DEMONSTRATIONS (VIRTUAL):

IBM- FROM VIRTUAL STRIKE TO VIRTUAL DEMONSTRATION:

After the (actual) success of last fall's "virtual picket line" in support of Italian IBM workers the employees involved have decided to extend the range of their activities at IBM's site on the virtual world 'Second Life'. this time they are protesting the IBM practice of outsourcing, cheap and easy way to drive down wages via increased job insecurity. See later for the statement of what the protest is all about. There is a training session tonight at http://www.union-network.org/uniwebmasters.nsf/sl?openpage for those new to the whole concept of the Second Life world. The actual demonstration at the site occurs tomorrow night. Here's what it's all about. For more information go to http://ibmslprotest.blogspot.com .

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27/03/2008 IBM GLOBAL DEMONSTRATION
AGAINST GLOBAL JOBS OUTSOURCING
Global decisions from companies need Global action and response from employees. We saw that with the virtual strike and now we can do it with a virtual demonstration. The national unions, works councils and IWIS (IBM Workers International Solidarity) global network are organizing a global virtual demonstration against the outsourcing contract.

IBM is misusing outsourcing contracts to reduce the workforce in a cheap way. In this kind of contract, IBM is selling not only services and machines but also people. We can see that recently in the IBM NSD to AT&T contract and Printing Systems/ PSD maintenance to RICOH as well as other outsourcing deals.

IBM employees from Network Service Delivery are against forced outsourcing to AT&T and request negotiations right now!

AT&T market-share and competition in the European market and the past experience with this Telco provider leads to the conclusion that there is a high risk of job loss for the IBM jobs that will be transferred.

Therefore we, the International Unions at IBM, ask with 'One Global Voice' for IBM management to open negotiations immediately in countries and offer employees 'in scope' other options: voluntary-based transfers, guarantee of employment in the new company with a return ticket to IBM in case of failure within contract duration (5 years). Other options could be envisioned.

Different actions have taken place in different countries, demonstration, strikes, petitions online (535+ signatures collected), etc… over the past months. All of them are showing the large concern of the employees and their frustration and anger.

All unions clearly request IBM management to review this decision and to adjust it, taking into account respect for the employees as a person and recognize the need for job security on.
We are against forced jobs outsourcing to AT&T, RICOH, and future ones, and officially request win-win negotiations about job transfer terms and conditions, in the different countries, urgently!
On March 26, 2008 - IWIS (IBM Workers International Solidarity)

ITALY AND SECOND LIFE:

REAL VICTORY FOR VIRTUAL STRIKE:

The workers of IBM Italy have won a great victory following the "virtual strike" at IBM's presence on the cyberworld 'Second Life' last September 27th. (see previous articles here at Molly's Blog). The following is the statement from the people who coordinated the action at Second Life. It has been edited slightly for grammar. From http://www.uniglobalunion.org/SecondLife :

"One month after a virtual protest staged in Second Life with almost 2,000 avatars demonstrating on the IBM islands a new contract with IBM Italy has been signed.

The new agreement, which still needs to be approved by the IBM Italy workforce, reinstates the performance bonus that was cut unilaterally by IBM management.

The agreement signed by IBM Italy and the trade union Rappresentanze Sindacali Unitarie (RSU) not only includes the performance bonuses from 2007 up until 2010 but also payments by IBM into a national health insurance fund. It also states that negotiations will continue with respect to IBM industrial and business strategies in Italy and the improvement of internal communication policies.

The situation abruptly improved and negotiations after the former country manager left IBM in the middle of October. He was responsible for the pay cuts in the first place. His departure cleared the air and facilitated constructive negotiations between social partners as could be expected from the professional management of a high-tech company.

The virtual demonstration organized on September 27 for a whole day certainly had an impact on this positive development. Almost 2,000 virtual protesters from 30 countries populated the IBM presence in Second Life and solicited an unprecedented media echo from all over the world, including TV and radio stations, daily newspapers, computer and business magazines. The virtual protest had been supported by global unions such as the International and European Metalworkers Federations (IMF and EMF) and UniGlobal Union.

The threat of strike action in the real world by the Italian unions after the virtual protest also certainly helped to break the deadlock. yet the impact of this historic action in second Life must not be underestimated."

ITALY/INTERNET

VIRTUAL STRIKE VERSION 2.0:

The initial actions at the Second Life site of a "virtual strike" against IBM, and their attempts to roll back compensation for their Italian employees were a success. Close to 1,900 people from over 30 different countries took part on the virtual picket line at IBM's presence on Second Life. Yet IBM remains intransigent. They refuse to return to the negotiating table. So it's time to ramp up the action. Supporters of the Italian workers are asking your opinion on what should be done. They will be gathering ideas until October 15th, and you can make your suggestion as to what the next stage should be at http://www.unionglobal.org/secondlife . If you haven't signed the online petition asking IBM's management to be reasonable sign up now at http://www.union-network.org/unlindep.nsf/ProtestIBMSL-en?openforum

IBM:

VIRTUAL STRIKE AT IBM SECOND LIFE A SUCCESS:

As of tonight, September 28th, the news is that the "virtual strike" at IBM's presence in the Second Life cyberworld was a huge success. The photographs above are from the strike blog at http://ibmslprotest.blogspot.com . This site contains further news of the protest to which IBM has yet to respond officially. At press time 1,853 people and their avatars from across the world had taken part. The strike blog has a number of photos from both the real world and the Second Life site. Well worth looking at.

Many people were apparently unable to sign up for the protest due to technical reasons. For those there is an online petition in support of the Italian workers. See http://www.union-network.org/uniwebmasters.nsf/slibm?openforum . Go there to drop a little line of solidarity with the Italian workers.

SECOND LIFE:

VIRTUAL STRIKE AGAINST IBM IN SECOND LIFE BEGINS TOMORROW:

The" virtual strike" called by employees of IBM in Italy is on for tomorrow.

After a flurry of media attention the first "strike in Second Life" will be held tomorrow. For more information on the protest go to http://www.uniglobalunion.org/secondlife . If you haven't signed up your avatar already this website will give you instructions on how to do it. The protest/demonstration/strike will take place over the course of 12 hours and has the support of IBM employees in over 18 countries. Sounds like a wild time. See past articles on this event here on Molly's Blog. Hundreds of supporters of the Italian IBM workers have already signed up for the event. Sounds like a hot time.

STILL MORE ON THE VIRTUAL STRIKE AGAINST IBM:

It seems to be a day of "mores" here at Molly's Blog. As previously reported on this blog (see 'The World's First Virtual Strike', August 28 and 'More on the Virtual Strike Against IBM-Italia', September 8) the workers employed at IBM in Italy plan to conduct the first "online strike" at the company's virtual presence on the cyberworld 'Second Life'. So far over 500 people have signed up their avatars for participation. They come from across the globe from more than 18 countries. The strike is now set for September 25th to 30th. It was going to be held this week, but the high level of interest as well as the need for more planning to involve other Second Life groups necessitated a delay. Also a large national meeting for the workers in IBM-Italia will be held on September 24th to make official declarations. The news of the strike has spread across the world, and coverage has been given in both TV radio and print across Europe, Asia and Canada.

To learn more and participate go to http://www.uniglobalunion.org/SecondLife