THE DOWNFALL OF THE WCL 52

The WCL Confederal Board in Milan, Italia, November 5-7 in 1970, 50 years of WCL. The WCL was the oldest international trade union organization in the world. As members of the board we see Secretary general Jean Bruck in the middle. On the left President Nguyen van Tan of BATU, Secretary General Emilo Maspero of CLAT, Marcel Pepin of the Canadian CSDN and WCL Confederal Secretary Carlos Custer (left of Jean Bruck).

The WCL paper about the possible merger of WCL and the ICFTU into a unitarian world organisation identified 4 main problems for WCL:

1. The end of international trade union pluralism must not affect

     national trade union pluralism.

2.What about the balance of power and the internal pluralism?

3. What to do with the WCL heritage?

4. The future of the WCL international trade federations.

1. National trade union pluralism.

While on international level the end of pluralism is accepted, at national level this is not the case. Indeed, no national confederation wants to sacrifice its interests, its (ideological) identity and its history because of the so-called need to strengthen the trade union movement. Therefore in the paper it was considered as vital that the creation of the new unitarian international trade union organisation should not interfere on national level. “The possible creation of a unitary organisation at the international level does not imply national unification. In fact, national policies are the responsibility of national organisations and not of the international organisation. Both within the WCL and the ICFTU, there exist countries where several organisations are affiliated to a single international organisation.” No National Confederations should be excluded from becoming a member of the new organisation. “In Annex II it is clearly stated that the new organisation will be open to all organisations currently affiliated to the iCFTU and the WCL.3 (Paragraph 4.7.)

Another overview of the Confederal Board in Milan. On the left we se Emilio Maspero with his characterisic posture, Carlos Custer and Jean Bruck.

Paragraph 4 from Anex II says: “The new unitarian centre at world level shall be opened to existing ICFTU and WCL affiliates as well as to all national Confederations under the condition of being democratic and independent in principle as well in practice. The new centre will not call into question existing pluralism at national level”.

This was the theory but what happened in practice? A new organization, after all, has its own dynamics, in this case the dynamics of the majority. Pluralims is not a topic for most ICFTU members as we know from the past. The merger did not change this culture. Almost immediately after the creation of the ITUC (2006), the Canadian CTC attacked the Canadian Christian trade union confederation CLAC which was a respected affiliate of WCL, by claiming that it is not a genuine trade union. This meant of course also an attack against the former WCL, that apparently had affiliated no genuine trade unions. The result was an official ITUC inquiry of CLAC. Former WCL affiliates were involved in the investigation (the Belgian ACV / CSC and the former WCL Deputy Secretary General Jaap Wienen, now Deputy Secretary General of the new trade union world centre) had no defense against this attack. Probably they feared a political conflict which as a minority they would loose. The CLAC choose to maintain the honor to themselves and left the ITUC. The result is that from now on in such conflicts former WCL members are politically silenced.

The delegation of the Italian WCL affiliate ACLI at the Confederal Board meeting in Milan of 1970. On the right Emlio Gabaglio, National President of ACLI (see: WCL downfall 49). Shortly after he left ACLI and started to work with the ICFTU. later on he became Secretary General of the European Tarde Union Confederation. During the merger meetings of ICFTU and WCL Gabaglio served as a kind of mediator.

2. The internal balance of power and pluralism.

Every merger has to face the problem, how positions will be distributed between the merging partners, the so-called balance of power between the merging partners. In paragraph 4.7 of the paper the balance of power ratio between WCL-ICFTU is established on about 20/80 “and changing it is not a real possibility.” Apparently the WCL accepted that the internal balance of power was not negotiable. Why not? In any merger it is normal to negotiate this because this is the way to establish what the merger is worth for both partners. Now it appeared that the WCL was not more worth than what was calculated by the ICFTU (the amount of members and no more!). What this means we saw already in the Canadian case and who knows what cases will follow?

Besides this the WCL paper itself is also ambiguous about internal pluralism. On one side one expresses the fear of division because of to much internal pluralism: “Besides, competition like situations are not always positive, except when they can used to foster united action. In these cases, it is also necessary to measure the results obtained in relation to the resources mobilized.” (paragraph 4.7) On the other side one fears bureaucratization. “In a unitarian organisation, danger often lies in the opposite direction: that of working in a bureaucratic way, this stifling the internal dialogue.” (paragraph 4.8)

WCL Secretary general Willy Thys and ICFTU Seceratry general Guy Rider at the ITUC Founding Congress, Vienna 1-3 November 2006. 

3.What to do with the WCL heritage?

In the document it is proposed to create a Foundation to preserve the WCL heritage: “The WCL is however the heir of an historical component of the trade union movement rooted into the spiritual values and vision. To recognise this unique reality and to preserve its influence a Foundation could be created, within the organisation, and whose cultural and education activities could be benefitting to all interested partners.”

However, this Foundation has not been established. The same what happened at the merger of the 2 international federations of building and wood workers (see downfall of the wcl 48). The WCL heritage has not been institutionalized nor in the ITUC nor in the the Buidling and Wood Workers International (BWI). So, it was not a firm point at the negotiations on the creation of the new orld organisation. Probably, it was primarily intended to reassure the critical members.

"TRADE UNION PLURALISM, REALITY OR DREAM?"

All participants in the seminar on the photo.

Is Trade Union pluralism just a dream or is it reality in the trade union world? Particpants from many different countries of Europe debated on this question based on analysis of the reality in their countries during the seminar “Trade Union pluralism, reality or a dream”, held last week in Berlin, Germany (25-26 September 2013). The seminar was organized by the Danish trade union confederation KRIFA and the European Centre for Workers' Questions EZA in cooperation with the European Organization of the World Organization of Workers (EO/WOW) and financially supported by the European Commission.

Guenther Trausnitz, EO/WOW President and FCG GPA secretary general, was one of the speakers at the opening of the seminar. The others were WOW board member Adelbert Ewen and Matthias Homey of EZA.

During the workshop the participants exchanged experiences on trade union pluralism in their country. You will be surprised to hear that in a country like Germany the trade union of metalworkers, the biggest, the richest and most powerfull union IGM uses courts to harass and make life difficult to the Christian Metal Workers trade union CGM. The result is that CGM had to use a big part of its membership contributions for paying the costs of these legal proceedings. The IGM accused the CGM not being a real trade union. In Gemany this is a legal question. Without being recognized as a real trade union one cannot sign collective agreements and without collective agreements a trade union risks to lose its reason to exist.

Ms.Isabella Biletta from EUROFOND started the seminar with a bird-eye view on " 'Trade Union Pluralism on European level".

More or less the same happened in Spain, another memberstate of the European Union. For 12 years it was impossible for the Spanish CIC (Confederacion Intersindical de Cajas) to sign collective agreements because the two big Confederations UGT (General Union of Workers) and CCOO (Workers Committees) did not accept the CIC as a partner, while the CIC had enough votes of the workers for being a legal negotiating partner. I was told that the presidency of the European Trade Union Confederation ETUC nowadays is in hands of a member of CCOO (you cannot find confirmation on the ETUC website).

Ms. Anne Kiesow from the Christian Metal Trade Union CGM spoke on "Trade Union Pluralism in Germany".

Even worse is the situation in Denmark. Some time ago about 200 workers of the dominant Confederation LO went on strike in a Carlsberg brewery as a collective protest against one of their collegues because he had chosen to be a member of the Danish Christian trade union confederation KRIFA. Carlsberg fired the worker because it did not want to have problems with LO. In trade union history this is called “deprivation of livelihood”. To make it impossible for trade unions to become active in their company, employers fired workers who were members of a trade union. So today there are unions who use the same weapon against workers who belong to an other union just because they are afraid losing their dominance instead of looking for ways to work together for the benefit of all employees in the company. This is not the only case. It's happened many times before. I wonder what these Carlsberg workers would do if in Denmark only one brand of beer – not Carlsberg – could be sold?

Mr. Wolfgang Pischinger, President of FCG GPA and WOW Board member, spoke about "Pluralism in the Austrian Trade Union work.

However, the worst cases we got from Ukraina from our friends of VOST. In Ukraina the transition to democracy and an open market economy has been slowed down by post-communist forces with the result that Government and employers - many times so-called oligarchs – cooperate together with the aim to create confusion. Employers create their own company unions (so called yellow unions) with our without the help of people from outside the company. The Government recognizes trade unions that exists only on paper. Workers have to become member of the union if they want to keep their job. This is the dark side of pluralism that should be attacked by all democratic forces in Ukraina.

Ms.Dragana Petkovic-Gajic, PhD Political Sciences and Project Manager Confederation of Autonomous Trade Unions of Serbia -CATUS, spoke about "What consequences does Trade Union Pluralism have? Positive and negative aspects of pluralism in South-Eastern Europe.

Another case is Serbia where Western European Banks are buying local banks but do not respect the trade union rights. President Marja Erdelj of the Serbian Union BOFOS informed that for example the French Bank Credit Agricole forced its employees to sign a letter in which they promise not to become a member of a trade union. She hopes to reestablish the rights of the employees during a meeting to which she has been invited by the Management.

Mr. Piet Hazenbosch, Adviser to the board of the Dutch confederation CNV, spoke about "The Dutch case of trade union pluralism".

Fortunately, there are also countries where trade union pluralism has been accepted by all trade unions and where it works reasonably well as for example in Austria, the Netherlands, Cyprus, Malta and post-communist Lithuania. Netherlands has an already long history of trade union pluralism consisting of a social-democratic, christian and liberal-conservative confederation and some national branch unions. Until World War II there was also a Catholic oriented confederation which merged with the social-democratic confederation in the seventies of the past century. All confederations participate in the national social dialogue and all unions are involved in collective agreements.

Mr.Mattheus Homey of EZA spoke on "The importance of Trade Union pluralism from the perspective of EZA".

In Austria, after World War II the Allied Forces together with the forces of Russia forced the trade unions to become one unified confederation called the Austrian Trade Union Confederation ÖGB. Within the ÖGB there are different fractions. The 2 most important fractions are the Socialist fraction FSG ÖGB and the Christian Fraction FCG ÖGB. This system of fractions exists also in the seven branche unions of the ÖGB. In most of these branche unions the Socialist fraction has the majority. In the Branch Trade Union for Private Employed and Print, Journalists and Paper GPA the Christian fraction is a significant minority. In the public services union GÖD, the Christian fraction has the majority.

Mr. Soren Fibiger Olesen, President of KRIFA Denmark, presented his topic " I have a dream that one day all unions can work together to promote the interest of the workers!" 

The seminar topic was introduced by Md. Isabella Biletta, Research Manager of EUROFOND, a tri-partite European Union Agency, that provides knowledge to assist in the development of social and work-related policies. One of the tasks of EUROFOND was to establish criteria for the selection of representative trade unions that could participate in the branch social dialogue commissions of the European Union. She presented also the results of a long term research project that shows that trade union membership continues declining with exceptions in some countries like for example Belgium. It seems that the trade unions don't have yet the right answers to this loss of members. Can it be that the trade unions have become more of an institution than of a social movement? 

The presentation of the results of the working groups. From left to right: Adalbert Ewen (President CMG Germany) as the president of the day, Jolien Dekker from CNV Dienstenbond, Henning Röders from DVV Germany and Jelena Soms from LWU Lithuania.

The participants agreed with the proposal to send a letter to the European Social Economic Committee EESC in which the right of trade union pluralism will be formulated as a fundamental workers right. Workers should have a choice between trade unions free of any discrimination to them as well the trade union to which they belong. In the letter also the cases of the violation of this right on trade union pluralism will be mentioned. The letter will therefore include the cases of violations of trade union pluralism as cited above.

OLD LABOUR TRIES TO OUST CLAC FROM ITUC

 

Below you find a press release in English, German, Spanish and French of the Christian Labour Association of Canada – CLAC which speaks for itself. You can find more information on the website of CLAC.

A continuación encontrará un comunicado de prensa en Inglés, alemán, español y francés de la Asociación Cristiana de Trabajo de Canadá - CLAC, que habla por sí mismo. Usted puede encontrar más información en la página web de la CLAC.

Ci-dessous vous trouverez un communiqué de presse en anglais, allemand, espagnol et français de la Christian Labour Association of Canada - CLAC qui parle pour lui-même. Vous pouvez trouver plus d'informations sur le site Internet de la CLAC.

Nachfolgend finden Sie eine Pressemitteilung in Englisch, Deutsch, Spanisch und Französisch der Christian Association of Labour Kanada - CLAC die für sich spricht. Sie finden weitere Informationen auf der Website der CLAC.

25-11-2011 

  ***

Mississauga, ON—CLAC is outraged at the decision of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) to suspend CLAC’s membership for presenting itself as an alternative trade union in Canada.

ITUC has caved in to demands by the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) to attack CLAC because it is afraid of the competition of a modern, progressive union that focuses on its members. ITUC’s decision and its kangaroo court process are a clear indication that it is unable to escape the stranglehold of old time unionism.

Despite appearing before an ITUC delegation to answer questions and presenting voluminous evidence in its defense, CLAC was denied an opportunity to challenge the accuracy of the delegation’s report to ITUC’s General Council on which it based its decision. CLAC’s suspension will be reviewed at ITUC’s next Congress in May 2014. Membership in ITUC can only be decided by the Congress.

CLAC is appalled at the lack of ethics of some ITUC members who leaked news of the General Council’s decision before it was communicated to CLAC. Further, Ken Georgetti, president of the CLC, sits as vice-president on ITUC’s executive board—a clear conflict of interest.

There was hope in 2006 that the merger of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions with the World Confederation of Labour to form the new, more broadly based ITUC would breathe new life into an archaic and ineffective approach for workers’ rights. Today, we know that ITUC’s leaders are made up of the same old, irrelevant ideologues who cling to an out-dated model of labour relations whose days are numbered. How can ITUC maintain any sense of credibility or relevance when it seeks to oust CLAC—a union recognized by government labour boards across Canada—but believes the state-controlled unions in labour unfriendly countries such as Russia, Venezuela, Zimbabwe, and Eritrea are just fine?

CLAC refuses to succumb to these Old Labour style tactics. CLAC put the ITUC’s platitude of “union pluralism” to the test and it failed miserably. CLAC continues to believe firmly in the rights of workers to make informed choices regarding which union they want to join and what working agreements they want to work under.

We believe that healthy competition between unions for the loyalty of workers is a good thing that will make unions better and more responsive to their needs. It is not a race to the bottom but a race to be the best. CLAC will continue to work hard for the betterment of unions, members, and the working conditions of all Canadians—with or without ITUC.

 ***

Mississauga, Ontario – La CLAC expresa su indignación por la decisión de la Confederación Sindical Internacional (CSI) de suspender la afiliación de la CLAC por presentarse como un sindicato alternativo en Canadá.

La CSI cedió ante las reivindicaciones del Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) de atacar a la CLAC por miedo a la competencia de un sindicato moderno y progresista que se centra en los intereses de sus miembros. La decisión de la CSI y su proceso judicial montado de toda pieza indican claramente que no está en condiciones para evitar quedar maniatada por el antiguo sindicalismo.

A pesar de que compareciera ante una delegación de la CSI para responder a las preguntas y de que presentara numerosas pruebas en su defensa, a la CLAC se le negó la oportunidad de impugnar la exactitud del informe de la delegación sometido al Consejo General de la CSI en el que basó su decisión. La suspensión de la CSI será objeto de una revisión durante el próximo Congreso de la CSI en mayo de 2014. La afiliación a la CSI sólo puede ser decidida por el Congreso.

La CLAC expresa su consternación por la falta de ética por parte de algunos miembros de la CSI que divulgaron la decisión del Consejo General antes de ser comunicada a la CLAC. Además, Ken Georgetti, Presidente del CLC, es miembro del Buró Ejecutivo de la CSI como Vicepresidente – un conflicto de intereses evidente.

En 2006, había esperanzas de que la fusión entre la Confederación Internacional de Organizaciones Sindicales Libres y la Confederación Mundial del Trabajo, que desembocó en la formación de la nueva CSI más amplia, insuflara nueva vida a un enfoque arcaico e ineficaz de los derechos de los/las trabajadores/as. Hoy en día, sabemos que los dirigentes de la CSI cuentan con los mismos antiguos ideólogos irrelevantes que se aferran a un modelo anticuado de relaciones laborales cuyos días están contados. ¿Cómo puede la CSI mantener la credibilidad o relevancia al pretender expulsar a la CLAC – un sindicato reconocido por los consejos de trabajo del Gobierno en todo Canadá – y considerar que todo va bien en los sindicatos controlados por el Estado en varios países antisindicales, como Rusia, Venezuela, Zimbabwe y Eritrea?

La CLAC se niega a sucumbir a esta antigua táctica sindical. La CLAC ha sometido a prueba la perogrullada del “pluralismo sindical” de la CSI, y fracasó de manera lamentable. Sigue creyendo firmemente en los derechos de los/las trabajadores/as de poder elegir con conocimiento de causa al sindicato al que deseen afiliarse y los acuerdos laborales con los que quieran trabajar.

Consideramos que una competencia sana entre sindicatos por la lealtad de los/las trabajadores/as contribuye a mejorar los sindicatos y a que respondan mejor a sus necesidades. No se trata de una carrera descendente sino de una carrera para ser el mejor. La CLAC seguirá trabajando duro para mejorar los sindicatos, los miembros y las condiciones laborales de todos los canadienses – con o sin la CSI.

 ***

 

Mississauga, Ontario – La CLAC est indignée par la décision de la Confédération syndicale internationale (CSI) de suspendre l’affiliation de la CLAC pour s’être présentée en tant que syndicat alternatif au Canada.

La CSI a cédé aux demandes du Congrès du travail du Canada (CTC) d’attaquer la CLAC dans la mesure où il craint la concurrence d’un syndicat moderne et progressiste axé sur les intérêts de ses membres. La décision de la CSI et sa parodie de processus judiciaire indiquent clairement qu’elle n’est pas en mesure de sortir du carcan du syndicalisme d’autrefois.

Bien qu’elle ait comparu devant une délégation de la CSI pour répondre aux questions et qu’elle ait fourni de nombreuses preuves de défense, la CLAC a été privée de l’occasion de contester l’exactitude du rapport de la délégation soumis au Conseil général de la CSI, sur lequel la CSI a basé sa décision. La suspension de la CLAC fera l’objet d’une révision lors du prochain Congrès de la CSI en mai 2014. L’affiliation à la CSI relève de la seule décision du Congrès.

La CLAC est consternée par le manque d’éthique de certains membres de la CSI qui ont divulgué la décision du Conseil général avant d’être communiquée à la CLAC. En outre, Ken Georgetti, président du CTC, siège au Bureau exécutif de la CSI en qualité de vice-président – un conflit d’intérêts évident.

On pouvait espérer, en 2006, que la fusion entre la Confédération internationale des syndicats libres et la Confédération mondiale du travail menant à la fondation de la nouvelle CSI, plus large, insuffle un nouvel élan à une approche archaïque et inefficace des droits des travailleurs/euses. Aujourd’hui, nous savons que les dirigeants de la CSI regroupent les mêmes anciens idéologues inappropriés s’accrochant à un modèle dépassé de relations de travail dont les jours sont comptés. Comment la CSI peut-elle conserver sa crédibilité ou pertinence en cherchant à expulser la CLAC – un syndicat reconnu par les conseils du travail du gouvernement dans tout le Canada – et en considérant que tout va bien au sein des syndicats contrôlés par l’État dans plusieurs pays antisyndicaux, notamment la Russie, le Venezuela, le Zimbabwe et l’Érythrée?

La CLAC refuse de succomber à cette vieille tactique syndicale. La CLAC a mis à l’épreuve la platitude du « pluralisme syndical » de la CSI, qui a échoué lamentablement. La CLAC continue de croire fermement dans le droit des travailleurs/euses d’effectuer des choix éclairés quant au syndicat auquel ils souhaitent s’affilier et aux contrats de travail sous lesquels ils veulent travailler.

Nous considérons qu’une saine concurrence entre les syndicats par esprit de loyauté envers les travailleurs/euses contribue à rendre les syndicats meilleurs et plus réceptifs à leurs besoins. Il ne s’agit pas d’un nivellement par le bas mais d’une compétition pour être le meilleur. La CLAC poursuivra ses efforts pour améliorer les syndicats, les membres et les conditions de travail de tous les Canadiens – avec ou sans la CSI.

*** 

 

Mississauga, ON—CLAC ist empört über die Entscheidung des Internationalen Gewerkschaftsbunds (IGB), die Mitgliedschaft von CLAC zu suspendieren, weil CLAC sich in Kanada als alternative Gewerkschaft aufgestellt hat.

Der IGB hat den Anforderungen des Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) nachgegeben, CLAC aus Angst vor dem Wettbewerb einer modernen, progressiven Gewerkschaft anzugreifen, die sich auf ihre Mitglieder konzentriert. Die Entscheidung des IGBs und der Femegerichtsprozess sind ein klares Indiz dafür, dass der IGB sich dem Würgegriff eines Gewerkschaftswesens alter Zeiten nicht entziehen kann.

Trotz dem Vorsprechen vor einer IGB Delegation zur Beantwortung von Fragen und trotz dem Vorlegen voluminöser Beweise zur Verteidigung wurde CLAC die Gelegenheit verweigert, die Genauigkeit des Berichtes der IGB Delegation an den Generalrat des IGB anzufechten, auf den die Suspendierungsentscheidung gründet. Die Suspendierung der CLAC Mitgliedschaft wird zum kommenden IGB Kongress im Mai 2014 überprüft werden. Mitgliedschaft beim IGB kann alleine durch den Kongress beschlossen werden.

CLAC ist entsetzt über den Mangel an Ethik gewisser IGB Mitglieder, die Neuigkeiten zur Entscheidung des Generalrates durchsickern ließen, noch bevor sie CLAC mitgeteilt wurden. Darüber hinaus sitzt Ken Georgetti – Präsident des CLC – als Vizepräsident im IGB Vorstand – ein eindeutiger Interessenkonflikt.

2006 kam die Hoffnung auf, dass die Fusion des Internationalen Bundes Freier Gewerkschaften mit dem Weltverband der Arbeitnehmer zu einem neuen, breiter ausgerichteten IGB einer archaischen und ineffizienten Auffassung der Arbeitnehmerrechte neues Leben einflössen würde. Heute wissen wir, dass die Leiter des IGBs den gleichen alten, irrelevanten Ideologien nachstreben, die sich an ein ausrangiertes Modell von Arbeitsverhältnissen klammern, dessen Tage gezählt sind. Wie kann der IGB Glaubwürdigkeit oder Relevanz wahren, wenn er einerseits versucht, CLAC zu verdrängen – eine Gewerkschaft, die durch Regierungsarbeitsbehörden in ganz Kanada anerkannt ist – und anderseits der Überzeugung ist, dass staatlich kontrollierte Gewerkschaften in Arbeitnehmer unfreundlich gesinnten Ländern wie Russland, Venezuela, Simbabwe und Eritrea ganz gut sind?

CLAC weigert sich, diesen ‘Old Labour’ Taktiken zu erliegen. CLAC legte den Gemeinplatz der IGB Platitude von ‚gewerkschaftlichem Pluralismus’ auf den Prüfstand und der IGB scheiterte kläglich. CLAC glaubt weiterhin fest an die Rechte der Arbeitnehmer/innen, fundierte Entscheidungen darüber treffen zu können, welcher Gewerkschaft sie beitreten und unter welchen Vereinbarungen sie arbeiten wollen.

Wir sind davon überzeugt, dass ein gesunder Wettbewerb zwischen Gewerkschaften sich im Sinne der Loyalität der Arbeitnehmer/innen auswirkt und die Gewerkschaften verbessern und ihre Verantwortung gegenüber den Bedürfnissen verstärken wird.

Es geht sich nicht darum, den Gegner niederzumachen, sondern um den Wettlauf für das Beste. CLAC wird weiterhin hart an der Verbesserung der Gewerkschaften, der Mitglieder und der Arbeitsbedingungen aller Kanadier/innen arbeiten – mit oder ohne IGB.