April 24, 2003
Introduction to the International Side of CLCR
Over the last five years, the Center for Labor and Community Research (CLCR)
has become actively involved in international discussions and exchange with
other labor unions, community development organizations, the sustainable development
community, and others around the general issue of developing a practical economic
development alternative to the current destructive approach referred to as "globalization",
"neo-liberalism", the "Washington Consensus", etc. Following
is a more detailed description of our development process in this area of work
and our current initiatives and interests.
Background of our international work
CLCR was formed by leaders who were active in the day-to-day work of building
an effective labor/community movement on a local level that was deeply anchored
in an international perspective. Our perspectives had been profoundly shaped
by 1960s opposition to international domination, particularly of the developing
world by the developed world; by the emergence of movements for independence
and self-determination in the developing world; and out of a deep commitment
to international solidarity particularly between North and South, in eradicating
poverty.
In our first 10-15 years, we focused on establishing the local and domestic
track record of our organization as an effective provider of strategic perspectives,
research, analysis, technical assistance and organizing assistance in local
industrial retention efforts. We worked in hundreds of local projects at specific
communities and companies to determine whether or not we actually could reverse
the crisis in manufacturing in American cities and communities in a way that
was consistent with the interests and capacities of labor and community organizations.
In these efforts, we succeeded in saving jobs and companies, retaining and improving
wages and benefits, providing training, building coalitions and organizing,
and shaping public policy.
Confident that we could prevent the dramatic loss of assets in industrial communities
as well as increase the level of local ownership of companies including employee
ownership, we increased our study of international models of new approaches
to economic and community development. This search took us to Canada, England,
the Basque Region of Spain and the cooperative complex in Mondragon, Northern
Italy, India, China, Social Democratic Europe, Brazil, South Africa, and elsewhere.
We found models that had some form of application in our own communities. This
combination of increasing local effectiveness combined with an emerging positive
model for community development that was heavily shaped by international experience,
gave CLCR a distinctive character and mission reflected in our "manifesto,"
Building the Bridge to the High Road.
Establishing Contact with the International Community: With our own
vision and commitments we took advantage of opportunities to test and refine
our ideas in exchange with colleagues in the international community.
- In 1995-96, we took several trips to Quebec and Ontario and discussed our
Early Warning approach with key labor organizations and community development
corporations leading to Early Warning initiatives by the Toronto Labor Council;
the Federation des Travailleur et Travailleuse de Quebec (FTQ) and the Regroupement
pour la relance economique et sociale du sud-ouest de Montreal (RESO), the
largest development corporation in Montreal.
- In 1998, CLCR’s Executive Director visited South Africa, Mozambique, and
Zimbabwe as part of a Chicago delegation, led by CLCR Board member, Prexy
Nesbitt. We had the opportunity to meet with the South African labor movement
including the Confederation of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), as well
as research centers, and the Editorial Board of the South Africa Labour
Bulletin (SALB) an influential journal in SA. As a result of the meetings,
SALB published an article on our Early Warning approach.
- As a member of the Cooperative Charitable Trust Forum (CCTF) delegation,
CLCR’s Executive Director spent a week in Mondragon Spain to study the internationally
known cooperative complex employing 60,000 people. Swinney will participate
in a similar week-long study tour in the Emilia Romagna Region of Italy to
study their cooperatives and development strategy this coming July.
- In the fall of 2000, at the request of the AFL-CIO’s American Center for
International Labor Solidarity and with a grant from the Joyce Foundation,
CLCR’s Executive Director spent three weeks in Brazil, meeting principally
with members of the leading labor federation, the CUT, various NGOs, and the
Workers Party (PT) in Rio and the ABC industrial region near Sao Paulo. We
also investigated the current status of Brazilian ethanol industry, a particular
interest of the Joyce Foundation. In the winter of 2001, we provided consulting
assistance on labor initiatives in economic and community development to the
Venezuelan Labor Federation (CTV) on behalf of the Solidarity Center.
- While in Brazil, Swinney was invited to present CLCR’s development strategy
at the 2nd Congress of the Work and Labour Network in Rio de Janiero.
This is a network that was initiated by the Institute for Labor in Bologna,
Italy and by the European Institute for Trade Unions, Unitrablho a Brazilian
network of Universities that work with labor, and others and has members from
25-30 countries. CLCR is now active in this Network. We presented our Early
Warning approach at its 3rd Congress in Osnabruck Germany in May
2002, and will participate in the 4th Congress in Durban, South
Africa in February 2004. For more information on the network, visit its web
site at: <http://www.ipielle.emr.it/rldwl/index.html>
- In May 2001, with support from the German Marshall Fund, CLCR took a delegation
for a ten-day visit to Germany and Denmark to study their systems for workforce
education and development. Our delegation included the President of the Chicago
Federation of Labor, the Executive Director of the Chicago Workforce Investment
Board, the Vice President of the Chicago Chamber of Commerce, the Vice Chancellor
of City Colleges of Chicago, the Executive Director of the Chicago Manufacturing
Institute, and a few others. The trip gave us an excellent introduction to
"best practice" in workforce development that was reflected in our
study funded by the US Department of Labor, Creating a Manufacturing Career
Path System in Cook County and consolidated the working unity of the delegation
in a way that was productive and influential in Chicago policy circles.
- In December, 2002, Swinney was asked to participate in the international
steering committee meeting of the Intercontinental Network of Promotion of
the Independent Social Economy (RIPESS) in Dakar, Senegal. This network had
earlier conferences of NGOs, academics, unions, and others in Lima Peru in
1998 and in Montreal in 2001, and is preparing for a major conference on the
social/solidarity economy in Dakar in November 2005. RIPESS has representatives
in 30-35 countries involved in its activities. Swinney is now a member of
the RIPESS steering committee.
In the course of these various trips we discovered two important things:
- There was genuine interest in CLCR’s perspectives and experience, and a
great deal for us to learn from in the exchanges with our international colleagues;
and
- We found common characteristics in some key features of society and the
economy, particularly in urban industrial areas, in both developing as well
as developed countries. Large sections of Sao Paulo, Johannesburg, Durban,
and Dortmund were very similar to large sections of Chicago. There were mature
industries. Low Road as well as High Road business strategies were in play.
Often the names and owners of the companies were the same. Most companies
are very small and succession is a common problem and opportunity. Unions
had similar controversies and debates, and had difficulty working with community
organizations as well as business owners. We gained confidence that approaches
we have developed in our country could be applied and replicated, in large
part, in other countries in both the developed as well as developing world;
as we have found approaches created in developing countries could be applied
in American communities.
CLCR Staff and Board Development in International Issues: Our staff
benefits from the international perspectives of two of our senior members. Mike
Jin, our Research Director and CFO is from the People’s Republic of China, and
the Director of the Candy Institute/Food Chicago is Friederika Kaider, from
Australia. Over the last 2-3 years, CLCR has expanded its Board of Directors,
in part, to increase the level of international experience in the organization.
Our Board now includes:
- Nancy Neamtan: Nancy is the President of the Working Group for the Social
Economy in Quebec and lives in Montreal. Nancy is also a leader in the Intercontinental
Network for the Promotion of the Social/Solidarity Economy;
- Prexy Nesbitt: Prexy is a veteran leader in promoting understanding of and
solidarity with the people of Africa.
- Tessa Hebb: Tessa is a long-time researcher/leader/policy analyst and active
in the New Democratic Party. She is now completing her Phd. at Oxford University
in England on labor’s capital strategies. Tessa lives in Ottawa, Ontario;
- Clark Arrington: Clark, until recently, was the Chair of the Board of Directors
at Equal Exchange a fair trade coffee company in Canton, MA. He is working
for the Africa Development Fund in Tanzania; and
- John Simmons: John lives in Chicago and directs a consulting firm, Participation
Associates that helps firms in creating participatory management structures
and establishing employee ownership. John does extensive work in Russia as
well as in the US.
For additional information contact:
Dan Swinney
Center for Labor and Community Research
3411 W. Diversey
Chicago, IL 60647
773 278 5418, ext. 13