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FRIENDLY RELATIONS BETWEEN ACV ‘’METAAL’’ AND MWBU ‘’NEZAVISNOST’’
CONFIRMED BY VISIT AND JOINT PROJECTS

ACV ‘’METAAL’’ INFLUENTIAL AND POWERFUL TRADE UNION




Belgium, February 27 2008
The visit of MWBU ‘’Nezavisnost’’ leadership to Trade Union ACV ‘’Metaal’’ from Belgium represents a concretization of previous bilateral relations, future cooperation and joint projects. The President of MWBU ‘’Nezavisnost’’, Dragan Matic, Secretary Aleksandar Todic, President of the Youth Section, Jasmina Petrovic and President of ‘’Nezavisnost’’ Union of ‘’Prvi partizan’’ Uzice, Zvezdan Ilic, were welcomed by the Leadership of ACV ‘’Metaal’’, headed by the President Marc De Wilde.

The MWBU ‘’Nezavisnost’’ stated its work priorities and actions, as well as the results achieved so far. It was confirmed that three areas were very important for ‘’Nezavisnost’’ Union, namely, development of the Youth Section structure, training of unionist educators, trade union development in small and medium-size enterprises.

In perceiving work and operations of ACV ‘’Metaal’’ we have been informed about the mode of operation of provincial – regional offices and about the way of servicing members’ needs in the regions and enterprises.

During our stay, we visited FN ‘’Herstal’’ which has had a long-lasting successful business cooperation with ‘’Prvi partizan’’ Uzice. ‘’Herstal’s’’ potential is impressive especially in their primary weapon production from which 99% of the products are exported. The users of weapons, coming out from ‘’Herstal’’, are primarily the NATO Pact, U.S. Army, and the latest ‘’Herstal’s’’ rifle is now used by special U.S. units. The factory that has 130 years tradition really has a lot to show, but it had rises and falls in its history, and as the management and trade union representatives said: Their greatest value was in trained and skilled personnel, acceptance and application of up-to-date technologies, especially in the area of plastics and composite material application.

We encountered a highly sophisticated program and technology in ‘’Forges de Zeebrugge’’ as well, which deals with missile system production, mainly, ‘’air-ground’, being installed on military helicopters and airplanes. The presentation of the production mode and effects produced by missiles made an outstanding impression on everybody, because the word was about top technology and first-class product.

The micro-financing of people lacking necessary credit potential or guarantee was the subject of presentation of colleague Nicholas Blonde of Incofin. Incofin is a Belgian institution providing funds for starting small business and includes saving and insurance. The money for stimulating small business is the base of Incofin’s existence, which cooperates with banks, companies, trade unions and employers. Incofin has its operations in Africa, South America, Asia and on the territory of Serbia and Montenegro. Incofin deals with individual cases, especially associated with agriculture in rural areas, and there have already been encouraging results in Serbia, especially in Southeast Serbia.

We devoted considerable time and interest to conversation with the representatives of young people’s collective of ACV ‘’Metaal’’. The organization mode and young people’s structure in ACV ‘’Metaal’’ were presented to us by Bert Van Acoleyen, President of the Youth Organization of Flanders, and Kathleen Vanwalle, responsible for the youth of ACV ‘’Metaal’’. Young people of ACV ‘’Metaal’’ have a possibility to be elected in Young People’s Committee, as on company so also on regional level, and as such they take part in the work of decision-making bodies on an equal footing. Students and pupils can be trade union members free of charge, and the unemployed get certain grants and subsidies through trade union. Great attention is devoted to education of youth on the topics such as appearance and approach, talks to young people, negotiating skills, labor legislation, globalization. During this visit, the organizing of a seminar for representatives of the Youth Section of MWBU ‘’Nezavisnost’’ was agreed, at which seminar colleagues of ACV ‘’Metaal’’ would transfer them their knowledge and experience. The idea was to train a group of young people that would be ready to transfer the acquired knowledge and skills to other colleagues in the near future. Also, there is a possibility of support for working out promotional material and publishing pamphlets and booklets for young people.

This visit contributed not only to meeting and bringing together the two trade unions, but we had the pleasure to meet wonderful people, our men and women colleagues, metal workers, and get familiar with Belgium, its history, as well as to perceive an enormous potential that Belgian nation has.

 
     
 
 
 
 
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