training manual on organizing the unorganized
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Training Manual on Organizing the Unorganized Surendra Pratap , Centre for Workers Education, New Delhi. Contents. Who we are We are steel workers We are wage labour Why Organizing is important What capital wants and what labour wants Capital divides, Union Unites - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Training Manual on Organizing the Unorganized
Surendra Pratap, Centre for Workers Education, New Delhi
Who we areWe are steel workersWe are wage labourWhy Organizing is importantWhat capital wants and what labour wantsCapital divides, Union UnitesOnly unions can ensure redistributive justiceWhat is organizingArticulating common cause and building unity in diversity is core of organizingForms of organizing may be different depending on conditionsStrategies of organizing may be different depending on conditionsWhat is lawOrganizing is a process by which trade unions canvas, recruit, consolidate, seek recognition for, formalize into a unionized group, negotiate for, and manage as a bargaining unit Organizing challenges---Macro level, field levelTwo model of organizingBuilding inclusive and democratic structureBuilding national and international solidarity
Organizing plan-10 stepsIdentifying strengths and weaknesses---group exercise
Identifying priority issues of workers----group exercise
Listing of activities for: 1. Creating enabling environment, 2. Capacity building, 3, Organising activities in fieldImplementation planEvaluation
Contents
WE ARE STEEL
WORKERS
WHO WE ARE?Employment 398434 in 1991-92 to 364801 in 2004-05
Production increased
14.33 million tones to 36.1 million tones
Country Labour cost in steel per hour
USA USD 19Japan USD 18Russia USD3China USD 2India USD 1
Casual and contract workers
form significant section of workforce
One third employment is
only in SAIL and RINL
SAIL and RINL’s share in
total production
came down by 20 percent
Minimum wages
becoming maximum wages for
casual contract workers
Unionization is almost absent except in
public sector and TATA steel
Total CTU membership in industry-only 28865
WHO WE ARE?
WE ARE WAGE LABOUR
403,000 people in India die
every year due to work-related
problems
Total membership of CTUs-24884802
Unionization-Only 6.35%
Ratio of labour cost to total cost decreased from 7.78 to 5.81% (2000-01to-2004-05
Labour cost increased by 36%, Profits by 305%
Total workers
4575
Selfemployed
2582
Casual 1297Regular 695
(Total 1992Manufacturing total
459
Factory workers
60.80
Contract workers
27%
Minimum wage becoming the maximum
Working 10-12 hours
labour laws not implemented
WHO WE ARE?
WE ARE WAGE LABOUR
For attracting capital all the governments are competing with each other
Capital is dead labour, It lives
only by sucking more
and more labour
Hazardous and labour intensive operations shifting to developing countries
Asia as one of the hubs of Global Factory
Footloose Capital exploiting the global reserve army of labour
Offering•Cheap labour•Cheap land and resources•Peaceful IR
ByMaking laws meaning lessAllowing Self certificationMaking SEZs and NMIZsExpanding reserve army of labourTrade union repression
WHO WE ARE?
WE ARE WAGE LABOUR
We work even if
wages are low
Working conditions
are badIt affects
our health badly
Only thing worse
and more horrible
than work is no work
No way to escape
The only way for us is to jump
in the struggle
and change it for better
We work because there is no other way for us to
make a living
WHY ORGANIZING IS IMPORTANT
Capital Wants
More profit by
exploiting labour more
Freedom to Hire and
fire
Lowest wages
and working conditions
Less leisure more
workload
So that labour
produces and
reproduces labour
Labour Wants
Job security and
pension
Decent wages and
working conditions
More leisure less workload
Better future for children
Democratic institutions to ensure
redistributive justice
Balance of power decides the fate of labour
Labour has only power-Its united strength
No union-labour laws become meaningless
Only unions can ensure workers’ rights
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AT COUNTRY/SOCIETY
LEVEL
WHY ORGANIZING IS IMPORTANT
Struggle for right to organize
and collective
bargaining is actually
the struggle for building a democratic
and civilized society Political
organizations of workers
at national
level ensure
democracy and
distributive justice
It is a society
where all the wealth
and resources
are controlled by a small section.
Then how the
redistributive justice
can be ensured?Organizin
g is main way to
promote Decent Work & Social
Protection for
workers
WHAT IS ORGANIZING
ARTICULATING THE COMMON CAUSE AND BUILDING UNITY IN
DIVERSITY IS THE CORE OF ORGANIZING
Union Unites
Promoting
cooperation and unity
among workers
in various ways
Capital Divides
Promoting
divisions and
competition
among workers
in various ways
WHAT IS ORGANIZING
ARTICULATING THE COMMON CAUSE AND BUILDING UNITY IN
DIVERSITY IS THE CORE OF ORGANIZING
Union Unites
Organize all section of
workers on a common platform putting them in
same boat
Adopt & advocate
policies that apply to all section of
workers and prevent further
divisions of workers
Capital Divides
Divisions in factory—skilled/
unskilled, regular/casual/contrac
t
Low paying factory
workers/high paying factory workers
Inter sectoral
divisions
Divisions in society-
caste and religion
WHAT IS ORGANIZING
FORMS OF ORGANIZATIONS MAY BE DIFFERENT IN DIFFERENT
CONDITIONSMULTIPLE FORMS OF ORGANIZING
CAN ALSO BE USED
Shop floor trade unions
Community unions
Political Organization of
workers
Sectoral trade unions
Cooperatives of workers
ORGANIZING STRATEGIES DEPEND ON
STRATEGIES OF ORGANIZING MAY BE DIFFERENT IN DIFFERENT
CONDITIONSMULTIPLE FORMS OF ORGANIZING STRATEGIES CAN ALSO BE USED
Country legal framework Nature of
employment, types of
workers (self employed/wa
ge employed/ho
me based/ contract/etc
Union resources (financial, material &
people)
Type of industry and state of the
industry
Union Strategy & Structure
What
else?
What is Law?ILO Convention
on Right to Organize and
Collective Bargaining not
ratified
The right to organize under
Article 19 (1) (c) of Constitution
Registration of trade unions--
Trade union Act
No national law on Recognition
Right to strike limited by TU act
and ID act .
Law reflects on the balance of power between
labour and capital
Balance of power in favour of labour—new
protective labour laws
Balance of power in favour of
capital-existing protective labour
laws also become
meaningless
Amendments in laws in
agenda
Allowing Self
certification
SEZS and NMIZs
Judicial precedents
Non implementa
tion
Defunct enforcement machinery
WHAT IS ORGANIZING
Organizing is life of trade unions,
constantly renewing and refreshing itself
new members Bringing new blood, new ideas, new skills and new leadership
Organizing is a process
by which trade
unions canvas, recruit,
consolidate, seek
recognition for,
formalize into a
unionized group,
negotiate for, and
manage as a
bargaining unit
Countering capitals anti-
union propaganda
by Union propaganda,
and wider level
information dissemination is part of organizing
Reach of trade unions
and their positive image in
society also depends on Organizing
Strength and power of Trade
unions and their finances
depend on organizing
ORGANIZING CHALLENGES
Macro policy level – to create enabling environment for organizing
In the field, at workplace, at community level – where the workers are
Two main Targets to strengthen Organizing
Creating enabling environment
Campaigns at national level on issues such as –ratification of ILO convention
Against amendments in labour laws/self certification/granting exemption in labour laws to industries
For social security
For pro-labour and pro-people economic policies
Building partnerships with other movements
Capacity building of Trade unions and organizing actions at workplace
How have we been organizing so far?
What new strategies can we develop for organizing and strengthening TUs?
Why should a worker join the union?
What can union give them in this age of flexible employment?
Two Models of Organizing Servicing Model
Union/union officials provide collective & individual services to members
Members dependent on the Union & its Office bearers to provide what they require Union officials control union resources, strategies, interests & develop union tactics
Not much involvement of membership in TU activities
Organizing Model
workers active participants rather than passive consumers Instead of just solving problems, union seeks to empower workers to solve their problems through union Organizing activities led by organizers who motivate activism among workers
Capacity building- Education, research and communication
Develop campaigns, alliances & use members to support external organizing
WHAT IS ORGANIZING
BUILDING AN INCLUSIVE AND DEMOCRATIC STRUCTURE AT ALL
LEVELS ORGANIZATION
Union must
organize itself in such a
way that at all
levels of leadership all social sections and all major
category of workers
are represent
ed
Union must
Frame its policy in such a
way that it represents concerns
and voices of all social
sections and all
categories of
workers, And it is reflected
in its charter of demands
WHAT IS ORGANIZING
BUILDING SOLIDARITY SECTORAL, INTERSECTORAL,
NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY
In the global
village fate of workers and other sections of the society is linked
Building solidarity between
Trade union
movement and other people’s
movement is
emerging as key
issue of organizing
In the global factory
fate of all workers is
linked
Building National
and Internatio
nal solidarity of workers
is emerging as the key
issue of organizing
ORGANIZING PLAN Step 1. Identifying our strengths and weaknesses Step2-Identifying target factory/industry/region for organizing
Step-3-Identifying issues of various sections of workers
Step-4-Identifying issues of common interest and priority issues
Step-5-Identifying most promising section of workers
Step-6- Identifying targets for collective bargaining Step-7-Planning and implementing activities for initiating organizing and routine services to be provided to members
Step-8-Launching of union Step-9-Recognition of union
Step-10-Going for a collective bargaining agreement
ORGANIZING PLAN-step-1
Identifying our Strengths and weaknessesGroup exercise
Strengths and weakness covering
•Right to organize in law and constitution and in practice •General environment for Unionism, general approach of governments and employers towards trade unions, and other related aspects
• Workers’ awareness, approach, willingness etc towards unions and for organizing work
• Strengths and weaknesses of trade unions and its various aspects
ORGANIZING PLAN-step-1
Identifying our Strengths and weaknessesGroup exercise
Workers are to be divided in groups of five each (keeping in view the diversity)
Each group appoints a chair and a reporter
Each lists the strengths and weaknesses on a flip chart and group reporter makes presentation
Listing of common strengths and weaknesses listed by various groups at one column and uncommon in another column
Open discussion to see which uncommon issues can be listed as common issues
Making a final list of common- strengths and weaknesses
ORGANIZING PLAN-step-2
Target factory/industry/locality-
Basis for selection-
Identifying target factory/industry/region for organizing
ORGANIZING PLAN-step-3Identifying our Issues/problems of different section of
workersGroup exercise
Workers are to be divided in groups of five each (keeping in view the diversity)
Each group appoints a chair and a reporter
Each lists the issues/problems of workers on a flip chart and group reporter makes presentation
Listing of common issues/problems of workers listed by various groups at one column and uncommon in another column
Open discussion to see which uncommon issues can be listed as common issues
Making a final list of common- issues/problems of workers
ORGANIZING PLAN-step-4
Identifying the Priority Issues of workersOpen Discussion
Listing of Priority issues of workers that union needs to raise in order to organize them
ORGANIZING PLAN-step-5
Identifying the most promising sections of workers
Open Discussion
Identifying those sections of workers who will respond positively to the efforts of organizing them
Section of workers-----casual/comtract/women
Which department of factory----etc
ORGANIZING PLAN-step-6
Identifying target authorities and forms of collective bargaining
Open Discussion
On which issue with whom we have to collectively bargain and what can be probable forms of collective bargaining
ORGANIZING PLAN-step-7
Planning of Activities for one year for Organizing and Routine Services to be Provided to Members
Open DiscussionPutting the Listed priority Issues and Strengths and Weaknesses in three columns
Keeping this in mind listing the activities for:1. Creating enabling environment2. Capacity Building3. Organizing actions at workplace
Listing of activities
Organizing PlanPriority Issues Strengths Weaknesses
Plan of Organizing-List of Activities1. Creating enabling environment
S. No. Activities
Plan of Organizing-List of Activities2. Capacity Building
S. No. Activities
Plan of Organizing-List of Activities3. Organizing actions at workplace
S. No. Activities
Activities Actions Work details Month Responsibility
Implementation Plan
Activities
Actions Work details Month
Campaign1Issue:
Pamphlet distribution
Writing pamphlet
Printing Pamphlet
Distribution of pamphlets
Demonstration
Meeting with all groups to be participating in Demo and fixing date of demonstrationAdministrative formalities like booking place taking permission and taking appointment to submit memorandumDrafting memorandum
Implementation Plan
Activities Actions Work details Month Responsibility
Implementation Plan
Activities Actions Work details Month Responsibility
Implementation Plan
1. Do you feel that the workshop aims have been met?
2. What parts of the workshop have you found most interesting?
3. What parts of the workshop have you found least useful?
4. Are there any important topics/issues that have been left out?
5. What comments do you have on the facilities? 6. What improvements would you like to see if the
workshop was organized again? 7. what are your main learning from this workshop?
Evaluation