Globalization & International Solidarity

In a world where employers and governments are pursuing an agenda of globalization that places corporate profits ahead of the interests of working people, their families, their communities and the environment, the CEP must be active on the international stage. In every sector and in almost every workplace, CEP members are directly affected by global corporations and global economic and social circumstances. To effectively represent our members and protect and improve our collective agreements, working conditions and living standards, in an increasingly globalized economy, the CEP must be active on the international stage.

(More - Policy Statement adopted by CEP National Executive Board – June 9, 2011)

Globalization represents the internationalization of capital. Global solidarity represents the engagement of organized labour as a counter balancing and progressive force in a globalized world.

CEP is committed to building the labour movement. The labour movement is local, regional, national and global. Our work to build global solidarity arises from the same reasons and the same mission as participation in labour councils, provincial federations and the Canadian Labour Congress. CEP's global solidarity is based on membership in Global Union, and bilateral relations with trade unions in CEP sectors in other countries where our members have shared interests.

International solidarity is also an extension of CEP's commitment to social unionism, which integrates our union into broader coalitions which strengthen our efforts to fight for the rights and interests of working people and for social and economic justice. It is, therefore, an integral part of the Union's program and activities, including the CEP Humanity Fund and participation in global social justice and human rights initiatives.

As a member of the Canadian Labour Congress, CEP is also represented internationally by the CLC and the International Trade Union Congress (ITUC) which now represents 175 million members in 151 countries.

CEP national officers and members of the National Executive Board represent the national union and participate in international solidarity. However participation in the global trade union movement is an activity for the whole union, and should include the participation of officers, staff, local union leaders and members. Worker to worker exchanges are an essential component of building genuine global solidarity of workers.

Global Unions

Global Unions are international trade union organizations working together with a shared commitment to the ideals and principles of the trade union movement. They share a common determination to organize, to defend and advance human rights and labour standards everywhere, and to promote the growth of trade unions and decent work for the benefit of all working men and women and their families.

CEP participates in Global Unions to achieve concrete and practical results that strengthen the capacity and bargaining power of CEP members. We strive to ensure that the Global Unions we participate in are activist organizations which:

• Represent CEP members at the International level, including the ILO, UN, WTO
• Negotiate and enforce Global Union Agreements with transnational corporations, ensuring international labour rights and standards
• Organize and coordinate global union networks linking members who face common employers
• Organize and lead global corporate campaigns to support affiliates in key struggles and to achieve neutrality and the right to organize
• Organize and assist unions to organize and grow union density in CEP sectors on a global basis, especially in countries where unions are weak or non-existent

CEP shall affiliate its members in the pulp, paper, energy, mining and other appropriate sectors to the International Chemical, Energy, Mining and General Workers Federation (ICEM).

CEP shall affiliate its members in the telecom, graphical, media and other appropriate sectors to Union Network International (UNI).

CEP shall affiliate its members who work in journalism to the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ).

CEP shall participate in the activities of the Global Union Federations to which we belong, including Congresses, sectoral conferences and special activities of interest to CEP.

Global Networks & Agreements

Global Union Networks bring together trade unions on a global basis with a common employer. The Network can serve as a distribution point for information and exchanges, and also lead solidarity campaigns in support of unions in struggle. Networks build international solidarity by connecting workplaces, and unite unions to develop joint action for organizing and bargaining.

Global Union Agreements are negotiated internationally through Global Unions and establish baseline trade union and human rights for workers with transnational corporations. Global Agreements have been negotiated with global companies to establish the right to organize and other trade union freedoms. Some Global Agreements also include health and safety and environmental standards. These agreements can play a crucial role in raising living standards and establishing core health and safety and environmental regulations in regions and economies that directly impact CEP members. However, several companies operating in Canada also have signed Global Agreements, including Lafarge, StatOil, GDF Suez, Rhodia and Quad Graphics (formerly Quebecor).

CEP has participated in a number of Global Union Networks and has assisted in the negotiation of Global Agreements. For example, CEP played a key role in building both a global network and negotiating a global agreement with Quad Graphics, the world's largest printing company. The Quad agreement was the first global agreement with a North American company. CEP has also participated in global networks regrouping unions at Exxon Mobil and International Paper.

CEP will continue to build and participate in Global Networks and to negotiate and support Global Agreements.

Cooperation Agreements

Cooperation Agreements are bilateral agreements between unions with shared industries and concerns. Cooperation Agreements provide for solidarity, bargaining and organizing support, practical assistance such as education and communications, and member to member exchanges. Cooperation Agreements with unions in other countries shall be proposed by the National President and approved by the National Executive Board.

International Solidarity Campaigns

The CEP supports and participates in a wide variety of international campaigns to support the struggle for worker and trade union rights, through the Canadian Labour Congress and our Global Unions. In doing so, we also improve our own ability to protect our jobs, working conditions and living standards. For example, CEP campaigned for human and trade union rights in Colombia and against Canada's free trade agreement with Colombia – where more union leaders are killed every year than the rest of the world combined.

CEP has also played a key role in supporting the independent, democratic unions in Mexico in their struggle against anti-union employers, corrupt unions and repressive governments, including:

• The Tri National Solidarity Alliance – a network of Canadian, US and Mexican unions fighting repression of workers rights in Mexico
• The Tri National Energy Workers Network – a network of Canadian, US and Mexican energy unions
• The Tri National Telecommunications Alliance – a new network of Canadian, US and Mexican telecommunications unions, initiated by the CEP.

CEP also participates in international solidarity campaigns to support workers and trade unions engaged in struggles with employers and government, such as:

• Supporting telephone workers organizing at Atento in Mexico
• Supporting oil workers fight to stop the privatization of Pemex in Mexico
• Supporting printing workers organizing at Quebecor in Brazil, Peru and India
• Supporting packaging worker organizing at Alcan in Turkey
• Supporting journalists efforts to work free from fear in Iraq

But international solidarity is not a one-way street. The CEP has also received strong solidarity and support from other unions in our own struggles here in Canada. For example, the support of ICEM Global Union and Paperiliitto, the Finish paper union, and the Swedish paper union Pappers, was very helpful during crucial paper sector strikes. The Norwegian Union, Industri Energi, is actively assisting CEP with offshore oil safety issues and relations with the major global oil company, StatOil.

CEP will support and participate in international solidarity campaigns to support workers and their unions under attack or fighting for worker and trade union rights. CEP will continue to give a priority to trade union rights and the building of an independent, democratic labour movement in Mexico, which is a NAFTA partner of Canada and the United States.

Humanity Fund

The CEP Humanity Fund is an independent, member-supported, non-profit charitable foundation established by CEP to help people facing disasters and poverty in Canada and around the world. On the international level, the Humanity Fund assists worker, community and women's organizations in developing countries to promote Decent Work and improve working conditions and living standards because, like the International Labour Organization (ILO), we believe that Decent Work is the only sustainable way out of poverty and is fundamental to building equitable development, democracy and social cohesion.

In recent years, the Humanity Fund has:

• Supported the fight for basic trade union rights by mobile telephone workers in Africa
• Helped build a new national paper workers union in Brazil
• Supported migrant workers in Honduras
• Supported women workers in the maquila factories in Mexico and Central America
• Fought forced labour in Burma
• Helped unions organize in Mexico in the face of government repression
• Helped rebuild unions in El Salvador and Zimbabwe after years of dictatorship

CEP will promote the National Executive Board goal of having all CEP members and locals participate in the Humanity Fund.

CEP Participation in Global Solidarity

The CEP National President shall report at each meeting of the National Executive Board on global solidarity work and new developments concerning Global Unions, Global Networks and Agreements and bilateral relations with unions in other countries.

Funding for CEP participation in global solidarity shall be approved by the President and be part of the President's travel and expense budget, and reported to the National Executive Board as Global Solidarity.

Generally it shall be the policy of CEP to participate actively in Global Solidarity while ensuring that total expenses are maintained at a modest and affordable level for the union.