Respect @ DHL!

The international trade union movement has launched a global campaign to convince German post and logistics giant Deutsche Post DHL to allow all its workers throughout the world to join unions without fear or interference. In Germany – and in general within the European Union – the company respects the law and engages in social dialogue. However, outside of Germany it can be a different story. The majority of DHL workers do not have a union, collective contract or real workers’ rights. In fact, the company stands accused in some countries of having ignored its responsibility to be neutral towards trade unions, and even of trying to keep unions out of workplaces.

We are asking Deutsche Post DHL to respect fundamental rights for all those who work for it around the world, in line with international legal standards. We are asking for DHL to respect workers rights by respecting the right of freedom of association and the right to organise. A global framework agreement would help us protect these rights.

This campaign is run jointly by the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF), the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and UNI Global Union (UNI).

Workers form and join trade unions so they can have a voice at work, to improve their lives, those of their families and communities. Employers and governments find it hard to ignore the concerns of a unionised workforce, because they defend jobs and wages, and because unions provide protection for the individual worker. Research has shown unions help employers create a more stable, productive workforce that feels respected, and unsurprisingly the community benefits as well.

A global union agreement (also known as a global framework agreement) is a voluntary agreement between a company and a global union on behalf of its members. We are pushing for Deutsche Post DHL to sign such an agreement with UNI and the ITF. Many other global companies have signed one, including G4S, Volkswagen, IKEA, H&M and France Telecom.

These agreements cover minimum standards the company must meet in its operations throughout the world such as:
 Freedom of association
 Elimination of forced or compulsory labour
 Elimination of discrimination in respect to employment and occupation

Signing a global union agreement is a key way to safeguard labour and human rights in the operations of multinational companies. The feedback from unions around the world and resulting social dialogue helps ensure the company is meeting its obligations under international law. With our help, Deutsche Post DHL could do better.

Deutsche Post DHL has voluntarily agreed to uphold the highest international and national standards when it comes to labour rights. This means not trying to stop workers forming a union. Yet trade unions have accused the company of doing just that in some of the countries in which it operates.

The company has a code of conduct based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the conventions of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Global Compact of the United Nations. ILO Conventions and the Global Compact (which it has signed) make it clear that businesses should uphold freedom of association and recognise the right to collective bargaining. Despite Deutsche Post DHL’s commitment to these principles, we have recorded systematic infringements of workers’ freedom of association rights at its facilities around the world.

We expect freedom of association. We expect proper dialogue. We expect better.

No. There is absolutely no attempt to export German laws or institutions. The world labour movement wants to promote the ability of Deutsche Post DHL workers, wherever they are, to achieve collective bargaining rights. We are asking Deutsche Post DHL to honour its international commitments on labour standards and follow a high standard of national and international law. This means not actively opposing or interfering if employees choose to form a union for the purposes of collective bargaining.

Deutsche Post DHL workers have organised around the world. More than 200,000 Deutsche Post DHL workers in Germany are organised in the union, ver.di, and even more are organised throughout Europe. Workers have also organised in India and Panama. It is clear that when given the opportunity, Deutsche Post DHL workers will organise. However, at the moment it may involve significant risk for workers. In private conversations and forums, Deutsche Post DHL workers express fear of losing their jobs if they show support for a union. In fact, some union activists’ jobs have been terminated. Despite that threat, workers are still seeking union representation. This campaign is about workers being able to organise without fear.

Deutsche Post DHL is one of the world’s largest employers, with more than 470,000 employees around the world. It respects trade union rights in Germany. Furthermore, the German Government is a 30.5% owner of the company and has been a leader in the global human rights movement. in some countries Deutsche Post is accused of adopting labour standards that would not be tolerated in Germany or Europe. In some countries workers say there is even an atmosphere of fear and intimidation. In our globalised economy, we need to demand the highest standard of corporate social responsibility for companies that are market leaders and which publicly claim to follow the highest international standards. We expect better from Deutsche Post DHL.

Deutsche Post DHL has gained recognition in these contests. Unfortunately, not all surveys may be open and transparent. It is difficult to find out whether they always talked to workers in awarding the winner or whether workers were free to fill out the surveys without any fear of any consequences.

The global labour movement is pressing Deutsche Post DHL to live up to its commitment to respect the rights of workers to join a union. Workers will not be harmed by this. In fact, signing a global union agreement with Deutsche Post DHL will allow workers to organise without fear. Deutsche Post DHL has a choice about how it wants to conduct business. If a company lowers its labour standards when it invests in other countries, it does not build a sustainable company or global economy.

Many major companies around the world have a unionised workforce. Many multinationals follow the highest international labour standards when it comes to union rights. They allow workers to organise in unions without fear. Workers with collective bargaining have an added reason to want the company to succeed and become more prosperous. In a global economy, a global company shouldn’t lower the bar – it should raise it and help create a sustainable future.

Unions around the world are coming together to promote labour rights inside Deutsche Post DHL because there is a recognition that globalisation can only work if it works for all stakeholders. Furthermore, Deutsche Post DHL seems to be weathering the financial crisis quite well. The company made 46,201 million euros in revenue in 2009 and 51,481 million euros in 2010. This is not a company in financial distress.

Weakening labour rights for one group of employees is likely to be copied in other countries, leading to lower standards of living, and a slower rebound from the recession. Now is the best time for Deutsche Post DHL workers to organise in unions. The time has come for the German government to end the hypocrisy on labour and human rights. As the most significant owner of Deutsche Post DHL, it has a clear responsibility to ensure high standards in all countries in which the company operates.

Success will come when, first, Deutsche Post DHL permits all workers worldwide to join a union without employer opposition; second, when Deutsche Post DHL management does not interfere with any workers’ right to freely communicate with each other and the union about organising; and third, when all workers can actively exercise their bargaining rights and achieve a contract that improves their working conditions. We urge Deutsche Post DHL to say to their workers and the global labour movement, ‘We support our employees’ rights to organise and collectively bargain without opposition or interference.’

That policy must be implemented and enforced through a global union agreement.