News

Workers at multinational giant DHL will be challenging the company to open dialogue and honour its promises of fair treatment for all employees as part of a worldwide week of action next week, 9 to 13 November 2009.

Featuring activities ranging from meetings with management to demonstrations outside DHL offices, the event is designed to hold the logistics giant to its promises of corporate social responsibility and put it on notice that it’s time to talk to unions. It is part of an ongoing joint campaign for rights for all DHL workers - irrespective of where they work or whether they’re directly employed or a subcontractor - organised by UNI Global Union and the ITF (International Transport Workers’ Federation). A press conference for the week of action will be held in Belgium on Monday 9 November at 12:30 in the departure lounge of Brussels International Airport (see www.brusselsairport.be/nl/ for directions).

Currently activities are planned in Austria, Belgium, Chile, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, The Netherlands, Panama, South Africa, Switzerland (including “Don’t put the squeeze on workers” photo opportunity in Nyon on 10 November) and Trinidad and Tobago.

More details of the week and the campaign behind it are at www.respect4workers.org

Ingo Marowsky, Head of the ITF’s Regional and Industrial Office, commented: “This campaign is about rights for all DHL workers, irrespective of whether they’re directly employed or a subcontractor. It is about ensuring that workers at DHL have a voice in how the company is run, wherever they happen to be working.”

“We want workers to have their voice heard in DHL’s restructuring plans, and the way to achieve that is by DHL agreeing to cooperation and dialogue with workers’ representatives and trade unions in all countries where the company is active.”

Neil Anderson, Head of UNI Post & Logistics, added: “DHL workers around the world have helped make the company the global enterprise it is today. Their hard work must be recognised and management should treat every worker, regardless of nationality, with respect. DHL cannot take a free ride in the countries where the laws or government turn a blind eye to poor pay, poor conditions and attacks on anyone who wants to be part of a trade union.”