(THIS ARTICLE IS MACHINE TRANSLATED by Google from Norwegian)
Bente Løvås, group shop steward in Krafts Foods Norge A / S, is one of the speakers at the seminar: “Business unionism” and social dialogue – the power or powerlessness of the trade union movement? She will talk about her experiences as a shop steward in a multinational group. But the term "Business unionism", what is it?
Business or class?
"Business unionism" is an expression of the fact that shop stewards in the trade union movement are accused of being more connected to their own company or group instead of the entire working class, Løvås tells Ny Tid.
- Some believe that shop stewards in Kvaerner and Aker are examples of this. But this also has another side. It is not so strange that shop stewards develop a good relationship with the company they work for and think it is ok. They are fighting for its survival and jobs. You are not just in the pockets of the bosses. It's not a big problem either. When we worked in old Freia, I well remember that we had pride in the company.
Løvås says that although she will say a little about "business unionism" at the seminar, the main part of her lecture will be about the role of shop steward in a multinational group. A few years ago, the Freia chocolate factory on Rodeløkka in Oslo was acquired by the American multinational company Krafts Foods.
The decisions are made in New York
Internal competition in a multinational group is perhaps the biggest challenge for a shop steward, according to Løvås. She points out that it is not Nidar who is Kraft Foods Norway's largest competitor, but other entities within the multinational group. When a group like Krafts Foods acquires other companies, it is because of markets and brands. Due to internal competition, the working conditions of the various internal companies are also a special challenge for trade union work. If there is a deterioration in one company, this can cause management in another part of the group to try to worsen the working conditions for the employees of the company. The many management levels in the group are also a problem, according to Løvås. You have minimal influence on the decisions that are made, and even though you are represented on the Nordic board, the important decisions are made in New York.
- It is a large group with around 117 employees worldwide. The group has a complicated management structure, and no one knows where the decisions are made, Løvås emphasizes.
Cooperation
- Do you have any positive experiences?
- A co-operation body has been established at European level. It is based on the EU directive on European Works Councils. Here, management and shop stewards from Europe meet.
Løvås also emphasizes that ethical rules have been adopted at European level. An example of such a rule is that the other companies within the group should not act as strike breakers if a company is on strike. For example, it may be about not producing goods that the striking firm usually produces. Another rule is that one should always keep each other informed about production that the group wants to move.
- If, for example, shop stewards in the Belgian part of the group have received information that may indicate that production that is currently taking place in Norway is to be moved to Belgium, they should call shop stewards in Norway and ask if it is correct, Bente Løvås concludes.
