ILPC 2026

 Globalization of production processes had had twofold consequence over working class making: on one side, the productive processes has been divided among different locations, which resulted in cooperation and competition relations linking distant groups of workers. On the other side, the reshaping of labor division spurred cycles of investment and disinvestment which deeply transform local communities and territories. The new basis for global production and the multiple forms of labor subsumption, have been extensively discussed in global value chains literature as much as in some ethnographic researches.

In a sort of parallel research field, global solidarity of subordinated groups has been discussed, pointing to the importance of performing new forms of international actions and protests. Some of the insights tend to discuss a broader social movement agenda, mainly linked to contesting neoliberalism and the social values related to it. Antiglobalization movements are the privileged stages for these discussions.

At the same time, unions have assessed international solidarity as a revitalization strategy to strengthen their position to confront multinational companies. As Herod (1995) described, after the URSS collapse, geopolitical cleavages were useless for the organization of labor movement international action. Along with the unfolding of globalization and neoliberal hegemony, socioeconomic issues (such as wages differences, outsourcing, subcontracting, international collective bargaining, health and safety policies) were rising as key programmatic topics in international labor movement – as much as causes of rank and file unrest. 

In this way, unions have shaped new organizational devices, such as international networks and committees; organized international campaigns through which they perform the global as a concrete scale of action. According to their political traditions and orientations, some unions are part of antiglobalization movements mainly those confronting privatizations and free trade agreements. The pursuing of international labor campaigns and organization, involves the articulation with NGO and social movements performing particular features for union action.

Taking account of these insights and of the experience of labor activists and leaders, the symposium aims to set the question about current challenges for working class internationalism, based in the discussion of three topics or questions:

1-      Is the “global” or “international” action necessary for unions and/or social movements power accumulation?

2-      Which are the main challenges for the articulation of international action on part of unions and/or social movements? Which are the main limitations?

3-      How does the “global” (or “international”) action engage with the “local” militancy of unions and/or social organizations? How do the “local” and “international” scales engage each other?

Jorge Garcia-Orgales - International coordinator of Tenaris-Ternium Workers World Council - USW. Canada

Katiuscia Galhera - UNICAMP

Daniel Ximenez – TEL Buenos Aires

Propuesta de Fundación ROSA LUXEMBURGO)

            Julia Soul – CEIL CONICET – TEL