We want a Just Future and an end to inequality!

In Georgia, unions organized a photo exhibition in the streets to raise awareness about decent pay and inequality.
 
The Japan Council of IndustriALL Global Unions (JLC) held a seminar on the current situation where wages have not increased for 30 years, discussing solutions to eliminate the unfair distribution. The seminar was held as preparations for next year's wage negotiations are about to start.
 
JLC chair Takakura referenced the cost of living crisis as company earnings are increasing:

“It is the unanimous opinion of not only unions, but society in general that wage increases are an effective solution to combat high prices and eliminate inequality. This is an opportunity for us this year, as we prepare for the Spring Struggle. Now, the focus is on wages. If we workers cannot buy things through higher wages, the economy will not turn around.”

 

As unions in Iraq took action to inform workers of the decent work day, unstable contracts and wages, Alaa Odeh Hussein, president of General Union of Workers in the Electricity Sector, said:

“The fabric of our societies being torn apart, and people, societies and workers around the world are facing historical levels of inequality, in addition to massive unemployment, bad jobs and precarious contracts in the growing informal economies. As we try to get out of the health crisis imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic, we are caught in the grip of crises of the cost of living, energy and food security, and the climate."

Atle Høie, IndustriALL general secretary, says:

“Inequality is increasing everywhere despite the fact that international institutions and many governments warn against this development. As governments and politicians are failing to resolve the crisis, unions are stepping up, as we have seen in the actions taken around the World Day for Decent Work. I am proud to see that our affiliates are joining the call that enough is enough and that it is time to pay up.”

International solidarity secures agreement for workers

In 2021, Ford India announced that it will stop manufacturing vehicles in India. Of the two plants in Sanand, one was bought by Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Limited, and the engine plant stays open. Two plants one closed one open. Sanand Ford Employees Union with support from United Auto Workers (UAW), IndustriALL, and unions in TPEML successfully retained their job along with pay, other facilities and continuous years of work experience.

The assembly plant in Chennai were to close as no buyer was found, leaving the workers unemployed and many facing economic hardship. The negotiation process lasted for a year, with Chennai Ford Employees Union (CFEU) raising concerns with management and demanding job security.

 

A global trade union alliance under the leadership of US affiliate UAW had actively supported the recognition of the CFEU in 2011. In the anticipation of the closure of the plant in 2021, UAW and IndustriALL firmly stood with the union, which represents 2592 workers, in its fight to secure fair compensation for the workers.

In September 2021, representatives from UAW, IndustriALL, and the unions representing Ford workers from the Chennai and Sanand plants formed a working group coordinated by IndustriALL’s South Asia regional office ahead negotiations with Ford management. Weekly meetings were held to discuss the list of demands prepared by the Ford unions. Alliances with unions in Tata Motors were also explored for potential support. When needed, UAW would communicate with Ford management in the USA.

However, severance negotiations reached a deadlock and the union approached the labour department for conciliation in July 2022. After several rounds of tripartite negotiations, the union and Ford management finally reached an agreement on the severance package for the Chennai plant workers. Workers will receive a package equivalent to an average of 140 days of gross pay for each year of service completed, a one-time payment of 0.15 million INR (US$1,837), and wages until 30 September 2022.

"Even though we could not secure the jobs, it’s a big win for us as the union has managed to negotiate a satisfactory settlement. We especially welcome the clause stating that if the Ford brand is re-launched in India within the next three years, we will be given priority based on merit,. We express our gratitude towards our colleagues at IndustriALL and UAW for their encouragement and support during this difficult time,”

says Suresh S, general secretary of CFEU.

"We believe that multinational companies have a social responsibility to ensure the wellbeing of workers and their families and a year-long struggle has finally paid off. IndustriALL welcomes the agreement which is a remarkable example of international solidarity across workers' unions that underlined the process of negotiation,”

says Georg Leutert, IndustriALL automotive director.

Free Myanmar’s jailed trade unionists! Recognise the NUG!

Their continued imprisonment is a travesty of justice and makes a mockery of democracy. Trade union rights are globally recognised and guaranteed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. For workers and trade unionists to be imprisoned for the exercise of these rights in the defence of democracy cannot be allowed to pass unchallenged. Human and trade union rights are not suggestions – they are universal and inalienable rights that must be applied to all working people without discrimination and/or fear of repression.

Trade union rights can only thrive in a climate of democracy. They can only grow and flourish under governments that are committed to democratic processes and the rule of law. Thus, the Global Unions reaffirm their call to the United Nations General Assembly to recognise the credentials of Myanmar’s National Unity Government (NUG) as the one and true democratic government of the Myanmar people. By recognising the NUG, we safeguard the human and trade union rights of Myanmar’s working people, and once and for all, put an end to the military junta’s brutal dictatorship and false representation of the country before the international community.

The Global Unions also condemn in the strongest terms possible the widespread human rights abuses, torture and killings against Myanmar’s democracy activists both inside and outside the prisons. We strongly urge the United Nations and all relevant international human rights institutions to take strong action on this matter and bring to justice all those responsible for these atrocities.

Trade unions must never rest until all trade unionists, everywhere in the world, are free from repression and abuse of their fundamental rights. Democracy is the right of all working people. Whenever and wherever there is tyranny, trade unions will respond with unity and solidarity.

Global unions in Geneva today, calling for the immediate release of the jailed unionists in Myanmar.

Inditex global union committee fighting for workers in the supply chain

Meeting at Inditex headquarters in A Coruña, Spain, on 3-6 October, local union representatives from Inditex's six production clusters around the world and representatives from IndustriALL Spanish affiliates Comisiones Obreras and UGT-FICA discussed and evaluated the 2022 global work plan, exchanged organizing and collective bargaining victories in Inditex supplier factories during 2022, and developed its global implementation plan.
 
The days coincided with the 15th anniversary of the global framework agreement and the signing of a new protocol in the presence of the global union committee. The new protocol furthers social dialogue by reinforcing the committee and its coordinating bodies, specifically establishing new mechanisms for cementing the role of the local unions for a better understanding of what the workers making the clothes need.

The global committee with IndustriALL general secretary Atle Høie and Inditex CEO Óscar García Maceiras at the signing of the agreement.

 
During the meeting days, the global union committee discussed the advancement of a joint programme for global implementation on freedom of association and collective bargaining, and the new protocols on factory access. Access to factories in Inditex’ supply chain will improve the understanding of workers’ needs and how to respond to them.

The global committee will continue to work with all IndustriALL textile and garment affiliates to identify and plan joint factory access for 2023, as elaborated in the 2023 GFA workplan.

Since its establishment, the International Accord has significantly improved factory safety in Bangladesh. The global committee expressed its support that Pakistan will be the next country that will develop an health and safety programme under the Accord. It further expressed support for the Inditex MENA trade union network’s demand that the Accord be expanded to Morocco.

“The global union committee has made key decisions to ensure that the workers in Inditex’s global supply chain will continue to be able to exercise their rights to band together in trade unions to negotiate for better working conditions. IndustriALL will continue to support the Inditex global union committee in this important mandate,”

says Christina Hajagos-Clausen, IndustriALL textile and garment director.
 
 

SKF World Union Council meets with top management

Around 40 union leaders from almost all countries where SKF has operations came together from 3-6 October. Welcoming participants, WUC chairman Kenneth Carlsson, underlined the importance of representatives from SKF’s Ukraine operations joining the meeting.
 
On the first day, delegates from Europe discussed with management on future activities, strategies and the footprint of SKF. The energy crisis and consequences of Russia’s war on Ukraine were other topics during the European Works Council meeting.
 
The second day was dedicated to internal discussions of the WUC, the global social dialog body. The steering committee reported on the latest developments, and IndustriALL director for mechanical engineering Matthias Hartwich said:

“The SKF WUC is unique: it’s a very mature body for social dialogue on a global level, dedicated to union involvement. The cooperation among all different trade unions for the sake of SKF’s workers – regardless of if they are white or blue collar – is crucial for the workforce. And this is even more important in times of crises and change. As trade unions, we take the responsibility to pilot our members through the challenges of green tech and digitalization; our goal is to make this a just transition.”

Marie Nilsson, president of IndustriALL's  Swedish affiliate IF Metall, joined the meeting and addressed the changes in the industrial setting in Sweden, making special reference to the development of a sustainable industrial policy related to green technologies. She greeted the Ukrainian delegation and assured them of IF Metall’s solidarity.
 
On the third day, delegates received input from SKF top management. CEO Rickard Gustafson and head of human resources Ann-Sofie Zaks presented on strategic goals and the future footprint of the group. The presentations were followed by discussions with participants.
 
Kenneth Carlsson and WUC vice-president from Germany Norbert Völkl, demanded on behalf of the WUC to be informed and consulted on strategic discussions and decisions, making sure that unions have a say. The CEO and the management team promised to fulfill this demand, which the WUC will follow up on.

Nigeria ratifies Convention 190 after sustained union campaigns

On 30 September, the Federal Government of Nigeria announced that President Muhammadu Buhari had signed the instruments of ratification, and that the government is committed to strengthening laws to curb gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH) at work.
 
A report by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), to which some IndustriALL Global Union affiliates belong, and the Solidarity Centre, stated that GBVH happens at most workplaces and is underreported because of stigma and other social norms. It is worsened by poor enforcement of laws and weak implementation of workplace policies.

According to the report, this creates an environment where discriminatory gender norms are entrenched as evidenced by groping and sexual harassment by supervisors, which is common at workplaces – often making women workers dread going to work.

 

“We have been campaigning for the ratification of Convention 190 at meetings and events. Our main message has been that if the country is committed to ending GBVH, the Federal Government of Nigeria must ratify the convention,”

says Oluchi Amaogu, secretary of the Sub-Saharan Africa region’s interim women’s committee from the National Union of Petroleum & Natural Gas Workers.
 
The unions say that the ratification of C190 will strengthen the development of workplace policies to address gender discrimination, gender inequality, improve reporting mechanisms and confidentiality, and make perpetrators accountable and be prosecuted under appropriate laws.

Unions want remedies to be provided to survivors of GBVH, and power imbalances and GBVH risk factors that include unsafe public transport when commuting to work to be dealt with. This will make workplaces safer for formal, informal, and precarious workers. Unions will carry out C190 awareness campaigns, especially in male dominated workplaces, to discuss the ending of practices that perpetuate GBVH at work.

Armelle Seby, IndustriALL gender director, underlines the importance of the Convention as a tool in stopping GBVH:

“The ratification of C190 is an important step for Nigeria, but the implementation of the convention and Recommendation 206 is crucial to making workplaces safer for women. This means coming up with initiatives to build the capacity of unions on gender equality, and preventing and addressing GBVH through actions and campaigns.”

The other African countries that have ratified the convention are the Central Africa Republic, Mauritius, Namibia, Somalia, and South Africa.
 
 
 

Genuine social dialogue needed for a Just Transition in Georgia

Temur Suramelashvili, deputy chairman of the Trade Union of Metallurgy, Mining and Chemical Industry Workers of Georgia, spoke about the risks of energy transition. In Tkibuli, about one thousand people work in the mines and nearly 3,500 are employed in the service infrastructure. If the Georgian government complies with the Paris Agreement on CO2 emissions and closes the mines, this will affect between 18-20,000 people, including workers’ families.

“We need to look closer at how the energy transition impacts industrial sectors and companies. We need to understand which companies and professions will be impacted by the transition and which new ones will appear. There needs to be a plan because every number on paper represents a family. Workers need concrete Just Transition plans to face the new challenges,”

said Diana Junquera Curiel, IndustriALL director for energy and Just Transition.

Ensuring social protection and decent jobs is a priority for the unions to protect workers’ rights.

The Ministry of Economy is actively involved in strategic planning. The representative at the meeting confirmed the importance of social dialogue and invited all interested parties to participate in discussions, including through the Social Interaction Program.

Although the meeting was characterized by openness and a willingness to discuss among employers and government representatives, the absence of employer associations in the country hampers effective social dialogue, both at the sectoral and national level.

“Since there are no employers’ organizations, there are neither sectoral agreements nor a general agreement setting the framework and rules for the relationship of the social partners. Unions need a reliable counterpart, willing to create constructive platforms to negotiate the future of the industry in Georgia,”

said IndustriALL regional secretary Vadim Borisov.

Cristina Hanson and Jesper Nielsen, from 3F union in Denmark shared their experience on how a green transition becomes Just Transition. Building on the Danish tradition for public-private partnerships, the Danish government has formed 14 climate partnerships representing the different sectors in the Danish economy.

Ambros Arias from the Spanish affiliated to IndsutriALL, UGT FICA,  spoke about the experience of closing coal mines and thermal power plants, which provided almost ten per cent of Spain's energy balance. Spanish trade unions are aiming to double the number of jobs as a result of transition to green energy.

The event was part of a joint project between IndustriALL and 3F, Denmark’s largest union.

Unions in Asia Pacific intensify efforts to organize white collar workers

Facing technological innovation and changing job descriptions, Singapore’s Advanced Manufacturing Employees’ Union has worked together with its national centre to advocate for reforming the country’s Industrial Relations Act so that a limited number of white collar workers can be included in the workers’ union.

“It is crucial to show that trade unions can provide benefits for white collar workers. In Japan for example, both blue and white collar union members can secure low-interest loans from the labour bank established by trade unions. We must make unions attractive to the workers,”

said Yusuke Ishihara, Japan Council of Metalworkers assistant general secretary.

In the Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand, the majority of white collar workers are women. A lack of awareness of workers’ rights, restricted laws on organizing platform workers and increasing automation to monitor and control workers are among the challenges to organize white collar workers.

Participants agreed to re-think organizing plans targeting white-collar workers. Issues concerning the interests of white-collar workers, for instance long working hours, mental health, right to disconnect and telework benefits should be emphasized in the organizing drive.

The importance of collective bargaining in protecting white collar workers’ rights and benefits must be underlined when organizing.

"Core labour standards are a guide in realizing freedom of association and advocating labour law reform in the digital economy. Unionists must take mental health and occupational health and safety issues more seriously, as this has been neglected for a long time. We need to make our unions more relevant for white collar workers,"

said Christine Olivier, IndustriALL assistant general secretary.

Corinne Schewin, from CFE-CGC and sector co-chair, shared issues faced by white-collar workers and the strategy to organise them in France.

“Changes in the industry leads to increased job creation for white collar workers. That’s why we have to organize in every country to attract them and to increase our membership,”

said Magnus Kjellsson, head of international affairs at Swedish union Unionen, on behalf of Martin Linder, the union president and the sector co-chair.

Independent union wins representation at Saint-Gobain Mexico

On 28 and 29 September, a ballot was held at the factory in Cuautla, where 957 workers voted for the Independent Union of Free and Democratic Workers of Saint-Gobain Mexico. 587 voted for the Glass Workers Union, affiliated with the former Confederation of Workers and Peasants (CTC).

Another ballot was held in July on the collective bargaining agreement negotiated by the CTC union. Workers voted against the agreement, saying it had been negotiated behind their backs.

In the months leading up to the second ballot, employees say they have been harassed and bullied by the CTC union, being told they could lose the benefits set out in collective agreement if they voted for the independent union.

"The steps so far have not been easy: our union has been the subject of slander, defamation and misinformation by the other union. But we haven’t let ourselves get pulled into their game. We are here to represent our workers democratically – we won’t negotiate behind their backs and won’t mismanage our union,”

said Joaquín Guzmán, general secretary of the Independent Union of Free and Democratic Workers of Saint-Gobain Mexico.

IndustriALL deputy regional secretary, Cristian Alejandro Valerio, said: 

"We welcome this great victory for Saint-Gobain workers. Mexican workers need to keep winning in their fight against employer protection contracts to     succeed in eradicating a practice that has been harmful to workers' rights in Mexico. They will also succeed in ensuring genuine union representation for employees in all workplaces."

On the 15th anniversary of their Global Framework Agreement, Inditex and IndustriALL reaffirm commitment with a new protocol

Today, Oscar García Maceiras, CEO of Inditex, and Atle Høie, IndustriALL Global Union general secretary, signed a new protocol designed to further the Global Framework Agreement (GFA) first signed by the two organizations in 2007, resulting in better working conditions in the textile supply chain.

The new protocol furthers social dialogue by reinforcing the Global Union Committee and its coordinating bodies, specifically establishing new mechanisms for cementing the role of the local unions for a better understanding of what the workers making the clothes need.

Under the new protocol, Inditex and IndustriALL will formulate a joint work plan which will focus on continued respect for the freedom of association, the right to collective bargaining and the provision of training to worker representatives, the textile group’s suppliers and its supply chain factory workers.

Inditex and IndustriALL are also making progress on a new workplace access protocol, which aims to learn about and monitor working conditions in the factories in Inditex’s supply chain, in order to understand the workers’ needs and to respond to them.

“Signing the GFA with Inditex was a breakthrough that has since lead the way for more responsible sourcing and proper industrial relations in the sector. It is fitting that we celebrate the first 15 years by signing a protocol that takes our relationship to a new level in terms of respect for fundamental trade union rights. The fact that we agree with Inditex to increase the role of our local and national unions and to firmly defend their right to organize and bargain collectively in the supply chains gives hope to many,”

says Atle Høie, IndustriALL General Secretary.

 

“The protocol signed today, commemorating the 15th anniversary of the Framework Agreement between Inditex and IndustriALL, evidences our determination to strengthen respect for fundamental labour rights across our production chain and marks a fresh milestone in both organisations’ ongoing mission of improving the lives of the women and men who populate it,”

says Óscar García Maceiras, CEO of Inditex.

Felix Peinado, Director for the ILO in Spain, present at the signing ceremony, said:

“In the Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy, ILO urges companies, in collaboration with their workers’ representatives, to enter into international framework agreements to commit to applying principles of decent work along their supply chains in all countries. Spanish unions Comisiones Obreras and UGT, together with Inditex, have been frontrunners in Spain with this agreement. I could not be prouder of this agreement or happier to celebrate its anniversary. The agreement is an example of how, with the combined commitment and hard work of companies and their workers’ representatives, it is possible to forge better working conditions around the world."

This agreement marks a new milestone in the relationship between Inditex and IndustriALL, which began 15 years ago, in 2007, with the signature of the GFA. The Agreement was a significant step forward for the industry, providing a major boost to its sustainability and a very real chance to improve working conditions for the nearly 3 million people who work in the factories producing for the Spanish multinational globally.