Transnational bargaining: 1st IndustriALL thematic conference focuses on standardizing procedures for bargaining and implementing international framework agreements

union leaders and experts on IFAs from 30 countries met in Frankfurt, up invitation of IG-Metall for the first thematic conference held by the new international manufacturing federation, IndustriALL Global Union. The aim was to draw a report and define a strategy on IFAs. Identified as a promising tool for the development of union networks and for the introduction of minimum social standards in businesses, IFAs nevertheless need to prove themselves so they won’t be mere declarations of intent, more useful to the company’s image than to workers in the company or subcontracting firms. Thus, at the conference, the delegates made a list of necessary improvements. These affect bargaining procedures, defining the same minimum social standards for all agreements, as well as concrete, clear implementation and follow-up strategies.