Unions accuse DHL of labour violations worldwide

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GENEVA: Two international unions on Wednesday accused German postal giant Deutsche Post's DHL division of blocking unionisation efforts around the world, and moved to force Berlin to take action.

International postal workers union UNI Global Union and the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) said they had filed a formal complaint directly with the German government, a major shareholder with Deutsche Post.

In it, they argued that the world's largest logistics company was violating global guidelines for multinational corporations.

"We allege in our case that across the world ... DHL wants to remain non-union and is taking steps to ensure that happens," UNI deputy chief Christy Hoffman told AFP.

They also argue that the company is not doing the required due diligence to ensure its affiliates around the world are respecting workers' rights to join unions.

"It's clear that there is no message coming from DHL telling managers they have to get serious about labour rights, and that's what we want to see," she said.

Hoffman maintained that both UNI and ITF affiliates in countries -- from Guatamala, to Vietnam to Turkey, to South Africa, to the United States and even Norway -- had run into "hostilities" from DHL when employees tried to unionise.

In Turkey, for instance, more than 20 workers were recently fired in what the unions claimed was retaliation for trying to unionize, said Hoffman.

Other employees there and elsewhere had been threatened and harassed when they tried to organise, she added.

As a result, far more DHL employees backed off from making the effort to unionize "because they've been told it's just not allowed," Hoffman said.

Since Germany is a signatory to the international guidelines set up by the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the government had an obligation to ensure DHL follows the OECD guidelines, she said.

While they were not seeking punitive action against DHL, they wanted Berlin to pressure the company to adhere to OECD rules -- and for DHL to pass that message on to its managers around the world.

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THE CASE AGAINST DEUTSCHE POST – DHL: ALLEGATIONS OF LABOUR VIOLATIONS

November 2012: UNI Global Union (UNI) and the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) today brought a case to the German government alleging that Deutsche Post DHL (DP-DHL) has committed a series of labour violations outside of Germany which breach the OECD Guidelines on Multinational Enterprises. These are agreed by 42 countries and enforced by national governments.

UNI Global Union Deputy General Secretary, Christy Hoffman said, “DP-DHL is the largest logistics company in the world. DP-DHL is breaching the global standards for multinational corporations to conduct responsible business. As Germany is one of its major shareholders, we, along with our partner, the ITF, are asking the German government to step up to its responsibility to take action. We are bringing this case to ensure that DP-DHL adheres to the OECD guidelines and its global workforce is treated with respect and dignity.”

UNI and ITF’s concerns have been documented over a litany of labour violations. However, DP-DHL has not given any concrete answers or assurances.

In Turkey DP-DHL has run a sustained and coordinated strategy to limit workers’ freedom of association, including the firing of a group of workers during an organising campaign, under the pretext of “poor performance” and other vague notions of company policy. The Turkish Labour Court has heard eight of the cases of dismissal so far and in all eight cases the company’s reasons for the dismissals were ruled invalid.

“DP-DHL Chief Executive Frank Appel went on record recently as saying that the circumstances around the firing of more than 20 workers in Turkey are being investigated. We have seen no evidence of this investigation on the ground. This is the latest in a catalogue of DP-DHL’s failures to control its global operations. We are still open to meaningful discussions with the company but we expect them to take these allegations seriously and act promptly,” said Ingo Marowsky, Organising Globally Coordinator, ITF.

The case alleges that DP-DHL has adopted a deliberate strategy to limit unionisation in many countries including Turkey, Indonesia, Malawi, Vietnam, Colombia, Guatemala, Hong Kong and the USA. A commitment to human rights is central to the OECD Guidelines on Multinational Enterprises as is clear standards of conduct for industrial relations, including a respect for the right of workers to establish or join trade unions and the right to collective bargaining.

The General Secretary of the International Trade Union Federation (ITUC), Sharan Burrow said, “We want to see DP-DHL meet global labour standards. The evidence put forward in these allegations seems to point to an unacceptable shortfall across DP-DHL’s network.”

UNI and ITF examined corporate documents and investigative reports and have conducted extensive interviews to uncover the truth about the company’s working conditions and management practices.

UNI and ITF want a negotiated settlement with DP-DHL that will address these serious violations of the OECD Guidelines taking place throughout its operations. DP-DHL must markedly improve its due diligence monitoring and response and ensure its global workforce has the right to organise and the right to decent work free from intimidation.

Notes to the Editor The OECD Guidelines on Multinational Enterprises is a series of global standards “addressed by governments to multinational enterprises operating in or from adhering countries” (which includes both Germany and Turkey). A commitment to human rights is central to the Guidelines as is clear standards of conduct for industrial relations, including a respect for the right of workers to establish or join trade unions and the right to collective bargaining.