Respect for the individual.

Reports from the countries show that IBM is not adhering to the letter and to the spirit of its own basic belief.

We are concerned about the increasing initiatives IBM takes to have laws, rules and habits changed in the different countries, more often to the disadvantage of its workers.

Representatives of IBM plant workers have met within the conference and are concerned with the closing of plants such as : Hannover (Germany), Amsterdam (Netherlands), Boigny (France), Greensville, Boca-Raton, Dallas, Tucson, Boulder and Charlotte (USA) . Parallel to this decrease in personnel, IBM increasingly uses overtime, abnormal shift work, temporary workers and subcontracting to ensure continuing production and maximum flexibility. Transfer of administrative and technical employees to manufacturing has resulted in the devalueing of jobs. We are also concerned about, the massive use of chemicals such as Freon (CFC's) in the work place and its effect on us inside, the plant and in our communities.

IBM should stop blackmailing workers and their organizations of different countries against each other just in order to minimize its costs. For example when Workers in Sindelfingen (Germany) tried to refuse Sunday overtime, IBM threatened to transfer the whole production process to Essonnes (France).

In some countries not even; the cost of living increase is compensated for. We require that this should be done as a minimum. Further increases should reflect the health of the Company. Restructuring, and redeployment must not: lead to a waste of skill, demotivation nor have a negative Impact on careers.

IBM must account for the increase in productivity by reducing working time and overtime. Productivity improvements should lead to less workloads. On the contrary in IBM, many workers face greater workloads. Overtime and greater workloads should not be allowed for missing headcounts. Where overtime is required, it should be fully paid and/or compensated both for non exempt and exempt workers. Pressures on workers not to declare overtime must immediately stop.

This policy is constantly, degradating and the experience the workers suffered in IBM USA showed it clearly. If IBM follows the full employment policy, it wouldn't make large use of all new forms of temporary contracts.

We are seriously worried that subcontracting has increased dramatically and taken many different forms : we state that this is a threat not only for IBM workers and subcontract workers, who are generally less protected, but it is also a huge loss of competence for IBM itself.

IWIS strongly opposes IBM attempts to prevent workers organizing, as has been the case in the Republic of Korea where after a long and tough struggle the Union had to be recognized by IBM. IWIS also opposes IBM discrimination towards active unionists on salary and careers, even using disciplanairy measures and court actions.

IBM must stop selling its products in South Africa, as many companies have already done, so ending its support to the apartheid regime.

We also decided to organize in all countries specific initiatives in order to obtain complete transparency for all workers of the IBM classification, careers and salary system.