First international conference of its kind looks at labor's responses to globalization
January 20 2006
On February 9-11, 2006, over 500 participants from 50 countries gathered at the Global Companies-Global Unions-Global Research-Global Campaigns conference in New York City. The conference, sponsored by Cornell University along with 13 other academic institutions in the U.S., Canada, Europe and Australia, focused on the globalization of labor, that is, how labor can organize across borders to engaged effectively with globalized capital.
Strategic research on ten large multi-national corporations was presented, along with training on using this methodology to support cross-border campaigns. Additionally, participants could choose from 48 sessions over the course of the conference, including presentations of academic papers, panel discussions and workshops. The academics, trade unionists, and NGO activists who presented the material represented sectors as diverse as electronics, auto, logistics, transportation, telecommunications, postal services and entertainment, and hailed from six continents.
The conference, spearheaded by Dr. Kate Bronfenbrenner, director of the Office of Labor Education Research within the ILR School, featured plenary speakers from around the world.
Representing the US labor movement, Richard Trumka, secretary-treasurer of the AFL-CIO and Harris Raynor, ILR alumnus and international vice president of UNITE HERE, gave opening remarks, after the welcome from Dean Harry Katz. Other plenary speakers included Ms. Berta Luján of the Mexican Authentic Labor Front (FAT), Mr. Cedric Gina of the South African metalworkers union, Mr. Chang, Hsu-Chung of the Taiwanese telecommunication workers union and Ms. Neide Fonseca of the Brazilian bank workers confederation. Former United Steel Workers president George Becker, a pioneer in cross-border labor campaigns, was honored with a specially commissioned art print during Friday morning's plenary.
U.S. and Canadian unions and private foundations also generously supported the conference, and in particular, covered the travel costs for over 50 participants from the Global South. The presence of trade unionists and academics from Africa, Asia, and Latin America ensured that the conference was truly global.
The conference also served as a classroom for a group of ILR students who studied the research and attended the conference as part of a 2 credit course. Through the formal presentations and informal discussions, the diverse participants went away informed, energized and connected to colleagues from around the world.
