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More than 70 trade union activists and leaders from the global post and logistics giant DP-DHL met in Mumbai 15-17 November to coordinate their unions' work in conjunction with the global union federations UNI Global Union and the International Transport Workers Federation.

Participants came together from 26 countries as UNI, ITF and their affiliates continue their global push to win workers' rights in DHL. The GUFs have worked together in the past several years to support union organising campaigns in DHL and to ensure that the company upholds its public commitments to freedom of association. A number of participants noted that their unions are met with hostility from DHL. In India, where the meeting was held, two local unions are continuing their fight against unfair transfers of union activists and an unfair classfication system where DHL grades couriers as managers, limiting their ability to join the union of their choice. The assembled delegates came out strongly in defense of their Indian colleagues and vowed to continue to show their solidarity with the Indian workers and their union as they continue to seek justice in DHL India. 

Over the three day meeting, unions discussed strategies to improve their organizing efforts and committed to work on new organizing targets in the year ahead. They also celebrated big victories in the year past, such as the union recognition in DHL Global Forwarding in Malaysia and new collective agreements in Panama and Turkey. 

UNI Post & Logistics head Stephen DeMatteo said of the meeting, "This was a tremendous opportunity to coordinate our activity and continue the push to win workers' rights in DHL. UNI has never been more committed to organizing and winning for all workers in DHL. Together with the ITF and our affiliates, we're prepared to take our work well into 2015."