UNI World Conference Held in Chicago

Unions show solidarity and call for global unionism.

Global unionism is critical to dealing with 21st century employers, Union Network International (UNI) President Joe Hansen told delegates to UNI's second World Congress during a colourful and musical opening ceremony in Chicago.

Joe, a native born Chicagoan, warned that the new employer demands wage and benefits cuts and is engaged in a race to the bottom. That model is Wal-Mart and "as a global union we must challenge this model". But there is an alternative model – the UNI way. "UNI has been a pioneer in establishing a constructive dialogues with employers who are willing to consider another way. "Companies like Carrefour, Falck, H&M, ISS, Metro, OTE and Telefónica have all signed global framework agreements with UNI. "These agreements represent the start of a new type of globalisation – one in which corporations are willing to recognise the rights of workers and to provide channels to resolve issues as they arise."

The Democrats' vice presidential candidate last year, Sen John Edwards, told UNI delegates that poverty is a key issue for him. "In a country of America's wealth, that there are 36 million people in poverty every day is wrong. If your neighbours are in trouble you don't close the door on them, you help them up." And poverty in the US is modest compared to elsewhere on the globe where three billion people live on less than $2 a day. "America should show the world that we care not only what is happening to us but what is happening to other people in the world."

AFL-CIO President John Sweeney said that solidarity is the foundation of our basic values and our only hope. "Solidarity in action because we must move with urgency and resolve to arrest the onslaught of greed that threatens working people everywhere. "Together in global unions. In UNI. That's how we use Europe's union density to help workers in other countries organise. That's how we use US capital strategies to protect the European social model. And that's how we use both to help tens of millions of workers in developing countries win economic and social justice." In spite of recent divisions in the AFL-CIO "we are all here in solidarity behind UNI," John told his audience. "Together we must develop new ideas, new approaches, new energy and new principles to meet the challenges of a global economy and global employers that threaten to enslave workers everywhere."

Young trade unionist Mandie Yanasak of the United Food and Commerical Workers told delegates that "young workers have a place in unions and young workers need trade unions". The Communications Workers of America's Teri Pluta highlighted low union membership in the US among young workers – "We must increase these percentages – we must learn how to unleash the power of youth". From the Education International Fred van Leeuwen said, "We have no choice but to be global players - linking the local to the global".