Fiequimetal meeting opens way for more trade union restructuring

At its meeting in November 2009, the Federation of Metalworking, Chemical, Pharmaceutical, Electrical, Energy and Mining Unions (Fiequimetal) launched a new phase of trade union restructuring. The board of Fiequimetal received a mandate to present a plan for trade union restructuring by the end of the first semester of 2010. Approved by a majority, the plan envisages the formation of four cross-sectoral trade unions of manufacturing and energy, with regional scope.

Background to mergers

The creation of the Federation of Metalworking, Chemical, Pharmaceutical, Electrical, Energy and Mining Unions (Federação Intersindical das Indústrias Metalúrgica, Química, Farmacêutica, Eléctrica, Energia e Minas, Fiequimetal), on 18 May 2007, marked the culmination of a trade union restructuring process that started a decade ago. One of first steps in this process was the merger, in 1999, between the Federation of Metalworking and Mining Unions and the Federation of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Workers into a single federation – that is, the Federation of Chemical and Metalworkers’ Unions (Fequimetal).

The current Fiequimetal federation resulted from the subsequent merger between the aforementioned Fequimetal and the Federation of Electric Industries (FSTIEP). Fiequimetal is at present the largest trade union organisation in industry, encompassing 13 individual trade unions. According to Fiequimetal data, the federation comprises about 50,000 members, 400 trade union officials and around 1,400 workplace trade union representatives (delegados sindicais), and its unions are active in more than 600 companies.

This process of trade union restructuring represents one of the most important initiatives of this kind to be carried out within the General Confederation of Portuguese Workers (Confederação Geral dos Trabalhadores Portugueses, CGTP). The move aims to ensure maximum effectiveness in responding to new problems and challenges, following the changes in industry, in manufacturing in particular, and employment structure in these sectors.

Meeting of delegates

On 12 November 2009, Fiequimetal organised a national meeting, bringing together some 200 union delegates, representing the federation’s 13 affiliated trade unions. The trade union federation organised the national meeting in an effort to continue the work that its trade unions have been carrying out since Fiequimetal’s first congress two years ago.

The meeting agenda included the following objectives:

• assessing the current state of the organisation and trade union officials, and analysing organisational measures to be taken to address the change in employment conditions;

• defining the goals to be reached through the organisational restructuring process in the sectors covered by Fiequimetal (metallurgy, chemical, pharmaceutical, electrical industries, energy and mining), as well as setting the deadline for achieving adjustments at the regional and sectoral levels;

• discussing a plan for the training of trade union officials;

• discussing measures to boost trade union action and strengthen the organisation in the workplace.

Plans for future restructuring

At the meeting, CGTP General Secretary Manuel Carvalho da Silva approved a mandate given by the participants to the Fiequimetal board to take action enabling the restructuring and merging of the federation’s 13 existing unions. The plan envisages the creation of only four large cross-sectoral trade unions of industry and energy, with regional scope in the north, centre-north, centre-south and south of Portugal.

Under the plan, each of the new trade unions must have a substantial number of members and adequate number of trade union officials and logistic means, along with a decentralised structure and solid financial position. Furthermore, they need governing cohesive bodies and operational mechanisms to facilitate the participation of trade union officials and workers, taking into account the specificities and cultures associated with the different sectors. The aim is to ensure that trade unions of reasonable size, in terms of the number of members, must have trade union officials and financial and logistical means to enable each organisation to develop and be able to respond to problems arising at the workplace. It is planned that Fiequimetal’s 13 trade unions will be able to make decisions in the future regarding the implementation of the approved resolution.

Maria da Paz Campos Lima, Dinâmia