“For some people, we are the last hope”: Christiane Benner on unions, the far right and IndustriALL’s mandate

Christiane Benner arrived at IndustriALL’s Geneva headquarters on 25 March 2026 in the middle of a fight. Works council elections were underway across Germany and IG Metall, the union she leads as its first ever woman president, was facing direct competition from the far right on the shop floor.

IndustriALL president Christiane Benner speaking at a meeting table during a visit to IndustriALL Global Union offices in Geneva, 25 March 2026
IndustriALL president Christiane Benner addresses staff during a visit to the Geneva headquarters, 25 March 2026.

Speaking to staff that day, she was direct about the weight of the moment. Workers, she said, were turning to unions precisely because they had nowhere else to turn.

“For some people, we are the last hope.”

That phrase and the responsibility it carries shaped everything that followed.

We followed up with Christiane Benner after her visit to ask what that responsibility demands of IndustriALL, and of union leaders everywhere.

On vision and leadership

You described unions as “the last hope” for many workers. That is a heavy responsibility. How do you carry that, and what does it demand of union leaders globally right now?

When unions are the last hope for many workers, we become de facto defenders of fair treatment, dignity at work and basic economic and social security. We find ourselves taking on larger roles, advocating for sustainable industrial policy, defending workers’ rights across sectors. This means staying close to employees while also playing a political role in society at the same time.

This situation also creates real opportunities. We can rebuild public trust, expand membership in promising industries and among target groups like white-collar workers, women and young employees. We must be more strategic, not just reactive and our decision-making must be worker-centred.

Even though high unemployment and demographic change are causing membership to decline in many countries, including Germany, we are at the same time gaining many new members. That is why we will be successful in the long run. I am firmly convinced of that.

Four years from now, what does success look like for IndustriALL and for the workers we represent?

We are successful when we have breathed new life into solidarity and, as trade unions, form a united front that cannot be divided. We focus not on what divides us, but on what unites us: the fight for workers’ rights, good and safe jobs, social security and democracy in the workplace.

This leads to workers having tangible improvements in their daily lives, everywhere in the world:

Workers need to feel the difference, real improvements, not only policy wins on paper.

You spoke about the need for leaders who are authentic and able to show how unions make a difference. What does that kind of leadership look like in practice?

Visionary leaders actively shape transformation, from digitalization and automation to ecological change. They maintain close ties with employees, are present on the shop floor and in offices and stay in touch with those working from home. They address concerns early and develop solutions together, such as training for new technologies or the transition to climate-friendly production.

They communicate clearly, explain complex issues in an understandable way and present themselves confidently in public, in politics and in the media. Young workers and women are actively involved. In this way, they build trust, promote renewal and ensure that their union remains, or becomes, a strong voice for decent work.

In short: visionary union leaders are courageous, empathetic, strategic and principled change-makers who mobilize people, actively shape change and make unions fit for the future.

On the far right

You described seeing a diagram mapping the global connections between right-wing movements. What struck you, and what can a global union do to confront this that national unions cannot?

What struck me most was seeing how well-connected and far-reaching Orbán’s network is as a representative of the far right. Fortunately, he has now been voted out of office. But I fear that the right-wing networks will remain.

All trade unions must take a stand against the far right in their respective countries, not just for the sake of opposing them, but because they actively stand against workers’ rights in every aspect of their policies. But we will be stronger if we fight together, pursue a common strategy and build strong networks across borders. A global federation like IndustriALL can provide a platform for this, help coordinate our activities and sharpen our strategies. We can learn from one another and expose their anti-worker record.

Unions also strengthen democracy by making sure it does not end outside the factory gates. In Germany, works council elections are the second biggest democratic elections in the country. This year, right-wing slates largely failed to make inroads, because we stayed close to the people. Making participatory democracy a tangible reality is one of the most effective counters to far-right forces we have.

On organizing

The Sydney Congress action plan puts organizing at the centre. What does organizing look like when it is done right?

When organizing is understood correctly, it puts workers at the centre: we listen to what they care about, what problems they face daily, what motivates them and what they fear. It must be clear that the workers are the union. When organizing is done right, workers themselves make decisions and union staff coach but do not control. A committee of trusted employees leads the organizing effort, talks to colleagues and takes responsibility for moving the campaign forward.

Like this, we build a strong union base in the workplace with many active and engaged members. Employees feel the difference and understand that they can achieve more together if they organize and speak with one voice. This makes solidarity and democracy in the workplace tangible and indispensable. It builds a culture of “we have each other’s backs.”

On women and the backlash

You are the first woman president of IG Metall. You mentioned the backlash against women as part of the broader right-wing agenda. What does this moment mean to you personally, and what does IndustriALL need to do to protect the gains made on gender?

More than two decades of building feminist structures inside IG Metall have taught me one thing above all: it was never easy nor a sure thing. Feminist unions do not arise on their own. They need structures that actually empower women: transparent pay systems, work-life balance, genuine participation and spaces where women can express themselves. And they need the courage to actively change patriarchal patterns. Feminism in unions is a practical, daily shift in power.

This matters especially now. Across the world, the gains women workers have made are under attack. This backlash is directed at us because our movement has grown stronger. We should not be intimidated. We should continue to organize, network internationally and stay vocal. Our global trade union movement stands behind every woman who fights for dignity, safety and equality. It is more important than ever.

The question she left behind

Christiane Benner left Geneva the same day she arrived, heading back to Germany and the front lines of the works council elections. But the question she posed to staff, “what does it mean to be the last hope?” is one that resonates well beyond IG Metall. It sits at the heart of what IndustriALL exists to do: connect the struggles of workers across the world into something larger than any one union can achieve alone. Her visit was a reminder of why that matters and of how much depends on getting it right.

Wide-angle view of a meeting at IndustriALL Global Union headquarters in Geneva, with staff and guests seated around a large table, IndustriALL logo visible on screens, 25 March 2026
Staff and guests gather at IndustriALL’s Geneva headquarters during a visit by IndustriALL president Christiane Benner, 25 March 2026.

Malaysian workers vote for union — Boeing fights back

The National Union of Transport Equipment and Allied Industries Workers (NUTEAIW), affiliated to IndustriALL Global Union, won a secret ballot at the plant with 85 percent support on 10 December last year. Instead of recognizing the result, BCM management,  together with members of the company’s Joint Consultative Committee (JCC), pressured workers to sign a petition against the union. Workers describe signing under duress, in an atmosphere of fear.

BCM then used those signatures to file a judicial review at the high court on 10 February 2026, seeking to overturn the democratic vote.

NUTEAIW general secretary Gopal Kishnam Nadesan says:

“The post-election petition manufactured by the employer has no legal standing in the Industrial Relations Act and serves only to undermine the democratic process. The law clearly prohibits an employer from interfering with employees exercising their right to join a trade union. This is the utmost disrespect of the democratic process and workers’ freedom of association.”

Malaysia has ratified ILO Convention 98 on the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining. The Convention protects worker organizations against interference by employers in their establishment or functioning.

IndustriALL regional secretary for South-East Asia Ramon Certeza says:

“BCM’s acts of union busting have clearly violated international and domestic labour law. IndustriALL stands in solidarity with NUTEAIW members and urges the Malaysian government to intervene in the dispute immediately, requesting the company to drop the judicial review and grant recognition voluntarily.”

BCM is wholly owned by the Boeing Company and produces composite and structural products for Boeing commercial aircraft. The company acquired the Aerospace Composites Malaysia manufacturing facility and renamed it in 2023.

Singhitarai explosion exposes systemic OSH failures in India

Preliminary investigations point to excessive pressure caused by fuel accumulation inside the furnace, confirming the incident was preventable.

The plant has no union representation, and unions have reportedly been unable to access the site, raising serious concerns about safety oversight and accountability.

Systemic failure

Official data shows that in 2022, India had 268,747 working factories but only 6,244 safety officers — one for every 40 factories — making effective inspection impossible. Of 4,036 recorded workplace injuries that year, 1,053 were fatal. More than one in four reported incidents ended in death, reflecting both the severity of accidents and likely underreporting.

At a South Asia regional OSH webinar held by IndustriALL on 15 April, trade unions reiterated these concerns, pointing to weak inspection systems, lack of enforcement and the absence of worker participation as key drivers of recurring industrial accidents.

Unions in Pakistan reported repeated fatal accidents in the power and textile sectors driven by weak enforcement and precarious work. In Bangladesh, safety improvements remain uneven beyond the garment sector, leaving workers in other industries exposed.

These examples underline that the accident in Singhitarai reflect broader regional failures in enforcement and accountability.

Accountability, not just compensation

Company responsibility cannot end with compensation announcements. Without accountability, the cycle will continue.

Sanjay Singh, general secretary of the Indian National Electricity Workers Federation and IndustriALL executive committee member, said:

“This was not an unforeseen accident. Operating with outdated and scrapped machinery under excessive load is a clear case of negligence. The real question is how such a plant was allowed to operate in the first place.”

Sanjay Vadhavkar, general secretary of the Steel, Metal & Engineering Workers’ Federation of India and IndustriALL executive committee member, said:

“As per available information, this could have been avoided and workers’ lives saved with proper safety systems. Rising industrial accidents in India reflect eroding safety controls, reduced inspections, and self-certification. The dilution of safety laws in favour of industry is putting workers at risk. Unions will continue to fight for safe workplaces.”

Atle Høie, IndustriALL general secretary, said:

“Worker safety is a fundamental obligation under ILO Conventions C155 and C187. This tragedy exposes serious failures in enforcement and accountability. It also underlines the critical role of worker representation in identifying risks and preventing accidents. The company must take full responsibility, ensure full transparency regarding the causes of the explosion, and guarantee that workers are able to organise and be represented to prevent such tragedies from happening again.”

ACT report shows progress and gaps in brands’ purchasing practices

The ACT Accountability and monitoring report 2025, released on 15 April, draws on responses from 1,049 brand employees across 18 signatory brands and 1,055 suppliers in more than 70 production countries. The scale and methodology of the report are significant: rather than relying on brand self-reporting alone, the findings are cross-referenced with supplier feedback, providing a more honest picture of where change is and isn’t happening.

Where progress is being made

The report identifies the strongest advances in sourcing strategy and responsible exit practices. There are also signs of improvement in labour costing and planning systems, though challenges remain around forecast accuracy and the consistent protection of labour costs from price pressure.

Suppliers identified five purchasing practices as most critical to enabling higher wages: price negotiation, forecasting and capacity planning, sourcing strategy, buyer-supplier relations and terms of payment.

Where the gaps remain

The report also highlights areas where supplier experience does not match corporate reporting, particularly in labour costing and some payment-related practices. This is not a minor finding. It goes to the heart of why ACT’s accountability framework exists: to move beyond policy statements and test whether commitments are being lived up to in practice.

Why this matters for IndustriALL

IndustriALL Global Union is a founding member and co-architect of ACT. The framework is built on the conviction that collective bargaining, supported by responsible purchasing practices and genuine respect for freedom of association, is the most effective and sustainable route to improved wages and working conditions. This aligns with ILO conclusions on wage policies, including living wages.

This report demonstrates that the ACT model works precisely because it does not allow brands to be the sole judges of their own progress. The 360-degree methodology, triangulating data from brands, brand employees and suppliers, is what gives the findings credibility. When it surfaces uncomfortable gaps, that is the framework functioning as intended.

ACT executive director Mira Neumaier described the process as

“a collective, learning-based process”

rather than a static compliance exercise, with the primary objective of enabling fact-based conversations across global supply chains.

The 18 current ACT signatory brands include Asos, C&A, H&M Group, Inditex, Lidl, Next, Primark, PVH, Tesco and Zalando, among others.

The full report is available at actonlivingwages.com.

IEA calls on energy workers, unions and industry to shape global jobs report

The results will feed into the World Energy Employment 2026 report, an annual study that tracks the global energy workforce and shapes recommendations read by governments and employers worldwide.

Why your response matters

Last year’s World Energy Employment 2025 report drew on responses from more than 700 energy firms, trade unions and educators across the IEA’s annual Energy Employment Survey. The findings painted a clear picture of a sector under pressure. 

The energy sector is growing fast. In 2024, it employed 76 million people worldwide, up more than 5 million since 2019  and created jobs at nearly double the rate of the wider economy. 

But that growth is running into a serious obstacle: an increasing shortage of skilled workers. In a separate IEA survey of over 400 energy companies in 2025, around 60 per cent reported hiring difficulties due to skills and labour shortages. Applied technical roles like electricians, grid line workers, solar PV installersand  welders and pipefitters are the hardest to fill, accounting for more than half of the total energy workforce yet facing the highest shortages. 

The IEA’s Labour Employment Survey asked workers and their representatives directly what makes a job worth taking. The answers were clear: fair pay (90 per cent of respondents), employment security (73 per cent) and a safe working environment (71 per cent). Yet only 35 per cent of workers surveyed classified clean energy jobs as quality jobs with both good working conditions and good pay, a gap that unions and employers must urgently address. 

The workforce is also ageing. In advanced economies, there are 2.4 workers within ten years of retirement for every worker under the age of 25. In nuclear and grid roles specifically, that ratio rises to 1.7 and 1.4 respectively. Between now and 2035, two out of every three new hires will be needed simply to replace retiring workers. 

Closing the skills gap will require urgent and coordinated action. The IEA estimates that the number of new graduates entering the energy sector would need to rise by around 40 per cent globally by 2030, at a cost of roughly US$2.6 billion per year, less than 0.1 per cent of global public education spending.

These are the issues the 2026 surveys are designed to address. The more responses the IEA receives, the stronger the evidence base, and the stronger the case for policies that put workers at the centre of the energy transition.

“The energy transition is reshaping millions of jobs around the world. For that transition to be just, workers and unions must be at the table, not only when decisions are made, but when the evidence is gathered. I encourage everyone in the energy sector to take a few minutes to respond to this survey and make their voice count,”

said Diana Junquera Curiel, director of industrial policy, IndustriALL Global Union

Which survey is for me?

The IEA has launched four surveys, each targeting a different audience. Find yours below and share the links widely with your networks.

Workers and trade union representatives

For shop stewards, work council representatives, national trade union officers and workers in the energy sector.

Policymakers

For public institutions involved in energy, labour, skills or education policy, including ministries, national skills agencies and other governmental bodies.

Educators

For universities, TVET providers, in-house trainers in energy companies, NGOs and trade unions who deliver training or vocational education.

Energy industry (English only)

For energy companies, supply chain firms and those with responsibility for hiring and workforce planning.

Share your best practice

In addition to the surveys, the IEA is collecting examples of policies, initiatives and case studies through its new Employment and Skills Policy and Case Study Tracker. If your organization has developed a programme worth sharing, submit it here, it could be featured in the World Energy Employment 2026 report.

All surveys close on 15 May 2026. Please share these links widely with your union networks, colleagues and contacts in the sector. Every response strengthens the evidence for a just, people-centred energy transition.

Electricity substation towers and power lines against a blue sky at sunset
The energy sector employed 76 million people worldwide in 2024, yet skilled labour shortages are widening. Source: Shutterstock / STK_08

Bangladesh’s roadmap is stalling

These findings are drawn from the ILO’s roadmap report on the 18-point demands, published in March 2026, covering the period from March 2025 to March 2026, and covering all sectors. The report tracks progress against commitments made by the Bangladeshi government and social partners and exposes where implementation has fallen short. Notably, the minimum wage agreement, a key demand under the 18-point framework, is due for conclusion this year. Negotiations have yet to begin.

In 2025 Bangladesh took notable steps ratifying three ILO Conventions – C155 on Occupational Safety and Health, C187 on the Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health and C190 on Violence and Harassment – becoming the first in South Asia to do so. For workers who have spent years fighting for recognition, these are hard-won gains.

But ratification is not protection. And for the millions of workers in Bangladesh’s garment factories, export processing zones and beyond, the gap between what the law says and what actually happens on the factory floor remains vast.

The legal limit for union registration is 55 days. Many applications take far longer — in some cases, up to two years. A concern IndustriALL affiliates have raised repeatedly across multiple ILO Governing Body reporting cycles, the “Nothijat” filing system leaves applications suspended in bureaucratic limbo, with no resolution in sight. Workers who try to organize don’t just face delays. They face dismissal, harassment and intimidation.

Of 42 reported cases of anti-union discrimination and unfair labour practices, authorities acted on only eleven. Employers, meanwhile, are allegedly actively promoting yellow unions, company-friendly bodies designed to crowd out genuine worker representation.

The ready-made garment sector is Bangladesh’s largest export industry, employing millions of workers. However, the report underscores the need to strengthen collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) at the workplace level, which remain very limited in number. The government’s 18-point tripartite agreement, signed in September 2024 and heralded as a major achievement, was already raising concern among affiliates about uneven implementation across industrial areas. These figures suggest those concerns were well founded.

Ratification without protection

Workplace safety figures tell a similar story. IndustriALL previously raised serious doubts about the credibility of the government’s inspection statistics, questioning whether 441 inspectors could meaningfully conduct the 85 daily inspections the government claimed. The numbers now bear that out: 1,190 workers were killed in workplace accidents in 2025, up from 905 the year before. Despite reforms, safety protections remain dangerously insufficient.

Workers in export processing zones continue to be denied the right to form independent trade unions altogether, restricted instead to Workers’ Welfare Associations that fall short of international standards. Reform of the EPZ framework has been slow and insufficient.

IndustriALL affiliates have consistently called for their recommendations to be taken seriously throughout this process. 

The Labour (Amendment) Act, 2026 marks a step forward, particularly for workers in high-risk sectors, including RMG and shipbreaking. The introduction of employment injury schemes to strengthen compensation and social protection and establishes the legal right to refuse unsafe or hazardous work, a significant gain for workers in high-risk sectors including ready-made garment and shipbreaking. These concrete measures, alongside improvements in labour inspection and social dialogue, signal progress towards safer and more accountable workplaces. Continued efforts to ensure effective implementation and strengthen social dialogue will further support these positive developments in practice. IndustriALL and its affiliates are committed to working alongside the government to support these efforts.

Atle Høie, general secretary of IndustriALL, says: 

“The new Bangladeshi government has just passed a strong labour code and we have hopes that this indicates a change in values towards workers. But legislative reform alone is not enough. What workers need now is full and effective implementation in practice, backed by stronger enforcement, greater accountability, and real protection against anti-union retaliation. Without these concrete actions, the objectives of the roadmap will remain unfulfilled.”

Global unions call for a permanent and sustainable ceasefire in the Middle East

The undersigned Global Unions (CGU) call for a permanent and sustainable ceasefire across the Middle East and an immediate end to the relentless cycle of war and militarism that continues to exact a devastating toll on civilians, workers, and entire communities.

We lament that the recent negotiations in Islamabad during the two‑week ceasefire between the United States of America, Israel and Iran ended without a viable peace deal. This ceasefire must be made permanent, must lead to full de‑escalation, and must explicitly include Lebanon, where ongoing Israeli military assaults against Iran supported Hezbollah, have already produced a catastrophic humanitarian crisis also affecting the lives and livelihoods of ordinary Lebanese citizens. Lebanon continues to bear a heavy human and social cost of the conflict. Civilians face ongoing attacks, displacement, and the destruction of critical infrastructure, including schools and hospitals. Lebanon must not be treated as a secondary theatre of war; any serious path to peace must include an end to the attacks devastating the country and its citizens.

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has triggered severe humanitarian and economic shocks across the region, disrupting oil, gas and fertiliser exports and supply chains, exacerbating already strained food security, as the conflict spills into neighbouring countries and pushes already fragile economies into further fiscal crisis with severe consequences for people’s livelihoods and access to basic needs. This is putting thousands of jobs at risk, leaving workers exposed to sudden income loss and being left without protections.

Unfortunately, one of the defining features of this war is the targeting of energy, oil, gas and petrochemical facilities in a region that relies heavily on these industries for its economy. Workers in these sectors are being killed or injured while carrying out their duties at their workplaces while the commodities themselves are used as leverage on both sides of the conflict.

While global attention focuses on rising oil prices, civilian seafarers have been killed and injured, and vessels remain under threat of being targeted. More than 20,000 seafarers remain trapped in the Strait of Hormuz, living in constant fear and uncertainty – innocent civilian workers who are effectively on the front line, their lives on the line every day.

With over 30 million migrant workers across the region, many are among the hardest hit, sustaining key sectors while facing heightened risks to their safety, job loss, unpaid wages, and barriers to evacuation. Their safety, rights, and access to wages must be guaranteed without delay.

Workers, civilians, and public institutions must never be targets of military operations. The killing and injuring of workers across all sectors, including those in education, healthcare, journalism and media, transport and other essential services, as well as the destruction of protected spaces such as schools and hospitals, are profound violations of international law and an assault on human dignity. Such acts are intolerable and must be unequivocally condemned.

The global trade union movement rejects the logic of war and militarisation. Military force does not bring security – it entrenches violence, fuels instability, deepens injustice, and undermines the foundations of peace, democracy, human rights and multilateral cooperation. Diplomacy, not bombs; dialogue, not destruction, remain the only legitimate path to lasting peace.

As unions representing over 200 million workers across sectors and continents, we call on the international community to:

We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to a world in which conflicts are resolved through diplomacy rather than violence, where multilateralism is strengthened, and where all people have the right to live and work in safety, dignity, democracy, and peace. War is a political choice. But peace is the only answer.

Signatories:

David Edwards, general secretary, Education International

Atle Høie, general secretary, IndustriALL Global Union

Luc Triangle, general secretary, International Trade Union Confederation

Christy Hoffman, general secretary, UNI Global Union

Steve Cotton, general secretary, International Transport Workers’ Federation

Ambet Yuson, general secretary, Building and Wood Workers International

Adriana Paz Ramírez, general secretary International Domestic Workers Federation

Daniel Bertossa, general secretary, Public Services International

Kristjan Bragason, general secretary, International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers’ Associations

Veronica Nilsson, general secretary, Trade Union Advisory Committee to the OECD

Anthony Bellanger, general secretary, International Federation of Journalists

Korea: over 20,000 subcontract workers demand bargaining rights from Hyundai and POSCO

This hard-won victory came after more than two decades of trade union struggles.

Immediately after the amendments came into force on 10 March, over 20,000 subcontract workers from 58 of its branches of the Korean Metal Workers’ Union (KMWU) submitted formal bargaining demands to 18 principal employers.

The principal employers include Hyundai Motor, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, and Hyundai Steel. To date, only two companies have acknowledged receipt. Even Hyundai Steel, where the courts have already recognized its status as a principal employer, refused to accept the union’s submission, forcing the union to serve documents by fax and post.

By introducing the exclusive bargaining representative mechanism, the Korean Ministry of Employment and Labour is treating all subcontract workers as a single bargaining unit. Under Korean law, this mechanism requires all unions at a workplace to select a single representative before bargaining can begin, a process that risks sidelining smaller subcontractor unions in favour of larger in-house unions. This opens the door for employers to deny specific subcontractor unions the right to bargain collectively with principal employers, undermining the purpose of the amendment to protect subcontract workers’ rights.

KMWU identified campaigning for the repeal of the exclusive bargaining representative mechanism as one of four priorities at its 61st Regular Delegates Assembly on 3 March. The other three priorities are organizing joint bargaining actions across subcontracting chains, securing precedent-setting bargaining victories, and demanding a social dialogue framework to promote multi-employer bargaining.

Hundreds of Korean Metal Workers' Union members raise their fists at a delegates assembly in Korea in March 2026
Korean Metal Workers’ Union (KMWU) members at the 61st Regular Delegates Assembly, March 2026. © KMWU

KMWU president Park Sang-Man said:

“Ensuring dignity at work for on-site subcontract, outsourced and subsidiary workers, who have long faced discrimination, is a critical step toward addressing labour polarisation. In 2026, the KMWU will dedicate its full efforts to securing and expanding collective bargaining with principal employers. We urge the government to respect subcontract workers’ right to collective bargaining and abolish the exclusive bargaining representative mechanism.”

POSCO workers submit collective agreement proposal

Meanwhile, 3,500 subcontract workers submitted a collective agreement proposal to POSCO through the Federation of Korean Metalworkers’ Trade Unions (FKMTU) on 10 March. POSCO has acknowledged receipt of the proposal from both FKMTU and KMWU.

Members of the Federation of Korean Metalworkers' Trade Unions raise their fists at a meeting in Korea in March 2026
Federation of Korean Metalworkers’ Trade Unions (FKMTU) members at a meeting, Korea, March 2026. © FKMTU

FKMTU president Kim Jun Young said:

“The law amendment serves as an opportunity to open the door to collective bargaining for workers in the Republic of Korea who have not had meaningful bargaining rights. We have only just arrived at the starting line, focusing on safety and health issues. We expect the scope of bargaining to gradually expand.”

Unions fight to save 2,400 jobs in South Africa’s ferrochrome sector

In South Africa’s ferrochrome sector, where once-bustling smelters now lie dormant, unions are fighting to save jobs. The sector, long a pillar of the country’s mineral beneficiation programmes, has fallen idle due to high electricity costs and under-utilization. At present, only 11 of the country’s 66 ferrochrome furnaces are operational.

Unions secure tariff deal

After intensive lobbying, a modest breakthrough appeared on 27 February 2025 when Glencore-Merafe Chrome and Samancor Chrome secured an agreement with Eskom, the state-owned power utility, to pay R0.62 (US$0.033) per kilowatt-hour instead of the R0.877 (US$0.047) approved in January. The tariff had previously stood at R1.36 (US$0.073) per kilowatt-hour, according to NUM. Eskom granted the reduction on condition that smelters that had been shut down be brought back into production, subject to a five-year contract, annual tariff reviews, revenue-recovery mechanisms and other safeguards designed to protect the utility’s own precarious finances.

Companies press ahead with retrenchments despite tariff deal

The apparent compromise has quickly soured. The companies are dissatisfied with Eskom’s conditions, arguing against the long-term commitments and adjustment clauses. Rather than reopening idle furnaces, management has signalled its intention to proceed with retrenchments. The unions accuse the employers of negotiating in bad faith: after securing the lower tariff, Glencore-Merafe Chrome and Samancor Chrome are now backing away from commitments to job preservation and capacity restoration.

NUM expressed shock and disappointment, particularly over Samancor’s decision. “This move comes as a devastating blow to the workforce,” the union said, “particularly after NUM fought tirelessly to negotiate for lower electricity tariffs to ensure the sustainability of the company’s operations.”

NUMSA general secretary Irvin Jim is demanding the immediate withdrawal of all Section 189 notices, the reopening of mothballed smelters and a return to genuine negotiations with Eskom over the disputed conditions.

Jobs at stake in a country with 43 per cent unemployment

The stakes extend well beyond the two companies. South Africa’s extended unemployment rate stands at over 43 per cent. The destruction of thousands of formal-sector jobs carries significant knock-on effects for household incomes, local economies and social stability.

Paule-France Ndessomin, IndustriALL regional secretary for Sub-Saharan Africa, said:

“South Africa cannot afford to lose these jobs. With unemployment already at over 43 per cent, every formal-sector job that disappears takes a family’s income with it. These companies have a responsibility to their workers and to the communities that depend on them. Walking away from that responsibility is not a business decision, it is a social one, and IndustriALL is in full support of its affiliates NUM and NUMSA in their fight to save jobs.”

Global unions warn UN migration draft puts migrant workers at risk

The statement warns that the current UN draft text is a dangerous step backwards, moving away from a rights-based approach and diluting references to core International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions on freedom of association and collective bargaining.

A regression in rights for migrant workers

The joint statement raises the alarm over the 2026 Zero Draft of the Progress Declaration, which the GUFs say shifts migration governance toward a technocratic “labour market” model, one that risks treating migrant workers as economic inputs rather than rights-holders.

While welcoming stronger language on recruitment fees and debt bondage, GUFs are calling for six urgent changes: 

The statement also underlines that migrant workers must have access to justice — including the ability to pursue grievances for wage theft, workplace violations and harassment even after returning to their country of origin. According to the statement, wage theft is the number one indicator of forced labour and migrant workers are three times more likely to be in forced labour than other workers.

The reality on the ground

The demands reflect a pattern that IndustriALL knows well. In Malaysia, IndustriALL recently filed a formal complaint with the ILO after documenting systematic union busting across 12 companies in the electronics, semiconductor, aerospace, automotive and paper sectors. Migrant workers were among the most targeted, threatened with deportation and non-renewal of work permits to prevent them from voting for a union. At Lumileds, migrant workers were deported after the union won its ballot.

Women migrant workers face compounding barriers. At the 70th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70), IndustriALL and fellow GUFs highlighted that across global supply chains, women are overrepresented in the most precarious jobs, often with no union coverage and no access to grievance mechanisms.

IndustriALL’s commitment

The statement reflects IndustriALL’s own Action Plan (2025–2029), which explicitly commits to defending migrants and refugees as part of its broader fight for equality and workers’ rights. The Action Plan recognizes that migrant workers are particularly stigmatized and exposed to severe rights violations and injustice, and commits IndustriALL to enhancing policies of inclusion with the active involvement of migrants and refugees in union activities.

“Migrant workers sustain economies and essential sectors across the world, yet they remain structurally excluded from the protections that every worker deserves. The 2026 Progress Declaration must not go backwards. It must guarantee that every worker, regardless of their passport or visa status, has the right to organize, bargain collectively and live and work in dignity,” 

said Atle Høie, IndustriALL general secretary

Migrant worker welding metal trusses, close-up of hands and sparks
A migrant worker welds metal trusses. © Rich Matthews / Shutterstock