PLANNING TO ORGANISE Industry Research 0 INDUSTRY RESEARCH

PLANNING TO ORGANISE • Industry Research 0 INDUSTRY RESEARCH

INDUSTRY RESEARCH 2

Who is the employer or decision maker? The entity who can make a difference in working conditions. • Usually it will be the direct employer. • Sometimes it will be a government entity. • Sometimes the company which hires the direct employer (or sub-contractor) is the one which decides the working conditions and/or wages. INDUSTRY RESEARCH 3

What do we know about the employer or decision-maker? • Who controls the decisions? • Where does the most profit come from? INDUSTRY RESEARCH 4

What are the employer’s key relationships? • Draw a circle with the word “employer” or “decision-maker” in the middle. • Draw spokes coming out from the circle to identify all of the other entities with which the employer has relationships. • We are looking for specific types of entities, people or organisations that are important to the employer. • Once we have gathered this information, we will have a better idea of how we might put pressure on the employer. INDUSTRY RESEARCH 5

INDUSTRY RESEARCH 6

ACTIVITY: Employer relationships Aim: To gather and record the information we have about the employer’s or decision maker’s key relationships. Tasks: Select a facilitator and timekeeper. Share information you have about the employer’s or decisionmaker’s relationships. Be as specific as possible. Discuss which relationships are the most significant to the employer or decision maker. This is often based on current profit and future profit or, if you have an elected decision-maker, current votes and future votes. Discuss whether you might want to form a research committee to gather information. Prepare to share your ideas with the large group INDUSTRY RESEARCH 7

ACTIVITY: What organisations or entities are important to the employer? Other employers in the same industry or market Parent and subsidiary companies Customers and service users Middle management Executives, owners, shareholders, directors Financial institutions Public and civil society Government and regulatory bodies Media Politicians Its workers and unions Suppliers, vendors and sub-contractors INDUSTRY RESEARCH 8

What do we know about the industry? • Who are the main competitors? • How does the employer fit into the global supply chain? Are there key hubs or transport operators that the employer is sensitive to? • How does the employer or decision-maker compare with others in the industry? INDUSTRY RESEARCH 9

The majority of transport workers in the world are informal workers • Informal workers are those without a formal or standard employment relationship. They might be called unprotected, precarious, short-term contract, sub-contracted or contract workers. • Informal work is an ever-growing part of the global economy. INDUSTRY RESEARCH 10

What type of informal workers are there? • Self-employed or “falsely self-employed” • Employer of others but not in control of their work or profits • Short-term contract worker • Contract or sub-contracted worker • No “job” but work INDUSTRY RESEARCH 11

Where might we find informal transport workers? Working as… • Seafarers • Sub-contracted dock workers • Taxi and bus drivers • Flight attendants in low-cost airlines with the majority of the wage as a commission • Aviation cargo handlers called “porters” and surviving on tips • Railway ticket collectors without fixed contracts or union membership • Short-term contract workers doing the same work as “normal” workers • Truck drivers INDUSTRY RESEARCH 12

In the past five years, how has the unorganised sector affected union members? INDUSTRY RESEARCH 13

In the next five years, how will the unorganised sector affect union members? INDUSTRY RESEARCH 14

ACTIVITY: Industry and employer research plan Aim: To develop a plan for completing additional research. Tasks: Select a facilitator and timekeeper. Review the industry-research chart. Discuss what research needs to be completed and who will gather it by when. Be specific. Prepare to share your ideas with the large group. INDUSTRY RESEARCH 15

ACTIVITY: Industry research chart What information do we need? Who will be responsible for gathering the information? When will they report and who to? INDUSTRY RESEARCH 16

Anything else to discuss regarding industry research? INDUSTRY RESEARCH 17