Workers under Multinationals

Edger: I hope everybody has arrived for this conference. Though you have been very busy attending several conferences this morning, we hope that our topic here about workers in multinational companies will excite you and we will ask you your comments and suggestions, observations, recommendations from you. We hope that you could be a partner in making the conference of multinational workers successful. Welcome everybody, all of you here in our conference.

 I am Edger Bilayon from Philippines Railway Workers' Union and I will be a moderator of this conference today. So, as a little introduction of our topics, and the way we should be having a discussion of the reports one from the Philippines and one from Japan, and until that we will be able to open for the discussion. So, please your comments, suggestions, and observations, please preparing for our open debate after our discussion of the topics.

 We are going to open now officially this conference. We ask our comrade from the Philippines, brother Sonny Melencio to open this conference.

Sonny: Thank you very much. I'm Sonny, vice chairman of BMP, the Philippines. I start to introduce the topic. So I am going to give a brief of the introduction of what the topic about, where the multinational operation is that called globalization problem that we are discussing in this conference, because globalization is basically expansion of multinational operation. Globalization basically benefits only multinationals, capitalist, and government that support multinationals.

 So, that's why our strategy that we want to discuss today would be around question of understanding how the multinational corporations operate and what can we do in order to resist that. There are a number of campaigns right now that are composed against multinational corporations in a number of countries. Some of you may, even joined us, joined WSF to discuss this issue.

 One is the campaign for instance against a multinational corporation NIKE, garments and shoes company, shamelessly exploited workers in Indonesia and in the other part of the world. That is the campaign that most of the activists from unions and social movement support. This is basically an issue somehow points out exploitation of workers like NIKE that is exploiting workers in Indonesia. It is, at the same time, spending millions of dollars to get product endorsement, in the case of Michel Jordan.

 Then there is also the campaign against Macdonald's, another multinational company that has been started as a simple action on some individuals regarding distributing leaflets on real effects of eating Macdonald's. That created a big campaign because Macdonald's sued in court and charged them doing that. And that became a major issue. I just do not know what happened after that. But that is the issue that we should also understand right now at WSF.

 There is a global campaign against Coke Cola, and its operation in Colombia. This is quite near to our heart because the problem in Coke Cola operation in Colombia is that the manager of Coke Cola Company in Colombia has been ordering the massacre of organizers in Columbia. That is also the campaign that I'd like to support. The workshop will propose mainly on multinationals in Japan how they operated in third world countries like the Philippines. This will consist of understanding the operation in the third world by multinationals and also understanding infect of multinationalization, multinational operation, in its the mother countries such as Japan.

 So we will have two speakers. That will be speaking on that. Through this report, it will become apparent. There is the important struggle despite workers in these multinational companies not only in third world, but also in mother countries. And questions that we're looking at is building the solidarity among the workers in order to strengthen the campaign struggle, in order to mentally resist the massive exploitation by multinational companies in many parts of the world.

 I've just been in the conference to try to address this problem and also with regard to the strategy we must have brought up. I would like to think this forum today will also be a continuation of that conference of the strategy dealing with operations of institution of globalization, main institutions are the multinational corporations. In that conference we have discussed the strategy needs to unite to develop levels of the unity among the trade unions organized workers, because of problems of globalization.

 The unity we must develop with unemployed who are growing in number in many countries. And also the unity we establish in order to defeat neo-liberal globalization. The unities that we have to establish with the other social movement are also developing such as women's movements, students' movements, human right movements, darit's movements, and the other movements.

 And also with regard to this strategy we must look at the strategy that goes beyond what we are doing now, goes beyond discussing, goes beyond dialog, goes beyond the World Social Forum. The strategy looks increasing militant action and activities of unions against globalization, such as the strategy of occupation of company that is happening in Argentine and in many companies in Latin America, the strategy of barricades at the picket, strategy of people assemblies, the strategy that is confronting multinational in globalization at the most concrete popular level. I would like to introduce my comrade, and you can discuss concretely what the problem is with regards multinational operation. Thank you very much.

Edger: Thank you very much, our comrade Sonny. All of us are aware about what multinationalization is. We know a lot of companies transfer operations one country to another country. Multinational companies are not contented with that country and transfer their operation again to other counties. So what are there effects of this attitude of multinationals, and greedy corporations on workers? What we're going to present today, are specific example of multinationals, multinational operating in the Philippines which will be discussed and reported by my comrade, Michel.

Michelle: Good afternoon. I am Michelle from BMP, the Philippines. I would like to share the situation of the workers in multinational companies, which are mainly Japanese in the Philippines. So I would like to start by presenting a brief profile of the situation of workers in Japanese multinational companies in the Philippines. The following are examples of some of the major Japanese multinational companies and their record in the treatment of the workers.

 One is Norkis Group of Companies (NGC). The NGC is composed of companies in motor and multi-cab industries. This includes Yamaha Econobike. Right now Yamaha is the Top 3 selling in the Philippines. There are 16 companies comprising of the NGC. Over-all, their total workforce is around 5000. In the 16 companies, only 1 has union, which has been formed by the management itself sometime in 1986. When this union started to fight for the interest of workers in 1989, labor disputes began to occur in the NGC. Issues faced by the workers. One is non-compliance of four wage orders. To weaken and bust the union, the NGC resorted to lay-off its regular workers. 140 were laid-off since then. Next is to closure of at least two plant departments, and threat to transfer company operations.

 Now the second company, we have Asian Transmission Corporation. This is 80% owned by Mitsubishi Corp, Japanese company. 80% of this is exported, and only 20% are in domestic market. In 1988, the company retrenched 150 workers-union members. The company is now offering a voluntary separation program (VSP). Reasons cited for the problems in the company: one is competition from China. Two is dumping of imported used cars. We have out of 135, 000 sales of imported used cars yearly, only 85, 000 units were being manufactured yearly. No.3, we have rising taxes. Before one Mitsubishi Adventure has costs 6,500 peso because of the taxes. It now costs 850,000 peso. That's almost 14,000 US dollars.

 We have Suzuki Motors Philippines, which is Motorcycle assembly. In August 2003, it retrenched 55 workers. This includes 41 union officers and members. The retrenchment is said to be due to serious financial reverses of the company due to dumping of imported motorcycles and the government's phase-out of two-stroke motorcycles. The union claims union-busting.

 We also have Ajinomoto Philippines. This is 90% Japanese owned company. The issues faced by the workers: retrenchment, contracualization. The company has offered voluntary early retirement to save cost of labor. Regular workers are now being replaced by contractual and casual labor.

 We have as No.5, Pamcor Car assembly company. This is Mitsubishi, 100% Japanese owned company. From 1997, 1,771 workers have been victims with retrenchment. Only this November 2003, 273 were retrenched. 237 out of that were union members. So far 1,500 union members are dismissed and now remain only 399 union members.

 We have GNF, Gould Nikko Foil, which is 100% Japanese owned. It produces copper foil used in electronics industry. Issues faced by the workers: when they formed the union, the company made rules and regulations. Their implements were very strict. Before the workers planed the union, the company used the effort to organize workers. The workers suffered from rough propaganda, harassments, and when the workers won in the certification adoption, the company even filed for disband bargaining agreement.

 We have Noritake which is 90% Japanese owned. It's producing dinnerware, porcelains. The workers also face retrenchment and the management offer for early retirement program.

 We have Asahi Glass Philippines. This is also owned by Asahi Glass Japan. The product is flat glass using buildings and cars. Workers issues are retrenchment of regular workers, labor-only contracting, discrimination in work schedules, reduction of working days which is 5 days work out of former 6 days work, and non-issuance or incomplete issuance of uniforms.

 In summary, the following key points need to be drawn out from the above profile. The Japanese multinational companies in the Philippines are placed in various strategic industries. They are companies that are earning well for a number of years. The Japanese multinational companies are also known for being union busters, like in the case of Honda Philippines, GNF, Toyota, and Norkis Group companies.

 An important tactic in strengthening workers struggles in these companies is to seek solidarity with workers in their sister-companies overseas. I would like to propose some of the following concrete activities that we could undertake to build solidarity amongst all the workers in these companies. One is that union to union links in single multinational companies, for example, Honda unions Philippines and Honda union Japan, Noritake Philippine and Noritake Japan. Two is that communications and information dissemination through a newsletter. Maybe we can use these for now. Three is that exchange, visits of unionist from each country. Four is conferences and meetings. Five is to concrete joint campaigns and solidarity actions.

 This is call for all workers to unite, fight against the onslaught of Globalization! Workers united will always be victorious! Just like one comrade from France suggested in the workshop this morning. In this time of globalization, unionists should be globalize. The fight of one is the fight of all! Thank you.

Edger: Thank you very much, comrade Michelle. It is common knowledge that multinational companies' main concern is profit. It is concerned multinationals and big business to provide job. I think it is obligation or duty. Main interest is how to earn more money for their pockets. They will do anything in all the power, minimize the expense and maximize the profit.

 We presented about Japanese company in the Philippines. We just want to cite specific example of multinational companies so that we could make some conclusion only in specific situation. So to provide something is what is happening in Japan and what is happening in the Philippines, because we provided fractions of the workers in Japanese multinational companies. What is happening now also on workers in this company in Japan? Let me ask our comrade from Japan from JRU to provide us the situation, the view of multinatinalization in Japan. We are presenting Comrade, Osamu Yomono, Vice president of Japan Confederation of Railway Workers' Unions.

Osamu: Thank you Edger. My name is Osamu Yomono from JRU. I'd like to show you another site, behavior of Japanese multinational companies. I think everyone of you have a handout, base on this handout I would like to proceed my speech.

 Please look at number 1. This shows "Transition of Foreign Production Ratio" and top line shows the foreign production ratio of Japanese multinational companies, bottom line shows the foreign production ratio of whole companies. From this graph we can see that 20% of the production has been carried out oversea by Japanese multinational companies.

Please look at 2. This shows "Transition of external direct investment". We can see from this graph since 1985 Japanese companies started to advance into foreign nations. 　Please look at number 3. This shows that number of employee in overseas subsidiary by Japanese companies. You can see the total number of them is 3.5 millions.

On number 4 you can see the division of ratio of these workers overseas in each area. It is shown in a pie graph. You can see 2/3 of employees overseas are from Asia.

No.5 shows the number of employee in countries in Asia. From the top, you can see China, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, and then the Philippines and you can also see a percent figure on the same No.7. Japan has a figure with 100 just below the percent figure, based on the Japan standard. There are small figures besides Asian nations. This shows growth domestic income compare to Japan. This approximately shows the wage level of each country. This shows that Japanese companies are advancing in Asian countries seeking for lower wages. Please look at No.6. This graph shows which industries companies are advancing overseas. You can see that automobile industry and electronic industry are their major industries which Japanese companies are relocated in overseas their factories.

Let me summarize what I have been talking, at first multinationalization of Japanese companies started at 1985, and the beginning of 2000 it turned up the heat. Particularly these multinationals are advancing in Asia. Industrialize, automobile and electronic industries are the top.

Next let me speak about influences on workers in Japan.

Please look at No.1 in the box. As you can see, unemployment in Japan is rapidly increasing.

Next please look at NO.2, multinatinalization expands unemployment. I made up this graph with the foreign production ratio and unemployed ratio. I believe you can see the trend of both line is almost the same tendency.

Please look at the box titled "Outflow of employment". This shows outflow of unemployed workers in Japan and overseas workers. Unemployment in Japan is progressing along with overseas workers number.

Next please look at the box titled "Business with labour cuts". This shows that labor cut in according to the industries. You can see that electric industry has labor cut of 40,000 people, and automobile has 18,000 people. This shows that industries which are advanced in overseas suffering the most in the unemployment.

Please look at the box titled "Decrease of wage". The stick graph shows disposable income. You can see since year 2000 it is decreasing.

Please look at the box titled "Increase of Irregular workers". The number of regular workers is decreasing. The number of non-regular workers is increasing. What I want to say here is that workers in Asia are getting involved in the race toward the bottom. You can see in the picture, workers with better condition are suffering from unemployment, and workers with worse condition are getting job. Deteriorated working condition then they can be released from unemployment problem and they can be hired. That causes unemployment problem to other workers. This kind of tendencies has been spread all to Asia, that means total working level of workers is getting lower and lower.

Please look at "Transition of ordinary income of manufacturing corporation". While workers are suffering under this trend, corporations are securing their own profit.

Let me make a summary here. The conclusion of this part, unemployment is expanded due to multinationalization. At the same time, gaps among the workers are expanded. Wage level started to be low. On the other hand, corporations secure benefit.

Let me move on the next topic how labor unions should respond to this situation. Let me introduce some of remarks made by labor union's leaders in Japan.

First, I'd like to introduce the statement made by the leader of Japan Electronic Information Union. He said that corporation profit would be less if working condition of overseas' factories are improved. Then corporate track record will be worse and Japanese labor union's gain will be less. We do not want any labor unions in overseas. That's what he said.

 Let me bring another example. This was the statement made by the leader of Confederation of Japan Automobile Workers' Unions. To maintain a secure employment, corporation should win international competition. Accordingly labor union task is to secure competitiveness for corporations. I believe all these unions' statements are wrong.

Please look at the last box. We, Japan Confederation of Railway Workers' Unions, JRU, are appealing for fight against globalization. We want to see international solidarity instead of 'Race toward the bottom'. JRU will promote anti-globalism labor movements and at the same time we are opposing to wars and multinationalization.

 There are some other aspects of multinationalization. In the workshop which I participated this morning, there was a ward "the holocaust of labor unions" and there have been attacks, union busting. Their intensions are to weaken and exterminate labor unions. Regarding this issue, we had the workshop yesterday, so we cannot go into details.

 Anyway, I believe that now is the very important turning point to stand against oppressions on labor unions through solidarity. Let me a brief explain what multinationalization is bringing. To protect multinational corporations in overseas, Japanese government stated dispatching Japanese army overseas. Supporting Gorge W Bush Japanese government finally started dispatching Japanese army. This shows that Japan has already stood on the side which oppresses people in the world. We determine to oppose to unjust act carried out by Japanese government. Thank you very much.

Edger: International companies caused on Japanese workers and the Philippines workers. Let us discuss all, not only Japanese multinationals or not only discuss focus on the Philippines. In our discussion we should try to include European multinationals, and American multinationals, some multinationals in own countries. We could get the true picture what is happening on workers. Have multinational companies brought happiness to workers in our countries, or brought misery to workers in your region? The workers around the world have been treated as a commodity by multinationals and been used to own profit for them.

 When the labor movement in Japan demanded for higher wages, multinational companies transfer operation to other countries. These workers in this country make them strong, unionized, and demand the fare share of the profit of the multinational companies. These companies against that, close their shops and transfer to another country. For example, specific example, most of the companies now are going to China, and leaving our countries. They left Japan, came to the Philippines. The Philippine labor movement demanded fare share of profits, then multinationals transferred operation in Indonesia, transferred operation in Taiwan, transferred operation in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Burma. Also transferred operation in China. And people complained to be treated as a commodity by multinational companies. Now we want to hear from you, comrades your opinion about multinationalization. Please participate. Thank you.

India A: I am A. I am convener of all India Forum of Coca Cola unions. I am also the state secretary of the Center of Indian Trade Unions. I am affiliated various unions which are established in multinational companies.

 One of the comrades from the Philippines reported peculiar situations being placed workers in the Philippines. In the first week of October, incidentally, I was in Manila to attend meeting of the workers of Coca Cola unions.

 Initially in India, soft drink market and soft drink production had been carried out by Indian industrialist Mr. Ramesh Chauhan - the Parle group. During the calls for globalization, when our center government allowed foreign direct investment in India under the dictates of WTO, World Bank, International Monetary Funds, Coca Cola company started their operations in India. Coca Cola company acquired almost all plants which were running by Parle group of companies in India. After acquiring all plants, more than 30% plants were closed down by the Coca Cola company. Workers were retrenched. They were thrown out of job. At some places, they were not given proper legal dues also. And the company introduced modern technologies to increase production and productivity, production capacity. And the net result was the enormous reduction in workforce in India which were working in soft drink company.

 Second feature of this globalization taken by Coca Cola company is at present more than 70% of workforce in Coca Cola company is either casual type or irregular type of workers or contract type workers. Only 30% of the workforce is under regular basis. I have been facing so many incidents where the Coca Cola company is even not complying with labor laws which are enacted in India.

 Another major company in soft drink in India is Pepsi Cola. Compared to Coca Cola, Pepsi Cola's management is worse management as far as worker is concerned. Pepsi management does not tolerate unionization of the workers. They even use anti-social elements, state government machinery, political forces to bust unions.

 One example is a factory which was located in Kanpur near Delhi. The union was busted, regular workers were thrown out of job, and political especially reactionary forces led by Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) were used to destroy the union. The workers were working on contract system or on irregular basis. They have no security of job. They are working on wages which is less than one or 1.5 US dollars par a day. They are compelled to work 12 hours a day.

 Under the influences of globalization and WTO, IMF and World Bank policies, our central government is adapting such policies which are in favor of the multinational companies. Central government has decided to change labor laws. They have decided to amend trade union act, industrial dispute act, contract labor regularization act, abolition and regulation act, and so many other act have been amended to secure the multinational companies and local industrial monopolies.

 Under the influence of the globalization, the judiciary is taking very reactionary approach towards the issues of the workers. Recently, the Supreme Court of India has made a judgment, in which they have said "There is no legal, moral right to go on strike for state government or city government employees."

 An elaborating all these things, because multinationals workers are, in my opinion, in better position to fight back. Workers in unorganized sector, as they are not organized, they are not in position to fight back in proper manner. So this Supreme Court judgment and changes in the labor laws, taken together, are going to destroy organized sector workers' movement in India.

 After destroying this organized sector workers' movement, they want to have a free play to exploit labor in Indian society. Along with this, one more factor is operating in India. That is, people are being divided on the basis of caste, religion and community. Reactionary political parties like Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) are creating division among working class. 

 So, fight against globalization, fight against multinational companies, and fight against racist, castist, and communal forces have to be fought unitedly by the working class. Our links with other sections of the society such as agricultural workers, farmers, women, and youth have to be strengthened.

 We must go for self-criticism that organized sector movement has not paid enough attention to unorganized sectors. We have not bothered about their conditions. So the organized sector workers movement is not getting proper support from the masses, from other sectors of the society, and that is the reason why they have been able to assault us. Friends, fight against one multinational company in one country is not sufficient if I have to be under global level. And fight for the better wages is not sufficient. But fight for equality, fight for ending exploitation have to be taken on. So delegates from Maharastra and representatives from the Center of Indian Trade Union (CIU) are with you all to fight against inhumane globalization. Thank you and salute.

Edger: Thank you very much, Comrade, You have said the situation about Coca Cola workers and the soft drink workers. Comrade Sonny spoke about what Coca Cola Company are doing in Colombia, assassination of workers from organized unions in Colombia. That results call for boycott of Coca Cola products. It is very sad that these multinational companies, instead of helping workers, they are doing everything to stop completion of organizing among the workers by employing harassed actions. It is very imperative for workers in multinational companies, like what you are doing in Coca Cola, solidifying a position in support of others in this case. To share the global profit for equality, to end exploitation, everybody should be happy. Multinationals should be happy, and workers should be happy. Anymore contribution?

India B: I'm from New Dally, India. I have a gratification from especially Japanese contingent over there.

 You are planning to end globalization which built Japan as a nation. If you've done globalization and multinational company, would the Japanese economy be doing any better than be doing now? With increasing retrenchment, I guess, there is going to be no business then. This is the Japanese perspective that I take.

 And for the turmoil perspective the business model here of course still sustain India growing larger. We have very few multinational our own. If you end globalization, it is more for the West or Japan than for country like turmoil country.

 I would just seek an explanation on that. If you believe that we should fight against'em, what is alternative? Thank you.

Osamu: Hello. Regretfully we have no common, concrete blueprint for the alternative, but I can say that workers in Japan and workers in Asian countries should make solidarity and put pressure on multinational companies so that we can change the current reality. I think that it will be only way for worker to survive.

 While we are making the solidarity among the workers, we should think about alternatives along the way. Even if we come up with the excellent blueprint, if we don't have a power to carry it out, that would be only the dream at self-satisfaction. First, we have to make solidarity with all the countries in Asia, and will make a very strong movement that would be the first step in order to make a progress. While we are making this kind of movement, we would like to come back to this question and give out good ideas, or opinions, and come up with the blueprint.

Edger: I would like to call for Indonesian comrade.

Andy: Thank you, Comrades. Let me introduce myself. My name is Andy William Sinaga. I'm General Secretary of Transportation And Delivery Worker Federation, affiliated with confederation of Indonesia Prosperity Trade Union, SBSI.

 I would like to say the discussion about multinational companies is very interesting for me, because talking about multinational companies regarding in Indonesia condition, multinational companies especially from Japan and Korea were capital in Indonesia. Why? Because they realize labor costs in Indonesia are very cheap and the people of Indonesia are working well, so I want your suggestion, to the ICLS, Japanese trade union and Korean trade union, how is the information about labour right to your companies when they want invest to Indonesia?

 The condition of worker in Japanese or Korean company invested Indonesia. They usually did not accept labour right especially about how to establish collective agreement, how to give women worker maternity leave. If they become pregnant, will they be dismissed? This happens in Indonesia, especially in Japanese and Korean company.

 One day I have meeting with Korean ambassador in Jakarta. I told him about the condition of workers in Indonesia. They were happy in half area, but in another half area SBSI must fight to the company who do not accept labour right.

 Secondly, may be in this forum we can work together about how to strengthen labor movement in South East Asia like in Thailand, the Philippine, Burma, and Cambodia. Many multinational companies move to another country when they realize labor movement in the country forcible. For example, labor movements in Indonesia will be strong, then they will ask to Indonesia government that they must protect the real investment. In the forum I hope our comrades from Japan and Korea will give suggestion to employees in developing countries like Indonesia. You can give lessons about labour right. That's all. Thank you very much.

Edger: Thank you very much, Andy. Andy is a very militant unionist in Indonesia. I will call for a new comrade from Australia.

Australia A: Hello. I'm A, teacher union in Sidney in Australia. I'm honor to talk an example of the attack on the waterfront in Australia and in New Zealand.

 50 years ago the waterfront in New Zealand was singled out for attack by the company and by the New Zealand government as well. The New Zealand government has attacked condition of waterfront workers, port workers. Unfortunately that's on. There wasn't a proper campaign of solidarity built from the other unions and the workers in New Zealand, then the condition has lost. The workforce was driven to the half of the number. Unfortunately that was the strong union at that time. After that, like wind blowing rain, all the unions lost the conditions.

 A similar thing was tried when the right wing governor elected in Australia in 1996. When the government first got in, it cut the right for Aborigine people, it cut down access for training for people who are unemployed. It attacked weak people first.

 But then they tried what was the center they plan by attacking Australian port workers. They attacked the right to have union solidarity. Public corporation was willing to introduce scab driver and to take away the jobs. But this time in Australia there was solidarity. Maritime workers had picket line at the front, and many people came; teacher unionist, white collar, civil servants and importantly metal workers.

 Some jobs were lost. But main jobs were kept. But the great gain was the political win. The government lost. I think we can win because after that government was not able to attack our Medicare system. I think there are two lessons from it. Comrade of port told about solidarity. I think the politics matter too.

 At the time our government said that the maritime workers' productivity was less than Singapore ports. They said "We want international port in Sydney and Melbourne to move freight faster than Singapore". I think politics in the campaign was important, because we have to not agree that Australian workers head the campaign against Singapore workers. I think it is the very important politics in Australian unions' movement, not to collude with the government, not to worry about increasing the capacity of the government over corporations.

 That's why I welcome the last page of the Japanese report, because it clearly shows that unions need to have broader politics, not just solidarity, but we have to go against the war attack. This is actually our nations cooperating with empire, with United States, with Britain and with Australia unfortunately.

Edger: Thank you for your contribution. We will go to our comrade from Egypt, comrade from Sweden, and then from Japan.

Egypt A: Thank you. I'm A from Center for Trade Union and Workers Solidarities from Egypt. Of course it is very difficult to have alternative now, and no one can say that he has complete alternative. But I think on the other hand that we should come out of describing our situations.

 We need for international solidarity. I think we have to move more to develop some strategy for our movement, for international labor movements. I say international labour movement does not mean trade union movement. Other movements and organizations are with the trade union movement.

 What I want to say is that I think from our description to our situation in the shade of the issue of multinational corporation. Why we don't think to demand for global minimum wage or world minimum wage and standard wage for different sector? I think we should try to think of common demand that can unite our movement to be able to resist national movement and to be able to develop international movement.

 I think we should have common demands. We should try pressure for the trade unions, pressure for the ILO to put this demand of international minimum wage. I think this is suitable, because it till now is excluded from the goal of labor standard of ILO. No one think such issue. I think it is very very important. Thank you.

Edger: Thank you Comrade for your suggestion about having a common collective negotiation, common demand with our issues of international labor organizations. Now we have a comrade from Norway.

Norway A: I am a National Secretary of trade union in Norway organizing municipal workers and workers in the health sector. I am also national coordinator of broad National Coalition in Norway which is called "The Campaign For The Welfare State" which is fighting against privatization and neo-liberal policies.

 First I would like to comment for the one of the questions risen here which was that "Will Japan win or lose if it fights against globalization?" I think it's important to ask next question; "what is Japan". We have had proof here in one of the presentations that unemployment has gone up in Japan, purchasing power has gone down. Some have lost in Japan, some have won. That is the situation, I think. We should think in terms of conflict, because globalization is attacking people all over the world. "Japan" means the capital interest. Economical and political elites in Japan probably win this struggle, but not the people. Their livelihood, their welfare, public services, their security at work will lose. It's better to look the matter as social question than geographical.

 There seems to be a war going on, not only thinking of a war in Iraq, but a war against people, against livelihood and their rights. These two different forms of war also go together.

 The last example I have heard was a good example. In Afghanistan there now is building new institutions and they are going to develop new labor legistration. Who is developing this labor legislation for Afghanistan? That is one of American consultants for union busting.

 I think comrade Osamu mentioned the danger trade unions face that we can be split according to national borders, industry and so on. When we start to support one company in order to increase competitiveness compared to the other companies, that is the great challenge. A part of the trade union movement tends to develop so called business unionism. That is the long tradition in the United States. We have seen the increased development of this kind of business unionism in Europe as well. Unions start to support own companies in order to be more competitive and bring the struggle of international market. That is very dangerous for the labor movement and for the working class of course. What are we going to do to that?

 I think it's very important to seek contact with others out of borders. I think we have to cross at least three borders.

 First border to cross is the national borders between workers of one company in different countries. That is important.

 Second thing is to cross also the company borders. In Coca Cola we are not only contacting people in other Coca Cola factory but also in Pepsi Cola so that the employers and managements can't use split in order to mobilize the workers behind competitiveness against competitors.

 The third border we have to cross is the industrial border. We have to build up broader alliances in public sector and private sector, because in the end there can be generalized our requests as workers over cross-interest based demand. That is the basis for developing more comprehensive alternative to assisting political model, because we have to in the end develop on demand what kind of society we are going to have.

 I agree with you that we don't have a blueprint, but on the other hand in some area it is easy to come up with alternatives. The alternative to privatization is not to privatize. The alternative to undermining workers' rights is not to do it. So, at some stage it is just a question of confronting the other side. We have to confront to multinational companies. We have to confront national elites in order to stop the development they are doing. The alternative to undermining democracy is to strengthen democracy and is the democratic control of the economy, and of the production in our society. Thank you.

Edger: Thank you for very enlightening discussion. Let me call the final comrade from Japan to speak.

Sato: Thank you. My name is Sato from Japan. I am a Japanese Railway union officer. Hearing the discussion, I felt some issues were very physical, and some issues were talks in very predicted manner. This is my comment.

 I'd like to share with you on what I had experienced. We have been hearing all the problem of the multinationals and management and what management is doing on the workers. All we thought about all the wrong doing by companies on workers, we have to think about labor unions which are supporting such kind of companies and we have to think about the quality of labor union.

 We have heard a lot of stories what multinational nations are inflicting violence overseas, but in Japan as well every year 30,000 workers commit suicide. We have seen the same number of suicide for a recent few years. However, most of Japanese labor unions cannot take side the people who didn't have any choices but commit suicide. They don't think about this act. Like the same as Mr. Yomono has said, a large number of labor unions under multinational composition have a policy to support the international competitiveness in own company.

 What is lacking among labor unions in Japan? We have to think about the workers in the working place or who are hanging up by the management everyday. Union members are working in the workplace, everyday they have to confront with harassments by the management. Let me introduce what we have been putting a lot of effort for this issue in Japan. What we have to do is that labor union should make an atoms effort so that the workers who has been harassed in the workplace can fight back. We have to fight from the working place. We have to think how labor unions are fighting against harassment at the working place. Labor union leader have to think very seriously about individual worker's fighting. To a regret, there are a very few number of labor unions in Japan which really consider about individual workers' fighting in their workplace.

 I have to tell you a very sad story from my experience which is very conscious that labor union should be working for each individual worker. In my company, West Japan Railway Corporation, yellow union which always follows the company management policy has a strong power. We, JRU are minor union in my company. Major labor union in my company has the same characteristic with the multinational labor unions in Japan.

 We have been saying what we are supposed to say to the management and we have been doing what we are supposed to do, but then company management has been oppressing us. Year 2001 our comrade, a unionist committed suicide. He was a train driver, 44 years old. He has not any accidents for 20 years. One day he noticed the alarm lump was blinking and he check the lump, then he was delay only 50 seconds. It was only 50 seconds. The management people threaten the driver and harassed him, yelled him everyday. One week later this driver hung himself. We felt so sad, couldn't express our feeling at that time. Where was our anger front?

 To be honest, we were hesitated to confront the managements. To be honest, we were scared. Since we have experienced also to harassment by the managements once we state something against them, we were expecting this kind of harassment coming to us. But this train driver who committed suicide were been harassed every day by the managements. And when I thought about it, I thought at least very need courage.

 Each worker is the weak existence. So, we make the issue that even though individual worker is weak, we have to unite together and we have to confront the managements. Through this discussion we really have to speak out our right. So, everybody shared what they are appeared and what they are concerned. Through our thought each one of the unionist were came to have the courage to confront the managements. We sometime stayed over night for discussion. Because of that since the death of the train driver we have been confronting the management without hesitation. And with oppressor the management people were gradually stepped back in front of us. Now workers at the work place are working in the very lively manner.

 Let me conclude my speech. We the train drivers committing suicide that was really big cost we had now, but because of his death we came to establish atmosphere for fighting at the work place. What is lacking in the Japanese labor union is that, labor union doesn't have enough courage to confront the management. This fact gives tremendous adversity fact on the workers over seas working under multinational companies. When I think about confronting globalization we have to connect I believe this issue should be connected with issue how to fight in each working place. What we have created our heart ships is the courage of workers.

 So have and lesson that we can have solidarity, we can have a strong tie healthful strong tie among the workers. I just gave you just one of our single is that but we have to change the quality of labor unions, and without changing the quality of labor union we workers can not fight against globalization in solidarity. To make "Another World", we have to change the quality of labor unions and we have to fight from the working place that would be the only way that would be social power. Thank you very much.

Edger: Thank you very much comrade for your contribution about the impression of workers in Japanese railway, especially JR West. Do you have any contribution? Other speaker? please.

Reihana: My name is Reihana, BMP Philippines. The comment from Norway and comment from Japan really struck me. I think the initiative taken by the International Center for Labor Solidarity to organize and encourage solidarity campaigns is very important.

 And I think we also need to talk about what kind of solidarity we need and what kind of solidarity we are talking about. And this is something that we have been trying to think through in the solidarity movement in the labor movement in the Philippines. Because we have been in situation with the Marcos dictatorship, where we have been used to receiving solidarity, but not giving solidarity enough. The movement in the Philippines knows importance of solidarity because it was very important in the struggle against the Marcos dictatorship. But we know we also have to give solidarity. That is one of the lessons we have learned, which is also why we come for the gatherings and try to meet and talk and understand.

 I think the second aspect and this relate to the point that the Japanese comrade is making his story. We know that his story is happening in every possible workforce. His story is happening in so many countries. We know in South Korea workers are committing suicide because of the social crisis created by globalization. In the Philippines, in the BMP, leaders describe this psychological trauma that workers face when they come to find their job losses. We know we have members who have nerves break down because of enormous difficulty, personal difficulty that they are facing under this onslaught of global capitalism or globalization.

 What we mean when we talk about solidarity? How can we do solidarity when our members are facing such enormous difficulty? We have to convince our members of the need for solidarity. And how do you do that in a situation where they are desperately fighting for their own lives and livelihood?

 For me, solidarity is not just only trade union solidarity. It is not solidarity of the officials of the trade union and of the labor union movement. It is not a case of union officials getting together in international gathering. For me, solidarity is the question of working class solidarity. It's class solidarity. And I think it is important for us to talk about it as class solidarity. There is not enough discussion about class sometimes I feel in forum such as these World Forums. So it is the question of class solidarity.

 And I'm trying to think this through. As Osamu was saying we had the conservative forces in the trade unions. The comments by some of your union leaders that you have put down are not unusual. That is the position of major section of the union movement and official with the tremendous market power and resources. Unfortunately that is not isolated view in the union movement. National narrow view is not isolated view. When we talked about solidarity, we have to confront that view and we are working against that view in the union movement. I think we need to be aware of that, because for me this really came home in a dispute we have at the moment.

 As a garment and textile factory called 'Novelty Philippine', where over thousands men and women workers lost their jobs. It is really important that our members have internationalist understanding so that they can understand what is happening to them is inter-related with what is happening to workers around the world. And then they don't get demoralised. We know the demoralisation is problem today in the union movement. Workers can't see forward, workers can't understand how to deal with these problems, these questions and these challenges. I think having an international perspective is important not only for raising comrades' moral but also strengthening forces to challenge globalization. 

What I'm talking about here through international solidarity is basically to raise the awareness of workers how inter-related problems are. This is not an individual workers problem. This is not a problem of one factory. This is the problem of our classes as a whole. Therefore trying to find ways of strengthening the struggle of class as a whole. I think international solidarity is increasingly important aspect of raising the awareness of our class so that it can be more effective. I think it will raise the militancy and level of struggle. I just want to say that I think International Center for Labour Solidarity is an important initiative. The discussions you have taken are very important.

 The BMP and international officer of the BMP will certainly support this initiative. And let's continue thinking about some of the strategy questions trying to clarify what kind of movement we need to build and some of the concrete practical suggestions that had been put forth.

Edger: Thank you, Comrade Reihana, for your contribution. We have more speakers. Japanese Comrade.

Abe: Good afternoon. My name is Yuichi Abe. I'm from East Railway Workers' Union. I am an officer of Youth of JREU. This is my first time to participate in this World Social Forum, and I am deeply impressed. "Another world is possible". I am reassure that to make another world is possible.

 Currently in Japan it seems like to have forgotten the miserable past are Japan also created and the government is blindly following the US policy. Right now Japan cooperates with the US as alliance nation. It has been preparing a militaristic low to participate the war. Ignoring opposition voices of the people in Japan, January 16th Japanese government dispatched its army to Iraq. The United States attitude is like they are the owner of the world and they have attacked Afghanistan and Iraq with overwhelming military power, and they have conducted preemptive attacks ignoring international voices and international cooperative bodies and the UN resolution.

 Therefore the US government is promoting unilateralism. The US government is trying to force whole nations into globalism. This globalism creates hatred, sadness and poverty in the world and also causes terrorism and retaliatory wars which leads to vicious circle. To cut this vicious circle we need to talk about this issue with families or friends about what current situation needs, and we have to do whatever we can do and this kind of everyday action must be needed now. But as Mr. Yomono said, most labor unions in Japan are working for the companies and the capitalists and they are destroying conscious unions. They are promoting the globalism by the capitalists. We labors have to stand against it. In order to do that, we have to strengthen the solidarity domestically and internationally. That is the way to fight against globalization.

 I have learned this lesson in WSF. Globalization is originally not only for the strong. We should get united to make solidarity and protect human beings, environments, and peace. I have learned a lot from our comrades fighting against social evil and oppression, and they are not defeated. They have continued fighting. Currently our union is fearfully oppressed by the state power in Japan. Seven unionists in our union were arrested for false accusation and they were detained for 344 days. Please Let us cooperate with you, we need your supports as well and let's strengthen the solidarity with the all workers in the world. Thank you very much.

Edger: Thank you very much Comrade. It seems that we are nearly time limit of our workshop. We must say that the workshop is very important, educational for both of us. There are comrades here with their contributions about global fight against multinationalization. These are some equalities and exploitations. Workers potential supporting companies internally are moving in very dangerous situation. Some of our comrades here said that we should treat this problem of workers as a sort of the class struggle, not individual one. Not a local struggle, but a class struggle. Some contributed this should be some political context. Some of our colleagues said multinationalization is dividing working class by the political parties. This is one thing with many more contributions.

 One thing here is that we can solve these problems that we have in this room at this moment. Tomorrow, not the other day we encourage everybody. We will use the internet, e-mails for the method of continuing discussion and continuing to progress the common ideas. What we are going to do is to solve the issue of confronting workers at the moment. 

At the ending of this workshop, I call for Comrade from Korea to close our workshop. I'm calling the president of Korean Public sector Union, Lee Seung-Won.

Lee: I'm glad to meet you. My name is Lee Seung-Won. I'm a president of Korean Federation of Transportation, Publican Social Services Workers' Unions, abbreviated KPSU. As one of the unions who organize this workshop, on behalf of two unions from Korean and Japan, I'd like to express my sincere thanks to all our comrades from all over the world to join this workshop.

 We have learned through yesterday's workshop that oppression that is happening all over the world. Yesterday Korean speaker talked about oppression and struggles by the unions in subway and railway sector in Korean, but only during last year six union leaders have committed suicide to protest to oppression by the employers and the government, by burning themselves to death or by hanging himself from the top of crane. 600 unionists have been put in prison. Many old people in Korea are suffering from hardships raised from the bad economy. Because of that about 15,000 people have just committed suicide.

 I think killing is the real globalization imposed on Korean economy. Regarding today's issue, the issue of the multinationals, I think we have three key problems in Korea. One is I could mention that some multinational companies like Nestle, Gulf, MacDonald's are exploiting and oppressing Korean workers. Secondly last year in Korea we had about 108 strikes. Referring to this militancy in Korean union movement, the government and multinationals are saying threatening those foreign companies would leave if the militancy is going to continue.

 Thirdly as you might have already known the Korean global companies like Samsung, LG, multinationals are in Asian countries like Indonesia and the Philippines. The problem of the oppression and exploitation by multinational companies in the world is not to be solved by just the struggle in our country.

 It will be way too far, but in principle if all the workers in the world are united, we can solve the problem. We should learn if 'Another world is possible', we should think about how to make it happen. I'd like to suggest that we should move from discussion to practice now.

 Organizer of today's workshop, the International Center for Labor Solidarity was established joint by JRU and KPSU, and ICLS is planning to build up broad network over unions in Asia Pacific region. Every year in November we will have a national labor rally in which all the workers in Korea are participating. On the occasion of National labor rally this year, we are planning to have an international forum to invite union leaders in Asia Pacific region. I hope that brothers and sisters from Asia Pacific region will participate in this international forum to discuss alternatives what we have been talking today.

 Once again I'd like to thank you all for participation in this workshop and I'd like to suggest we should shout, struggle and fight in each country in own language. I'll shout first. Struggle!

Edger: Thank you very much, Lee Seung-Won, and before we leave, we have also Zimbabwe comrade here for some sort of appeal to make.

Zimbabwe A: Thank you. I am A from Zimbabwe. My contribution towards fight against multinational corporations is that practically we should approach this issue in our trade secretariat.

 I have an experience to share. In the textile and clothing sector where I came from, 1984 we sent our delegation to Bata Company that makes shoes. We sent the delegation to Bata Canada, sent the delegation to Bata India, and obtained the conditions of services of these two countries and compared the conditions of services that Bata was giving to Zimbabwe.

 Even we compared the minimum wages on the comparable basis. We found out that our Bata Company in Zimbabwe was paying at least half of what Bata India was paying. And Bata India was paid at least the same what Bata Canada was paying to its workers. When we made this argument in our trade secretariat, we managed at least to have conditions of service of Bata workers abroad.

 So the point I want to make is that we have this trade secretariat. We should use them. A sister from Egypt talked about ILO. But if we want to fight against multinational corporations, let's take Coca Cola for instance, we have a union for irrigated water in Zimbabwe. That organizes, Coca Cola, Pepsi and other soft drink companies. That trade union secretariat should approach these multinational companies from country to country sharing experiences.

 In Zimbabwe Bata says "If you are going to be tough, there is also labor in Botswana. So we can transfer our company to Botswana for cheap labor". We sent our delegation to Botswana that time and organized a demonstration before Bata came to Botswana and they did not. We must at least unite at trade secretariat level when we approach multinationals. This is a bit of experiences I wanted to share. Thank you.

Edger: We have a last speaker coming from Japan.

Horiguchi: My name is Horiguchi, and I am from JREU and am a union officer. I'd like to make some comments. There were some comments from Zimbabwe delegate and Philippine delegates, and I would like to add how to organize and how to fight against globalism.

 Globalism destroys everything, focusing on profit-making. Mr. Yomono speaker here recently published a book called "Confronting the Empire." Now we really need to have a strategy to confront imperialism.

 Some of our members are wearing some uniforms. These are clothing worn by farmers living in a village 120 years ago in Japan. And these people were fighting to protect farmer's lives. They made their organization and they made their own political party, they had been devoting their lives to protect themselves. And they have liberalized the village called Chichibu.

 So we have to learn from the history, and it is very important to fight at our workplaces to fight against globalization, oppression and war. It is very important to discuss this issue, and clarify this issue at each workplace, and establish a movement. And we have to have a solidarity and unification.

 In order to have that, we need to have an initiative group. What we need is a this initiative group which should hold some international forum to confront globalism. We put importance on "resistance" and "humanism" and personnel who can work on this. We have to fight persistently, we have to devote ourselves to this movement, thinking about people and the world, and we have to establish an initiative movement. We have to spread this movement from workplace in local areas to the world. Let me appeal to you that are my determination.

Edger: Thank you very much for all your contribution. We had lively debates on the topics we have been discussing. Please let us continue our contacts, continue to reaching out each other, and develop more ideas what we want to do and what need to do. We want to thank JRU and our Korean colleagues for organizing this workshop. ICLS is going to work hard to pursue this endeavor. Thank you very much for attending.