GLOBAL: Nine out of 10 unions affiliated to the International Metalworkers' Federation have reported an increase in the prevalence of precarious work in recent years.  As part of a united global effort to stop this massive expansion of precarious work, the IMF has called for a week of mobilisation from September 30 to October 7, 2008.

On October 7, IMF and its affiliates will also participate in a global day of action in conjunction with the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and all other Global Union Federations (GUFs).

To support trade union efforts against precarious work and the week of action the IMF has launched a new section on its website located at: www.imfmetal.org/precariouswork

These web pages include affiliate news on precarious work, background information and resource materials, case studies and links to other relevant websites. The section will be updated with campaign materials and details on ongoing affiliates' actions over the coming months.

Precarious employment is typically non-permanent, temporary, casual, insecure and contingent. Workers in these jobs are often not covered by labour laws and social security protections. Precarious work is caused by employment practices designed to maximize employer profits and flexibility and to shift risks onto workers.

The IMF and its affiliates have voiced their commitment to take action against the expansion of precarious work. Around the world unions are mobilising, organising and bargaining for better and more secure work. Get involved today. Go to: www.imfmetal.org/precariouswork

ZIMBABWE: Operations of the National Engineering Workers' Union (NEWU) have been severely crippled in the wake of Zimbabwe's economic collapse that has left the country in utter ruin.

While violence against trade unionists and civil society partners has dramatically increased in the weeks leading up to and following the country's June 27 presidential election, an equally deadly force is threatening the workers of the country – starvation.

Inflation is reported at an estimated 2 million per cent, the highest in the world, followed by Iraq with an inflation rate of 60 per cent.  Unemployment is now more than 80%.  The country's capacity utilization stands at between 10 – 20 per cent, the lowest production levels in the history of Zimbabwe. 

NEWU, an affiliate of the International Metalworkers' Federation, reports that the decimated economy has had a devastating impact on the union and its membership. The union reports that:

• Companies are sealing down operations.
• Workers are walking out of their jobs because salary does not match the cost of reporting for duty.
• NEWU has closed two regional offices.
• NEWU has lost 5000 members in a space of 6 months, through company closures and resignations from jobs.
• All NEWU office computers are no longer working.
• NEWU failed to pay wages for its staff for the first time in its history.  Union subscriptions are not adequate because of inflation, low wages and low production.
• NEWU staff is not reporting for duty as normal collective bargaining now turns to "collective begging" because power from the membership is no longer there.
• Wages and salary negotiations are now conducted on a weekly basis.
• Work week has been reduced from 5 days to 3 days per week.
• Employers have canceled voluntary pension schemes.

According to NEWU president Japhet Moyo, "Mugabe's decision to conduct a farce election and declare himself a winner has plunged the metal sector into doom.  Sixty percent of our activities were for the farming community – all farming equipment.  Now that Mugabe wants to take manufacturing, like the farming sector he destroyed, some of us will be out of employment anytime soon."

GERMANY: Siemens AG’s announcement to cut 16,750 jobs, or about 4 per cent of its workforce worldwide, has drawn heavy opposition from IG Metall, the union which represents the majority of Siemens workers in Germany, calling the mass restructuring plan extreme, and unjustified.

The German electronics and engineering conglomerate employs 400,000 workers worldwide. Almost one third of the cuts are planned for its German operations, of which IG Metall has reported that 75 per cent of these jobs slated for downsizing are covered by the union’s collective agreement.

IG Metall has criticized the job cuts pointing out that the company is financially sound and that product order books "are full." The union and its members question whether the company will be able to reach its goal of gaining market dominance with less staff. "The strength of Siemens is the highly qualified and motivated staff," said Werner Neugebauer, district manager of IG Metall Bavaria."Cost reduction through job cuts does not replace any sustainable strategy, but is a sign of the lack of good ideas," he added. Neugebauer was also quoted in the press as saying "Cutting only jobs and selling (off production sites) is irresponsible."

Siemens management plans to begin negotiations with unions and worker representatives immediately. The company has said it would use transfers, and part-time pre-retirement schemes, with contracts terminated "only as a last resort." The union is waiting until after discussions with Siemens management before announcing any collective response, however union representatives have not ruled out the possibility of coordinated protest in the future.

The next meeting between the Siemens management board and employee representatives will take place at the general works council meeting July 23.

UGANDA: The Uganda Mines, Metal and Allied Workers' Union, representing workers at Kasese Cobalt Company Ltd. are seeking reinstatement for 116 workers who were fired after participating in a demonstration demanding management conduct negotiations openly and fairly.

Kasese management fired the workers despite two official rulings from the Labour Commissioner and the Ministry of Labour calling for their reinstatement.

In March, negotiations between the union and local management over 2008 salary increases grew tense when management refused to honour a mediator's decision for a 17 per cent increase across the board. In June, workers demonstrated in front of administrative offices demanding information regarding their salaries. All 116 workers who participated in the demonstration were fired. The union reports that the company has hired Kenyan replacement workers who are subjected to work under harsh terms and conditions.

The International Metalworkers' Federation is calling on Kasese management to immediately reinstate the unfairly dismissed workers and to resume contract negotiations openly and fairly. In a letter written to Kasese general manager Rob Jennings, Marcello Malentacchi, IMF general secretary said, "IMF affiliates are aware of the situation at Kasese Cobalt Company Ltd and are following the case with great interest. Should KCCL management continue to violate workers' rights and undermine contract bargaining with the union, the IMF is prepared to take further action at the international level."

Click here, to send a letter to Kasese management calling on them to reinstate the 116 workers and to bargain in good faith.

Click here, to send a solidarity letter to the Uganda Mines, Metal and Allied Workers’ Union.

SWITZERLAND: After a year of negotiations, Unia, an affiliate of the International Metalworkers' Federation, and Swissstaffing, an umbrella organisation for labour agencies, have reached agreement resulting in the first ever national collective agreement for temporary workers in Switzerland.

If approved by the federal government, the three-year contract, which goes into effect on January 1, 2009, will secure a uniform set of rights and standards to approximately 70 per cent of all temporary workers in the country. The agreement is also aimed at regulating the expansion of precarious work.

The new contract will raise the minimum rates of pay for some 180,000 temporary workers in over 100 different job professions. Those who work in industrial settings will not get a pay raise but will now receive medical insurance, paid medical leave, health and safety improvements and opportunities for training. Part-time workers will receive increased benefits and extensions of contracts.

"This is a significant step for workers in Switzerland," said Marcello Malentacchi, IMF general secretary. "For the first time, temporary workers throughout the country will have a national agreement to protect them from exploitation and ensure a uniform standard of rights and conditions. Unions around the world must strive to do the same if we are to eradicate precarious work and its devastating impact on workers and their communities."

IRAN: What began as a hunger strike launched on June 28 has grown to a full-scale strike as thousands of workers at Iran Khodro, the country's largest auto manufacturer, walked off the job to win wage and conditions improvements.

Workers' demands include:

• Prohibited entry of security guards to workstations;
  
• An end to mandatory over-time;
  
• Increases in productivity benefits;
  
• Wage increases in line with cost of living adjustments;
  
• An end to temporary contracts allowing for the hiring of workers on a permanent basis;
  
• An end to the expansion of subcontracting companies; and
  
• Participation of workers' representatives in key decision making committees.

Workers are protesting the company's use of contracts and temporary work agencies to deny workers basic labour rights and decent working conditions. Many contract and temporary employees of Iran Khodro have worked there for as long as 10 years and are often forced to work overtime.

SOUTH KOREA: The International Metalworkers' Federation joined the Korean Metal Workers' Union and the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions at a press conference in Seoul today, July 3, welcoming the findings of the International Labour Organization on the complaint against the Korean government.

The ILO has called on the Korean government to investigate and remedy alleged anti-union acts against falsely subcontracted workers at Hyundai Motors, Hynix/Magnachip, Kiryung Electronics and KM&I and to take all necessary measures to promote collective bargaining for subcontracted workers.

Significantly, the ILO requests that the Korean government "take all necessary measures without delay" to bring "obstruction of business" laws into line with freedom of association principles.

The Committee states that, "violence, criminal sanctions or disproportionately heavy pecuniary penalties are not conducive to a constructive industrial relations climate, especially in the absence of affirmative measures to promote dialogue and collective bargaining."

During the press conference IMF called on the Korean government to restore the rights of the Kiryung women workers who are over 20 days into a collective hunger strike in protest of their unfair dismissal.

"The ILO clearly states that "The non-renewal of a contract for anti-union reasons constitutes a prejudicial act within the meaning of Article 1 of Convention No. 98." I hope that the government heeds this strongly worded recommendation to reinstate the workers," said IMF General Secretary Marcello Malentacchi.

These and other recommendations to the Korean government are included in an interim report issued by the Committee on Freedom of Association in June 2008 in response to the complaint lodged by KMWU, the KCTU and the IMF.

The unions made the complaint against the Korean government for neglecting to protect and facilitating violation of subcontracted workers' rights to freedom of association, collective bargaining and collective action, in breach of ILO Conventions 87 and 98.

The complaint, case number 2602, details a series of violations dating from 2004 to 2006 at Hyundai Motors plants in Ulsan, Asan and Jeonju and at Hynix/Magnachip, Kiryung Electronics and KM&I.

For a copy of the Interim Report and recommendations from the ILO Committee on Freedom of Association click on this link.

For a summary of the details of the complaint, click here.

Mexico. The National Union of Miners and Metalworkers (SNTMMSRM) has denounced a new attack on trade union autonomy by the Secretary of Labour, who has not granted legal recognition to Napoleón Gómez as General Secretary of the union. The Secretary claims Gomez is a fugitive and therefore his rights are suspended.

Although the Secretary of Labour, Javier Lozano, has recognized the validity of all the agreements made by the union's Ordinary General Convention, "the exception is the re-election of Gómez Urrutia and his deputy, Mario García Ortiz, and this is a clear attack on trade union autonomy, and consequently, article 123 of the Constitution, Convention 87 of the International Labour Organisation and the Federal Labour Law," said a trade union statement.

Javier Lozano claims that denial of legal recognition to Napoleón Gómez is due to the fact that the leader is a fugitive and all his rights are therefore suspended. He also argued that the leader is responsible for mismanagement, that he is not a miner and that he cannot occupy the office if he is not in the country.

In response to Lozano's arguments, the union says that no administrative authority is authorised to interpret trade union statutes. "There is no firm judicial resolution that supports the Secretary's flippant comments. He should not prejudge the conduct of the trade union leader and should respect the principle of the presumption of innocence to which all Mexicans have a right," said the union in a statement.

The union said it did not accept the Secretary of Labour's description of Gómez Urrutia as a fugitive: "Napoleón Gómez Urrutia is not a fugitive; he was on a trade union trip abroad when he learned of the illegal arrest warrants issued against him." The union said that his trip to Canada was perfectly legitimate and that the Canadian authorities have granted him leave to stay on humanitarian grounds, which implicitly suggests they took note of the illegal persecution against him.

In response to this new threat to the union and trade union freedom, the union will formally denounce the Secretary of Labour at the Public Prosecutor's Office, on the grounds that his conduct represents an abuse of authority. The union will also present an appeal to what it considers the genuine competent authorities in order to obtain the recognition illegally denied to its leader.

BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA: More than 8,500 workers protested in front of the Federal Government building in Sarajevo on June 25, calling for improved wages for workers.

The protesters were calling on the government to:

• regulate minimum wages according to the national collective agreement,
• amend the privatization act to the benefit of workers, and
• provide compensation for workers who have lost their jobs in the transition process and as a result of privatisation.

The protest was organised by the Union of Independent Trade Unions of Bosnia and Herzegovina and supported by IMF affiliate Trade Unions of Metalworkers (TUM).

The unions report that following the protest the Premier of the Federal Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina Nedzad Brankovic stated that he would resign from his position if was unable to fulfil the request of the protests by September 2008.

The IMF sent a letter of solidarity to the TUM in support of their protest.

SÃO PAULO: Almost 200 delegates from 27 countries met on 16-18 June 2008 for the 12th IMF World Auto Council to address fundamental challenges of industrial and enterprise restructuring process sweeping the auto sector. "Solidarity and Sustainability – Responding to Global Auto Industry Restructuring" was the theme of the council proceeding at which delegates focused both on strengthening and building upon existing responses and presenting innovative strategies. 

Ron Gettelfinger, president of the UAW and the IMF Automotive Department, said in his keynote address that "We will either succeed or fail together in responding to the global restructuring of the auto sector by building union strength at the workplace, within our respective national political structures, and by exerting our influence over international trade and development agreements and policies," going on to emphasize that "we must develop a pathway to build union strength at the major global auto producers and suppliers."

In an overview of what has taken place in the sector during recent years, IMF general secretary Marcello Malentacchi underscored that "the strength of IMF trade union affiliates in responding and ultimately protecting the interests of affected workers and their families have mattered tremendously. Yet the continuing challenges of restructuring means more must be done to ensure socially acceptable and equitable outcomes for all workers and their communities."

Proceeding of the World Auto Council focused on three main topics:

• Employment practices, precarious work and quality jobs: trade union challenges & responses.
• Competitive sourcing in a neo-liberal world: global union responses to attempts to pit workers and communities one against the other.
• Ensuring a greener environment, good jobs and safe work: designing, building and using motor vehicles in ways that protect workers and the environment.

To confront precarious work challenges, delegates urged a range of industrial, legal / political and international actions such as extending exiting collective agreements and full union membership to precarious workers and negotiating with principle employers. Among other recommendations were the use targeted recruitment campaigns, international framework agreements provisions, and mobilizing toward the Global Day of Action from on October 7.

The Council delegates highlighted the importance of organizing in responding to competitive sourcing challenges that could include company-level, multi-plant campaigns. Building means for stronger cross border coordination of collective bargaining, and the expanded use of networks to support these activities, were also included among the Council's recommendations.

Delegates stressed that green work should be unionised work that provides stable jobs with good salaries and safe working, and that the development, production and use of new and innovative clean vehicle and fuel technologies are integral to the industry's evolution. Sustainable development for the sector means that the protection of the environment, and public and workplace health and safety advances with a stronger employment base and deepened skills foundation.

In concluding remarks, Marcello Malentacchi stressed that "when we talk about precarious work, we are not aiming to reform precarious work or simply regulate it. The final goal is to eliminate precarious work in all its forms. What we need are jobs that are permanent, well paid, safe jobs on which we can build up our future."

After the close of the proceeding on June 17, delegates participated in a rally of solidarity with workers at the Cummins Engine plant in Guarulhos, calling for a general end to precarious employment conditions and demanding all workers are ensured their rights, quality jobs and decent lives worldwide.

All the documents for the meeting, including Recommendations of 12th IMF World Auto Council, are published on the IMF website.