The tyre and rubber sector is one of the most oligopolistic industries in ICEM jurisdic-tion. The 3 largest tyre producers have together a market share of 53 %.

With our global report concerning the situation in the various sectors of the rubber industry, we would like to give all our member organizations an overlook into the eco-nomic position, possible developments in the different markets and their effects on the working community and therefore on the life of employees and their trade unions.

In doing this there have already been some obvious major developments. The ob-served tendency in all sectors of the industry is to shift production to so-called "cheap wage countries" but this is masked by the strongly increasing demand for rubber products, especially tyres, triggered by the expected boom from China which started in the mid nineties.

Rubber companies supplying the car industry, within the framework of the "just in time" principle, are frequently found in the direct vicinity of car companies. However, meeting punctual delivery times for the various and very flexible quantity demands are often unrealizable. Exactly in this segment of the rubber industry it can be seen that within companies there is an ever increasing combination of rubber components with metal parts and the most sensitive electronics as well as textiles and fabrics.

Owing to this fact, the interfaces between individual branches of these related indus-tries are becoming more fluid. In many countries and regions, trade unions are organ-ized according to branches; therefore with the clarity of industrial boundaries becom-ing increasingly less lucid, representative coordination for employee rights between individual trade unions is more necessary than ever before, both nationally and inter-nationally.

This report also deals with the price development of raw materials which have strongly increased since 2005 with no end in sight.

In addition to this, the on-site daily work demands on trade unions are also covered in detail in the report. Wage negotiations, strikes or plant closures are already a well known aspect; however the dispute concerning the use of contract and agency labour is becoming more urgent. Experiences in the past have shown that in areas where committed worker representatives have tried to organize this new employee group, they have been pressurized by the employers with a severity previously unknown.

Using individual examples, the report gives examples where company managements have closed plants claiming that the profits were not high enough, some of the em-ployees continue management on their own and are able to thoroughly guarantee long-term employment.

As far as that goes, the report gives encouragement and ideas for the trade union's frontline struggle.