Siemens Dialog
https://www.dialog-igmetall.de/nachrichten/india-resolution-against-precarious-work
29.03.2024, 09:03 Uhr

India: Resolution against precarious work

  • 18.11.2013
  • International

Precarious work is undermining workers’ rights, wages and working conditions. Workers working through contractors and other labour agencies are trapped in triangular relationships. There has been huge increase in employment of contract workers in manufacturing plants and offices of Siemens - Indian unions now have set their sights on the struggle against this development.

Outsourcing as  a business model

As a business model, Siemens has outsourced many of its manufacturing activities to dedicated suppliers. The workers working with these suppliers work for Siemens, which makes them a part of Siemens. Contract workers and supply-chain workers, both are precarious workers. They are restrained from joining or forming unions. There is a significant gap between them and the permanent workers with regards to wages, health-care benefits and social security.  There is no job security or protection from dismissals. In most cases, these workers are not paid minimum wages or statutory benefits such as Provident Fund and ESIC.

Siemens Employees Federation' action

IndustriAll Global Union have set principles on use of such workers. Primarily these workers should be made permanent and  part of regular employment.  Till such they are confirmed in permanent employment, they should be allowed to join the union which is for regular employees and should be covered by collective agreements. They should not be used to eliminate permanent jobs or replace workers on strike. Siemens Employees Federation and its constituent unions will make efforts to implement these principles set out by IndustriAll Global Union for contractor / agency workers.

In view of this, the following resolution is put before the members for discussions and adoption:

"It is resolved that all employees working , directly or indirectly for the company, whether in the premises of the company or outside the company will be allowed to be members of respective constituent unions. The unions will make efforts to ensure them the same equal rights, wages and working conditions as of the permanent workers of the company."

To effectively implement this resolution Siemens Employees Federation will set up a 3 year Project. The objectives of the Project would be as under:
1.    Compilation of data on contract and supply chain workers – with regards to their work, wages and statutory benefits
2.    Formulate a policy to organise these workers
3.    Resource mobilisation for organisational and legal actions
4.    Seek intervention of Government authorities

The constituent unions are called upon to contribute to provide resources, to engage a full-time person for this project. The General Secretary of Siemens Employees Federation be authorised to appoint such a person and provide him with all facilities.

It is also requested by the Executive Committee of Siemens Employees Federation that IndustriAll Global Union and IG Metall should support and contribute to this project of organising precarious workers working in and for Siemens in India.