News

Dear colleagues,



As the year closes, it was impressive to see that the Timemagazine person of the year was the “protester”. Throughout the year our members have taken to the streets in large numbers in all continents in the pursuit of justice, jobs and democracy. The Timeaward recognises the courage and sacrifice of a new generation, as well as the ability of civil society to mobilise for democratic change and justice. From the Middle East to the streets of Europe and capitals around the world, the protest movement has made its mark. This has to be translated into tangible change.



The hopes that the protest movement have brought are now fighting strong headwinds, with protracted battles against the military in Egypt and with Occupy Wall Street camps facing forcible closures.



Last week in New York, I spent time with activists from the Occupy Wall Street movement after addressing a noisy 10,000-strong Service Employees International Union (SEIU) rally in central Manhattan that was a protest for a fair wage deal for janitors in the city. Their contract expires on December 31; it is a contract that has given these invisible workers a decent life.



In all the analysis of growing inequality, the role of collective agreements to give people a fairer share is ignored. The New Deal in the USA gave working people a fair deal at work. We are now seeing the results of a four decade campaign by the business elite and their political allies to turn back the New Deal achievements. The result is record inequality.



I also met up with the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) who have campaigned for a living wage in New York; the NY authorities have now agreed a statement to deliver this promise.



At OWS, despite being moved from Zuccotti Park to 60 Wall Street, the enthusiasm to seek change remains undimmed. UNI's US affiliates have actively supported the OWS movement across the nation. OWS does not have formal structures; there is no single spokesperson and no written constitution. Social media provides the info network, which is matched by an overwhelming desire for visible action. We should not doubt how this movement has shifted political debate in the USA and worldwide. “We are the 99%” resonates widely. I will continue my dialogue with OWS and we will explore how to globalise action.



In New York I also took part in the UN Global Compact (UNGC), where I am a board member. On this occasion, the board reviewed Deutsche Post DHL, where the UNGC office acted on a detailed complaint from UNI. The company was invited to and attended talks at the UNGC. UNI and the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) have begun a new round of discussions with management. I also raised the case of T-Mobile. Ironically, T-Mobile parent Deutsche Telekom has joined 49 other multinationals at the UNGC with the aim to be identified as one of the top Global Compact performers. This ambition does not sit with T-Mobile’s aggressive union busting in the USA. I will pursue this at the UNGC. At the UNGC, I also acknowledged their help to pull off the services dialogue forum in Colombia.



As the year of protest closes, postal workers in Kenya have been on strike for several days, our Australian union has been on the streets for their cleaners and UNI has supported street action, from Atento in Mexico City to Novartis here in Nyon.



In the space of the last 3 weeks, there has been major protest action in Greece, Portugal, Italy, Spain, the UK, Belgium, Chile and Slovakia. Our affiliates are playing prominent roles in the push against austerity and for policies that will bring growth.



2012 promises to be another year of struggle, as the global economy stutters, with the threat of a double dip recession in the EU.



In sending my compliments of the season, I would like to express my thanks and appreciation to all affiliates for their contribution to the work and life of UNI.



We are holding the course for our Breaking Through strategy, which is transforming our work in so many ways as we head towards Cape Town in 2014.



With my best wishes,



Philip J. Jennings



The UNI Head Office will be closed from 24 December 2011 to 8 January 2012.