CZECH REPUBLIC:  Workers held a warning strike, August 20, at Siemens SKV plant in Prague, following the company’s announcement to close the facility. All employees of SKV Prague took part in the action which was organised by The Czech Metalworkers´ Federation (OS KOVO), an IMF affiliate, and started at 12:00 and continued until 14:00.

The announced closure follows Siemens AG’s earlier statement that it plans to cut 16,750 jobs, or about four per cent, of its workforce worldwide.

OS KOVO believes the offer presented by the Siemens management to the workers facing job losses are inadequate. The union is scheduled to meet with the company again on August 25 and has threatened to escalate its action if no progress is made in these talks.

In a show of international support, representatives from IG Metall, Germany and OZ KOVO Slovakia, and members of the European Metalworkers’ Federation’s (EMF) Siemens co-ordination group from FIOM-CGIL and CFE/CGC, France attended the strike.

CROATIA: After a year of negotiations, the Metal Workers’ Trade Union of Croatia concluded a collective agreement with ALSTOM HRVATSKA d.o.o. in July 2008.

The agreement sets the lowest contractual wage at Alstom at 4,050.00 kuna gross, which is about 560 EUR. It is agreed that wages will increase annually based on annual inflation and includes an extra wage increase depending on productivity in the previous year. In addition, workers will receive a one per cent annual wage increase for each year of service, which is applied as of April 1, 2008.

The agreement covers 678 workers from July 1, 2008 for an indefinite period. In accordance with Croatian law, the agreement also stipulates what the employer must pay to workers in non-taxable amounts, such as for example Christmas bonus, welfare payments, travel expenses, per diems and field allowance.

Alstom Hrvatska is part of the transnational Alstom Group and manufactures all types of turbine blades, stator and rotor blades for steam turbines and compressor blades for gas turbines.

ISRAEL/PALESTINE: The Israeli national trade union centre Histadrut and the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions (PGFTU) reached a landmark agreement in August to protect the rights of Palestinian workers employed by Israeli employers. The unions, both affiliated to the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), also agree to base future relations on negotiations, dialogue and joint initiatives to advance "fraternity and coexistence between the two peoples".

The key features of the agreement include the reimbursement by Histadrut to the PGFTU of the outstanding balance of union and legal representation fees paid since 1993 by Palestinians working for Israeli employers. In the future, at least 50% of the representation fees paid by Palestinians working for Israeli employers will be transferred to the PGFTU, to enable both organizations to provide representation, legal and other trade union services to the workers.

Implementation of the agreement, which was negotiated under the umbrella of the ITUC, will be overseen by a joint committee of the two organizations.

Marcello Malentacchi, general secretary of the International Metalworkers’ Federation welcomed the agreement stating, "lasting peace can only be based on justice and the protection of the rights of all workers is indispensible condition."

"The IMF remains committed to supporting collaboration between metalworkers in Israel and Palestine in the quest for equitable solutions to the dramatic situation affecting workers in your region," added Malentacchi.

CHINA: In the build up to the July 13, 2001 decision to grant Beijing the honour to host the 2008 Olympics, China pledged to improve its abysmal human and labour rights record. As the world turns its gaze to the Olympians gathered in China's magnificent capital, it is important to also direct attention to what improvements, if any, have been realized for labour rights activists in the last seven years.

In June 2007, China passed new labour law addressing the needs of contract workers. The legislation, which went into effect January 2008, stipulated that employment contracts must be put in writing within one month of employment and that employers are obligated to fully inform workers about their jobs, the working conditions and compensation. It also put a limit on the ability of employers to use temporary laborers. While many see this as very positive step, the full impact of the new law remains to be seen. China has many laws that protect the rights of workers on paper, however real legislative gains for workers will depend on the government's willingness to enforce such laws. 

In May 2006, Beijing extended use of a system of detention without trial called Re-education Through Labour. Implemented in the mid-1950s, people are sent to forced- labour camps, many of them political dissidents. Re-education can mean detention of up to four years usually under extreme conditions and often involving torture. The actual number of people in Re-education is unknown, however Amnesty International suspects hundreds of thousands.

While official numbers remain a state secret, reports indicate a drop in the number of executions since 2001. Still, China is the world leader in state executions. And while in March 2004, China amended its Constitution to include the clause: "the State respects and protects human rights", new prisoners of conscious have been given hefty prison sentences, a large number of them labour rights activists and workers attempting to form independent unions outside the official union body, the All China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU).

Known labour rights activists imprisoned since China's pledge to improve human rights includes:

Chen Yuping (jailed May 2008)
Former worker of the Jilin state-owned petroleum corporation was sentenced to re-education through labour for one and a half years for organising an independent trade union. More

Li Guohong (sent to Re-education November 2007)
Laid off worker representative from the China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation (Sinopec) was sent to Re-education camp for one and a half years for seeking adequate compensation for 10,000 laid-off workers. More

Zhou Yuanwu (jailed May 2007)
Former worker at Jingchu Brewery who led several protests to win unpaid pension and medical insurance for laid-off workers was sentenced to two and a half years in prison. More

Ding Xiulan and Liu Meifeng (jailed October 2004)
Ding and Liu, both workers at the Zhongheng Textile Factory led laid-off factory workers to stage protests demanding compensation following privatization of the former state-owned enterprise. Both Ding and Liu were arrested for "assembling to disturb social order". More

Ning Xianhua (jailed September 2004)
A construction worker sentenced to 12 years imprisonment for attempting to organise an independent trade union. More

Wang Sen (jailed 2002)
Metalworker from Dazhou Steel sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment for organizing a public demonstration demanding payment of unpaid wages. More

Yao Fuxin (jailed January 2003)
Metalworker at Liaoyang Steel Rolling Factory sentenced to seven years for helping to lead 17,000 laid-off steelworkers in demonstrations protesting company corruption and demanding owed benefits. More

Li Wangyang (jailed September 2001)
Worker rights activist sentenced to 10 years for protesting inhumane prison conditions suffered during a 13 year prison sentence for leading worker strikes in 1989. More

Prisoner information source: China Labour Bulletin (Updated June 4, 2008)

TURKEY: Workers at Denco Hassas Kontrollu Klima Sist. End. Ve Tic. Aş in Istanbul voted for union representation in March 2008 and since that time the company has refused to honour the workers' decision, has fired union organizers and intimidated union members.

Soon after Birleşik Metal-Is, an affiliate of the International Metalworkers' Federation, organized an overwhelming majority of workers at the Denco plant, the company fired one of the lead organizers, Musa Alacam.  On April 25, 2008, another 7 members of the union were sacked, and one new worker.

The company has refused to recognize Birleşik Metal-Is as the official bargaining representative for workers, despite a Labour Ministry's decision to grant union recognition. The case is currently pending in the courts.

Denco's actions are in violation of international labour standards, specifically the International Labour Organisations' Conventions no. 87 and no. 98, to which Turkey is a signatory.

The IMF is calling on the company to immediately and unconditionally reinstate all workers unjustly dismissed, cease and desist from interrogating and harassing union members, and respect internationally recognized workers' rights, particularly the right to join and form unions and the right to collectively bargain.

Indonesia: Members of Lomenik-SBSI , an affiliate of the International Metalworkers' Federation, are under attack by management at PT Bekaert Advanced Filtration Tangerang, where workers have been persecuted for belonging to the union.

Most recently, on July 24, management announced the dismissal of all workers on the Lomenik-SBSI plant committee. The union demanded a formal letter of dismissal which the company has yet to provide. The workers are continuing to work until a letter is presented to the union.

The recent assault on union members is in keeping with Bekaert Tangerang's anti-union behaviour which includes:

• denying active union members and organisers overtime;
• pressuring workers to resign from the union, including exerting pressure on family members and community leaders to influence workers and offering bribes to union leadership;
• interrogating workers about their union activities; and
• challenging registration of the union at the Ministry of Manpower.

In a letter to Bekaert Tangerang, IMF general secretary Marcello Malentacchi called on the company to respect international labour standards, specifically Conventions 87 and 98 of the International Labour Organisation, both ratified by Indonesia. "Lomenik-SBSI is an affiliate of the IMF and therefore part of a 200 union-strong federation of metalworkers with influence and reach throughout the world. The IMF urges you to immediately put a stop to all unfair labour practices, reinstate all workers dismissed for their union activism, end the persecution of Lomenik-SBSI  members and respect internationally recognized labour rights including the right to Freedom of Association and the Right to Organise and Bargain Collectively."

Bekaert Tangerang is part of the Bekaert Group, a Belgian company that specialises in metal transformation and the production of advanced wire products and metal materials and coatings. Their products supply all industrial sectors, with one third of their business in the auto industry. Bekaert Group employs 20,400 workers worldwide.

Click here to send a solidarity letter to Lomenik-SBSI .

Click here to tell Bekaert management to stop the persecution of Lomenik-SBSI members.

GLOBAL: Master courses offered by the Global Labour University (GLU) are now open for application. Four programmes on labour studies for trade unionists are offered in 2008-2009 by the GLU network, formed by the international labour movement, academic institutions, foundations and the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

The duration of each programme is one year, and they are:

• The "Labour and Development, Economic Policy, Globalisation and Labour" Programme is offered by the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa;
• The "Social Economy and Labour" Programme is offered by the Universidad Estadual de Campinas in Brazil;
• The "Labour Policies and Globalisation" Programme is offered by the University of Kassel and the Berlin School of Economics in Germany;
• The "Globalisation and Labour" Programme is offered by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences in India.

Participants have also the possibility to study one term of the programme in South Africa or Brazil and one term in Germany.

A limited number of scholarships will be awarded to applicants from developing and transition economies. Applicants need to have the endorsement of a trade union to apply for a scholarship. The grant is conditional on a contribution of 1500 euros from the supporting trade union or another donor.

Women are strongly encouraged to participate. Interested trade unionists should apply now. The deadline for submission is 1 Sep 2008 for the Summer Semester 2008/2009 (in Brazil or South Africa). More detailed information and application forms are available on the GLU website at: http://www.global-labour-university.org/

Spain: The Spanish trade unions, Comisiones Obreras (CCOO) and the Unión General de Trabajadores (UGT), along with the International Metalworkers' Federation, visited the Mexican Embassy in Spain on Tuesday 15 July to demand the recovery of the bodies of the miners killed in the Pasta de Conchos disaster in Mexico on 19 February 2006.

At the meeting, attended by the IMF's Assistant General Secretary, Fernando Lopes, union representatives delivered documents with details of the disaster at Grupo México's mine and demanded that the 63 bodies remaining underground should be recovered and handed over to their families.

A petition with more than 4,000 signatures was delivered to the Mexican Embassy. The petition was organised by the CCOO and the FIA-UGT in solidarity with the families of the dead. It demands that the company and the government take decisive action to recover the bodies of the dead workers and clarify the causes of the accident.

The CCOO's Mining and Metalworking Federation announced it was joining this struggle because "it understands that the recovery of the workers would not only alleviate the suffering of the families that are living in the area, but would also help to clarify the causes of the accident so that conclusions can be drawn from it and so that it does not happen again."

The federation has been in contact with the Hunosa mining company, which participated in the Rescue Brigade that investigated the scene of the accident in May 2006. The company says it is technically possible to recover the 63 bodies buried inside the mine, but the operation will require the cooperation of the company and the Mexican government.

The Spanish trade unions, affiliated to the IMF, visited the Mexican Embassy, because they believe it is necessary to take action to put pressure on the company and the Mexican government to consider the option of recovering the workers' bodies.

ARGENTINA: A seminar of the International Metalworkers’ Federation on Trade Agreements of Mercosur took place in Buenos Aires on July 16-18, with the participation of affiliates from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay.

During the seminar a report was presented of an IMF/ILO pilot research project on methods to assess the employment repercussions of trade liberalisation, focussing on sectors of the metalworking industry in Argentina and Brazil. The combined effect of various factors on the number and the quality of jobs was highlighted. The implications for trade union work were discussed as well as prospects for further development of the research project that was carried out with the support of Observatorio Social in Brazil and of Fundaciòn LASOS in Argentina.

A panel composed by representatives of the Argentinian employers, government and trade unions and of the Trade Union Centres of South Cone countries discussed the prospects for productive integration in Mercosur, the impact of trade liberalisation on industrial production and on development in its member countries. The interest of trade unions in advancing in labour and social provisions was reiterated. However it was said that it is indispensable to link workers rights to sustainable development and the creation of stable quality employment.

"Trade unions in Latin America have their labour and social strategy to propose," said Hilda Sanchez of TUCA/ITUC, "but we are not ready to stay in a side room to discuss only of the inclusion of labour clauses. The central issue is the question of production and its linkage with development and decent work". Sanchez contributed a thorough analysis of trade union mobilisation, particularly in Latin America, around trade liberalisation issues that are relevant to workers and stressed the very positive collaboration with the IMF.

The Labour Minister of Argentina, Mr Carlos Tomada, made opening remarks at the seminar and stressed the centrality of work. He pointed at a deficit in the number and quality of jobs and at practices of sub-sub-contracting in the name of competition as the most dangerous enemies of development and poverty reduction. "We have to fight against exploitation and precarisation in the search of cost reduction".

In a separate meeting with him, IMF and TUCA representatives expressed trade union concerns with regard to the Doha Round negotiations. Minister Tomada reaffirmed the priority that the Argentinian Government attaches to development and employment in its negotiating position at the WTO.

GLOBAL:  The International Metalworkers’ Federation joins the international trade union movement and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) in expressing concern about the new proposals in the NAMA negotiations on industrial products at the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

The new proposals in the Non-Agricultural Market Access (NAMA) negotiations on industrial products at the WTO, made in an attempt to get closer to a Doha agreement at a key ministerial gathering in Geneva next week, contain only minor improvements and are still seriously imbalanced.

"Unless a real shift is made to a lower level of tariff cuts for developing countries, the NAMA negotiations are not going to deliver a positive outcome for their workers," said ITUC General Secretary Guy Ryder.  "The Doha Development Round is supposed to foster industrial development in developing countries, enabling them to increase decent work and diversify their economies.  Yet on their current basis, the NAMA negotiations will lead to job cuts and severely hamper governments in providing decent work and productive jobs in the future as well."

The proposals include a somewhat wider range of tariff reductions for developing countries, but their options remain limited.  Although it looks like a much higher "coefficient" can be used, in reality this difference means little in terms of tariff cuts, which will remain very high for many developing countries.  The text does provide some flexibilities to shield products from tariff cuts, but again these are limited and will not provide much protection for many labour intensive industries.

The trade union movement continues to insist that no trade-offs should be made between NAMA and Agriculture, as both are crucial for development. Unfortunately the negotiations do not seem to take into account these development realities.

The ITUC has sent a model letter to its affiliates to help them in lobbying their Ministers of Trade, and it is available here: 

http://www.ituc-csi.org/IMG/pdf/Model_letter_NAMA_July_2008.pdf