The meaning of globalization for workers
Globalization challenges the workers and their trade unions to exist. Pressures were often put on governments to deregulate and increasingly abdicate their role. A nation centered system with national social and economic policies help to create a degree of social justice and economic equality. This nationally based approach had come under severe pressure. Due to diminished role of national institutions there have been certain shift towards the world level but without an international framework and the institution in place which can deal effectively with issues of justice and equality.
An additional challenge for the trade unions is the changing nature of the employer. In the world where capital is much more mobile than workers, different forms of business organizations and relationships have been created which can shift employment and threaten collective bargaining relationship.
Partly as the result of the rootless character of MNCs a lot has changed including the introduction of new management methods, sometimes “best practice”, but too often “worst practice” and the threat to relocate to countries with lower social or environmental standards with no independent trade unions. New forms of work organization have been established as well as changes in the employment relationship. A long list of examples can be given from outsourcing, subcontracting, contract labor and other various forms of precarious employments. Globalization had also helped to extend the market and the responsibility for goods produced under extreme forms of exploitation such as child or force labor.
Due to these changes, one of the fundamental goals of organized labor, taking workers’ rights out of competition by establishing fundamental common standards, is under direct attack. Competitiveness and flexibility are the loudly proclaimed objectives of enterprises in the global environment. They put workers into increasingly fierce competition with each other, put pressure on social safety net and at times effectively undermine workers’ rights which were won through many years of struggles.
It was argued that this corporate agenda adopted by many political leaders was supposed to lead more jobs and higher living standards. Instead it leads to a world of increasing division between the rich and the poor within and among nations at large. Increasing wealth and power of an elite, declining living standards for many and growing insecurity for large numbers of working people.
The international trade union movement is seeking ways to incorporate into the globalization process the protections which were achieved by many countries at the national level and to enable workers and their unions to participate effectively in global economy and in building a democratic framework for it. Competitive pressure should be more on companies to produce quality products and services and less on governments to sacrifice the interest of their people to attract and keep investments. Workers’ rights and decent conditions should not be driven down by competitive pressures in a situation where workers are in effect bidding against other workers for lesser quality jobs.
The challenge facing trade unions in the globalization era is to ensure that structural change and adaption are achieved without compromising the goals of full employment and social justice. We have to convince governments that it is essential to act urgently to increase and spread more evenly world economic growth. Whether a regional or at world levels, it is clear that basic worker’s rights are to be safe, they must be integrated into any agreements related to economic integration.
An additional challenge for the trade unions is the changing nature of the employer. In the world where capital is much more mobile than workers, different forms of business organizations and relationships have been created which can shift employment and threaten collective bargaining relationship.
Partly as the result of the rootless character of MNCs a lot has changed including the introduction of new management methods, sometimes “best practice”, but too often “worst practice” and the threat to relocate to countries with lower social or environmental standards with no independent trade unions. New forms of work organization have been established as well as changes in the employment relationship. A long list of examples can be given from outsourcing, subcontracting, contract labor and other various forms of precarious employments. Globalization had also helped to extend the market and the responsibility for goods produced under extreme forms of exploitation such as child or force labor.
Due to these changes, one of the fundamental goals of organized labor, taking workers’ rights out of competition by establishing fundamental common standards, is under direct attack. Competitiveness and flexibility are the loudly proclaimed objectives of enterprises in the global environment. They put workers into increasingly fierce competition with each other, put pressure on social safety net and at times effectively undermine workers’ rights which were won through many years of struggles.
It was argued that this corporate agenda adopted by many political leaders was supposed to lead more jobs and higher living standards. Instead it leads to a world of increasing division between the rich and the poor within and among nations at large. Increasing wealth and power of an elite, declining living standards for many and growing insecurity for large numbers of working people.
The international trade union movement is seeking ways to incorporate into the globalization process the protections which were achieved by many countries at the national level and to enable workers and their unions to participate effectively in global economy and in building a democratic framework for it. Competitive pressure should be more on companies to produce quality products and services and less on governments to sacrifice the interest of their people to attract and keep investments. Workers’ rights and decent conditions should not be driven down by competitive pressures in a situation where workers are in effect bidding against other workers for lesser quality jobs.
The challenge facing trade unions in the globalization era is to ensure that structural change and adaption are achieved without compromising the goals of full employment and social justice. We have to convince governments that it is essential to act urgently to increase and spread more evenly world economic growth. Whether a regional or at world levels, it is clear that basic worker’s rights are to be safe, they must be integrated into any agreements related to economic integration.
