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Throughout 2012 BWI and its affiliates organized, campaigned, and mobilized for significant changes
that saw improvements in the lives of working families in the midst of continuous political and social transformations
and an economic crisis that seem to have no end in sight.
BWI’s push to launch corporate campaigns to support organizing efforts of specific multinational corporations saw great progress this year.
BWI’s Global IKEA/Swedwood Campaign saw organizing initiatives in Poland, Russia, Hungary,
and the United States, where the Machinists succeeded in organizing four of the six distribution centers in the United States.
BWI’s intervention led to the Polish Swedwood management finally negotiating with the union
for a legally binding collective bargaining agreement.
To support the union’s work BWI convened a Global Swedwood Alliance meeting and conducted a mission to three Swedwood plants in Poland.
For over a year, BWI and INDUSTRIALL have been in discussions with HOLCIM
to resolve issues of out sourcing and trade union recognition at its plants in India.
Along with filing an OECD complaint a picket in front of the Holcim Stock holder’s Meeting in Zurich was conducted.
These efforts resulted in trade union recognition in India, a dismissal of a court case against the union,
and the establishment of an occupational health and safety agreement.
Plans are now underway to launch global organizing campaigns targeting
KRONOSOPAN in Europe and JELD-WEN in Australia, the United States, and Asia.
This year BWI signed five more International Framework Agreements putting the total number to 19.
Companies who joined the BWI family of IFAs were GDF-Suez, Pfleiderer, FCC, OHL, and Ferrovial.
BWI made enormous strides in its engagement with regionally-based MNC power houses such as Odebrect and Arauco,
where regional networks have fueled organizing drives and aggressive campaigning.
In particular the International Workers Group of Arauco has set the stage for signing of an IFA in the near future.
In 2012, BWI affiliates were engaged in more than 20 infrastructure projects resulting in the recruitment of more than 10,000 workers
and an equal number of workers benefited from the signing of new collective bargaining agreements with major contractors.
In Panama, SUNTRACS signed a new agreement for the expansion of the Panama Canal
covering 6,000 workers and its CBA with FCC will impact 7,000 workers.
In Southeast Europe, the Corridor V and X projects have galvanized its affiliates in the region to action.
In Uganda 3,000 workers involved in 5 roads construction projects joined the union.
Another 5,000 members working in the construction of 7 infrastructure projects will be covered by a CBA.
Organizing drives by BWI affiliates in the wood and forestry sector in East Africa, Turkey, India, Indonesia, and Thailand saw 10,000 workers joining the union.
To further develop a common platform and a joint strategy for wood and forestry unions BWI convened meetings in the Congo Basin, the Amazon, and in Europe.
Through these meetings, it was agreed that BWI would promote wood as a sustainable raw material,
push for sustainable forest management and production, and go back to the basics of organizing and networking
through corporate campaigns, European Works Councils, company networks, and utilization of forest certification systems.
As Burma opens up to the world, the BWI with the ILO and PEFC is starting the process of establishing a certification system in Burma.
BWI’s Global Campaign for Migrant Workers Rights hit the streets of Geneva,
literally, through a public-ad on the side of one of the busiest tram lines during the International Labour Conference.
In 2012, close to 5,000 migrant workers were outreached through BWI CONNECT in priority identified regions
of Central Asia, Russia, Southeast Asia, Gulf Region, South Asia, and Southeast Europe.
There were more than 1,000 visitors each month to the BWI Connect migration blog
which is a platform for migrant workers and provides information on migrant workers rights.
Through the BWI’s Fair Games Fair Play Campaign more than 30,000 workers joined trade unions in Brazil and 2,000 in Ukraine and Poland.
Workers in Brazil saw significant wage increases and better working conditions due to several strikes
conducted this year by BWI affiliates who were able to mobilize over 300,000 workers.
The successes of Brazil, Ukraine, and Poland are paving the way for plans for campaigns in Russia and Qatar.
Already, BWI with ITUC has launched the Filll Rayyan Stadium Campaign.
Bringing greater visibility to women and promoting gender equity and gender mainstreaming
were the focal point of the regional women’s strategic seminars that took place in Nigeria, India, Uruguay, and Poland.
Over 200 women trade unionists actively engaged in discussions and debates to develop concrete strategies to outreach to women.
Today, the youth are facing an uncertain future.
Young workers are three times more likely to be unemployed than adults.
Over 75 million youth worldwide are looking for work.
To fight for their future, young trade union leaders are working with BWI to plan the Global Youth Festival for June 2013 in Germany.
Over 500 young trade unionists will converge for one week to plan a future which they will lead.
In 2012 more than 30,000 members of BWI affiliates and its allies participated in BWI on-line campaigns
to support trade union rights in Peru, Moldova, Kyrgystan, Serbia, and Turkey
as well as calling for release of imprisoned trade unionists in India, Indonesia, and South Korea.
After more than 20 years in exile, Maung Maung, the leader of the Federation of Trade Unions in Burma was finally allowed to return to Burma.
His first stop was the trade union office where he met with trade union leaders and organizers.
To date the FTUB has organized 80 unions and 10 of them are in BWI sectors.
While there was progress in Burma, trade union rights in Fiji, and Bahrain have deteriorated further.
In Bahrain, the government passed a decree to amend laws on trade unions
to allow the formation of a rival and pro-government trade union in an effort to weaken the GFBTU.
The government also refused entry and granting of visas to international trade union and ILO observers at the GFBTU Congress.
Ambet Yuson was the only international trade union leader able to participate.
While participating in the regional meetings, the Presidium met with key political leaders.
President Klaus Wiesehugel met with President of the Republic of Uruguay and Vice Minister and Labour and Social Security in Montevideo;
Deputy Vice-President Peo Olof Sjoo met with Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in Abuja
and Deputy Vice-President Luc Van Dessell met with the Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs in New Delhi.
These meetings were preparations for the most highly awaited and anticipated global event, the 3rd BWI World Congress,
Which will take place in December 2013 in Bangkok Thailand.
As we enter 2013, we should not rest on our laurels but continue to fight for decent jobs for all and political and economic justice for all.
This task is not for one individual, one union, one nation, or one region, but it is a task for all of us together.
As part of the BWI family let’s move forward
because unions make it possible through organizing, campaigning, and negotiating.