IMF, UAW meet on joint organizing activities

From left, Doug Meyer, deputy director, UAW Legislative, Governmental and International Affairs Department; Ron Bloom, IMF automotive director; IMF General Secretary Marcello Malentacchi; UAW President Ron Gettelfinger; Garry Mason, administrative assistant to Gettelfinger, and Cindy Estrada, director of the UAW National Organizing Department. Photo: CHRISTINE MOROSKI

Marcello Malentacchi, general secretary of the International Metalworkers' Federation (IMF), met with UAW President Ron Gettelfinger and others at the union’s Solidarity House headquarters in Detroit on Sept. 12.

Their discussions followed up on recommendations made by delegates to this summer’s IMF World Auto Council Meeting in Brazil. These include: effectively responding to globalization and industry restructuring, creating sustainable industrial development in the context of global warming and the rise in energy prices, and building international trade unionism.

"International solidarity between workers is even more important in this age of globalization," Malentacchi said. "The IMF wants to assist the UAW in organizing auto workers in all operations of overseas transnational companies that manufacture in the U.S."

Gettelfinger, who serves as president of the IMF Auto Department, proposed creating an IMF Organizing Fund to better develop and coordinate union building at transnational auto producers and assemblers. The union leaders also discussed future IMF auto department activities, the 2009-2013 IMF Action Program and next year’s IMF Congress.

Jennifer John