In response to the Indian unions’ concerns, the global ITF/UNI network of DP-DHL unions held its annual conference in the city from 15-17 November, bringing together delegates from Asia/Pacific, Central and Latin America, Africa, North America, Australia and Europe.
At a rank-and-file meeting in the union hall, delegates heard accounts from over 250 couriers and union members of victimisation of trade union activists and a national management which breaks the company's own code of conduct and infringes OECD guidelines for global multinational companies. They were also told that hundreds of Indian pick-up and delivery workers are labelled as fake managers and thus deprived of their right to collectively bargain through their unions of choice.
The conference decided to confront management and handed over a resolution which called on DHL India management to immediately cease intimidation and harassment against activists and union officials, suspend all punitive actions, return all forcibly transferred trade unionists back to their home depot, abolish the fake managerial grading system and grant all staff the right to organise and collectively bargain.
The international unionists and workers from DHL across India protested in support of their demands outside the meeting of their delegation with DHL India management on 17 November.
Ingo Marowsky, ITF global head – supply chain and logistics, said: “The energy in the hall – wow! All the delegates were proud to demonstrate their solidarity with the workers from DHL India. This was a powerful event and a clear set of demands for DHL India was delivered. It was great to do this in co-operation with UNI.
“We urge the company to abide by its own and international standards and to establish respectful industrial relations with the Indian trade unions. The international union family has issued a clear warning that we will be closely monitoring developments and will act to support our Indian colleagues if called upon. We are also committed to further develop trade union activism in India.”
Acts of solidarity elsewhere included the DHL union in Bahrain handing a protest letter to the Indian embassy there.
