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A three year women's organizing project, developed by the International Metalworkers' Federation has led to greater increases in the number of women members, shop stewards and leaders of Serikat Pekerja Metal Indonesia (SPMI). <h3>Women's membership increases</h3>Widespread precarious employment conditions has resulted in rapid turnover of women workers. However, SPMI managed to increase the number of women members from 29,780 in 2003 to 42,272 in 2006 by organizing new plants and enlisting others into the union.SPMI also focused on changing its union structures to enable increased participation of women. At its Congress in December 2006, SPMI adopted new rules to allow for a minimum of 30 per cent representation of women at all levels of the union and elected women onto its National Board for the first time. The number of women leaders at the branch level also increased from 18 per cent in 2003 (8 out of 43) to 25 per cent in 2006 (27 out of 108). In addition, SPMI established a Women's Directorate to cater for the needs of women members.This IMF project was funded by the Swedish trade union centre LO-TCO and supported by IMF affiliates Sif and IF Metall.<object></object>

Organizing women workers in Indonesia

In 2002, metalworkers around the world took part in two coordinated global days of action calling for the release of more than fifty imprisoned Korean trade unionists, including Korean Metal Workers&#039; Federation (KMWF) President Mun Sung-hyan and the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) President and former metalworkers&#039; leader, Dan Byung-ho. <h3>Arrested for union activities</h3>In November 2001, Mun Sung-hyan took part in the International Metalworkers&#039; Federation&#039;s World Congress in Sydney, Australia. Soon after his return to Seoul he was arrested and sentenced to three years in prison. His alleged crime was that he had organised strikes and taken part in other trade union activities. Other Korean trade unionists were also jailed during the government crackdown.Together with its Korean affiliates, the IMF organised two days of action calling for the release of all trade unionists from Korean prisons.<h3>IMF affiliates unite around the globe</h3>An unprecedented level of action was taken by IMF affiliates around the globe including Seoul, Mumbai, Berlin, Washington, Pretoria, Sydney, Tokyo, Moscow, Rio de Janeiro and Bangkok. In total, metalworkers in 65 countries participated.Nine weeks after the first global day of action, Mun Sung-hyan was released from prison. One week after the second day of action the president of the Korean Daewoo autoworkers&#039; union, Kim Il-sup, and vice-president, Kim Sung-gap, were also set free.Early the following year Dan Byung-ho was also finally set free.The release of these trade unionists was a victory for workers around the world who took part in solidarity actions in support of Korean trade unions. Those who were freed went back to work, planning important actions to further the rights of Korean metalworkers.

Release Korean Unionists!

If you have questions about the International Metalworkers' Federation or require information about unions or metalworkers, please write to us. We strive to answer enquiries promptly. International Metalworkers&#039; Federation 54bis, route des Acacias Case Postale 1516 CH-1227 Geneva Switzerland Telephone: + 41 22 308 5050 Fax: + 41 22 308 5055 E-mail: <a href="mailto:info@imfmetal.org">info@imfmetal.org</a>

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The International Metalworkers' Federation (IMF) represents the collective interests of 25 million metalworkers from more than 200 unions in 100 countries. The IMF is a federation of national metalworkers' unions - a 'union of unions' at world level, and one of the oldest Global Union Federations. The IMF aims to improve metalworkers' wages, working and living conditions and defends the rights of metalworkers at a global level.To achieve this, we work with <a href="index.cfm?n=628">national affiliates</a> with the aim of building a strong international labour movement.Worldwide activities of the IMF are co-ordinated from our <a href="index.cfm?n=630">headquarters</a> in Geneva, Switzerland together with our network of <a href="index.cfm?n=631">regional offices</a>.<h3>Solidarity in action</h3>Read about the work of the IMF in action, as showcased in our case studies: <ul><li><a href="index.cfm?c=17919">Global action against precarious work</a></li><li><a href="index.cfm?c=19354">Asking for justice in Mexico!</a></li><li><a href="index.cfm?c=19355">Reducing shipbreaking hazards in India</a></li><li><a href="index.cfm?c=19356">Release Korean Unionists!</a></li><li><a href="index.cfm?c=19357">Organizing women workers in Indonesia</a></li><li><a href="../index.cfm?c=20712">Building sustainable unions in Africa</a></li></ul>

For a strong international labour movement

Millions of workers throughout the world work in Export Processing Zones or EPZs. Most of them are young women, who may have migrated to find work but are only offered temporary contracts with low levels of pay and substandard working conditions.  Precarious work is endemic in EPZs. Electronics is the principal IMF industry found in EPZs and IMF is working with its affiliates to encourage organising efforts. An important factor in successful organising is to ensure that women are adequately represented in the trade union and play a central role in EPZ organising.

Export Processing Zones

GENEVA: The <a href="../congress2009/files/09042021363279/Report-secretariat-2009-english-FINAL.pdf" title="Report of the Secretariat 2009">Report of the Secretariat</a> report details IMF work against the 2005-2009 Action Programme.Including an introduction from outgoing IMF General Secretary, Marcello Malentacchi, the report provides analysis on successes, and remaining challenges to improving metalworkers&#039; wages, working and living conditions. As well as providing an evaluation of different strategies, the report makes recommendations on future actions required by the IMF and affiliates in order to achieve our goals.Compiling country by country reports in alphabetical order, the <a href="../congress2009/files/09042223270179/Reports_of_Affiliates_2009-EN.pdf" title="Reports of Affiliates">Reports of Affiliates</a> provides a snapshot on the circumstances for metalworkers globally. For the first time IMF affiliates were asked to specifically report on the situation for precarious workers and how unions are responding. Both reports provide crucial information for delegates&#039; preparation for the IMF World Congress. All Congress delegates will receive a printed copy of both reports in their Congress kit when they arrive in Gothenburg and electronic copies have already been circulated. To download copies please visit <a href="../Congress2009">www.imfmetal.org/Congress2009</a>

New reports covering the activities of the IMF Secretariat and affiliates over the last four years are now available to download on the IMF World Congress Website.

New Congress reports now available

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INDIA: More than 1300 workers went on indefinite strike on April 20 after management at Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL), located in Chennai, India, refused to negotiate contract demands with the Hyundai Motor India Employees&#039; Union (HMIEU). The company has taken a firm position that it will not negotiate with HMIEU, the sole registered union at the plant, and instead is pressing to enter into agreement with a company-appointed Works Committee. Workers downed tools after three rounds of mediation by the Deputy Labour Commissioner (DLC), during which HMIL expressed its refusal to negotiate with the union, failed to bring results. Hyundai Motor India, which employees some 3000 precarious workers, has a history of rights abuses in the plant. The company recently terminated the contracts of some 600 workers, some who had worked at the plant for almost 4 years, just prior to them receiving permanent status. Since July 2007, in response to the formation of the HMIEU, trade union leaders, members and supporters have suffered from dismissals, suspensions and transfers and workers have faced management&#039;s widespread use of threats, harassment and intimidation for joining a union. Currently 65 workers have been fired for their union activities and 34 more are in the process of being dismissed. Approximately 1200 permanent workers, out of a total of 1500 permanent employees, and a large number of precarious workers are supporting the strike.Among the charter of demands, workers are calling for:<ul><li>Union recognition and a collective bargaining agreement;</li><li>Equal treatment of all workers; </li><li>Reinstatement of all precarious workers fired as a result of the company&#039;s response to the economic crisis or those fired in an effort to deny them permanent status;</li><li>Reinstatement of union members and officers unfairly fired, transferred or suspended and the withdrawal of all charges pending against them.</li></ul>In March 2009, the International Hyundai-Kia Workers&#039; Network meeting hosted by the International Metalworkers&#039; Federation and the Korean Metal Workers&#039; Union passed a resolution in support of HMIEU efforts and calling for an end to violations of trade union rights at HMIL. To see resolution text, <a href="../main/files/09042709334884/Hyundai%20Kia%20Network%20Resolution%20MARCH%202009.pdf">click here</a>.

Workers at Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL) have entered the fourth day of strike action in protest of gross trade union rights violations and the company's refusal to enter collective bargaining with the union.

Hyundai-Kia Network meeting resolution

Indian autoworkers strike Hyundai

Welcome to the IMF, the International Metalworkers&#039; Federation. Our organisation represents the collective interests of 25 million metalworkers in more than 200 unions in 100 countries. The IMF is a federation of national unions - a union of unions - in the metal industry at world level. The IMF head office is in Geneva, Switzerland, where worldwide activities are coordinated with a network of regional offices. &#160;

About The IMF

GLOBAL: IBM Workers made redundant as a result of offshoring can now apply for jobs in the country the work has shifted to - but with the reduced wage and conditions of the low-cost nation. According to online reports, the Project Match program offers laid-off US and Canadian workers the opportunity to move to nations like India, Brazil and China to work on local terms and conditions.Employees who accepted the offer would need to work away from their home country on proportionally much lower wages, and would probably struggle to save enough to come home, according to Alliance@IBM, an organisation of the IMF - US affiliate CWA. &quot;If this trend spread to other sectors or industries it would even further undermine workers&#039; ability to maintain wages and conditions,&quot; said the IMF&#039;s director for the ICT industry, Robert Steiert. &quot;Jobs should always be retained in the nation where they were first located instead of being sacrificed for the sake of company profit.&quot;Project Match and other offshoring issues will be discussed at a joint meeting between the IMF and global union federation UNI later this year.

Reports that IBM will allow laid-off workers to apply for jobs that have been shifted to lower-cost countries are deeply concerning.

Computer giant pushes limits with new offshoring trend

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