Indonesia: eleven mine workers injured in accident

Following an initial investigation by IndustriALL affiliate Federation of Indonesian Metal Workers' Union (FSPMI), the cause of the accident is believed to be brake failure. The dumping truck driver lost control and crashed into two other dumping trucks.

During the investigation, mine workers at PT IWIP said the company forced drivers to meet high targets or they would be punished. It is believed that the dumping truck was at full speed when the accident happened; the hasty and profit-oriented culture has led to preventable equipment failure and accidents.

FSPMI is demanding that PT IWIP take full responsibility for the accident and make adequate compensations to the injured workers. The union is urging the company to provide health and safety training for all mine workers and conduct regular inspection on machinery and equipment. The Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) committee must also function effectively to avoid future accidents.

“This is not the first workplace accident at PT IWIP; last year a worker died in an accident. The negligence of the company and the ineffective OSH committee are causing repetitive accidents. We call on the local government to strengthen supervision – human lives cannot be revived,”

says FSPMI president Riden Hatam Aziz.

“CEMWU regrets the accident and urges the company to treat the injured in accordance to the law. The company should cooperate with trade unions to increase awareness on occupational health and safety for zero accidents in the future,”

says Chemical, Energy and Mines Workers Union (CEMWU SPSI) president R. Abdullah.

Four of the eleven workers were seriously injured, and all were immediately hospitalized.

IndustriALL mining and health and safety director Glen Mpufane says:

"PT Weda Bay Nickel must understand that the low carbon energy transition does not need critical raw materials that are dropping with bloods from the death and injuries of mineworkers. It must ensure that the critical minerals they produce are clean and part of ensuring that is to ensure respect for health and safety of their workers."

Currently, approximately 29,000 workers are employed by 3 major companies and 15 subcontracting companies at the industrial park.
 
PT Weda Bay Nickel targets to produce 30,000 tonne Nickel per year. PT Yashi Indonesia builds ferronickel smelters for the industrial park, while PT Youshan Nickel Indonesia is a battery component manufacturer for electric cars

Women mine workers share traumatic experiences on sexual harassment

Some participants at the gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH) workshop, which is part of IndustriALL Global Union’s training to implement Convention 190 on eliminating violence and harassment in the world of work, shared touching stories of attempted rape and sexual harassment in Sub Saharan Africa.

The workshop also heard of cases of sexual exploitation in exchange for monetary benefits, also by supervisors, in the energy sector in Zimbabwe. Further, the groping of women in cages that transport workers to underground mines was raised as an issue of concern that needed immediate attention by unions and mine companies as it continues to occur.
 
Mosela who works as a machine operator at a South African goldmine narrated her attempted rape ordeal:

“I was five months pregnant at the time, and at work with a male colleague in the control room. I was doing overtime to supplement my wages as pregnant women workers do not work underground according to the law. But there were reductions on my job card as I could only work on the surface. The supervisor asked me to make coffee for him in his office as we had run out of supplies in the control room.

"He then followed me and said he wanted to have sex with me to ‘contribute to the growth of your unborn baby.’ I felt offended and disrespected by his utterances and pretence; and how he talked to me as if we were dating. He advanced towards me to trap me against the office desk, but I pushed him away and ran out of the office. I was traumatized; he was a senior colleague whom I respected and trusted. I had nightmares for months after the attempted rape.”

The workshop heard of another case of attempted rape that happened at a union workshop in Rwanda. For five days Nambi faced sexual harassment from a union leader while attending a workshop. The leader would send her inappropriate messages and photos.

“It was a terrible experience. He insinuated that he wanted to have sex with me and followed me everywhere; even when I took the hotel lift. And I was shocked when I found him naked in my hotel room. The hotel had given him spare keys to my room!”

In Nelly’s case, she faced sexual harassment shortly after getting a job at an open pit coal mine in South Africa.

“I was surprised by the undue attention I got from the assistant supervisor who provided me with transport to work every day. However, I felt overwhelmed and reported to the supervisor who warned the assistant. The assistant then started ignoring my calls and messages when I wanted transport from the pit after work and had to walk to the surface – endangering my life as the pit roads have traffic of heavy mining machinery. Although I reported to the shop stewards; they did not act timely, and I had to find transport from another woman worker."

Following a presentation by Hermien Botes from Anglo-America on how the company is addressing GBVH, the participants appreciated the efforts by the mining company but said they wanted the mining industry to address GBVH and not individual mining companies.

Lisa Sumi from the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) said the IRMA standards make it imperative for mines to take action to prevent and address discrimination, sexual harassment, and violence in the mines. Additionally, there must be worker grievance mechanisms to timely address the complaints and these are the requirements for the IRMA certification processes.
 
Rose Omamo, IndustriALL co-chair for Sub Saharan Africa says:

“Exhaustive information shared at this workshop points to the need to end GBVH and what we need to do to promote the implementation of Convention 190. Participants shared personal information arising from their work experiences including in trade union organizations. There is need for more such workshops to provide workers with spaces to share their experiences.”

“We strongly support the proposals of the union representatives to create internal policies towards stopping gender-based violence and sexual harassment at work and in the union,”

says Kathrin Meißner Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Trade Union Competence Centre for Sub Saharan Africa (FES-TUCC) director.
 
The workshop was held with support from the FES-TUCC, and facilitated by gender and labour expert, Bashiratu Kamal from Ghana.
 

IndustriALL and Solvay renew and improve benchmark GFA

The agreement content was strengthened around several important areas, including:

The four-year agreement includes serious commitments on due diligence along the supply chain. Taking note of the different international standards on this issue, including the upcoming EU Directive on corporate sustainability due diligence, the agreement establishes a new working group of workers and management to investigate respect of core labor rights in suppliers and seek remediation where problems are found. Solvay commits to suspend contracts with suppliers that fail to remedy human rights and environmental abuses following warnings.

 

Signing the new agreement, IndustriALL general secretary Atle Høie said:

“Several years of joint work between our organisations has built something special. This is a benchmark agreement in content, implementation, and spirit. We will continue to build and improve with a constant drive to progress workers’ rights and conditions throughout the company and its supply chain.”

Solvay CEO Ilham Kadri said:

“Social dialogue is precious to me and the company. The year 2020 was tough for this company, but together we built trust and came out stronger. Good social dialogue and being profitable go hand in hand. Thank you for your collaboration and for making us stronger.”

A total of three agreements were signed during the ceremony, including a renewed Memorandum of Understanding for Labor Relations in the USA, and the Solvay Global Forum Agreement signed by the CEO and Solvay Global Forum Coordinator Albert Kruft.

These agreements come as an important restructuring of the company has been announced, with a split into two new entities to be completed by the second half of 2023. One will cover the soda ash, peroxides, silica, and Latin American solvents businesses. These mostly commodity operations generated sales last year of US$4.5 billion.

The second new company will encompass Solvay’s faster growing and more profitable businesses, including specialty polymers, aerospace composites, consumer product ingredients, and aroma chemicals, which last year reported sales of US$6.6 billion.

The negotiation was supported by an inclusive consultation process of key Solvay unions. An important role was played by the Solvay Global Forum which is a consultative body of key worker reps from the company’s operations around the world, established in 2015.

Trabajadores de Natura Brasil reclaman mejores condiciones laborales

Los trabajadores de la mayor multinacional brasileña de cosméticos, Natura, (afiliados al Sindicato de químicos unificados) le entregaron a la empresa un listado con reclamos de mejores condiciones laborales y le solicitaron una reunión para debatirlos. Ante la falta de respuesta de la compañía, la organización sindical desarrolló una protesta en la puerta de la empresa el 25 de marzo.

Luego de la medida de acción, Natura accedió a negociar con el sindicato el 29 de marzo. En el encuentro, los trabajadores también explicaron que, debido al despido de numerosos trabajadores en el último año, los empleados restantes se vieron sobrecargados para alcanzar las metas. Por ello, consideran que la empresa les debe pagar los montos adeudados en el reparto de utilidades.

La trabajadora de Natura y líder sindical, Ivani Souza, dijo:

“La demanda de trabajo aumentó, pero hay menos personas trabajando y eso nos termina perjudicando. Hay sobrecarga de trabajo y muchos trabajadores se lastiman. Por eso pedimos un beneficio digno.”

Tras 4 horas reunidos, Natura se comprometió a tomar medidas para solucionar algunos problemas en la fábrica y mejorar así las condiciones de trabajo. Algunos puntos debatidos incluyeron:

En relación a la solicitud del pago de utilidades y a la contratación de personal para las líneas, la empresa propuso una nueva reunión para el 8 de abril, en la que pretende presentar una contrapropuesta de compensación económica.

“No hay duda de que la presión ejercida sobre Natura ha dado sus frutos. Aún así, no es momento de relajarse y dejar que la empresa actúe en beneficio propio.

Nos tenemos que mantener atentos y organizados para evaluar las soluciones que presente la empresa en la reunión del 8 de abril, o si simplemente está ganando tiempo para los trabajadores se sienten amenazados y se den por vencidos en su lucha”

señaló el Sindicato en una comunicación oficial.

Finalmente, el secretario regional de IndustriALL, Marino Vani, expresó:

“Felicitamos al Sindicato de químicos unificados por luchar por mejores condiciones laborales. Esperamos que la empresa Natura cumpla con su compromiso y que presente una propuesta acorde a las necesidades de los trabajadores en la reunión del 8 de abril.

Seguiremos atentos a los avances y solidarios con los trabajadores, el sindicato, su federación y con nuestra afiliada CNQ/CUT, la cual también acompaña esta lucha.”

OECD Steel Committee: workers’ delegation stands in solidarity with steel workers in Ukraine

On this sad occasion, TUAC, industriALL Global Union and industriAll European Trade Union, took to the floor to jointly express their full solidarity with steel workers, and the wider population of Ukraine, and to call for an end to the war as soon as possible.

Addressing the Committee, Matthias Hartwich, IndustriALL director for base metals and mechanical engineering, said:

“IndustriALL has affiliates both in Russia and in Ukraine. The Putin administration started this war on February 24, 2022, and it is their responsibility. We demand an end to the war and the withdrawal of Russian troops. We must not allow for workers and their families to pay the price. While we talk, Ukrainian men, women and children are trying to escape the war. In Kryvyi Rih alone. 26,000 steel workers, miners and their families are fighting to survive and to protect their steel plant.

“IndustriALL is asking its affiliates to make donations to support the affected trade unions directly. Our goal is to continue to help those affected and refugees with concrete solidarity in the form of donations and aid deliveries. We are in constant dialogue with our Ukrainian affiliates to provide financial and organizational support during this dark period in Europe. We stand with Ukraine.”

The OECD Steel Committee focuses on the global steel market situation, steel demand and steel trade developments. As such, international sanctions and their impact on the international steel sector were discussed with various countries raising their concerns about the impact of sanctions on trade flows, the cost of energy, and access to raw materials.

Judith Kirton‒Darling, deputy general secretary of industriAll European Trade Union, said:

‘’We stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine and call for the immediate withdrawal of the Russian armed forces. We urge policy makers from Ukraine, the Russian Federation, the USA, the EU and international organisations, including the OECD, to redouble their efforts to focus the process towards one of dialogue and political solutions to ensure a stable and peaceful outcome for a united Ukraine.
“We also call for sanctions not to impact ordinary workers noting a reported case in Romania at TMK Artrom, makers of industrial pipes, with workers having their wages frozen due to their company being owned by an oligarch. We must prevent the terrible actions of Russia from punishing ordinary workers.’’

Furthermore, on 1 March , TUAC promptly suspended the associate membership of its Russian affiliate, the FNPR, following its statement in support of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Therefore, from henceforth, representatives of the FNPR are no longer invited to attend the OECD Steel Committee, or any other OECD committee.

Marc Leemans, TUAC Acting President, concluded:

TUAC condemns the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation as a violent and barbaric act against a sovereign nation, its people and workers, and  calls on OECD governments to deploy all possible efforts to bring an end to the suffering of the people of Ukraine and Russia. The attack on workers and their families, production facilities and cities in Ukraine by the Russian army is unacceptable and must be stopped. To this end, we fully support the OECD Council’s decision to formally terminate the accession process with Russia.
“The TUAC has further ceased collaboration with the main Russian trade union confederation, the FNPR, after its public support of Putin’s operations in Ukraine, halting all invitations to the OECD.’’  

Kenya: union calls for improved safety standards as worker dies in furnace accident

According to the Kenya Engineering Workers Union (KEWU), Caleb Otieno, a health and safety shop steward for the union, is said to have fallen into the open furnace on 25 March during his normal work routines as one of his hands got stuck as he pushed metal bars into the furnace. The family was given only his ashes for burial.

Kenya’s Occupational Safety and Health Act outlines the responsibilities of the employers and the workers on health and safety at workplaces. For example, employers are responsible for ensuring that plant and factory procedures reduce the risks to health and safety. This contributes to accident prevention. Further, employers must provide a safe working environment and conduct regular risk assessments. The law also states that employers must provide information and training on OHS as well as personal protective equipment.

Rose Omamo, IndustriALL Sub Saharan Africa regional co-chairperson says:

“This is an unfortunate and preventable, horrific accident. The steel manufacturers must adhere to health and safety standards as set out in the laws. We commiserate with the family which is going through the trauma of the death of their relative and pass our condolences. As trade unions we will continue to demand safety at work and compensation for the employer’s negligence.”

“We call on the government of Kenya to investigate this accident and to deploy OHS inspectors to conduct compliance visits aimed at improving safety standards and saving workers’ lives. The implementation of national and international standards is crucial to the elimination of accidents from the factories and in making them safer for workers,”

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

IndustriALL Sub Saharan Africa region has set up an online health and safety platform to discuss how unions can demand better demand health and safety standards at work as part of the decent work agenda. The platform will assist workers to deal with OHS challenges at the workplaces, conduct training and policy development, revive and strengthen trade union structures, and improve social dialogue on OHS matters.

File photo: steel plant in Egypt, 2008

Copyright : Marcel Crozet / ILO

Turkish union signs CBA with auto parts supplier after international solidarity

On 24 March 2022, Safe Demo Plastik signed a CBA with Petrol-İş after global action against union busting at the Turkish subsidiary of French auto parts supplier Safe Group. Petrol-İş first won legal recognition at Safe Demo Plastik in Bursa, Turkey, in 2019, after years of organizing, by recruiting a majority of the 400 workers. The labour ministry certified the recognition, but the company responded by challenging the certification in court and firing union members.

IndustriALL organized supply chain solidarity action, targeting Demo Plastik customers. Demo Plastik supplies Toyota Boshoku, Autoliv and Faurecia, all of which are organized by IndustriALL affiliates. Toyota Boshoku, a Japanese company which makes auto interiors, is organized by JCM-JAW, Autoliv, a Swedish company that makes car safety systems, is organized by IF Metall and Unionen, and Faurecia, a French company that makes interiors and exhaust systems, is organized by FCE-CFDT. These unions were able to provide useful leverage in the campaign.

At the same time, the union maintained a strong presence in the workplace. The determination of the workers and the commitment by the union to pursue the case through the courts all kept up pressure on the company.

The union submitted a new application for recognition in November 2021, which was again granted by the labour ministry and challenged by the company. In December 2021, IndustriALL wrote to the director general of Safe Group, raising concerns about union busting. After exhausting all avenues for defeating the union, the company recognized Petrol-İş and signed the CBA.

Petrol-İş president Süleyman Akyüz wrote to IndustriALL to thank the global labour movement for its support, saying:

“We are very well aware that the organizing activities of the company took so much time. At the end we had a great victory with the support and solidarity of our international family IndustriALL Global Union. The involvement of the IndustriALL made a great difference in this regard. Thanks to global solidarity.”

The CBA brings tremendous benefits to the workers at Demo Plastik. Before the organizing campaign, workers were paid close to minimum wage. The new, two-year CBA provides a substantial increase in wages and social premiums. Workplace issues, including overtime and health and safety, have been addressed with the participation of the union.

Erhan Yakışan, formerly the local union president in Bursa and now a Central Executive Committee member for Petrol-İş, said that the supply chain strategy had been key:

“We clearly saw that the attitude and behaviour of the local company management changed with the involvement of the unions which organize in the company’s customers. Long live international solidarity.”

Tom Grinter, IndustriALL director for the sector, said:

“This case took far too long: the company’s stubborn refusal to follow the law and recognize the union was damaging to them. But this case shows that global solidarity, especially when applied strategically along supply chains, makes a crucial difference in winning for workers.”

Main image: a 2019 image of Demo Plastik workers. Petrol-İş

Unfair treatment of union members at Molex Malaysia

In response to the union busting at Molex Malaysia, IndustriALL affiliate Electronics Industry Employees’ Union, Northern Region (EIEUNR) lodged a complaint with the Industrial Relations Department (IRD), where cases of unfair treatment of workers are settled in the first instance.
 
IRD informed the union that they would carry out interviews with workers in the plant as part of the investigation. EIEUNR believes the interviews will cause the workers undue stress as they will be conducted in the workplace, meaning it will be easy for the employer to identify the interviewed workers.
 
EIEUNR has a recording where the human resources (HR) director is voicing threats to cut benefits if workers decide to vote for the union. The union has also received another recording with similar threats, where the HR director instructs managerial and supervisory staff to convince operators to vote against the union.
 
The audio recordings have been submitted to the IRD. The union believes these recordings represent sufficient evidence for IRD to recognize the unfair treatment of workers and demand that the employer carries out a secret ballot for union recognition without external interreference.
 
Giant technology company Apple is one of Molex’ major customers, and Molex’ behaviour towards its workers is in clear violation of Apple’s code of conduct:
 “Supplier shall freely allow workers to associate with others, form, and join (or refrain from joining) organizations of their choice, and bargain collectively, without interference, discrimination, retaliation, or harassment."
 
“The unfair treatment of workers at Molex is in clear violation of fundamental workers’ rights and trade union rights, guaranteed by core ILO conventions, and which should be respected by Malaysia. Apple and Molex’ other major customers must be made aware of the serious workers’ rights violation in their supply chain,” says Kan Matsuzaki, IndustriALL assistant general secretary.

Millions of workers join nationwide strike

Trade unions have been campaigning for workers’ rights that are under severe attack in India’s current anti-labour policy regime. The joint platform called the strike to protest against the privatization of the public sector, the national policy of monetising public sector land assets, the new labour law reforms promoting precarious employment and the attacks on workers’ constitutional and democratic rights.

“Thousands of workers have lost their jobs and lives in the pandemic and the government’s policies are further increasing precarious employment with unsafe working conditions. The two-day strike shows that India’s workers are angry and dissatisfied with current policies,”

says G Sanjeeva Reddy, president of Indian National Steel, Metal, Metalmines and Engineering Employees’ Federation and IndustriALL executive committee member.

 

Unions across the country organized joint rallies, gate picketing, roadblocks, rail blocks and public meetings in support of the strike. Bank services and public transportation was severely affected. Workers from various steel, coal, oil and metal factories downed tools. A large group of coal workers participated in the general strike, showing their dissatisfaction against the government’s policy to privatize coal mines.

 

Some unions, like the electricity workers in Maharashtra, were unable to participate, as the state government barred employees of state-run electricity companies from joining the protest.

“The government has failed to address the trade unions’ charter of demands, which includes scrapping the labour law changes, increasing minimum wages, end privatization of public-sector enterprises, as well as an end to casualization of permanent work. Workers have been forced to strike as the government refuses to talk to trade unions,”

says Sanjay Vadhavkar, IndustriALL executive committee member.

Atle Høie, IndustriALL general secretary, says:

“IndustriALL Global Union stands in solidarity with India’s trade union movement, fighting to protect workers’ rights and to protect and strengthen democratic institutions and practices. We call on the Indian government to engage in genuine social dialogue with the unions.”

IndustriALL Global Union is looking for a content-driven communications officer

Strategic communications is key in telling the story of the 50 million workers in the 140 countries our affiliated unions represent. We are now looking for a communications officer whose main task will be to create content worth following. In addition to being passionate about content, you are also interested in exploring the best platforms to disseminate it on.

Tasks include

Requirements

This full-time position is based in Geneva and involves some travel.

Applications by Tuesday 12 April 2022

Please send your application including a CV and motivation letter by e-mail to IndustriALL’s communications director Petra Brännmark at the latest by Tuesday 12 April 2022. We will interview short-listed candidates and complete the application process so that the new communications officer can start work in Geneva as soon as possible.

IndustriALL Global Union is a global trade union organization, which represents 50 million workers in mining, energy and manufacturing sectors in 140 countries. IndustriALL focuses on building union power all over the world through organizing and campaigns, fighting for an economic and social model that puts people first, based on democracy and social justice.