Return to tldapps Forum - Message Thread - FAQ

Username: pruett
Date/Time: Fri, October 20, 2000 at 4:59 PM GMT
Browser: Microsoft Internet Explorer V5.01 using Windows 98
Score: 5
Subject: Response

Message: 		 

 
                Dear Mr. Flint,

Thank you for taking the time to comment on the ".union" proposal.

We'd like to respond to the points raised in your comments. Firstly, we wanted to check that you had read thoroughly the proposal which is posted on the ICANN website (if not, it is located at http://www.icann.org/tlds/union1). You will have noted, if you have read it, that the ICFTU does not make this proposal alone, and that, in the decision to proceed, and in the drafting process, there was extensive consultation with national trade union centres, as well as a number of other international trade union organisations, most notably the Trade union Advisory Committe to the OECD (TUAC) and the 11 international trade secretariats (ITS). The  ICFTU/TUAC/ITS group represents the overwhelming majority of genuine trade unions in the world today.

1.The TLD is to be open to all bona-fide unions, regardless of whether they are members of any international organisation or not. This is laid out in the proposal, in the "Description of TLD policies".

2. The question of the democratic bona fide nature of trade unions affiliated to the ICFTU, TUAC or any of the international trade secretariats is already carefully considered by the governing bodies of these organisations. The intention of the proposed policies for the ".union" TLD is not to duplicate these constitutional procedures. It should also be noted that, as described in the proposal, it will be possible at any time to challenge an organisation's eligibility to make domain name registrations in the ".union" TLD.

3. It is true that members of the workers' group at the ILO have at times challenged the credentials of workers' representatives, but we don't condsider the work of the ILO credentials committee to be relevant to the processes described in this proposal. In addition, it should be noted that we foresee the majority of registrations in the TLD to come not from national trade union centres, but from other trade union organisations, such as trade unions based in specific sectors or companies.

4. Not only is there consensus within the ICFTU/TUAC/ITS group on what is a union - there is international law, which is relevant to this, in the content and jurisprudence of ILO Convention 87. We have taken care to ensure that the ".union" proposal is in line with this.

With regards,

Duncan Pruett
Information/IT Coordinator
ICFTU
     
 

Message Thread:

Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Cookies Policy