Information letter on the ICOG meeting - Country Reports and Resolutions

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The meeting showed further progress in collectivity and unification within ICOG. It was evaluated as positive and productive by the participants.

The country reports gave a deep insight into the situation and struggle of auto workers and their families worldwide. The latest report from India was that "GM management in India laid off all remaining 1083 workers on July 12, 2021. Bharat Forge Chakan ended the employment of 250 permanent workers through a settlement. Hyundai Motors closed the plant for a few days due to collective bargaining and safety issues related to the layoff of some workers. The union of Nissan and of Royal Enfield are in a struggle. At Tata Marcopolo, the collective bargaining agreement is also still pending." ICOG adopted a solidarity statement against the illegal layoffs at GM in Talegaon. "As reported by the Economic Times, Great Wall Motors is planning to shift some investments from India to Brazil. Maruti-Suzuki has reduced its production plan due to the shortage of semiconductor chips."

From Germany, it is informed that "In the companies, the destruction of 100,000 jobs in the automotive, steel and chemical industries by 2025 has already been initiated since 2018, mainly through the dismissal of temporary workers and temporary colleagues, and through supposedly "voluntary" severance payments. The signature under it is often only extorted with through pressure, threats of transfers to far away production sites and via bullying."

On legal developments in Brazil under the Bolsonaro government, "Recently, the government approved the sale of 100% of the Post Office, a state-owned company, and intends to privatize other strategic state-owned companies such as Eletrobras, Petrobras ... The Bolsonaro government has launched programs to reform labor laws, which in practice promote precarious working conditions and unemployment, creating a category of second-class workers. ...

Death by Covid or Hunger - With more than 560,000 deaths from Covid-19 and only 23% of the population vaccinated, we still have 15 million unemployed, inflation in the double digits, and exorbitant prices for most basic foods."

From South Africa, it is reported, "For a long time, we have suffered job losses through plant closures, through downsizing, lean manufacturing and lean administration. With outsourcing, we have again suffered job losses, wage cuts, loss of social benefits such as medical aids, etc. All of this goes hand in hand with excessive exploitation of workers by bosses. The Covid 19 pandemic has only exacerbated these very poor working conditions. Pandemic rules and regulations have forced the shutdown of jobs for a period of time, and in most cases, business owners are applying the "no work no pay" rule." On this from Germany: "The slow pace of vaccination worldwide is a disaster and an expression of imperialism's misanthropy. In Germany, the 4th wave is accepted with eyes wide open."

In the discussion, the representative from Tunisia reported, "On July 25, the president responded to a crowd of people demanding that parliament be dissolved. The parliament represents tyranny, corruption, and the masses are demanding an end to that. However, this was not a coup d'état. The government wants to sell the country to the global monopolies. This led to impoverishment, people starving, increased prices for oil, sugar, fuel, agricultural materials, mass transit, electricity." All reported a growing anti-capitalist tendency in the various countries. From Germany: "In particular, anti-communism is being deliberately fomented and progressive left-wing people are being openly suppressed. In the so-called "Gefährder (dangerous person) trial" on August 3, Stefan Engel achieved a clear victory, his classification as a dangerous person violated existing law. Congratulations on that! "

Regarding the development of the Automotive Workers' Coordination, it was reported from Germany: "The IAC movement in Germany had been militant on May 1, had created a video for mobilization for the first time, which was also used in social networks, and was active especially at Daimler, VW and Opel against job destruction and for the takeover of temporary workers. On June 22, a delegation went to France for the day of action in Sochaux. Donations were collected for Philippine solidarity with the help of donation cards for the workers' school in Manila." From South Africa it was emphasized, "The automotive industry in South Africa is in a very bad state from the workers' point of view. We are suffering from both locally planned exploitation of our class and globally planned. This situation reinforces and intensifies the demand for a well-organized and well-coordinated International Coordination of Workers in the Automotive Industry.”

What is necessary is to further develop and strengthen the cooperation and coordination. Based on the situation in India, it was raised how we consciously establish the unity of regular and contract workers, as well as to the suppliers, which common demands we set up.

The building of a platform in the IAC movement for the participation in the anti-imperialist and anti-fascist united front was agreed by the ICOG by consensus, although the ICOG as a whole is not part of this platform. The participation is decided by the participating forces themselves. The further consultation and intended foundation of the platform is to be organized via an online meeting in October.

The financial report was accepted. Donation initiatives for the construction of the workers' school Paaralang Crispin Beltran in Manila in the Philippines resulted in almost 6,000 Euros.

There are no applications yet for the host country of the 3rd International Automotive Workers Conference in 2025. ICOG is still accepting applications until February 2022. The next online meeting of the ICOG has been arranged for January 2022.

Internationalist greetings

ICOG_Call_for_the_International_Day_of_Struggle_against_Fascism_and_War

ICOG_Solidarity_and_greeting_address_to_the_International_Day_of_Action_on_Philippines

Country Reports:

Country Report Brazil

Country Report Germany

Country Report India

Country Report South Africa

Statement PPDS Tunesia

Motions:

ICOG_Declaration_against_the_illegal_firing_of_1086_workers_at_GM_India

ICOG_Declaration_of_protest_against_reinforced_repression_in_the_Philippines

ICOG_Motion_against_the_conviction_of_former_Metalworker_Union_president_to_prison_for_organizing_the_defense_of_GM_jobs

Motion_against_the_authoritarian_threats_of_Jair_Bolsonaro_government_and_for_the_fight_to_Topple_Bolsonaro