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Market opening should be an instrument for sustainable development. This requires that the promotion of quality employment becomes the primary goal of trade liberalisation, with a fair distribution of the wealth for the workers who create it. The sustainable growth we stand for cannot happen at the expenses of weaker parties. The IMF, particularly through its Working Party on Trade, Employment and Development, works to build solidarity and harmonize the legitimate interests of workers in the North and the South, and to promote a transparent debate on the concerns arising from trade liberalisation.

Trade, employment &amp; development

From technology and communications to trade, economics and politics, the world is undergoing rapid change. The consequences of this rapid globalisation directly impact workers around the world, affecting their daily working and family lives. The key challenge unions face today is to make economic globalisation serve rather than enslave working people; to defend their rights in the face of increasingly centralised bodies of power.The International Metalworkers' Federation (IMF) is a worldwide association of national metal trade unions. Our job is to support solidarity across national boundaries between blue- and white-collar workers in key industrial sectors, improving pay and working conditions for millions of people.<table border="0" cellspacing="5" class="no-border" style="border: medium none"><tbody><tr><td> <img src="" alt="" title="Jyrki Raina" width="120" height="134" align="left" /></td><td align="left">&quot;Our strength now and in the future depends on our ability to organise workers, to negotiate collective agreements and to unite our forces in times of trouble.&quot; <a href="index.cfm?c=19350&amp;ol=2">Jyrki Raina</a> IMF General Secretary</td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td> <img src="" alt="" title="Berthold Huber" width="120" height="134" align="left" /></td><td align="left">&quot;Taking a national approach to policy has limited effect for trade unions nowadays. We must follow up our statements on international cooperation and solidarity with adequate actions. Despite our national differences, there is more that unites than divides us.&quot; <a href="index.cfm?c=19925&amp;ol=2">Berthold Huber</a> IMF President</td></tr></tbody></table><h3>Unions today - more relevant than ever</h3>Trade unions are being confronted by the new and difficult challenges of economic globalisation. Modern technology has erased geographical borders and increased the pace of change in industry. Twenty years ago, companies found it difficult to move production from one country to another - today it can be done quickly and easily. The driving force behind this change is the quest for ever cheaper production. Every one of these decisions affects working people and their families, which is why we believe that international trade union activities are more relevant than ever.

A global organisation for global challenges

The structural and technological transformation of metal industries has brought about profound changes in the occupational pattern of the workforce. Non-manual workers are growing in number but are poorly organised or not organised at all.  Like those on the shop-floor they are drawn into the race to the bottom in the global economy. The IMF and its affiliates need to engage and mobilise these workers around labour and professional issues to build greater solidarity and bargaining strength.

Non-Manual

Bad working conditions are experienced on a daily basis by workers. Even small improvements in occupational health and safety are well received by the most vulnerable groups of workers. Through education, IMF is assisting affiliates in setting up effective health and safety committees in all workplaces. IMF is working with affiliates in order to achieve an international ban on the production, import, export and use of asbestos, responsible for more than 100,000 deaths yearly.

Health and Safety

Building strong national trade unions is crucial. The strong unions which are in a permanent democratic relationship with workers, are capable of achieving real gains through collective bargaining, by organizing the unorganized, striving for trade union unity at the national level and building unions through training, education and effective exchange of information.To learn more about the IMF union building philosophy please click <a href="../index.cfm?c=21980&amp;l=2">here</a>.

In December 2008, Sinter Metal, a Turkish company that supplies components to major auto manufacturers, fired 350 workers for their union activity. Sinter Metal workers are fighting for their jobs and the fundamental right to join unions and bargain collectively. The International Metalworkers' Federation and European Metalworkers' Federation are calling on Sinter Metal Imalat Sanayi A.Ş to immediately reinstate unjustly dismissed workers, stop violations of rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining, and start negotiations with the union, Birlesik Metal-IS, leading to a fair and just resolution.

Tell Sinter Metal to reinstate all unjustly dismissed workers and respect Turkish labour law and basic trade union rights now.

Demand Justice for Sinter Metal Workers in Turkey

Thank you for taking ACTION!Visit the IMF website for regular updates on the Sinter Metal campaign or sign up for IMF Action Alerts to be notified of urgent solidarity requests and campaign developments immediately when they arise.<h3>This page will reload to the protest letter again in 5 seconds</h3>

Visit the IMF website for regular updates on the Sinter Metal campaign.

Thank you for taking ACTION!

Dear Mr. Tanberk,I join with the International Metalworkers&#039; Federation, European Metalworkers&#039; Federation and Birlesik Metal-IS in demanding that Sinter Metal immediately stops and remedies violations of worker and trade union rights at its operations located in the Dudullu Organized Industrial Zone in Turkey. I am increasingly alarmed that such violations continue to undermine workers&#039; rights to form and join a union and to collectively bargain, enshrined in ILO conventions 98 and 87, to which Turkey is a signatory. I demand that Sinter Metal management immediately reinstates the dismissed workers, stops violations of fundamental worker and trade union rights, and in good faith considers the workers&#039; demands and starts negotiations to reach a fair and just settlement with the union.Sincerely,

protest letter to send

In recent times the world's shipbuilding industry has faced many challenges, which have impacted on workers' rights. The challenges include health and safety, outsourcing, subsidies and the use of contract labour. This department adresses these problems by promoting a unified trade union view that puts workers' rights first.Kan Matsuzaki, <a href="mailto:kmatsuzaki@imfmetal.org">kmatsuzaki@imfmetal.org</a>, is director for shipbuilding.

Shipbuilding, Shipbreaking

Engineering covers many sectors, including the manufacturing of jet engines and tooling machinery and the production of machines for the recycling sector. IMF activities in this sector aim to bring trade unions in these areas together to improve the exchange of information and to develop common positions and strategies. Anne-Marie Mureau, <a href="mailto:ammureau@imfmetal.org">ammureau@imfmetal.org</a>, is director for this sector.

Mechanical engineering

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