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Pre-Congress Media
Conference: 2pm, Estrel Convention Centre, Room 1
Millions paying
price for unstable New Economy
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People
registering to the UNI World Congress |
Millions of workers are paying for
the instability of the new global economy with their jobs, warned UNI
(Union Network International) at the opening of their World Congress in
Berlin.
14,000 threatened job losses at Hewlett Packard and Compaq are part of an
avalanche of job losses around the world following the bursting of the
dot.com bubble.
In Argentina millions of people face austerity and unemployment as a
result of the latest attack by global money markets.
"We have to produce a system that is stable and fair," said UNI
General Secretary Philip Jennings. "At the moment globalisation is
not working for working people and their families."
UNI wants a global trading system that respects labour rights and the
environment.
UNI wants global corporations to sign up to agreements ensuring they
consult their workers and respect their rights.
"We have to promote a more responsible corporate behaviour that doesn’t
treat staff as pliant and disposable machines."
Federal President Johannes Rau and Berlin Mayor Klaus Wowereit are among
those at this afternoon’s opening ceremony to welcome 1700 delegates and
observers from 120 countries around the world.
The aim of the Congress - the first since the international was launched
out of a merger of four global unions on January 1 last year - is to put
people first in the new economy.
UNI has already signed up three multi-national companies to respect
workers and union rights across the globe - Telefonica, Carrefour and
Greek-based telecom operator OTE - and plan many more.
UNI has negotiated Europe-wide agreements on teleworking in the telecom
and commerce sectors and operates a solidarity network that has helped
striking bank workers in Zimbabwe and telecom workers in El Salvador.
Development programmes in Africa and elsewhere envisage hooking up all
1000 UNI affiliated unions to the Internet to speed up communication and
networking.
UNI will be unveiling a new code to give on-line workers access to their
unions and works councillors from their desks and will be announcing the
first successes in a global organising campaign aimed at recruiting
workers in mobile phone operators.
For further information please
contact:
Noel Howell, UNI Press Officer, 0151 127 24838 (mobile)
Christiane Zerfass, Congress Press Officer, 0151 172 4836 (mobile)
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