Public Services International Research Unit

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FOCUS To understand some typical multinational strategies To consider their implications for trade unions To use company strategies to identify campaigning and bargaining opportunities TASKS: Look at the statements by the multinationals of their strategies. Which sectors and countries are they targeting? What are their investment objectives - which sectors are priorities? What are their profitability targets? Consider how their range of sectors affects your organising strategy What are the weak points in their strategies that you could use to campaign against their entry? What aspects of their strategies could you exploit to gain better protection or conditions for your members? RESOURCES: Multinational strategies Hungary: energy privatisation   TIME 2 hours Notes for tutors This discussion should bring out some key features; eg companies' aiming at higher rates of return on capital are likely to be rationalising their activities and reducing costs - including labour costs; diversifying into sectors that require heavy investment eg telecomms may mean that other sectors lose resources. If a company's strategy prioritises a different countries and sectors from yours, then that could be a weak point to campaign around. On the plus side, a growing company should be able to offer better training and careers opportunities; a profitable company should be able to afford to reduce hours and create jobs, or to improve conditions.