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ITF visit to DHL in India likely to reap rewards



A recent ITF visit to DHL in India as part of the company’s commitment to social dialogue is set to help tackle key labour rights issues.



ITF organising globally coordinator Ingo Marowsky, travelling also on behalf of UNI global union, went to DHL in Mumbai on 24 June to raise key labour rights issues with regional and local managers.



These focused on actions taken by local managers, including: the dismissal of labour activists and the transfer of unionists often more than 1000 kilometres away from their homes and families, as well as a failure to recognise unions in some areas of India. In addition, local managers have also been challenging in the courts key union agreements, which have been deemed valid by the Indian labour mediation body.



The unions, which are based in some significant locations in DHL's Indian network, are attempting to carry out their normal activities in the face of these anti-union steps. One of them, based in Chennai, recently established a charter of demands. It calls for a number of measures to be taken, such as: a commitment not to use outsourced labour for any DHL activities, full consultation with the union and new pay scales.



Marowsky said: “Management knows that intimidation and victimisation is not acceptable to us. These labour rights issues still need to be resolved so that the unions can move forward. Following our discussions in Mumbai and the subsequent dialogue at DHL headquarters in Bonn, we are confident that between the regional DHL management and the local DHL managers, progress can soon be made in a number of these areas.”