Labor Union Networks, Three-Federation Merger Issues and Other Topics Discussed at Meeting in Frankfurt

The IMF Executive Committee Meeting was held on Thursday, June 10 and Friday, June 11, 2010 at the IG Metall headquarters conference room in Frankfurt. In addition to 22 IMF Executive Committee and Deputy Executive Committee members and around 40 observers, nearly 20 representatives from IMF headquarters and regional offices attended. From the IMF-JC, President Koichiro Nishihara attended as an executive committee member, while International Affairs Bureau Assistant General Secretary Masahiro Nogi attended as an observer.

The main topics of the meeting included "the Secretariat's report," "labor union networks in multinationals," "labor union rights and campaigns: swift response and priority countries (Mexico, Philippines, etc.)," "follow-up on the statement on IMF-ICEM-ITGLWF," "Council of Global Unions (CGU) third-year follow-up," "financial issues (2009 financial report, unions exempted from paying 2010 membership dues, etc.)," and "operational challenges (membership applications, suspensions, executive committee and deputy executive committee members)." On the Secretariat's report, President Nishihara praised the improvements in speed of posting results of meetings and other events on the website and improvements in office responses such as fast replies to inquiries made to headquarters, thanking the staff for their hard work. On the other hand, he urged that the annual schedule for meetings and other events be posted by the end of the previous year, that topics of regional meetings be better focused and discussions extended, and that the gender issue be included in regional conference reports. In response, General Secretary Jyrki Raina apologized for the mistake in the omission of the statement on gender, and suggested that the 2011 schedule be proposed at the December Executive Committee Meeting if possible. Regarding labor union networks in multinationals, President Nishihara stated that the significance of "participation by corporations" as stated in the guidelines is not only in providing funds, but also being able to share an awareness of issues by sharing management information and the circumstances faced by workers globally among labor and management. He also mentioned that providing funds is in conflict with Japanese labor-management relations and the Labor Union Law that stipulates such relationships. The headquarters listened to the statements from President Nishihara and other speakers and said that it would closely investigate the guidelines where necessary, aiming for a consensus at the December Executive Committee Meeting, and that it would take an open and transparent approach considering the cultural differences among national corporations. It was also mentioned that concurrent with these efforts, several network meetings would be held within this year. In regard to follow-up on the IMF-ICEM-ITGLWF incorporation statement, President Nishihara stated that the three federations were at the stage of concrete discussions on the structure, regional organizations, and activities following their merger, and that along with welcoming the establishment of a task force, the executive committee should keep a common understanding that they have the option of not going through with the incorporation after the task force announces its findings. General Secretary Raina said that the task force is only intended to be a venue for discussion and does not have decision-making power. Then the eleven IMF task force members were named and introduced. It was also announced that the first task force meeting would be held on September 21. The IMF task force members are as follows: IMF President Berthold Huber (Germany), IMF Vice President Tom Buffenbarger (USA), IMF General Secretary Jyrki Raina (Scandinavia), IMF-JC President Koichiro Nishihara, one member from either Australia or India, and members from South Asia, Argentina, the Czech Republic, the UK, Spain, and Scandinavia.