Jose Gómez Cerda
1- INTRODUCTION
The WFAFW intends to contribute to the general debate on GLOBALISATION on the basis of its own criteria. The idea is to start a process of learning, analysis and interpretation of what GLOBALISATION is.
We are not against all that globalisation involves, for it has come to stay. However, we disagree with the many facets of this economic model that go against human dignity, social justice and common good.
1.2. GENERAL CRITERIA
We want to instil some order in the general information on globalisation, in order to be able to determine what we agree with from what we disagree with, and why.
1.2.1 The «uniform thinking». Globalisation is a process that claims to do away with all ideological debates and to focus solely on the economy, market, competitiveness, and efficiency. Hence, globalisation envisages a new system, and ultimately a new agenda aimed at blotting out the problems of the social classes, the North–South divide, the tensions between the poor countries and the rich countries, between the First and Third world, as well as foreign debt and other scourges affecting the poorest regions of the world. Globalisation seeks to impose a “uniform thinking”, according to which only those who wield economy power are capable of thinking. History shows that we workers, and especially trade unionists have our own vision of the social, political, economic and moral problems. And this is not the time to give up our right to think for ourselves. We shall not also fall into the trap of “uniform thinking” because it is simply the order of the day and considered “trendy”. As a trade union organisation representing workers of all the continents, the WFAFW is opposed to the uniform thinking criteria:
1.2.2 The WCL document in Bangkok, Thailand was explicit on this: “the WCL refuses to identify with this conception [uniform thinking]. As far as it is concerned, the economy is not the sphere of application of any exact science but rather the sphere for the realisation of a human activity.
This position of the WCL encourages us to seek the truth, draw from our values, ideas and viewpoints.
1.3. - «The WCL and its organisations will consequently direct their search, ideological and strategic thinking, their training and leadership procedures of their members and executives, as well as their entire union action in order to, strengthen the conviction that an ALTERNATIVE PROJECT CAN AND SHOULD be designed on the basis of the grassroots daily realities, the real aspiration of the working and popular masses, their rights and their dignity; a project that makes the rational use of the resources of the economy and the unprecedented, scientific and technical advancement, for the benefit of these alternative living projects. » (24th WCL Congress).
1.3.1. - The WFAFW proposes that, in view of GLOBALISATION, this ALTERNATIVE PROJECT should be inspired by a HOLISTIC HUMANIST CONCEPTION, with the HUMAN PERSON, COMMON GOOD and SOCIAL JUSTICE as the basis.
It should however be stated that the drawing up of an alternative project on the basis of trade unionism cannot be limited to mere declarations or universal principles, but rather it should be based on concrete achievements with the needs , problems and aspirations of workers particularly the most impoverished and the poorest as a starting point.
1.3.2. – The WFAFW is of the view that a starting point may be a better distribution of land for workers. Land reforms could thus be re-launched, to give the widest working opportunities to the agricultural sector, and promoting food security.
The WCL Congress called for: « A distribution of land and means of production offering the most deprived populations access to new employment opportunities ». (24th Congress of WCL)
1.4. -THE ROLE OF THE POLITICAL WORLD
Globalisation claims to limit the role of the world of politics, toreduce the role of the State.
« The State is part of the political body whose specific function involves maintaining law, promoting common prosperity and public order and administering political affairs.
The State is a specialised part of the general interests of genera. It is neither a person nor group of persons, but rather a body of institutions that come together to create a regulating machine at the summit of society » (Jacques Maritain)
Trade unionism does not seek to defend political parties or governments. The history of trade unionism, especially of the World Confederation of Labour (WCL) and its affiliated national and trade organisations, is that of a constant struggle to maintain AUTONOMY and INDEPENDENCE vis-à-vis political parties and governments. It should however be acknowledged that the democracy that is enjoyed by a greater part of the world today is in a way due to the political world and also to the numerous mistakes made.
Of course in the recent past, the cold war forced a lot of powerful governments into the arms race and ideological competition, which led to parties identifying themselves with one or the other camp. This divided the world into two powerful blocks that partitioned the world among themselves.
Today, the geopolitics of the cold war have been replaced by the geo-economy of globalisation, within which trade security supersedes military security.
1.4.2.-George Soros, an American capitalist investor, one of the ideologist of globalisation, president of the Open Society Institute, published an article entitled «TOWARD AN OPEN WORLD SOCIETY», in which he states that « Markets reduce everything including human beings (labour) and nature (land), to mere goods ».
Soros continues: « We have a market economy but refuse to accept a market society. In addition to markets, society needs institutions that would serve social purposes such as political freedoms and social justice. These institutions do exist in countries but not in the world’s society. The state no longer plays its formal role, and in many areas this is a blessing. However, some functions of the state are no longer covered. We lack adequate international institutions for individual freedoms, human and environmental rights, or for the promotion of social justice. » (George Soros)
1.4.3. We now have only one «global liberal order» which seeks to impose its model on the entire world and integrate all sectors under market laws.
1.5. « Reaffirming the autonomy and independence of trade unionism» (24th WCL Congress) Humanist trade unionism has always defended the autonomy and independence of union organisations vis-à-vis employers, political parties and governments. This position is at a cost; because those who wield power are precisely the employers, the political parties and governments. Autonomous and independent trade unionism should therefore compare their positions with those of these authorities.
On the one hand, the autonomy enables the workers themselves to draw up their own working plans, union policies and strategies. It enables them to elect their leaders without interference or control from the other sectors. This is indeed the role of the workers’ leaders.
Meanwhile on the trade union front, there is also an attempt to impose globalisation. The WFAFW has indeed reiterated its opposition to the policy of some European trade federations to impose a world trade union affiliation from Europe. This is unacceptable and a violation of the principles of freedom of association.
1.6. « PARTICIPATING in political actions where the HUMAN BEING will be the central focus of the functioning of the society » (24th WCL Congress) Globalisation defends a conception of the HUMAN BEING that is different from ours, for it reduces men and women to their ability to generate economic profits, glorifies individualism and considers the HUMAN PERSON a mere producer and a consumer. As far as trade unionism is concerned, the HUMAN PERSON possesses material and SPIRITUAL values. He/she is not a commodity that can be bought and sold, rather they are the epicentre of society.
Hence the need for WFAFW and its member organisations to participate in all political and cultural actions where MAN, the HUMAN PERSON will be the centre, overriding money, the market or capital.
1.7. « PUTTING PRESSURE on international authorities for training on citizen conscience » (24th WCL Congress)
We have to first and foremost determine, which are the most important international institutions, TODAY, in 2003, as far as global policy formulation is concerned. There are two governmental groups that possess the «decision-making power», namely:
- The Group of Eight (G8), bringing together the eight most powerful countries of the world: United States, Japan, Germany, Great Britain, France, Canada, Italy and, until recently, Russia, and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), that brings together the industrialised countries.
- The financial institutions: the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank and the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
These are the institutions where economic, financial and cultural policies are now formulated.
The United Nations institutions only implement these «policies» in their respective areas of action.
In order to exert pressure on these institutions, the WFAFW, like the WCL, lack the required power of influence. However, through a unity of action together with other trade union and social powers, it is possible to have an influence on these institutions, for the inclusion of citizen conscience in training. There is the need for trade union organisations to take the initiative of formulating their own citizen conscience policy, and then disseminate and defend it before national, regional and world bodies.
1.8. « DEMANDING from the political leaders measures that they give priority to the HUMAN BEING as opposed to monetary interests » (24th WCL Congress)
The WFAFW has committed itself to the principles and values that grant primacy to the human being, in other words, the HUMAN PERSON.
1.8.1. «The international organisations have the urgent mandate to contribute to promoting the sense of responsibility towards COMMON GOOD, in order to create a more equitable society and a more sustained peace in the world while pursuing GLOBALISATION.
To achieve this, it is important to always bear the HUMAN PERSON, who has to be the focus of any social project, in mind.
This is the only way through which the United Nations will become a true «family of nations». The challenge here is to ensure a GLOBALISATION in solidarity, a GLOBALISATION that does not leave out anybody.
It is unacceptable for a country like the United States to impose its own military and economic visions ignoring the United Nations, as was the case with the war against Iraq.
1.9. ROLE OF TRADE UNIONS
«A larger democratic workers’ movement, including those of the rural and agricultural sector, the informal sector, and particularly women, children, farmers, cooperatives and the solidarity-based social economy, working men and women, young workers, workingwomen, small- and medium-scale entrepreneurs, retired workers and pensioners, disabled persons, emigrants…» (24th WCL Congress) WFAFW was born out of the merger of different sectors; agriculture, food, tobacco, fishing, hotels, restaurants, casinos and tourism in general.
1.9.1.Within the WFAFW, the rural and agricultural sectors play a key role.
Hence the major strength of the WFAFW, the sector from which it draws the majority of its members is the agriculture and rural sector. «Rural workers’ organisations militating at the WCL through the WFAFW should become the most active and determined pace-setters, in order to promote new more efficient land reform processes, sufficiently constructive for increasing jobs, reactivating agriculture and the agro-industry, improving living and working conditions, shelter, education, social security and health insurance; to move toward food security and resuscitating the domestic markets of developing countries; to consolidate the democratic, political, social and economic process. » Emilio Máspero, prologue to the book TRADE UNIONISM, AGRICULTURE AND FOOD, published by the WFAFW.
1.9 .2. The informal sector developed mainly in the rural environments. This is why the WFAFW has a large number of workers within the informal sector, especially in the rural areas.
1.9.3. Working women and children. Over half of the manpower in the hotels, restaurants, casinos and the tourism business in general is made up of women and almost 5% of the workers are under age. In the rural labour environment, women also constitute a significant percentage.
The struggle for the defence of the rights and freedoms of working women and children is one of the major activities of the WFAFW, which also involves combating sexual tourism.
1.9.4. Farmers, the youth, and working women are the grass root sectors which are give prominence within the policy of the WFAFW.
1.9.5. The WFAFW also organises small and medium-scale entrepreneurs and producers. In the agricultural sector, a large proportion of our member organisations represent these sectors, including small-scale production enterprises.
1.9.6. Retired workers and pensioners: Till date, the WFAFW has been unable to penetrate these sectors, though some organisations have specific services for these category of workers who have passed the productive stage. For them, we advocate an adequate pension to enable them live in dignity.
1.9.7 The unemployed and disabled: The WFAFW is yet to formulate an efficient militant policy for these sectors.
1.9.8. Emigrants : Migrant workers have a very important role to play at the level of WFAFW for in agriculture like in tourism they represent large groups that contribute actively to the union life. Furthermore, several of the WFAFW organisations implement local policies for defending the rights and freedoms of migrant workers and illegal immigrants.
1.9.10. It is obvious that the WFAFW is not just a trade union organisation, but works with the entire ORGANISED WORKERS’ MOVEMENT and its various forms. This gives the WFAFW a GLOBAL character, providing it with a wide vision of trade unionism and organised workers movement.
1.10. « Trade unionism must strive hand in hand with some non-governmental organisations (NGO’s) protecting the interests and rights of workers and trade unions.
All of this is the foundation for building a SOCIAL AND TRADE UNION MOVEMENT, bringing together organisations capable of promoting ALTERNATIVE actions to GLOBALISATION, based on the supreme values of solidarity and humanism.» (24th WCL Congress)
1.10.1. Globalisation is a phenomenon that spells out its priorities. Within the scope of globalisation, trade transactions are characterised by 5 levels of mobility:
- HIGH MOBILITY: Information, capital investments and technology
- GOOD MOBILITY: goods and human capital, from poor countries
- SEMI MOBILITY: investments in factories, management capital, regulating principles and management of enterprises
- QUASI IMMOBILITY: intermediate level of human capital, regulating principles and basic organisational models.
- IMMOBILITY : infrastructure, core principles and sovereignty concerns. These principles go against our trade union conceptions that propose other values. As far as we are concerned, a HIGH MOBILITY organisation is an organisation with a good HUMAN CAPITAL, in other words good HUMAN RESOURCES.
For trade unions, information, capital and technology are simple material instruments that cannot in any way take precedence over the human person but globalisation puts the principles and sovereignty last, describing them as immobile. Trade unionism on the contrary, is of the view that the principles and sovereignty of countries are values we have to defend
1.10.11. This explains the need to create an ALTERNATIVE capable of clearly distinguishing workers' interest from the interest of globalisation. One of the initial steps should consist in «DISTINGUISHING IN ORDER TO UNITE». In other words, one should determine what the interests of some non-governmental organisations (NGO’s), social movements and other groups are, what are our common points in the face of globalisation, with the hope of achieving a unity of action and working together on possible alternatives.
1.11. VALUE-BASED TRADE UNIONISM – «It has to do with reaffirming the HUMANIST AND SPITITUALIST character of TRADE UNIONS. The existence of the human being like his destiny cannot be limited to his individual material well-being; we need to defend the poorest and the most deprived. » (24th WCL Congress)
1.11.1. If the WFAFW has a peculiar characteristic at the level of international trade unionism, it is because it strives precisely for the promotion of «the poorest and the most deprived», namely, workers of the rural areas, the agricultural sectors, the informal sector, working women and youths affiliated to the WFAFW.
In examining the WFAFW member organisations, one would rightly observe that we work in the poorest countries, in the most deprived sectors.
1.12. GLOBALISATION OF TRADE UNIONISM
«To confront ECONOMIC GLOBALISATION, there is the need to GLOBALISE TRADE UNIONISM» (24th WCL Congress).
1.12.1. For trade unionism, confronting the power of globalisation means being a social force with trade unionism as the central focus, where other sectors and social stakeholders, such as NGO’s, human rights defence associations, civil society or other social groups would contribute. However the real starting point remains the strengthening of trade unionism. Historically, trade unionism developed in the industrialised countries. Today, it is important to renew this trend and try to organise the largest number of workers possible, everywhere and at all levels, be they salary earners or not, from the rural areas or the cities, from the public or the private sector, industries or liberal professions, the informal sector, cooperatives and other workers associations.
The attitude of union organisations and their officials also needs to be re-examined in order to build efficient organisations, with competent executives, conversant with the realities of the changing world today and the adjustments that trade unionism demands.
Confronted with a system such as globalisation, trade unionism must defend its founding principles, namely: the protection of the interests and rights of workers. It is also important to clearly present the ills of globalisation, to challenge them with solid, concrete and accurate arguments. This is the only way that we can represent and defend the aspirations and interests of workers. Creating a social force is a task of the numerous organisations, quality leaders with humanist, sustainable and realistic principles and values.
1. 13. TRADE ACTION
«Efforts must therefore be pursued in order to strongly consolidate achievements and form professional networks capable of significantly contributing to the balance of power as it is structured today in the GLOBALISED ECONOMIC market system. » (24th WCL Congress)
1.13.1. As a trade federation, the WFAFW covers many sectors : Agriculture, food, fishing, forestry, hotels and restaurants, casinos and tourism; all these sector are of vital importance to development today, especially in the third world countries.
We identify ourselves with the World Confederation of Labour (WCL), its trade federations and various organisations that are major stakeholders of the sectors we represent; it is a question of creating efficient mechanisms to counter the negative aspects of globalisation and contributing to information and communication networks in order to be aware of the whole process for the protection of the interests of the workers and their organisations.
A trade union opposition to GLOBALISATION will be more efficient if it satisfies concrete demands, problems of workers within the enterprises and in the trade sectors. The WFAFW has in this regard adopted the new Trade Action programme of the World Confederation of Labour (WCL