Community affiliates to the European Metalworker's Federation and the International Metalworker's Federation
Community represents thousands of Metalworkers across Britain at a local and national level. But Britain is affected by the European and Global economies, as well as the controlling interests in the Metal industry being large multi-national corporations.
To ensure that our members are represented at the highest levels in Europe and Globally, Community affiliates to European and International Trade Union federations.
The European Metalworker's Federation
The European Metalworker's Federation unites 6.5 million workers across Europe.
Community affiliates to the EMF to ensure that the needs of British Steel Workers are represented to both the European institutions such as the presidency, commission, council and parliament and to the multinational steel companies.
The ability to co-ordinate action amongst metalworkers across national boundaries allows the EMF to negotiate with multinational corporations from a position of equality.
The EMF is particularly active in four areas.
- Collective Bargaining Policy - Standardising wages, working hours and conditions across Europe.
- Industrial Policy - Strengthening the manufacturing industry in Europe to ensure the continuation of the European Steel industry.
- Company Policy - To manage relations with the large multinationals for the benefit of employees
- Social Dialogue - Working to keep social justice concerns at the heart of economic planning
The International Metalworker's Federation
The International Metalworker's Federation unites 25 million metalworkers across the world.
The International Metalworker's Federation (IMF) is one of the oldest Global Union Federations in the world. It was founded in 1893 to build co-operation between the national metalworker's unions.
The IMF supports the efforts of national unions and national union federations to protect and improve workers rights and conditions. However, as many employers in this sector are multinational the IMF and its affiliates are seeking cross border solutions.
Recently the IMF has begun a program of World Company Councils. Which brings workers within one company together across national boundaries to organise internationally. Negotiating international framework agreements is one step towards extending the core labour standards globally.