Les membres du syndicat IAM ratifient la nouvelle convention avec Boeing après 15 semaines de grève

Si l’accord prévoit des augmentations salariales totales de 24 % sur la durée de la convention, reflétant la concurrence croissante sur le marché du travail pour la main-d’œuvre qualifiée de l’aérospatiale, l’importance de ce conflit dépasse largement les termes spécifiques de l’accord. Il s’inscrit dans une tendance mondiale plus large : alors que le secteur aérospatial est confronté à une grave pénurie de main-d’œuvre, à une pression croissante sur la production et à un regain d’attention sur la sécurité et la qualité, les travailleurs et travailleuses de plusieurs pays s’organisent, font grève et remportent des victoires.

La grève de St Louis fait suite à d’importants conflits dans le secteur aérospatial aux États-Unis, au Canada, en Europe et au Royaume-Uni au cours des deux dernières années. Tout au long de la chaîne d’approvisionnement, de l’assemblage des avions aux composants, en passant par les moteurs, les systèmes de défense ainsi que la maintenance, réparation et révision, les entreprises ont du mal à attirer et à retenir une main-d’œuvre qualifiée.

Notamment, cet accord intervient un an seulement après la grande grève dans la région de Seattle, où 33.000 salariés des activités aéronautiques commerciales de Boeing s’étaient mis en grève pour protester contre la faible augmentation des salaires et les concessions accordées. Cette grève a créé un précédent et la convention conclue à St Louis s’appuie sur cette dynamique.

Les pénuries auxquelles le secteur est confronté semblent renforcer le pouvoir de négociation des travailleurs et travailleuses dans le monde entier, en particulier dans les environnements hautement qualifiés où les goulets d’étranglement de la production ont des conséquences immédiates sur les calendriers de livraison, les contrats militaires et la crédibilité en matière réglementaire.

Dans le cas St Louis, Boeing a menacé d’embaucher des travailleurs permanents pour remplacer les grévistes. Mais l’entreprise avait déjà du mal à recruter et à retenir de la main-d’œuvre qualifiée avant la grève, une réalité qui se reflète dans l’ensemble du secteur à l’échelle mondiale, rendant cette menace inefficace et renforçant finalement le pouvoir de négociation du syndicat.

Cette grève s’est également distinguée sur le plan politique. Les travailleurs et travailleuses ont reçu le soutien public d’élus tant démocrates que républicains, une manifestation rare de solidarité entre les partis aux États-Unis et encore plus inhabituelle dans le Missouri, l’un des États les plus conservateurs du pays.

Pour le mouvement syndical international, cela marque un changement plus profond : les travailleurs et travailleuses de l’aérospatiale sont de plus en plus reconnus pour leur rôle essentiel au niveau de la capacité industrielle nationale, de la sécurité économique et des chaînes d’approvisionnement de la défense.

Une victoire fondée sur l’unité

Les membres de la Section 837 de l’IAM ont fait preuve d’une unité extraordinaire pendant près de 15 semaines, malgré une pression intense. Leur détermination a permis d’obtenir des améliorations en matière d’évolution salariale, une prime à la signature plus élevée que celle initialement proposée par Boeing et le maintien d’un régime de retraite solide avec une contribution de l’entreprise pouvant atteindre 8 %.

Mais au-delà des chiffres, la grève a clairement montré que lorsque les travailleurs s’unissent, ils peuvent influencer de manière significative les négociations, même avec certains des plus grands employeurs industriels au monde.

Georg Leutert, Directeur du secteur aérospatial d’IndustriALL a indiqué :

“La force dont a fait preuve la Section 837 de l’IAM envoie un message clair à l’ensemble de l’industrie aérospatiale mondiale : ces travailleurs et travailleuses sont non seulement essentiels, mais ils sont aussi puissants. Nous observons un schéma récurrent. Alors que les entreprises ont du mal à recruter et à retenir une main-d’œuvre qualifiée, les travailleurs et travailleuses s’organisent, passent à l’action et remportent des victoires. Cette grève démontre le pouvoir de l’unité à un moment où le secteur subit une pression énorme pour livrer des produits sûrs, dans les délais et de qualité. IndustriALL est pleinement solidaire de l’IAM et de tous les travailleurs et travailleuses de l’aérospatiale qui luttent pour un travail décent, le respect et une part équitable de la valeur ajoutée issue de leur labeur.”

NUMSA signs wage deal, calls for policy response to protect auto sector

The agreement, running until 2028, provides a 7 per cent increase effective from July 2025, followed by the higher of 5.5 per cent or Consumer Price Index (CPI) in each of the subsequent two years. Workers will also receive a tax-free gratuity of R12,500 (US$720), unchanged medical-aid contributions and an increased transport allowance.
 
NUMSA members from the seven original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) operating in South Africa — BMW, Ford, Isuzu, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Toyota and Volkswagen — endorsed the deal.
 

“NUMSA welcomes the signing of this agreement, particularly because the union had deadlocked with employers and we were on the verge of a strike. Thankfully, we were able to conclude this round of wage talks and the union is grateful for the efforts made by the negotiations team who worked tirelessly to secure this deal,”

said Irvin Jim, NUMSA general secretary.
 
While welcoming the settlement, NUMSA wants engagement on industrial policy. For instance, imported vehicles now account for 63 per cent of new-car sales, up sharply in recent years, with much of the surge coming from low-cost producers in China and India — fellow BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) members whose exports benefit from subsidised input costs and scale advantages. NUMSA argues that South Africa cannot compete on price alone and is pressing the government for a comprehensive industrial-policy response.
 
The union’s demands are threefold: stricter local-content requirements and trade remedies to curb dumping by BRICS partners, policy requirements for Chinese and Indian brands to establish local assembly and component-manufacturing plants, and a broader re-industrialization package encompassing steel, energy and downstream beneficiation. The industry’s own masterplan to 2035 already targets 60 per cent local value addition and NUMSA insists that the government must now enforce it.
 
NUMSA is calling for an urgent tripartite summit involving government, labour and the OEMs to craft binding measures before further plant closures or shift reductions occur. Continued inaction risks massive job losses in an industry that still employs over 110,000 workers directly and sustains a far larger ecosystem of component suppliers.
 

“We applaud NUMSA for continuing to fight for living wages and better conditions in the auto industry and for successfully negotiating this wage deal. Manufacturing and beneficiation along value chains are key as they anchor South Africa’s industrialization initiatives,” 

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

Rubber tyre unions in Thailand prepare for just future

62 union delegates from 11 major rubber tyre companies such as in Michelin, Bridgestone, Goodyear, Maxxis, Yokohama, Dunlop, IRC, Linglong, Otani, Deestone, Zhongce and Canbon gathered for a two-day seminar culminated with an annual meeting of the Rubber Workers Union of Thailand (RWUT). The tyre unions gathering created a powerful platform for workers to collectively examine the rapid changes reshaping the tyre industry and to strategize on how unions can respond with strength and unity.

Union delegates engaged in deep discussions on the fast-evolving technological environment affecting Thailand’s rubber tyre sector—from automation and digital production systems to new forms of quality monitoring and supply-chain management.

Workers highlighted growing concerns over job security, deskilling and the pressure to constantly adapt to new technologies without adequate training or consultation. New work arrangements impacted workers and undermined their rights. 

Rubber Workers Union of Thailand president Saman Pornprachatham said:

“We will not allow new technologies to diminish the value of workers but instead use them to build a better future.”

While Thailand has become an important source of rubber, we can use this as leverage to advance workers’ rights especially in the rubber industry supply chain from upstream and downstream, as we are expecting more technological advancement in the downstream industry such as in the production of vehicle tyres we must keep up with increasing our union density in the sector and be able to negotiate for secured jobs and improve working conditions, Saman emphasized.

Larey Youpensuk president of CILT highlighted:
“Unity is our true strength. No matter how big the companies are, when workers join hands, our voice will be loud enough to bring change.”

Ussawin Klintepkesorn president of Yokohama workers’ union shared: 
“Yokohama workers face many adjustments, but we stand firm by creating fair practices and protecting our rights.”

IndustriALL South East Asia regional secretary, Ramon Certeza, highlighted:

“In an era of rapid change, building union strength in the tyre industry means organizing the unorganized, forging networks across multinational companies and winning agreements that ensure decent work. Only through unity and strategic organizing can workers secure their future.”


 

At least 50 miners killed in Congo bridge collapse; unions demand action

According to IndustriALL affiliated unions in the DRC, this preventable disaster was triggered by excessive force by law enforcement, including the issue of live ammunition, which led to a stampede after heavy rains flooded the site. In a bid to escape, over 10,000 artisanal miners were forced onto a makeshift bridge leading to its collapse. The unions said the bridge collapse, exposes systemic failures in health and safety oversight that continues to haunt the ASM sector in the Central African country.
 

“The sheer scale of this loss, compounded by the alleged unsafe construction of a makeshift bridge across a flooded trench demands immediate comprehensive action. We call upon the DRC government to launch an urgent transparent investigation to determine the root cause of this disaster and ensure that those responsible are held accountable,”

said Mpho Phakedi, NUM general secretary.
 
The DRC’s mining sector, which produces over 70 per cent of the world’s cobalt, relies heavily on ASM, which employs 1.5 to 2 million workers directly and supports countless more through informal supply chains. Yet, these miners operate in unregulated sites prone to landslides, floods and structural failures, inadequate or no personal protective equipment and enforcement undermined by corruption, conflict and economic desperation caused by poverty.
 
However, unions said the Mulando incident is not isolated as similar catastrophes have killed hundreds in recent years, underscoring a crisis that demands immediate transformative policy reform from the government.
 
“We urgently call on the DRC government to ratify International Labour Organization (ILO) Safety and Health in Mines Convention, 1995 (C176) as a corrective measure,” said Didier Okonda, the general secretary of Travailleurs Unis des Mines, Metallurgies, Energie, Chimie et Industries Connexes (TUMEC). Convention 176, which the DRC has yet to ratify, despite campaigns by trade unions, establishes binding standards for risk assessment, emergency preparedness, worker training and inspection regimes in mining operations.
 
Ratification would compel the creation of a national mining safety authority, mandatory site inspections and community consultation mechanisms essential steps to avert future tragedies like Mulando. Equally critical is the formalization of ASM to break the cycle of informality that breeds vulnerability, recommended the unions. The ILO Transition from the Informal to the Formal Economy Recommendation, 2015 (No. 204), provides a roadmap for this shift.

In DRC, where trade unions like the Confédération Syndicale du Congo (CSC) and other IndustriALL affiliates are already advocating for its monitoring, full implementation could streamline licensing, provide access to credit and markets and integrate miners into social protection systems. The unions are urging the government to convene a national tripartite dialogue involving miners, employers and civil society to operationalize R204, targeting ASM cooperatives for pilot formalization programmes and investing in infrastructure like secure bridges and flood barriers at high-risk sites.
 
As part of recommendations at a battery supply chain roundtable in Kolwezi in which IndustriALL affiliates participated in October, a human rights due diligence forum will be formed to protect workers in the formal and ASM sectors. Further, the forum will support enforcement of supply chain due diligence under frameworks like the OECD Guidelines.
 

“A human rights due diligence approach ensures that what happened at Mulondo will never happen again. Artisanal miners rights and dignity must be respected and protected by the laws and regulations,” 

said Glen Mpufane, IndustriALL mining director.

“What happened with this case in DRC is a clear example on how mining is dangerous work around the world. Critical minerals are important for the world particularly in decarbonization of global economy and working conditions of miners must be improved through human rights due diligence. While mourning for our killed fellow miners, we demand accountability from the government in order to end further deaths and hazardous conditions for miners,”

said assistant general secretary Kemal Özkan.

Photo: Shutterstock
 

50 mineurs au moins tués dans l'effondrement d'un pont au Congo; les syndicats exigent que des mesures soient prises

D'après les affiliés d'IndustriALL de ce pays, cette catastrophe, qui aurait pu être évitée, résulte d'un mouvement de panique causé par la présence de militaires qui ont aggravé la situation en tirant des coups de feu à balles réelles, après que de fortes pluies aient inondé le site. Dans leur fuite et la ruée qui a suivi, plus de 10.000 creuseurs ont été dirigés vers un pont de fortune qui s'est effondré. Pour les syndicats, l'effondrement de ce pont illustre les failles systémiques du contrôle de la santé et la sécurité qui continuent de hanter le secteur de l'EMAPE dans ce pays d'Afrique centrale.

"L'ampleur de cette catastrophe, à laquelle s'ajoute la construction d'un pont de fortune branlant pour franchir des tranchées inondées nécessite une intervention immédiate et totale. Nous appelons le gouvernement de RDC à lancer d'urgence une enquête transparente afin de déterminer les causes profondes de ce désastre et de s'assurer que les responsables rendent des comptes,"

a déclaré Mpho Phakedi, le secrétaire général du NUM.

Le secteur minier de la RDC, qui représente plus de 70 pour cent de la production mondiale de cobalt, dépend en grande partie de l'EMAPE qui emploie directement de 1,5 à 2 millions de travailleurs et quantités d'autres dans ses chaînes d'approvisionnement informelles. Or, ces gens travaillent dans des sites non réglementés où sont fréquents les glissements de terrain, les inondations et les défaillances structurelles, l'absence ou l'insuffisance d'équipements de protection individuelle et une application de la réglementation gangrenée par la corruption, les conflits et la détresse économique causée par la pauvreté.

Pourtant, d'après les syndicats, l'accident de Mulondo n'est pas un cas isolé, d'autres catastrophes du même genre ayant fait des centaines de victimes ces dernières années, soulignant une crise qui exige une réforme de politique transformative et immédiate de la part du gouvernement.

"Nous appelons d'urgence le gouvernement de la RDC à ratifier la Convention n°176 de 1995 de l'OIT sur la sécurité et la santé dans les mines pour remédier à ces situations", déclare Didier Okonda, le secrétaire général des Travailleurs unis des Mines, Métallurgies, Énergie, Chimie et Industries connexes (TUMEC). La convention 176, que la RDC n'a pas encore ratifiée malgré les campagnes menées par les syndicats, instaure des normes contraignantes en matière d'évaluation des risques, de préparation aux situations d'urgence, de formation du personnel et de régime d'inspection des exploitations minières.

Sa ratification imposerait la création d'une autorité nationale de la sécurité minière, de mécanismes obligatoires d'inspection des sites et de consultations de la communauté, autant de mesures essentielles pour éviter de nouvelles tragédies comme celle de Mulondo. Tout aussi essentielle est la formalisation de l'EMAPE que recommandent les syndicats dans le but de briser le cycle de l'informalité, source de vulnérabilité. La Recommandation (n° 204) de 2015 de l'OIT sur la transition de l'économie informelle vers l'économie formelle propose une feuille de route pour cette transition.

En RDC, où des syndicats comme la Confédération syndicale du Congo (CSC) et d'autres affiliés d'IndustriALL plaident déjà en faveur de l'application de ses mécanismes de contrôle, sa mise en œuvre complète pourrait simplifier l'octroi des licences, ouvrir l'accès au crédit et aux marchés et intégrer les mineurs dans les régimes de protection sociale. Les syndicats exhortent le gouvernement à organiser un dialogue tripartite national impliquant les mineurs, les employeurs et la société civile pour mettre en œuvre la recommandation 204, cibler des coopératives de l'EMAPE pour des programmes pilotes de formalisation et des investissements dans des infrastructures telles que des ponts solides et des digues de protection dans les sites à haut risque.

Dans le cadre d'une recommandation adoptée à une table ronde sur une chaîne d'approvisionnement de batteries, à Kolwezi, à laquelle participaient des affiliés d'IndustriALL en octobre, un forum sur le devoir de vigilance en matière de droits de l'homme sera créé afin de protéger les travailleurs du secteur formel et de l'EMAPE. Par ailleurs, ce forum appuiera la mise en vigueur du devoir de vigilance dans les chaînes d'approvisionnement dans des cadres tels que les principes directeurs de l'OCDE.

"Une démarche axée sur le devoir de vigilance en matière de droits de l'homme garantit que ce qui s'est produit à Mulondo ne se reproduira jamais. Il faut que les droits et la dignité des mineurs artisanaux soient respectés et protégés par la loi et les règlements,"

a déclaré Glen Mpufane, le directeur d'IndustriALL en charge des mines.

"Ce qui s'est passé avec ce cas en RDC montre bien la dangerosité de l'activité minière pour les travailleurs du monde entier. Les minéraux stratégiques sont importants pour le monde, en particulier pour la décarbonation de l'économie mondiale et les conditions de travail des mineurs doivent être améliorées en recourant au devoir de vigilance en matière de droits de l'homme. Alors que nous portons le deuil de nos camarades mineurs, nous demandons des comptes au gouvernement afin d'empêcher de nouveaux décès et de mettre fin aux conditions dangereuses pour les mineurs,"

a dit le secrétaire général adjoint Kemal Özkan.

Photo: Shutterstock

IndustriALL Global Union is looking for a project coordinator in Indonesia

The project coordination is foreseen to run for 36 months, from January 2026 until the end of
December 2028.

Responsibilities of the national project coordinator, to be shared with a colleague coordinator:

• General coordination and monitoring / evaluation of the project, as well as the day-to-
day practical implementation of the IndustriALL project in Indonesia, in close consultation / cooperation with, and under the supervision of the project management
team in the IndustriALL Kuala Lumpur regional office.

• Together with the IndustriALL regional office, draw up detailed annual work plans for IndustriALL project in Indonesia.

• Organize and prepare the logistics of, and active participation in the IndustriALL project activities in Indonesia, which will consist of 18-20 workshops annually during the project period, occasionally assisted, where needed, by local resource people.

• Logistical support for all Indonesian participants of the project activities.

• Assist IndustriALL affiliates in organizing drives and collective bargaining efforts, including by informing IndustriALL to ensure international support to those unions engaged in organizing or bargaining.

• Coordination of and networking with all relevant stakeholders.

• Assist training participants after the project events, foreseeing adequate follow-up. Among other, this may include visits to factories where seminar participants work, so as to get information and check on the situations at the workplace, as well as regular
visits to union offices.

• Maintaining database information with the cooperation of IndustriALL affiliates.

• Prepare the quarterly, midterm and annual narrative and assist with the preparation of the financial project progress reports in English.

• Assist IndustriALL affiliates involved in the project in regard to ongoing communication,including day-to-day contacts and responding to e-mails and phone messages. This includes the translation of some communications, where needed, between IndustriALL
and its affiliates in Indonesia.

• Assist with writing, producing and/or distributing materials and publications for use in the project activities.

• Assist IndustriALL in defending trade union rights and mobilising solidarity support when needed in Indonesia.

Requirements:

• Several years of experience in trade union work in Indonesia at national level, including project work, or equivalent experience.

• Knowledge and skills in project management / education and administration.

• Full professional working proficiency in Bahasa.

• High level of English proficiency, both written and verbal.

• Knowledge and understanding of trade unions and the labour movement in Indonesia, human rights and the manufacturing sector.

• Ability to work under pressure and prioritize in fast-paced situations. Some travel will be required inside Indonesia.

• Capacity to communicate confidently with union members and leaders.

• Ability to articulate the goals, strategies and policies of IndustriALL

• Self-directed, action-oriented, organized, motivated, flexible, punctual and reliable.

• Capable of working in a team and with people from different countries and cultures.

• Good IT skills: Microsoft Office, internet, online communication tools, social media, etc.

A competitive monthly remuneration will be offered to the successful candidate, in accordance with the project’s approved budget.

IndustriALL promotes gender equality and encourages equal opportunities for men and women to apply.

Applicants who fulfil the above requirements can send their application to Ramon Certeza. Applications must include a CV and a letter of motivation.

The closing date for applications is 3 December 2025.
IndustriALL will interview the shortlisted candidates and finalize the application process swiftly, so that the new coordinator can start work by 1 January 2026.

IndustriALL calls on Albemarle to stop anti-union practices in Chile's lithium sector

IndustriALL has called on US multinational Albemarle, one of the world’s leading lithium producers, to reinstate the unionized worker fired in Chile and to engage in constructive dialogue with the local union. IndustriALL Chile–CONSTRAMET has described the dismissal as an act of retaliation and a clear violation of the employee’s right to freedom of association and to protection from workplace harassment.

The worker was reportedly pressured into accepting a “mutual agreement” after filing a workplace harassment complaint under Chile’s Karin Law (Law No. 21.643), which protects workers against violence and harassment at work, in line with ILO Convention No. 190. The subsequent investigation revealed failings in the process, including delays, inadequate notifications and a lack of preventive protocols.

The dismissal came shortly after the union representative took part in an ILO tripartite meeting on women in mining and an IndustriALL workshop on strengthening union representation in the lithium sector, which, IndustriALL warns, further suggests that it was an act of retaliation against an active, up-and-coming union leader.

The incident took place at the Atacama lithium salt flats in the north of the country, where Albemarle operates one of the world's largest lithium extraction facilities. The mineral is an essential component of batteries and key to the energy transition, placing Chile in a strategic position in the global supply chain. However, concerns about workers’ rights are increasing following labour disputes and allegations of anti-union practices in the sector.

In a letter to Albemarle, IndustriALL’s general secretary Atle Høie warned that the dismissal was an act of retaliation, in a context of ongoing labour tensions. 
IndustriALL reaffirmed its readiness to facilitate the dialogue process and recalled that companies in the mining sector must ensure a fair, sustainable and respectful transition for labour rights, throughout the lithium supply chain.

Atle Høie said:

“It is unacceptable for a global company to act contrary to international labour standards and commitments to social dialogue. Our position is clear: there can be no sustainable mining without full respect for trade union rights.”

Photo credit: Salar de Albemarle en Chile, de Diario Financiero
 

Malaysia unions demand government action over widespread union-busting

Protesters from NUTEAIW, PPPMEU, the EIEU Coalition and NUTGFLP submitted a memorandum to the political secretary of the Minister of Human Resources, Kevin Yii, as well as two members of parliament. The memorandum detailed alleged acts of union-busting at XSD International Paper, Flextronics Malaysia, HICOM, Texas Instruments Malaysia, Nexperia and General Aluminium.

The unions criticised what they described as prolonged inaction by the Industrial relations department despite multiple complaints. Several cases, including those involving HICOM and General Aluminium, have reportedly seen no remedies after ten years.

Allegations of intimidation and employer interference in cases at Flextronics and XSD have also not resulted in prosecution, despite unions asserting that strong evidence was provided.

IndustriALL affiliates outlined four key demands:

IndustriALL Malaysia council secretary Gopal Kishnam Nadesan said:

“We are very disappointed that the said union-busting cases have not been handled fairly and professionally by the authorities in the past 12 years. We urge the government to respect the freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining of workers. Stop siding with employers and oppressing trade unions!”

IndustriALL regional secretary for South East Asia Ramon Certeza added:

“As a state party to the ILO Convention 98 on Right to Organize and Collective Bargaining, the Malaysian government is obliged to provide adequate protection to workers suffering from anti-union discrimination. I urge the government to engage with our affiliates and resolve the disputes amicably.”

Sub Saharan Africa unions reflect on Congress

The unions said the theme prompted them to envision several mobilisation campaigns to defend workers’ and trade union rights, foster job creation and security, demand living wages, create green jobs, uphold fair trade, advance sustainable industrial policies, and champion industrialisation. They said campaigns must prioritise equity, reskilling, and local beneficiation while embedding gender equality as one of the cornerstones.

The Congress was held at a moment when SSA is confronting a pivotal crossroads with surging global demand for critical minerals — copper, cobalt, lithium, nickel, and rare earths — vital for electric vehicles and renewable energy technologies. The unions argued that channelling these riches into domestic industrialisation via beneficiation unlocks job creation potential and economic vitality while enforcing human rights due diligence.

Renewable energy production will also create green jobs. Unions said there should be emphasis on upskilling and reskilling of affected coal mineworkers in the case of thermal power station closures in South Africa and other countries.

SSA’s youth bulge, 78 per cent of the population under 35, per UN and World Bank data, holds potential as a demographic dividend. But high unemployment, trapping youth in precarious informal work, could squander it entirely. Unions thus support formalisation which will legitimise artisanal and small-scale mining in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, alongside Kenya’s roadside auto artisans and Nigeria’s tailoring shops, to transform informal work into equitable, rights-secured formal economies.

While digital transformation will disrupt industries through automation and artificial intelligence, it will also benefit unions as they adopt digital tools of organizing and mapping industry supply chains. Meanwhile, intra-African trade which is promoted by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) emerges as a potential alternative for textiles and garments, reeling from US tariffs that have imploded factories and loom over Lesotho with 40,000 job losses. The non-renewal of the US African Growth and Opportunity Act has dire consequences for industries in Kenya. Regional trade and African industrialization could stitch back resilience and livelihoods, argued the unions. The unions’ arguments resonate with the theme for the African Industrialization Week (AIW2025) which is:

“Transforming Africa’s economy through sustainable industrialization, regional integration, and innovation.”

In Nigeria, unions are demanding living wages and respect for trade union rights from employers and the federal government. They continue to confront Dangote Industries over union busting.

Mpho Phakedi, National Union of Mineworkers general secretary said:

“Trade unions must push for industrial policies that promote beneficiation and localization instead of raw material exports, job losses, and employment. Global solidarity and campaigns against multinational corporations like Rio Tinto, Glencore and Sibanye, are important to unions’ fighting back and protecting workers’ rights.”

“For textile and garment workers, adapting our industries will require us to deal with new technologies which can improve industrial sustainability and competitiveness,”

said Bonita Loubser, Southern African Clothing and Textile Workers Union (SACTWU) general secretary. She urged technological adoption that empowers women through equal training and leadership development.
 
Prince William Akporeha, Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas workers (NUPENG) president, said a just future is built upon defending workers’ rights:

“We continue to fight for workers’ rights in Nigeria through social dialogue and legal action where necessary.”

“We hail Congress’s bold resolutions on youth, feminism, and trade as they address SSA’s core struggles. We are a continent of young workers and must address their concerns and interests. Feminism supercharges ILO Convention 190 to end violence and harassment in the world of work while fair trade ignites our region’s growth imperative,”

said Rose Omamo, IndustriALL vice president.

Workers lead the charge for a Just Transition

Roxanne Brown, IndustriALL vice president and international vice president at United Steelworkers (USW), opened the session with a call for workers to take an active role in shaping the transition.

She reminded delegates that Just Transition is not about job loss, but about securing the future of work.

“Just Transition isn’t a ‘fancy funeral’ for jobs — it’s about building a secure and sustainable future for all workers.”

Diana Junquera Curiel, IndustriALL director for energy and Just Transition, reviewed the organization’s achievements since the last Congress under the theme “Four years building the Just Transition.”

She highlighted progress on global framework agreements and gender-responsive transition strategies, urging unions to stay united and organized for the next phase.

Kan Matsuzaki, IndustriALL assistant general secretary, noted that new technologies, climate change, and shifting industrial boundaries require stronger solidarity and dialogue.

“Only a large, well-organized, and determined trade union movement can ensure a Just Transition that leaves no one behind,”

he said.

Regional perspectives

Regional secretaries presented updates from around the world, showing how unions are addressing the challenges and opportunities of the transition in their regions.
In Latin America, regional secretary Marino Vani described efforts to unite unions in mining, energy, mobility, textiles, and food to develop proposals for decent work and sustainable industry.

From Sub-Saharan Africa, Paule Ndessomin warned that workers are already facing severe impacts and emphasized the need for industrial transformation that creates jobs and supports social dialogue.

Delegates from across the globe contributed insights and demands:

“Energy must once again serve the people. A Just Transition means clean energy, but it must also mean public, democratic control,”

he said.

In addition to these interventions, it was evident that many members — particularly from the energy and mining sectors — are increasingly worried about job losses and growing inequalities. They stressed that a meaningful Just Transition must respond with concrete measures, including the establishment of youth structures, equal access to education, and comprehensive retraining opportunities. Delegates also called for STEM-focused upskilling for women, expanded training and educational support across the Global South, and stronger engagement from governments and multinational companies to ensure that workers’ voices shape the transition.

Looking ahead

In her closing remarks, Roxanne Brown emphasized the need for strategy and collaboration among unions, governments, and industry to ensure that the transition benefits workers.

“We’re not preparing for a fancy funeral, we’re crafting a future,”

she said.

“This is about shaping the future we want, and ensuring that no one is left behind.”

The session concluded with a shared commitment to continue building union-led strategies for a fair and inclusive transition in all sectors.