The project, launched in 2004 after a pilot program in 2003, aimed to organise more women workers and increase their role in the SPMI.

Commenting on the project in his latest opinion column, IMF general secretary Marcello Malentacchi writes, “Indonesian affiliate SPMI has demonstrated that when it comes to changing its structures and culture to improve representation of women, it can be done.”

Despite rapid turnover of women workers due to widespread precarious employment conditions, SPMI managed to increase the number of women members from 29,780 in 2003 to 42,272 in 2006 by organising new plants and enlisting others into the union.

SPMI also focused on changing its union structures to enable increased participation of women. At its Congress in December 2006, SPMI adopted rule changes for a minimum of 30 per cent representation of women at all levels and elected women onto its National Board for the first time. The number of women leaders at the branch level also increased from 18 per cent in 2003 (8 out of 43) to 25 per cent in 2006 (27 out of 108). In addition, SPMI established a Women’s Directorate to cater for the needs of women members.

“Incorporating more women into union structures is essential if unions are to be able to present themselves as organisations worth joining to a female workforce,” writes Malentacchi.

“This International Women’s Day, I put the challenge to all IMF unions to look critically at their structures and organising methods and identify the changes that must be made to give a voice to women workers.”

This IMF project was funded by the Swedish trade union centre LO-TCO and supported by IMF affiliates Sif and IF Metall.

A full copy of Marcello Malentacchi’s opinion on International Women’s Day (in English) can be reached at this link: http://www.imfmetal.org/main/index.cfm?n=225&l;=2&c;=15600