and West Balkans, makes work much easier. A very important issue for trade unions is assuming an attitude toward European legislations and how to apply them. Ambitious projects must have a base and support in real life. We have to be successful and don’t need failing ambitions. A higher level of cooperation, informing, joint projects and direct communication enable that trade unions from Southeast Europe find solutions and cooperate’’ – said Peter Scherrer in his exposé.

Frank Hantke, FES representative at this Conference, interceded that all the agreements, that were reached, should be on national levels in practice and one has to comply with them. The entire region of Southeast Europe must be perceived comprehensively, as well as the potentials and future of the metal industry in Southeast Europe. FES shall support such Conferences in the future.

The economic view of the metal industry of Southeast Europe was presented by Dirk Bergrath of the EMF. Interesting data are the result of analytical and comprehensive perceiving of the economic parameters of the metal industry. The existence of different economic models in the countries of Southeast Europe, as well as the GDP, differ substantially from one country to another, as well as the union organization level. Unions should hire experts, so that they could monitor the current events in the economy and use this in the negotiations with Employers and the State.

The situation and problems existing in the area of shipbuilding were presented to us by Ivo Marjanovic, President of Croatian Metal Workers’ Union, Croatia, and Dariusz Adamski, NSZZ Solidarnosc, Poland, by stressing that shipbuilding conduced to hiring the entire chain of suppliers, so that one considered that another three employees could be hired besides a worker employed in a shipyard which worked for ships needs like a cooperative. The competition in cargo ships and tankers must be overcome by shifting to sophisticated tourist passenger ships and those being more demanding in technological and technical sense.

NEW MEMBER RECRUITING POLICY

The second day of the Conference was scheduled for discussion about strengthening trade unions in Southeast Europe on the subject of ‘’Proactive policy of new members recruiting.” The following participants addressed all those present at the Conference: Siegfried Bolduin of IG Metall, Germany, and President of Slovakian MWTU, Emil Machina. A significant portion of funds and human resources were included in this very important activity for trade union development. Knowledge and workshops are necessary, so that young people start believing in unionist ideas and become active members. Through proactive approach to this field trade unions not only strengthen their current positions but secure their future too, emphasized the colleagues in their presentation. Proceeding with the subject of union strengthening, Sven-Olof Dvaring of IF Metall, Sweden, and colleague Jaromir Endlicher, OS KOVO, Czech Republic, conveyed their experience associated with training and education as a key tool for trade union strengthening. These activities conduce to an increase in the number of members, as well as that the existing members comprehend the events within a company, economy and policy much better. You won’t make a mistake if you invest in training and education, concluded our colleagues from Sweden and Czech Republic.

TRADE UNION UNITING – AN EXAMPLE OF INDUSTRIAL ‘’NEZAVISNOST’’ UNION

Treating the problems of unionist movement, the Conference aimed at indicating the need and necessity of “union uniting and structural changes within a union’’, through best examples from practice.
The first speaker who spoke about the integration of IF Metall, Sweden, was Sven-Olof Dvaring. It is interesting that there is no union crisis in the Nordic countries, among which Sweden is included, as it is the case in all the other parts of Europe. Swedish Unions showed through this integration that usual reasons for union mergers weren’t the principal motive for integration and that trade unions’ and workers’ awareness in Sweden is on an enviable level.

The second speaker on the subject of union uniting was D. Matic, President of MWBU ‘’Nezavisnost’’, Serbia, who presented, at this Conference, the activities and results of ‘’Industrial Trade Union of Serbia – Metal and Textile Industry Workers.’’ Metal and Textile Industry Workers of Serbia respond to problems of Serbian Trade Unions in an adequate manner and form a new union group, a modern, strong and influential union in the society oriented toward members, they have an impact on the C.A., regional structures development, increased involvement and importance of young people and women, and showed solidarity and strength. These are some of the reasons for this union uniting.
The uniting problems and future activities have been perceived through presentation, as well as a complicated way from the idea of “Industrial initiatives”, which originated at the IV Congress of MWBU ‘’Nezavisnost” in 2000, and closing address of the President of MWBU “Nezavisnost”, D. Matic, who ended his presentation at the Conference with the following words: “We’ll meet at the Uniting Congress of Serbian Industrial Union ‘’Nezavisnost”.
A review of the Conference work was given and resolutions presented by the Secretary General of EMF, Peter Scherrer, especially stressing that a big job was approaching and that it took a lot of work, will and funds to carry out the Action Plan from the EMF Congress in Lisbon. European Metal Workers and those from Southeast Europe, aware of the current problems, commence the activities and fulfillment of undertaken obligations, as from the EMF Congress so also from this successful Conference.

 
     
 
 
 
 
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