TURKEY: The public message was simple: Petrol-İş has succeeded in gaining well over 50 per cent of Standard Profil’s 2,300 Turkish workers seeking union representation, the Labour Ministry has deemed Standard a part of the oil, chemicals, and rubber sector, so the company must forego any appeal and begin good faith social dialogue with Petrol-İş.

It is common in Turkey for employers to thwart union recognition drives with frivolous appeals in order to block workers’ their legitimate workplace rights. Such appeals can take up to two years. By taking the Standard Profil appeal public, Petrol-İş, with a strong presence in Düzce and other manufacturing zones of Turkey, is initiating a unique pro-active strategy inside Turkey intended to deflect company resistance to union rights.

At a press conference in Düzce on March 21 that the ICEM participated in, Petrol-İş President Mustafa Öztaşkin stated, "We want to sit down at the negotiations table with Standard Profil and conduct a peaceful process of mutual understanding." Labour relations, he added should "start with mutual good and consideration of mutual interests."

On March 19, Turkey’s Labour and Social Security Ministry did formally confirm that Standard Profil staff work in Petrol-İş sectors. The company has 15 days to contest that verification and the message is that they do not. The governmental process is now underway to certify the union with majority interest from workers and that will likely be affirmed in a matter of weeks. Again, the message in Düzce and along Standard Profil’s supply chain is meet Petrol-İş at the bargaining table.

Union justification that Standard Profil not challenge unionisation at its 1,850-worker Düzce plant and a smaller but growing plant in the city of Bursa is furthered by the fact that the company has positively addressed freedom of association and given workplace rights training inside the plants.

That came late in 2008 and early 2009 after Petrol-İş and its national labour centre, Türk-İş, lodged a complaint with the World Bank’s International Financial Corporation (IFC). The IFC and the accompanying Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) loaned the company development money, and criteria under that loan requires the company live up to social and environment standards.

After assessment, a compliance office for IFC/MIGA determined that managers must undertake awareness and education efforts regarding labour rights and work conditions. At last week’s news conference, Öztaşkin reminded of that, emphasizing that the union stands ready and willing to make Standard Profil a quality, reliable, and globally-preferred supplier of automotive sealing systems.

The point was reinforced by letters presented at the press conference on behalf of the International Metalworkers Federation (IMF), the United Auto Workers (UAW) of the US, the Volkswagen Works Council in Germany, and ICEM German affiliate IGBCE. In the ICEM’s letter, General Secretary Manfred Warda called on Standard Profil to embark on a "peaceful and constructive labour relations atmosphere at your workplaces which will result in enhanced business performance."

Leaders of several textile, metal, and other regional trade unions also attended the news conference, lending their support to the Petrol-İş message. Standard Profil, owned by London-based Bancroft Private Equity LLP whose investments mostly are in Central Europe, supplies door, boot, engine cover, and other rubber seals to a number of auto firms. Its larger customers are General Motors, Volkswagen/Audi, Fiat, Ford, and Honda.

GLOBAL: Trade unions around the world affiliated to the International Metalworkers’ Federation (IMF), the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers’ Unions (ICEM) and the International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers Federation (ITGLWF) have a common interest in becoming a stronger voice for industrial workers.

A joint IMF-ICEM-ITGLWF task force met in Japan in February to continue its examination of how to unify the world’s industrial workers into one global union federation.

Today, in support of this process, the three organisations released the first issues of Stronger Together, a new joint quarterly newsletter on the creation of the new International.

Covering topics such as the joint action on Mexico, Chile and Turkey, this first issue of the newsletter also explores strategic areas of work such as combating the use of sandblasting in the textiles sector and cross-sectoral organizing in manufacturing export processing zones.

For a copy of the newsletter go to: www.imfmetal.org/strongertogether

The next issue is will go out at the end of May.

BRAZIL: Representatives from IMF-affiliated trade unions organizing employees of the transnational company ArcelorMittal met on March 22-23 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and agreed a plan of action to formalise the creation of a Latin American regional trade union network of ArcelorMittal workers. Representatives from unions at ArcelorMittal plants in Germany, South Africa, Argentina, Brazil, the United States, Spain, Morocco and Mexico met over two days to discuss a plan of action to create the network. The trade union leaders highlighted the importance of the creation of the network, which will promote solidarity between workers at the local, regional and global levels.

Anti-trade union practices, local organisation, health, safety and the environment, outsourcing, collective bargaining, observance and compliance with ILO conventions were some of the priorities set by the network, as well as company recognition of the network at its plants in the region.

One of the first steps will be to choose local, national and regional coordinators. The network and the IMF also made a commitment to integrate Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela into the regional network.

The IMF undertook to provide technical assistance to help the network get organised in the next few weeks and to provide the network with tools to help it develop independently from the shop floor up to the regional and global levels.

"This meeting was very important for the IMF, because today we created a regional network of Latin American workers employed by a single company, ArcelorMittal, which will help us stay informed about what is happening in the industry. We will go on to promote the creation of other such networks in other companies", said Rob Johnston, IMF Executive Director.

INDIA: Around 900 workers are on strike in General Motors India Pvt. Ltd in Halol protesting against the intensive workload and demanding withdrawal of workers transfers and solution to wage related discrepancies.

Representing the workers’ cause, the trade union Gujarat Kamdar Mandal affiliated to Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) approached National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on March 7, arguing that the violations of workers’ rights in General Motors are human rights violations and called for commission’s intervention to bring relief to workers.

In its complaint to NHRC, the union enclosed the medical reports of 269 workmen who are facing health problems. The union argued that large numbers of workers are taking Combiflam (pain killer tablet) every day from the company’s medical centre and engaging in regular excessive work. When workers complained of the pain, they are transferred to company’s dealership operations in Delhi, Gurgaon, Chennai. Four workers have been suspended in the last 15 days.

The union alleged that workmen are staying under an atmosphere of fear as Labour Commissioner and related Government Authorities turn a blind eye whenever grievances are raised by workers. Out of 1,800 workmen, General Motors employ around 900 temporary workers, who are performing similar work as that of permanent workers, but paid less violating Equal Remuneration Act 1996.  These workers are treated inhumanly and compelled to work for more than 9 hours a day. After every six months, to evade the law, temporary workers are relieved and many of them are recruited as fresh workers and provided new provident fund number.

In response, on March 10 the NHRC issued notice to District Magistrate / Collector, Panchmahal (Godhra), Gujarat to submit a report in detail within a week, failing which a coercive process will be initiated. 

SWEDEN: In March, at an IF Metall local branch meeting in Stockholm seven trade union representatives were honoured for dedication and commitment to their union work with life membership to IF metall. Former IMF general secretary Marcello Malentacchi was among the seven honoured to receive this award.

Honourable membership is granted to trade union representatives who have served at least 25 years in the trade union movements. Many of the seven representatives, including Marcello Malentacchi, have served the union movement for over 40 years.

Marcello was very moved by this reward and upon receiving his life membership said, "I have noticed that almost all of us honoured here today have had two common subjects that we have worked for: trade union education and health and safety at work. I believe that these two subjects always will be some of the most important work for the trade union, to educate members and to ensure a safe working environment."

MEXICO/GLOBAL: The 50,000 workers, students and human and labour rights activists who took part in the February Global Days of Action are gearing up for another round of mass mobilizations to fight proposed labour legislation that further strips Mexican workers of the most basic internationally recognized labour rights.

News of the proposed regressive reforms comes just weeks after unions from more than 40 countries participated in an active week of massive rallies, marches and high-level government meetings to shine a light on the Mexican government’s failure to uphold international commitments to respect basic labour rights and worker protections.

The proposed legislation which greatly undermines freedom of association, job security, and work conditions, fails to include any of the many changes to Mexican labour legislation that have been repeatedly called for by the ILO Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations and more recently, by the ILO Committee on Freedom of Association.

In Mexico, preparations at the national level are underway. Public events planned in Mexico this week include:

• rally on March 24 at 1pm,
• forum on March 30 – debate regressive nature of reform and strategies for resistance and change,
• educational material development and strategic meetings are being held throughout the week.

To join the campaign, the IMF is urging affiliates to send letters to their local Mexican embassy or consulate or government representative, especially those individuals who took meetings with union groups during the February Global Days of Action. See IMF’s letter here.

If you have not already sent a letter to Mexican President Felipe Calderón through the Labourstart campaign page, go here: http://www.labourstart.org/cgi-bin/solidarityforever/show_campaign.cgi?c=863

GLOBAL: To reach new audiences and promote the development of trade union films, the IMF in collaboration with the International Trade Union Confederation and all the Global Union Federations will together produce the Global Unions Labour Films Shorts 2011. All IMF affiliates are invited to submit copies of short films that they have produced or been involved in producing for possible inclusion in the programme.
Please send us copies of your films on DVD with a short paragraph describing the film, why it was produced and how it was used. The IMF will need unfettered rights to show the film and publish it online, of course with full acknowledgement of who created the material. Due to resource constraints for interpretation, the IMF is only able to accept films in English language or with English subtitles.

We need to receive copies of all possible films by  April 1, 2011.
Please send to:
Cherisse Fredricks
International Metalworkers’ Federation
Case Postale 1516
CH1227 Geneva
Switerland
Labourstart has also announced their second annual labour video competition and already received a number of submissions from LabourStart readers. You can submit your nominations before April 15 to http://www.labourstart.org/lvoty/2011/

Last year the winner of the first annual LabourStart labour video of the year competition was also featured in the 2010 Geneva Labour Film shorts Festival in Geneva. If you have never seen this Australian video clip you can watch it here:

EUROPE: The European Metalworkers’ Federation (EMF) joined with Belgian and other European unions in protest actions in Brussels on March 24 in order to say NO to austerity plans, no to cuts in wages and pensions, no to insecurity and unemployment, no to deregulation of labour standards and social regression, and no to rising social inequalities.

The action was part of a European Week of Action called by the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) to highlight trade union opposition to the European economic governance proposal, which is being examined during the EU’s European Summit on March 24 and 25.

The EMF is calling urgently for an agenda based on investment, job creation and social cohesion. In a resolution adopted by its Executive Committee, the EMF warned that the ever greater austerity measures being applied in Europe are pushing economies into social recession.

"The proposals adopted by the Euro-zone Council on 12 March 2011, and proposed in the Commission’s first Annual Growth Survey, are of an unprecedented and extremely negative nature. In calling for pay cuts and sustained wage moderation across Europe, they challenge the decision-making process of democratically-elected governments and intervene in national social dialogue and collective bargaining procedures," states the resolution.

As part of the week of action, the German trade union centre DGB held a demonstration in front of the Chancellery in Berlin on March 21. In Paris on March 22 French and German unions delivered a joint statement to the French Finance Ministry and in Amsterdam on March 23 unions met with Ministers to discuss the economic governance.

On March 26 the Trades Union Congress (TUC) is organizing a "March for the Alternative – Jobs, Growth and Justice" in London supported by IMF affiliates including Unite.  A European Day of Action will also take place in Budapest on April 9.

TURKEY: On March 22, Turkish union Birlesik Metal-IS, an affiliate of the International Metalworkers’ Federation (IMF), declared strike action at 21 companies, eight of which are multinationals, in defense of better wages and working conditions. On the first day of the strike wave, all shop stewards from the 21 companies and all union officers were picketing with Doruk-Susler /Candy Group workers.

The companies are members of the Metal Product Industrialists’ Association (MESS) which has signed an industry-wide collective agreement with Turk Metal that includes massive concessions on working conditions and pay. The agreement is negotiated every two years between metalworkers’ unions and MESS and impacts approximately 80,000 metalworkers directly, and many more indirectly.

Members of Birlesik Metal-IS are rejecting the collective agreement signed between MESS and Turk Metal, which gives a minimal wage increase of 5.35 per cent at a time when production and profits at companies affiliated to MESS are very high and defers to labour law rather than the collective bargaining agreement on the issue of flexible working conditions.

In February, Turkish unions held a mass demonstration in Ankara protesting the government’s proposed labour law reforms which seek to give more control to employers and weaken working conditions and labour rights.

In the coming days and weeks, strikes will begin at the following companies:

• Standard Depo/Averys Group
• Kroman Çelik
• Areva
• Bekaert
• Bosal
• Çimsataş
• ABB
• Arfesan
• RSA

The IMF fully supports its Turkish colleagues in their ongoing fight to win improved wages and conditions for metalworkers in Turkey. The IMF will continue to follow this strike action and work with Birlesik, IMF affiliates and the European Metalworkers’ Federation to help in bringing about a successful resolution.

AUSTRALIA: Labour rights violations at Rio Tinto/Alcan operations in Australia have gained international attention and support for IMF affiliate the Australian Workers’ Union (AWU) who are fighting the company for fair wages, improved health and safety standards and a workers’ right to join a union.

The AWU’s organizing drive at Rio Tinto/Alcan operations in Tasmania and Queensland has been met with fierce resistance from management, despite pressure from inside and outside of Australia calling on the company to respect internationally recognized labour rights.

The list of violations at the Bell Bay aluminum smelter in Tasmania, Australia includes:

• reports that local workers have been harassed and intimidated for their efforts in trying to form a union,
• workers are paid substantially less than their counterparts in other parts of Australia, in some case in excess of 20,000 AUD,
• denying the AWU the right to meet with workers concerned about Occupational Health and Safety issues.

On March 22, a new national television campaign was launched in Tasmania by the AWU National Secretary, Paul Howes, to highlight how the global giant Rio Tinto is discriminating against its Tasmanian workforce. The television ads, to be run on Tasmanian television and nationally on Sky News, over the next two weeks, was first shown to meetings of Rio’s Bell Bay Tasmania workforce during a three-day tour of Tasmanian workplaces by Howes.

The IMF and Rio Tinto/Alcan unions from Brazil, France, South Africa, UK, the U.S. and Zimbabwe have sent letters to the company’s CEO Tom Albanese, demanding the company recognize international labour standards.

"We call on you to immediately intervene to ensure that these workers are allowed to form a union, free from the intimidation of management, and negotiate a collective agreement if they so wish. These rights are clearly stated in the International Labour Organisation’s Conventions," stated Jyrki Raina IMF General Secretary in a letter to Albanese.