An action plan to end the global crisis in the telecoms industry that has cost a million jobs was today (October 9) unveiled by trade unions in Europe, Mexico and the United States.
Initiatives to promote high speed Internet access and tough curbs to end corporate corruption are among measures urged in a campaign being coordinated by Union Network International (UNI). Telecom employers are being invited to join with the unions in lobbying governments and regulators for a kick-start for the industry and a level playing field for all telecom operators to roll out the new technology. The unions plan a global postcard campaign ("High Speed Recovery") to press authorities to promote telecom services that benefit all citizens. The action plan was unveiled at a transatlantic press conference, held simultaneously by video link in London, Mexico and Washington.
"We need action to stimulate investment, better behaviour at the top of our companies and the quality service that comes with quality jobs," said Bo Larsen, President of the Danish telecoms union TKF who leads European unions in dialogue with telecom employers. Unions meet European telecom employers on November 4 and will urge them to join the initiative. "The meltdown in telecoms has been seen as a financial story - but two million trade union members in this industry around the world have a story too," said Larry Cohen, UNI Telecom World President and Executive Vice-President of the Communication Workers of America. "We have a vision of a productive communications sector serving our communities. We need to get away from financial speculation and toward productive investment in new technologies and universal service."
This is a global issue with Australian communications union CEPU, for example, currently campaigning for rural services.
UK unions see a modern, high-speed communications network as a way of empowering rural as well as urban citizens, regenerating local communities and boosting economic growth. "To help get the world's stalling economy back into gear we need a revived telecoms industry," said Jeannie Drake, Deputy General Secretary of the Communication Workers Union of the UK. "But it mustn't be the boom and bust of the last few years. We need orderly investment and government intervention to ensure that citizens, employees, smaller companies and smaller countries don't get left behind by new generation communication technology." "Governments could plough back some of the billions they made through 3G licences to encourage the switch to broadband and stimulate wireless developments," said Simon Petch, General Secretary of Connect, UK.
