"Now the time has come to be looking at 'life beyond codes', looking at how to build mature systems of industrial relations where managers and workers become the monitors, the verifiers and the remediation agents".
“The objectives of the trade union movement should be to make codes and social auditing redundant. This means working to reduce the 10,000 codes that exist today to a single code which encompasses the key conventions of the ILO, including freedom of association, the right to collective bargaining, as well as the payment of a living wage and reasonable working hours. It also means opposing any initiative to establish new codes of conduct".
“And it means working to clean up social auditing. Audits themselves do not fix the problems. Nor is this a role for NGOs or code management bodies. Indeed, interference by these players in industrial relations could hinder workplace improvement in the long term. Only pressure from workers through their trade unions can effectively ensure that problems are uncovered and remedied".
“Action must now be geared towards building mature systems of industrial relations. Given the global nature of the industry, this requires globalised industrial relations throughout the supply chain".
“In practical terms, this means Global Trade Unions negotiating international framework agreements with global companies, manufacturers, brands and retailers which facilitate organising and collective bargaining at the national and plant level".
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