REASON FOR EXISTENCE OF TRADE UNIONS

                           

                                              

REPORT OF THE SEMINAR "WHAT REASON DO TRADE UNIONS HAVE IN A MARKET WITH A DECLINING SUPPORT?"

Please note that this report soon will be available on the WOW website in Spanish, German and French.

The Seminar Room

Billund, 01 February 2013 – In the past trade unions have played an important role in, amongst others, promoting social dialogue, bargaining for collective agreements, and supporting its members in case of disputes. Today, however, the role of unions is under pressure. Throughout Europe one can detect a decline of membership affecting the position of trade unions. But what does this say about the support for unions? What future do trade unions have?

This was the topic during a two-day European seminar which took place in Billund, Denmark. Focus of the seminar, which was organized by the Christian Trade Union KRIFA (Kristelig Fagbevægelse) and the European Organization of the World Organization of Workers – EO/WOW in cooperation with the European Centre for Workers’ Questions (EZA) and with the support of the European Union.

The seminar with the theme “What reason for existence do trade unions have in a market with declining support?” was well-visited by trade union leaders from over 17 EU Member States. This clearly showed that the them of the seminar is very topical and does not stop at the borders. All countries are faced with the same development to a more or lesser extent. We as trade unions have to find ways to countries these developments in order to remain a representative bargaining power.

The trade union STING delegation of Croatia at work with Lego learning to build and to communicate.

The way in which the economy is organized has changed. Whereas in the past people often worked for the same employee for forty years, these days people shift from one job to the other. Not always by choice, but in most instances it is by choice. People are continuously trying to improve and challenge themselves. This is also something they expect form their employer. If the employer does not do this people look for greener pastures.

What can be seen is that society as a whole has become more individual. There are a number of reasons for that, but one important characteristic is the speedy development of certain kind of media. Another characteristic is the fact that (young) people want to shape their own future more and more and not be dependent on an organization such as, for example, the trade union. But it can also be seen when looking at the lower interest in being part of a community (football-club, music-band, volunteers-work). People in general feel a lesser need to belong somewhere.

The individualization greatly affects the role of unions as well. People not only shift from one job to the other, they may also, because of this, may shift from one branch to the other. Trade union will have to act on this development. Create means to keep members first and to attract new members second. A way to do this is to do as the Romans do. Meaning that if society is becoming more individual, the unions should have a more individual approach as well. Of course without forgetting their role as collective bargainers. Unions are, in principle, for the collective. But certain developments in society are now leading to necessary changes.

EZA President Bartho Pronk, former Member of the European Parliament, opened the seminar with some critical and optimistic remarks.

But not all has to be bad. The current crisis may be of benefit. As Bartho Pronk, EZA President, explained: “A crisis leads to restructuring. It is easier to make these changes with social dialogue than without. New Liberalism has proven its wrongs. The market is important, but without social dialogue it is not functioning as well as it could. The effect of this all is that social dialogue has gotten a prominent role in the Lisbon Treaty. So the crisis has caused a turn-around in thought.”

Indeed crises often lead to positive changes. People are forced to rethink certain strong-held strategies and ways of acting. A trend which started some years ago is the increase of so-called part-time and a-typical jobs. “In Austria, Günther Trausznitz, European President of the WOW, stated, 59% of the jobs are a-typical (typical jobs are from 9 to 5). This makes it difficult to find common grounds for collective bargaining”. True, the interests of the workers is different making certain general agreements difficult to achieve.

Although many trade unions are losing members this is not the case in all countries. In the case of Austria, for example, there has been a steady growth form the fifties of the last century. Lately, what can be seen is that half of the new members within the FCG/GPA-DJP (private services sector) are female.

In Denmark, as in other countries in Scandinavia, trade union membership is quite high. There are various factors that cause this, but the most important is possibly the unemployment insurance scheme. Laust Høgedahl said that: “This so-called Ghent-system allows trade unions to administer government-subsidized unemployment insurance funds (Norway excluded). In the Danish context these funds were trade- and profession-specific. Unions thereby had a monopoly. This does of course not necessarily explain the high density of membership. But what happens in practice is that is that people experience a lack of transparent institutional separation. Wage earners perceive the trade union and UIF as the same thing!”.

When we look at the role of the employer and their expectancy of the future cooperation with trade unions, it becomes clear that they have quite a different perception. Knud Nørbo of the Jyske Bank sees developments on which they do not have influence, but is affecting them as a company. “While the Jyske Bank complies to the standard collective agreement for the Employers Association and Financial Services Union, they also have their own local company agreements (within the framework of the standard collective agreement). This company agreement is more purpose and intent than actual rules. We belief people on the spot know best!”.

EO/WOW President Guenther Trausznitz spoke during his words of welcome on the growth of the so called a-typical jobs, also in his country Austria.

Knud Nørbo sees a few challenges for the future. The challenges, which are global, are the individualization which does not fit well into rigid rules, meaning that a one fits all approach is no longer possible. Secondly, the time, place, nature of the work, and life-style is changing (eg. work-life balance).

This growing individualization is reoccurring point of attention. Particularly what can be done to work within this trend. As Laust Høgedahl stated: “You can change yourself or you can change your members. What is easiest”. Trade unions will have to work with the current parameters. They have more influence on themselves than on their (potential) members. In Austria they are acting with this in mind. They have sent mailings to non-members just before difficult collective negotiations. This to more prominently show what it is they are doing and for whom. Also by offering a reduced membership-fee (or no fee at all) in the first period of membership is a means to attract members, thereby hoping that they will continue their membership.

The same developments can be detected in other countries as well. Not only when there is a decline of membership, but also just to attract more members and thus become more representative. All unions are searching for ways to attract people. Only by showing that you have an important role in collective bargaining is no longer enough. The people demand more. It is always: ‘What’s in it for me?’

Wolfgang Pischinger, President of the Christian Fraction of the Austrian trade union GPA-dj was one of the speakers at the seminar.

“Trade unions should be more introspective” stated Jesper Wengel, CEO of KRIFA. “I cannot create jobs, but what I can do is make sure that the people in KRIFA have high-competences, and deliver a high service and quality to the members”.

And this is exactly what is needed. “Attracting members is one thing. Keeping them another”, said Guy van Gyes, Research Manager at the University of Leuven, Belgium. “There is a high-turn-over. People leaving the unions, but also people going form one union to the other”.

There are various reasons for people to leave or switch unions. Important reasons were the price of membership and the fact that the former union supported certain political parties. Perhaps an even more important reason is the that the former union did not attend the member’s interests (Høgedahl). This clearly shows the importance of being attractive for the individual as well as for the collective.

“What is striking is that the sympathy for and feeling of legitimacy of trade unions is quite high, although this does not necessarily comes back in an increase of new members. In that respect trade unions should question themselves about the ‘logic of influence’ and the ‘logic of membership/participation’. Of course taking the current societal changes into account”, stated Guy van Gyes. People want to know what is in it for them. “They demand a quick response and a personal approach”.

There will always be a future for trade unions, since there will always be a relationship between employer and employee. This is always a power-relationship and this relationship changes over time. How trade unions will be organized in the future is to be seen. Trade unions should be, more than now, a movement organization establishing a community experience (community unionism).

The need for unions remain so there will always be a future. Trade unions will, however, have to reinvent themselves, without disregarding their core-values and traditional role for the collective. Not everything is for sale. Changing oneself is easier than changing the other.

As Laust Høgedahl stated: “In order to be an attractive trade union in the future, trade unions must strike a balance between relevant individual services and a reasonable membership fee apart from delivering collective goods”. 

Report made by Bjorn van Heusden, executive Secretary WOW

EUROPEAN WOW IN ACTION

Invited by its Danish affiliate, the board of the European Organization of WOW held a 'strategic day' in a special training centre of KRIFA in the north of Jutland. Here we se during breakfast on the left side of the table board member Mara Erdelj from BOFOS, Serbia. Next to her Soren Fibiger Olesen president of KRIFA and our host. Next to him you see executive secretary Bjorn van Heusden and treasurer Rolf Weber from KRIFA. In the foreground on the right side of the table Roel Rotshuizen president of WOW and secretary general of CNV Dienstenbond. In the kitchen you see Wolfgang Pischinger, board member and President of the Christian Fraction of the Austrian trade union GPA-djp.

The debates on the future strategy of EO/WOW were guided by Helene Riis Lindholm from KRIFA (on the photo she is the only one standing). She speaks German and English. Before starting the strategic debates, the board had agreed on 4 main goals: growth (financial,  membership and representativeness), more solidarity activities and funding, more influence on European level (European Commission and Parliament) and exchange of experiences (seminars and other international activities). The road to these 4 objectives was symbolized by climbing a mountain, as you can see on the photo behind Helene. 

The sessions started by a small training in how to deal with dreams and/or ideals. Each of us was asked to share his dream he would like to realize within 2 years. Then he had to walk through the 2 lines where the others made sounds that support his specific dream. As you can see everybody was listening carefully to the dream of our board member Valère Jung of CFTC France.

We were invited by Helene to an imaginary New Year Happening of the year 2015, to celebrate that we had reached our goals as specified during our sessions we were holding. It was a short break to the future to help us better understand the present. It helped us as a team to get a sharper aware of our goals.

The next day - Wednesday 30th of January -  we were invited to have breakfast together with all employees working at KRIFA headquarters in Aarhus, Denmark. The delegation was announced on the screens in the restaurant. From left to right: Guenther Trausnitz, president of EO/WOW, Wolfgang Pischinger of the FCG/GPA-djp, Soren Fibiger Olesen, President of KRIFA and Adalbert Ewen of the German CGM.

An overview of the restaurant with in front the EO/WOW board members. Everyday at 9 o'clock in the morning all KRIFA employees are invited to come to sing together and to share the information of the day. it was a nice experience to see how KRIFA combined motivation of its employees with information and communication.

After our KRIFA breakfast we went to Hotel Legoland in Billund to have our regular EO/WOW boardmeeting and to assist to the EU seminar organized by KRIFA and WOW with the support of EZA and the European Commission. Standing before the Legoland Dragon from left to right: Solveig Baekkgaard Maksten from KRIFA, assistant to the seminar, board member Mara Erdelj from Serbian BOFOS and myself.

The rest of the day the EO/WOW board held its regular meeting in one of the rooms in the Hotel Legoland Congress Centre. Going from left clockwise you see president Roel Rotshuizen, treasurer Rolf Weber, Adalbert Ewen, Valère Jung, executive secretary Bjorn van Heusden, Wolfgang Pischinger, european president Guenther Trausznitz and Mara Erdelj.

Thursday 31 of January was the first day of our two days European seminar on "What reason for existence do trade unions have in a market with declining support?" The seminar was opened by KRIFA President Soren Fibiger Olesen, host of the seminar, Guenther Trausznitz as European President and as you see below EZA President Bartho Pronk.

 As a former Member of the European Parliament EZA President Bartho Pronk challenged the EU trade unions  - if necessary -  to force the European Union Countries to respect the social paragraphs of the EU Lissabon Treaty. Trade Unions should even think about the possibility to go to court. 

An overview of the seminar room with participants coming from Spain, Romania, Serbia, France, Germany, The Netherlands, Denmark, Austria, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Croatia, Cyprus, Portugal, Macedonia, Malta and Ukraine. ( more than 50 participants from 17 countries). The seminar languages were English, German and Spanish

From Lego employee Helena Jensen the participants got a short training in communications.  They had to sit in pairs of two, with its backs to each other. Only by communicating with words -not seeing - one should try to build the same Lego helicopter within 15 minutes. It was not easy. To come to a common result one must communicate very clear and precise. On the photo we see working on the project UHM Secretary General Josef Vella (left) and UHM President Jesmond Bonello from Malta.

Laust Hogedahl from the University of Aalburg analyzed "The future of trade unions in a Danish context". The traditional trade union confederation LO lost the last decennia hundred thousands of members while a smaller union like KRIFA has grown more than 200% in the same period. Laust investigated why workers prefer one trade union for another. Ons of his conclusions is: "wage earners decision for joining of leaving a trade union consists of a mix of utilitarian and normative motives which must be seen in relation to the price of the membership fee when you have a market with competition as is the case for Denmark." Another conclusion is that "the flight of members from LO unions to alternative unions (mainly KRIFA!) is mostly due to utilitarian arguments (to save money) but the LO unions close relation to the Social Democratic Party has also facilitated the flight of members." After his presentation there was room for questions and remarks. The same happened during all presentations held at the seminar.

KRIFA's chief executive officer Jesper Mengel explained the seminar audience about how "being an attracting union in a market with declining support". As you can see on the photo it's Jesper's conviction that a trade union should create a strong vision, a vision that helps your union to climb a mountain, motivates your staff and attracts new members. You cannot change the people but yes you can change yourself and your organization.

EO/WOW President Guenther Trausznitz (on the right) introduces to the seminar audience Knud Norbo from the Human Resources Department of the Danish Jyske Bank. He spoke about "what employers do expect from the future cooperation with trade unions". The Jyske Bank believes that cooperation with trade unions is necessary for the future of his bank. Cooperation with trade unions gives more stability to labour and working relations at the company and it motivates workers to do the best for the company. The challenges for the future are: the pressure on the 'Danish model' (flexicurity, European/Danish government interference in agreements, declining union organized employees), individualization (global mega-trend), changes in ways of production (no common working times), changing work-life balance, need for more local empowerment.

STING Secretary General Jasna Pipunic had the floor during a panel about how "being an attracting union in a market with declining support". Jasna used the opportunity to explain briefly the  history, vision, mission and basic values of STING in Croatia, that soon will become a member state of the European Union. The two other members of the panel, Wolfgang Pischinger and Gunther Trausznitz, explained how their union FCG/GPA-djp succeeded in maintaining membership and even to grow a little bit.

Last speaker of the seminar was Guy van Gyes from the Belgium Higher Institute for Labour Affairs from the University of Leuven. He spoke about "the future of trade unions in a European context". Like all other speakers before him he confirmed that on European level there is a downward trend in trade union membership except in the Scandinavian countries and Belgium. Statistics show that between 60%  and 70% of the workers still believe that unions are necessary while around 50% really trust trade unions. Besides many other challenges like those mentioned by foregoing speakers, Guy believes it is necessary to establish a community experience in a large network organization which means the trade union.

On the first day of the seminar KRIFA invited all participants for a visit and a dinner with music at their headquarters at night. The new building was opened in june 2012 ( A NEW HOUSE FOR THE DANISH CHRISTIAN TRADE UNION CONFEDERATION KRIFA) . Here you see the photographer and Rolf Weber preparing us for the 'family photo' of all seminar participants.

During the visit KRIFA employees gave sightseeing tours through their headquarter's offices. On this photo the Spanish speaking group with Martine Grislain (in red jacket) as translator. On the left you see Allen Brunn from KRIFA and further clockwise Gonzalo Postigo (ASIPA), Fernando Serrato (ASIPA), José Javier Rebato (FEC) and Ovidi Noguera (FEC-CAT).

During the office tour we passed by the KRIFA call centre that is working from early in the morning until late in the evening. It is one of the very important services for the members of KRIFA. Allen told us that the employees of the call centre can handle 80% of the calls. The other 20% of the calls has to be channeled through others.

After the sightseeing tour the seminar participants was offered a drink and a dinner with music. On the photo left you see executive secretary Bjorn van Heusden, KRIFA board member Ib Horup (red pants). On the right you see CNV Dienstenbond President Dirk Swagerman talking to Ken Tobiasen from KRIFA, who gives a helping hand to the WOW administration.

EUROPEAN NEWS

A tete a tete between Bundeskanzler Angela Merkel and President Francois Hollande. Germany and France together are the axis around which the European Union is running

The French socialist President Francois Hollande surprisingly announced on the 12th of January a historical social agreement between Government, employers and employees on reforms of the labour market. Past december the negociations had failed. Some unions had announced they would not sign any agreement that introduces a kind of flexibility on the labourmarket. However, in spite of this, there is an agreement today. Flexibility will be introduced on the level of dismissal of employees. It will be easier for companies to get rid of employees in times of crisis. However, it will become more expensive – and thus less attractive – for employers to hire employees on a temporary contract. In return, the unions had done that employees get easier acces to training and a supplementary health insurance.

From the 5 biggest unions three of them have accepted the agreement. The unions are now going to consult their members. The agreement becomes confirmed as soon as the majority of the unions agrees. The big question is whether the agreement is good enough to get out of stagnation the French economy. Unemployment in France, according to new European figures, has risen to 10.5 percent, against 5.4 percent in Germany. More than a quarter of the French youth is unemployed. The French budget for 2013 takes in account of 0.8 percent growth but optimistic minded economists expect at best this year no growth and no shrink economy.

Prime Minister David tries to escape from the eternal British dilemma to remain independent as a Great Nation or permanently join the Europe Union.

English Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron announced a referendum will be held about Europe, to be held between 2015 - 2017. Before that he wants to negotiate with the EU on the distribution of powers between the EU state members and the European Commission. He wants less power for Brussels especially on EU directions as for example the legal protection of temporary workers and on working time which says that a working week should not be longer than 48 hours. The euro-critical think tank 'Open Europe' considers that this 48 hour working week cost 32,8 billion pounds, because employers must hire more workers. This makes the UK less competitive compared to other non-European countries.

He himself declared to be in favor of the UK to stay in the EU but the “democratic approval” for this in his country is to small. That is why he proposes the referendum. He outlined 5 principles to be basic for the European Union: competitivity, flexibility, more powers for the member states in stead of Brussels, democratic representativeness and responsibility. Since its membership of the EU, the UK has tried to limit the EU to a bussiness community based on a more European free market. Even the 10 years social democratic government of Prime Minister Tony Blair (1997 – 2007) could not change fundamentally the UK position in the EU.

As a former imperialistic power with a strong island identity, the UK has problems to accept they belong to the European continent and that they have to accomodate economically and politically with Germany, France, Spain, Italy etc. Besides this they feel a strong kinship – politically, economically and cultural – with the US. However, the United States have given already the message to Prime Minister Cameron, that it is very important that the UK stays in the EU. The US have warned that if the UK would leave the EU its relations with the USA itself will be damaged and the UK would become isolated on international level.

ETUC Secretary General Bernadette Ségol fights for a Social Europe.

The European Trade Union Confederation ETUC headed by the French General Secretary Bernadette Ségol reacted very critical on the speech of David Cameron: “We are very concerned that Mr Cameron wants to retain the benefits of the single market, while bringing into question EU competence to deal with subjects of vital importance to European citizens and workers including “the environment, social affairs and crime”. Workers rights are an integral part of the single market, because we need a Europe for citizens, not just for business. We must avoid the downward spiral of competition based on lowering basic standards at work that he is clearly advocating”.

TUC General Secretary Francis O'Grady sees the speech of its prime minister about the EU referendum as a distraction. “We need a government that focuses all its efforts on jobs, growth and living standards - the problems that face ordinary families every day of the week. 'The Prime Minister's call for a possible referendum in four year's time is a distraction, creating uncertainty for business investment and making recovery even more difficult. It's clear that he wants the UK to remain in the EU but on the basis of scrapping vital protection for workers. Yet all of Europe's most successful economies - in or out of the EU - have better rights at work. 'Instead ministers need to find the time to 'think more deeply' about getting the economy moving.”

So what will it be in the future? Will the EU become a community of citizens of just a bussiness community? There are the conservative, nationalist and leftist forces who want the EU to limit itself as a bussiness community. The EURO crisis around Greece has shown that nationalistic sentiments, not to say national prejudices are playing an important role in national politics, both to the right and the left. These political forces do not want to loose any national sovereignity to Brussels. On the contrary they believe that national sovereignty guarantees more national prosperity and progress than Brussels.

On the other side, most European trade unions united in the ETUC want to develop a social EU which in practice means more European labour laws and a common European labour market. But trade unions don't have seats in the national parliaments or the European Parliament. Yes, their members are voters, but as history has shown trade union members never vote as one political block. Trade union members have common interests as workers but as citizens, they have different political opinions and loyalities. At present, most trade unions are not even involved in national debates on the future of the EU. Therefore it is time for the unions to start talking with their members about what kind of EU they want: the EU as a bussiness community with the free market as the heart of it or a social EU based on common labour rules and a common labour market? Unions have to make up their mind if they do not want to stand on the sidelines of the political developments in Europe.

NEW JOBS

Togo january 2005( photo PETRUS)

Because of the growing unemployment there is a lot of talking in Europe about creating new jobs, especially for young people. The unemployment rate for young people is in many countries much higher than the average unemployment rate. The ETUC wants the European states to invest more in the economy in stead to continue its austerity measures. However, the EU decided to fight the Eurocrisis by tightening the budget control of each nation state and to make the rules on deficits stricter, so it is very difficult to convince political leaders to change.

The proposals for spending more public money to put the economy in motion are on a rather general level. For what kind of economic activities the European nations should use the public money? What special activties should be sponsored by the state to employ more young workers?What would employers do with the help of public money in case they are subsidized by the state? Will they hire young workers or invest in new means of production?

Confederal Secretary General Guy Tordeur of the Belgium Christian Trade Union in Brussels gave some ideas for employment in his article 'Work on employment' (Visie, 11 january 23013). To his opinion employers and government together have a great responsability to look for solutions for youth unemployment. “This high unemployment rate among young people is nothing new. It exists already a long time. The problem is certainly not solved by removing the unemployed from the statistics or by reducing their unemployment benefit. Work should be done to create employment, not just work for higher-skilled workers, but also for workers with limited training. Everyone has the right to quality work.”

Tordeur believes that one of the possibilities to create employment in the next future will be in the healthcare sector. Due to the aging population in the coming years tens of thousands of jobs will be needed. “Only in Flanders a report by the Flemish government talks about the need for 60,000 additional workers by 2015. The same applies to the city of Brussels. Foreign workers are not the solution to the shortage of staff in the health sector. With appropriate education and training many job seekers, even with limited training, can be employed in the healthsector. The sector itself will have to provide good quality jobs, allowing employees to continue their work.”

Togo, january 2005 ( photo  PETRUS)

Tordeur believes that another new job possibility exists “by the transformation of our society into a society that takes into account the ecological capacity of our planet. This includes a 80 to 90% reduction of CO2 emissions by 2050. That is a big challenge, but it also offers opportunities for new jobs. I am thinking, for example: home insulation, construction of energy efficient homes, building solar panels, windmills, development of more public transport, waste processing and recycling .... In the coming years this trend towards more green sectors will continue.”

What I am missing in this debate is what shoul happen in the private sector that is still responsable for the vast majority of jobs in all EU countries. According to European statistics of 2006 nearly 70% of workers earns his money in the service sector, 25% in the industrial sector and less than 5% in the agricultural sector. Only a small proportion of the workforce is employed by the government as a public official, in the national education system, police or army.

It is therefore of utmost importance that the private sector creates new jobs so that more people are employed. But how to generate more jobs in the private sector? Should one use public money for this? Should the state itself stimulate more research with the idea to develop new technologies for production and services? Should be lowered tax rates on labor and taxes higher on capital? Must be diminished bureaucratic control, rules and regulations for private enterprises? Should the government invest in roads, canals, air and seaports?

Must there be made radical changes in the wage structure like has been done in Germany some years ago? What to do with the idea to lower the wages of senior wokers, to make it possible for companies to hire young workers? Must there be less protection by law against dismissal of workers as is proposed by employers? Is more flex working a solution for companies to answer faster and more efficient to the changes on the market? How should social protection be organized under such circumstances. Many questions and not yet enough answers but time is running out. For a society it is dangerous to leave aside too long the younger people.

CAPGEMINI PROPOSES WAGE REDUCTIONS

 Neo Dutch Employer XAP XEMINI says to employee "Your wage in Yuan or we move to China".

The proposal to reduce the wages of older workers by about 10%, by the Dutch ITC Company Capgemini, part of the French multinational Capgemini with approximately 100,000 employees worldwide, is considered as a break through of one of the last taboos on the labor market.

Three workers aged 45 and older, who are afraid to give their names, came yesterday to the Dutch national newspaper 'Trouw' ( The article "Capgemini frequently asked for salary sacrifices", January 9, 2013). The news that Capgemini asks 400 colleagues for a 10 percent reduction of their wages, is the reason to tell their story. “We are pleased that this subject has come in public. Capgemini kept secret for years their actions for wage reduction . There is no collective agreement, unions are widely kept outside and to prevent clashes with the labor law and unions, people were fired bit by bit. Meanwhile, for many years we have had no pay rise, we had to give away senior arrangements and as the elderly we feel that every month can be your last.”

The average age of employees is 42 years at Capgemini. The sacrifice of wage income concerns the middle management in the company above that age. It is about a reduction of wage from 250 to 300 euros net per month. These older workers are usually not hired by Capgemini, but come from merged companies like Business Application Services (BAS) , Getronics or the IT departments of retail company Maxeda and the printer and camera manufacturer Canon.

From the moment these employees were transferred to Capgemini, they feel unsafe, confirm the three sources. “For years now these people is asked to accept lower wages. From the original 2200 BAS employees hundreds of them have been fired or have left the company. Many no longer were needed because of outsourcing to India. Redundancies were done under the name of Operaters to avoid reporting to the Dutch legal institution that promotes the interests of redundant workers.”

The legislation on collective redundancies have been tightened last year and now Capgemini has to expose themselves. In September, 350 people were fired collectively. The social plan was not aligned with the unions: it was the Works Council of Capgemini that has agreed to the redundancy scheme. The Works Council even has agreed with the reduction of wages, but in the workplace this is criticized.

"The Works Council follows the American Way of doing”, says a source. They accept that the staff is constantly under pressure. Management and Works Council believe that the organization is closed and that there more space is needed for young people to be hired. “Capgemini is indeed a good employer for young professionals, but older people are not used to this approach. Therefore we must not be played off against each other, but later, when it is clear what purpose is served exactly with the latest wage sacrifices, we should say all 400 together "NO" to this pay cut.”

The unions add to all this that if an employee agrees his wage being cut and after all this he will still be fired, he will receive an unemployment benefit based on this lower wage. The unions therefore recommend the workers to ask at least for additional guarantees against dismissal and to get their former wage back once the company makes profits again.

Source: Dutch newspapers. Quotes come from the aforementioned article in the newspaper Trouw on 9 January 2013.

PROTESTS EMPLOYEES RAZVOJNA BANKA VOJVODINA

On the head of the demonstration goes the leadership of the trade union of Razvojna banka Vojvodina and of BOFOS. 

On December 20, 2012 in Novi Sad (Serbia) the Trade Union Organization of Razvojna Bank of Vojvodina and the federation SS Bofos organized demonstrations with the slogan “Let our voice be heard” to express their protest against the decision of the Provincial Government of Vojvodina and the government of Serbia to close down Razvojna Bank of Vojvodina because of the Bank’s large indebtedness. This means that employees of the Bank will literally be thrown out in the street. The protesters got together in front of the Central Bank and then proceeded to the seat of the government of Vojvodina. The protest was supported by a considerable number of other unions both by their participation in the protests and/or by telegrams and letters of support. 

At the meeting with the Provincial Minister of Finance both unions have presented their demands related to employees’ protection that is, implementation of social plan providing guaranties of a decent severance pay as well as protection for the most vulnerable employees. The Minister said the aims presented by the Union were basically normal and it was the interest of Vojvodina to solve the issue of employees’ position in an adequate way.

As a result of the protest and the meeting with the Minister the Provincial government agrees that the Bank prepares a social plan for the employees. The Union will follow the implementation of the agreement and undertake necessary activities in order to have all demands realized.

THE NAKED TRUTH

Xiong Jing (left) campaigns on the internet against domestic violence with a picture of her on which her naked upper body is painted with red hands. Xiao Meinu considers the pressure on women to enlarge her breasts as a form of violence. "I have very small breasts, but I'm proud of my body," says Xiao Meinu meining 'beautiful girl' in the Chinese language.

'The naked truth' is the name of a Chinese internet campaign against domestic violence against women. 'A study from 2011 shows that behind the closed doors of traditional Chinese families over 30% of the 550 million Chinese women are victims of domestic violence. "If fashion magazines can use naked female models to sell perfume, why should we not be allowed to use our bodies to demand action against a gross violation of our human rights? It is the naked truth that the female body is a battlefield in China ", says webredactrice Xiong Jing of the new digital magazine 'Women's Voices' on defensive tone. The photos of her and her two girlfriends have sparked much controversy because of the alleged pronografic character. The censorship tries to ban the photos from internet but without result, as is often the case with unpleasant digital publications. "

Reportage and photographs: Oscar Garschagen published in NRC Handelsblad of Saturday, December 29th & Sunday, December 30, 2012