Hi, I’m Sharan Burrow, I was elected as General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation and I’m answering your questions today from Brussels. We’re the largest membership based organisation on earth – after the faith groups, and we represent 202 million workers in 163 countries. I’m known as a warrior for workers’ rights, where ever you are and what ever job you’re in. Workers are on the frontlines in every fight for democratic rights and freedoms. We’re confronting a global economic model that has generated historic levels of inequality of abuses of human and labour rights. Without a social license to operate that mandates fundamental rights for workers and taxation, platform businesses in the digital age will further destroy our social fabric and escalate resentment and opposition to globalisation. What’s the future of work that you want? AMA
Hi Sharan, are there countries that are at the forefront of creating a new model for protecting workers rights? Do you think universal basic income is going to become a serious prospect? Thanks for the work you do.
The ITUC's global rights index ranks the worst countries in the world for workers - and those that are doing abetter job. https://survey.ituc-csi.org/?lang=en
Overall the Nordic countries are the most equal in the world and respect social dialogue as a basis for negotiating economic and social policy solutions. Unions are proud to represent workers. But tragically our governments are increasingly abdicated responsibility for rights and shared prosperity through minimum wages on which people can live, collective bargaining to share productivity and social protection for all people.
UBI is a visionary idea, but when 75% of the world's people have no social protection - which includes pensions, and unemployment benefits - the question is one of priority. The world is 3 times richer than it was 30 years ago - so the lack of social protection and vital public services is a scandal. The current levels of UBI in countries trialling this cannot cover the cost of these universal provisions.
I saw a VICE documentary recently about the plight of Indian workers in Dubai. (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMh-vlQwrmU)
What are your thoughts/plans, if any, about this?
All migrant workers in the Gulf States are employed under a system of modern slavery called the Kafala system. We have just negotiated a set of changes with the Qatar Government which in the coming months will eliminate the conditions of modern slavery. Saudi Arabia and the UAE should now follow Qatar's lead.
True - a great achievement of infrastructure, which unites New Yorkers and a powerful symbol of the challenge for the world to open its arms to people from all races and all cultures.
All unions are part of the ITUC's global campaign to End Corporate Greed. We produce global scandal reports that demonstrate that companies like Samsung not only deny workers the right to organise and bargain collectively - but are using killer chemicals in their supply chains. All companies must be required to respect fundamental rights , secure work and safety standards.
We have a dialogue with the Chinese unions, and the minimum wage in China has grown faster than any other country - along with the beginnings of a collective bargaining framework. However, China is not a democratic country, and human rights challenges are numerous.
I'm very interested in possibilities concerning developing trade unions within the IT and Telecoms industry, specifically for workers in lower level "call center" type positions in Eastern Europe (I work for a major American Telco).
I have a couple of questions if I may;
First off, Concerning what you said about mounting levels of inequality; In what ways are trade unions helping in the training and re-skilling of people who have been left out due to globalization? There are industries out there in desperate need of hands and there are people in need of careers. Can Trade Unions, as a group that aggregates skilled people in a relevant industry with an overall leadership, not help to bridge the gaps between these two segments, even at a European level?
Secondly; How do you propose to make younger people realize the benefits of being in a union (or more accurately the dangers of not being in one)? having no direct or even second degree experience that can relate to them the dangers of not having these safety nets have made unions seem irrelevant. What issues are your people focusing on today that will alleviate the concerns of millennials? (EG: The future of the job market in globalization, AI & Automation in the workplace etc) And what answers do you bring?
Jobs, jobs and jobs. That's the first priority - but they must be jobs that respect workers rights and pay living wages. Inequality is a product of an economic model that is based on the corporate greed that has delivered us the 1%. US corporations led by the American Chamber of Commerce are guilty of opposing the right to organise and bargain collectively across the US and through their supply chains. This must change. Young people are activists. And you can see their strength in campaigns against the fast food industry in the Fight for 15 and against Walmart. And their appalling treatment of their workforce. Right around the world young people are also active in the fight for climate action, and a just transition to a zero carbon, zero poverty world. I'm optimistic that younger generations will build on the legacy of their parents and grandparents to strengthen collective action.
Please re-read my question. I don't care much for American youth and what they do (no offense guys, just not my fight). My fight is at your doorstep in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria.
But since you bring it up, where were the unions during the fight for 15?
Do you think workers will be better protected and cared for generally in the digital age? Will transparency and stricter cybersecurity be able to play a role?
Digitalization is simply the tram tracks of the future. The choices about regulation to protect workers rights are in the hands of democratically elected governments. Workers and their unions will not accept the uberisation of work where employers take no responsibility for employees and fail to pay tax or contribute to social protection.
I'm delighted I don't fit the male category. I hope I"m not stale. But you are right - we need to include young people and their ideas in union leadership. I can tell you that we have started a series of inter-generational conversations which are fascinating. The overlap of aspirations for young people with those of older generations is strong. But the creativity of young people is extraordinary. And we can certainly learn from their ideas. What is really frightening is that young people don't see the dividends from our democracies that are increasingly fractured, and are disillusioned.
Perhaps much of it has to do with the fact that they don't see themselves benefitting from the social security or health insurance that their parents/grandparents received.
Hi, I’m Sharan Burrow, I was elected as General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation and I’m answering your questions today from Brussels. We’re the largest membership based organisation on earth – after the faith groups, and we represent 202 million workers in 163 countries. I’m known as a warrior for workers’ rights, where ever you are and what ever job you’re in. Workers are on the frontlines in every fight for democratic rights and freedoms. We’re confronting a global economic model that has generated historic levels of inequality of abuses of human and labour rights. Without a social license to operate that mandates fundamental rights for workers and taxation, platform businesses in the digital age will further destroy our social fabric and escalate resentment and opposition to globalisation. What’s the future of work that you want? AMA
Proof: https://twitter.com/SharanBurrow/status/950466651639644164
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Hi Sharan, are there countries that are at the forefront of creating a new model for protecting workers rights? Do you think universal basic income is going to become a serious prospect? Thanks for the work you do.
The ITUC's global rights index ranks the worst countries in the world for workers - and those that are doing abetter job. https://survey.ituc-csi.org/?lang=en
Overall the Nordic countries are the most equal in the world and respect social dialogue as a basis for negotiating economic and social policy solutions. Unions are proud to represent workers. But tragically our governments are increasingly abdicated responsibility for rights and shared prosperity through minimum wages on which people can live, collective bargaining to share productivity and social protection for all people.
UBI is a visionary idea, but when 75% of the world's people have no social protection - which includes pensions, and unemployment benefits - the question is one of priority. The world is 3 times richer than it was 30 years ago - so the lack of social protection and vital public services is a scandal. The current levels of UBI in countries trialling this cannot cover the cost of these universal provisions.
Thank you for this thorough response, will definitely take a closer look at the survey.
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I saw a VICE documentary recently about the plight of Indian workers in Dubai. (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMh-vlQwrmU) What are your thoughts/plans, if any, about this?
All migrant workers in the Gulf States are employed under a system of modern slavery called the Kafala system. We have just negotiated a set of changes with the Qatar Government which in the coming months will eliminate the conditions of modern slavery. Saudi Arabia and the UAE should now follow Qatar's lead.
[deleted]
True - a great achievement of infrastructure, which unites New Yorkers and a powerful symbol of the challenge for the world to open its arms to people from all races and all cultures.
In the UK some unions seem unwilling to stand up to the big companies.
Is there a way to change this attitude?
All unions are part of the ITUC's global campaign to End Corporate Greed. We produce global scandal reports that demonstrate that companies like Samsung not only deny workers the right to organise and bargain collectively - but are using killer chemicals in their supply chains. All companies must be required to respect fundamental rights , secure work and safety standards.
When you say this, are you referring to 3rd world countries only?
All companies, operating in all countries.
How does China impact your work? Guessing they’re not a member country. Thanks.
We have a dialogue with the Chinese unions, and the minimum wage in China has grown faster than any other country - along with the beginnings of a collective bargaining framework. However, China is not a democratic country, and human rights challenges are numerous.
Hello Sharan,
I'm very interested in possibilities concerning developing trade unions within the IT and Telecoms industry, specifically for workers in lower level "call center" type positions in Eastern Europe (I work for a major American Telco).
I have a couple of questions if I may;
First off, Concerning what you said about mounting levels of inequality; In what ways are trade unions helping in the training and re-skilling of people who have been left out due to globalization? There are industries out there in desperate need of hands and there are people in need of careers. Can Trade Unions, as a group that aggregates skilled people in a relevant industry with an overall leadership, not help to bridge the gaps between these two segments, even at a European level?
Secondly; How do you propose to make younger people realize the benefits of being in a union (or more accurately the dangers of not being in one)? having no direct or even second degree experience that can relate to them the dangers of not having these safety nets have made unions seem irrelevant. What issues are your people focusing on today that will alleviate the concerns of millennials? (EG: The future of the job market in globalization, AI & Automation in the workplace etc) And what answers do you bring?
Thank you for your time.
Jobs, jobs and jobs. That's the first priority - but they must be jobs that respect workers rights and pay living wages. Inequality is a product of an economic model that is based on the corporate greed that has delivered us the 1%. US corporations led by the American Chamber of Commerce are guilty of opposing the right to organise and bargain collectively across the US and through their supply chains. This must change. Young people are activists. And you can see their strength in campaigns against the fast food industry in the Fight for 15 and against Walmart. And their appalling treatment of their workforce. Right around the world young people are also active in the fight for climate action, and a just transition to a zero carbon, zero poverty world. I'm optimistic that younger generations will build on the legacy of their parents and grandparents to strengthen collective action.
Wow ok...
Please re-read my question. I don't care much for American youth and what they do (no offense guys, just not my fight). My fight is at your doorstep in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria.
But since you bring it up, where were the unions during the fight for 15?
SEIU is the primary funder of the fight for 15 campaign
Do you think workers will be better protected and cared for generally in the digital age? Will transparency and stricter cybersecurity be able to play a role?
Digitalization is simply the tram tracks of the future. The choices about regulation to protect workers rights are in the hands of democratically elected governments. Workers and their unions will not accept the uberisation of work where employers take no responsibility for employees and fail to pay tax or contribute to social protection.
How does the ITUC plan to attract younger people into the labor movement that has been historically seen as stale, male, and pale?
I'm delighted I don't fit the male category. I hope I"m not stale. But you are right - we need to include young people and their ideas in union leadership. I can tell you that we have started a series of inter-generational conversations which are fascinating. The overlap of aspirations for young people with those of older generations is strong. But the creativity of young people is extraordinary. And we can certainly learn from their ideas. What is really frightening is that young people don't see the dividends from our democracies that are increasingly fractured, and are disillusioned.
Perhaps much of it has to do with the fact that they don't see themselves benefitting from the social security or health insurance that their parents/grandparents received.
"I'm delighted I don't fit the male category"
You seem very reasonable and not ideologically blinded at all /s
Would you rather be red than dead?
Red is my favourite colour, and luckily I am fit and healthy. Unlike the fractured world we live in today which requires immediate emergency care.
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