Haiti: one dead, five injured in protests

On Monday the government announced increases for different economic activity.  In the garment sector, the 37% increase lifts wages from 500 to 685 gourdes (USD 6.50 a day). The amount is unacceptable to the coalition of unions that is pressing for better wages, including IndustriALL affiliate GOSTTRA. The unions say that even the 1,500 gourdes they have been demanding since January barely covers workers’ basic needs.
 
The cost of living is increasing every day in this small island economy where gangs often wield more power than the government.
 
Haitian garment workers produce clothing for major brands including Gildan, Underarmour, Hanesbrands, PVH, VFC, Target,  Kathmandu, Fanatics and New Era.
 
IndustriALL Global Union has expressed solidarity with Haitian garment workers. It has condemned the actions of the government, warning that it is putting at risk its garment export industry which is one of the main providers of jobs in the country.
 
Protests are set to continue this week.

Zimbabwe energy workers in stayaway over poverty wages

ZEWU says some workers earn less than US $100 per month.

“We are writing to notify you that our members no longer have the capacity to report for duty as expected. It is no secret that their incapacitation has been caused by the unbearable economic conditions they are faced with,”

wrote Martin Chikuni, the general secretary of the Zimbabwe Energy Worker Union (ZEWU), which is affiliated to IndustriALL Global Union.

The union says the “no collective industry mandate” excuse by the employer is a ruse to avoid increasing wages and is creating “disharmony” and doubt over whether the employer is committed to negotiations. Workers are becoming increasingly sceptical about the usefulness of attending bargaining meetings where no decisions are made to pay living wages.

In the letter dated 14 February, ZEWU states that workers are faced with price hikes of basic commodities, rentals, fuel, and school fees. Further, with the loss of confidence in the local currency, most providers of goods and services are asking for payment in US dollars which are mainly bought at higher rates on the parallel market. The exchange rate to the US dollar is 1:120 Zimbabwe dollars (ZWL) on the official market, and 1: 235 on the parallel market. But US dollars are more widely available in the streets than the banks.

The union says the wages are not keeping up with hyperinflation, which is over 60 per cent according to the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency. Further, the Consumer Council of Zimbabwe has reported that a family of six required at least ZWL $73,000 (US $310) to meet the cost of living.

However, the reply to the union from ZESA, the country’s power utility, was an offer of a 30 per cent wage increase and increments in Covid-19 and transport allowances which the union has described as paltry. The union says the collective action will continue until their demands for living wages are met.

“We support ZEWU in its campaign for living wages and hope that the employer will engage in serious and meaningful wage negotiations and stop the delaying tactics when workers and their families are starving. Workers are suffering under the precarious working conditions of low wages that are currently prevailing in Zimbabwe,”

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

World Bank reports state that over 7.9 million Zimbabweans are extremely poor – meaning that at least one person is living on less than US $30 per month. The country’s population is estimated to be over 15 million. Poverty has been worsened by the price hikes of food and other basics while the Covid-19 pandemic has worsened the economic crisis.

Photo: A file image of a Zimbabwean energy worker.

Ukraine: dialogue and diplomacy are the only way forward

The current tensions primarily affect ordinary people, disrupting their lives on a daily basis and increasing uncertainty for their future. It is also destabilising the entire region, adding to the economic and social hardship.

IndustriALL Global Union and industriAll European Trade Union urge the relevant policy makers from Ukraine, the Russian Federation, the USA, the EU and international organisations to redouble their efforts to focus the process towards one of dialogue and political solutions to ensure a stable peaceful outcome for Ukraine, and to guarantee security for Europe and Ukraine’s neighbouring countries.

Diplomacy should prevail to solve the crisis. A military confrontation will have incommensurate humanitarian consequences and will only lead us further away from a long-term and sustainable solution.
We express solidarity with all trade unions in the region which have for too long been hostages of geopolitical conflicts. We also call for trade union solidarity across borders. Only peace and security can create the conditions for sustainable economic recovery, while securing an effective level of social justice and social protection for working people and their families.

Undersigned:
Jörg Hoffmann, president of IndustriALL Global Trade Union

Michael Vassiliadis, president of industriAll European Trade Union

Atle Høie, general secretary of IndustriALL Global Trade Union

Luc Triangle, general secretary of industriAll European Trade Union


Moroccan unions build foundation for social dialogue in textile and garment sector

The textile and garment sector is the primary industry in Morocco, employing about 200,000 people in the formal sector, and accounting for about a quarter of exports. The sector is growing as Morocco seeks to position itself as a fast fashion producer for the European market. Moroccan unions are using this momentum to build the foundations for social dialogue in the country.

The supply chain crisis caused by the pandemic has led European brands to question the current system of long and complex supply chains, with most garments currently sourced from a number of Asian countries. Brands are seeking to source production closer to the market. Tunisia and Turkey have already benefited from this, and sourcing is expanding in Morocco.

Representing employers, Fatima-Zohra Alaoui of the Moroccan Association of Textile and Apparel Industries (AMITH) said that Covid-19 had forced a fundamental rethink of the business model for the sector, and there was a new focus on sustainability: both from an environmental perspective, but also economically. It is essential to build a sustainable industry in the company.

Government representatives said that social dialogue is key – and that the primary responsibility lies with employers.

Union representatives stressed that collective bargaining agreements are the best way to ensure sustainable employment relations, and avoid incidents such as deaths which have happened in underground factories.

Ahmed Bahnis, national secretary of the Union marocaine du travail (UMT) federation said:

“We want to institutionalize social dialogue. Unfortunately, there is still a fight against social dialogue in the textile sector. It is necessary to mutually recognize the role of trade unions, which represent human capital, and aim for development of the sector and improvement of workers' conditions.”

Ahmed Hassoun, general secretary of IndustriALL’s Moroccan affiliate Syndicat National de Textile Habillements et Cuirs (SNTHC-CDT), said:

“We refuse to turn the dialogue into a mere consultation. The textile sector is characterized by fragility, and this was evident during the negative effects of the pandemic, especially in the informal sector. Through successful dialogue, we were recently able to sign the first company based collective agreement in the sector”

Ali Sarhani, representative  of the private sector employers’ association Confédération générale des entreprises du Maroc (CGEM), said:

“Covid-19 has harmed the sector and there are major problems that have hindered investments, but respect for the law is necessary for stability and avoiding problems with workers, the state and taxes.”

Assia Besaad, the head of Morocco OECD NCP presented the NCP and its role in Morocco as well as OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains in the Garment and Footwear Sector.

Abdelmajid Matoual, IndustriALL vice president for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), welcomed the participation on behalf of the Moroccan affiliates and said that the meeting was timely as it coincides with resumption of the nation social dialogue sessions which started that week between the government and the national union centres.

Ahmed Kamel, IndustriALL MENA regional secretary, said: 

“Today, social partners shared their initiatives and actions on mitigating the impact of the pandemic. Despite the difficulties, such initiatives and views have potentials in developing the social dialogue in the sector in Morocco in which we will continue to support and follow up with our Moroccan affiliates.”

Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow

Companies are failing to make the necessary changes for women to have the same opportunities as men. Continued gender-based job segregation in IndustriALL’s sectors, in particular in technology, is likely to drive increasing gender inequality (including wage inequality) in the future of work.

The gender pay gap reduces women’s capacity to secure an independent and decent income. Factors contributing to the gender pay gap include:

A Just Transition for workers in our sectors will never be achieved without gender equality. In December, IndustriALL Women's Committee identified and prioritised action to fight gender-based discrimination in our sectors, starting with the gender pay gap.

It is urgent for trade unions to step up action for the adoption and implementation of policies, at all levels, ensuring equal opportunities for employment for all workers, men and women, including in green and STEM industries, as well as for equal treatment and equal pay.

For International Women's Day this year, follow IndustriALL online for a discussion on the gender gap and equal pay for equal value.

And let us know what your union will do on 8 March! Please use the hashtags #ALLWomen and #PayEquityForALL

Peru ratifies ILO Convention 190

Trade unions in Peru played an important role in promoting the ratification of ILO Convention 190 on violence and harassment in the world of work.

Peru's National Federation of Textile Workers (FNTTP) and Federation of Workers in the Manufacturing and Allied Industries (FETRIMAP), both affiliated to IndustriALL Global Union, were  involved in the campaign for the ratification.

FNTTP secretary for the defence of labour rights, Gerardo Olórtegui, says:

"In Peru, workplace harassment is not only gender-related but also union-related. Harassment of unionised workers is manifested in the form of excessive workloads, strict control of their workplace through video surveillance, differential treatment when it comes to pay, with union members struggling with the legal collective bargaining procedure that can take months or years whilst employers readily grant generous incentives to non-unionised workers."

Violence and harassment in the world of work are an everyday reality for many workers and represent an obstacle to gender equality and decent work. IndustriALL Global Union has launched a campaign to combat gender-based violence and shape a world of work based on dignity and respect for all.
 

Molex Malaysia must stop union busting

During a briefing at Molex Malaysia's Penang Plant on 7 February, management of Molex Malaysia warned workers not to vote for the Electronics Industry Employees Union Northern Region (EIEUNR).

According to the union, Molex Malaysia's management threatened workers that they won't receive bonuses and will have no future if they voted for the union.

A secret ballot scheduled for 22 February has been suspended by the Industrial Relations Department after the union lodged a complaint over the union busting.

EIEUNR president Mohd Razi bin Rahim says:

“Molex Malaysia has unfairly interfered in the process of claiming recognition. We demand a proper worker briefing provided by EIEUNR and the Industrial Relations Department to mitigate the damage done by the management.”

Malaysia's labour law prohibits employers from interfering in union organizing, yet workers in Malaysia often face intimidation when exercising their right to join a union.

In a letter to Molex chief executive officer Joe Nelligan, IndustriALL Global Union general secretary Atle Høie urges Molex to stop intimidating the workers and respect their freedom of association.

"We wish to remind Molex that through its code of conduct is committed to the non-discrimination principle and lawful employment practices, including respect for workers' freedom of association.”

The electrical and electronics industry is a key manufacturing sector in Malaysia, accounting for 35 per cent of the country’s total exports, employing about 560,000 workers.

Molex is a global manufacturer of electronic, electrical and fiber optic connectivity systems for various industries like data communications, medical, industrial, automotive and consumer electronics. The company employs more than 45.000 employees worldwide.

Unions call for policy intervention to save jobs at South African oil and gas refineries

Last week shareholders of Sapref, a refinery jointly owned by BP and Shell, announced that they will suspend operations by the end of March. Sapref refines 35 per cent of imported crude oil in Durban. The statement comes on the back of the closure of Chevron’s Astron and Engen’s Wentworth refineries, which will potentially lead to the retrenchment of thousands of workers.

South Africa imports most of its crude oil from the Middle East and African countries. In addition, Sasol produces refined petroleum products for domestic use through crude oil refining, coal-to-liquid fuels, and gas to liquid fuels. Additionally, natural gas to liquid fuels production is done by state-owned enterprise, Petrosa, which has also shut down its refinery.

IndustriALL Global Union affiliates that organize in the petroleum sector, the Chemical, Energy, Paper, Printing, Wood and Allied Workers Union (CEPPWAWU) and the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA), say the government must intervene through sustainable industrial policies to save jobs. The unions say the closure of refineries will affect the downstream value chain activities that include the refining, transportation, and marketing of petroleum products.

Irvin Jim, NUMSA general secretary says:

“Government must put a stop to the clearly orchestrated agenda by multinational oil companies such as Shell and BP, Engen, Sapref and Chevron where these companies have taken a conscious, greedy decision to close refineries in South Africa and simply import the finished product, diesel and petrol into the country, using propaganda that crude oil is unaffordable, and citing government’s strict regulation on sulphur pollution.

“Our message to the government is that in the interest of the country, in particular the importance of stimulating economic growth and to preserve and create jobs, government must not allow these greedy multinational oil companies who have chosen a get quick rich scheme, to shut down our local refineries and to simply import finished products, abusing licences to import.”

“Multinational oil and gas companies must negotiate with unions to save jobs and protect workers’ interests and livelihoods instead of closing down refineries and retrenching thousands of workers. Whilst the move to cleaner energy sources is necessary to reach net zero, the transition to cleaner fuels and renewable energy must be done in consultation with, and include unions, workers and affected communities,”

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

Photo: File image of NUMSA members marching for Just Transition

Unions put pressure on UPM customers as Europe faces paper shortage

The prolonged strike will force the company to break commercial contracts to supply paper and is expected to lead to a Europe-wide paper shortage. Intergraf, the European printing industry association, has written to UPM calling for an end to the strike, warning that 40 per cent of the paper required by its members will not be available if the strike continues. UPM makes backing sheets for labels, which are used to label goods in all sectors, as well as material for packaging goods and publishing media.

Print and packaging companies are warning of an existential threat to the industry, saying that the unavailability of paper will hasten the shift to digital. UPM has written to some of its customers warning of its inability to meet its commitments, and claiming force majeure, a clause that limits liability for breaking contracts due to an unavoidable catastrophe, such as the Covid-19 pandemic.

Unions are calling on UPM customers to reject this claim, as the situation was avoidable, and is created by the company’s refusal to negotiate. In a 2021 judgement, the European Court of Justice ruled that force majeur was not applicable in a case of industrial action that met legal requirements.

UPM is trying to break decades of collective bargaining practice in the industry and at the company by refusing to negotiate unless its preconditions are met. Meeting these preconditions would dramatically weaken labours' bargaining position in future, and would leave groups of workers without representation. Workers at the company, represented by IndustriALL Global Union affiliates Paperiliitto (Paper Union), and Ammattiliitto Pro (Trade Union Pro), have been taking industrial action since 1 January.

Convenors for the Unite trade union – also an IndustriALL affiliate – at WestRock and Antalis in the UK were told by their employers of the impending paper shortage and UPM’s claim of force majeure. They approached the Finnish unions for clarity. At a global meeting of pulp and paper unions, the Finnish unions explained the situation and called on unions in other countries to put pressure on their employers to reject the force majeure claim.

The unions explain in a statement that the company can end the crisis by returning to the negotiating table and reaching an agreement that complies with general labour market policy in Finland:

“The Paperworkers’ Union and the Trade Union Pro consider that a ”force majeure” situation does not exist, but this is a conflict caused by the company pursuing its ideological objectives.”

Petri Vanhala, president of Paperiliitto, said:

“We want to get back to work at UPM. The industry standard has been set by our collective agreements with the other companies in the sector. The only barrier we face is an anti-union attack by UPM management, for ideological rather than business reasons.”

IndustriALL industry director Tom Grinter said:

“At a time when economic recovery from the pandemic is still fragile, we face a totally manufactured supply chain crisis. We need paper for everything: food labels, packaging, paper towel and print.

“UPM is holding Europe to ransom with its stubborn insistence on breaking collective bargaining. The company hopes to dodge its responsibilities by claiming force majeure. Unions will approach UPM’s customers directly to expose this tactic for the hollow sham that it is.”

IndustriALL affiliates represent UPM workers in Finland, Germany, Austria, France, UK, US, and Uruguay.

The president of the Timber and Related Industries Workers Union of Russia shows solidarity

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A new supply chain industrial relations model for the textile and garment industry

Workers have borne the brunt of the breakdown of the textile and garment supply chain, brought on by the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on the sector’s unsustainable business model.

Order cancellations have driven wholesale closure of thousands of garment factories, with millions of workers laid off in countries with no social safety net. This has highlighted the precariousness of the sector’s business model and the urgent need to establish sustainable models of supply chain industrial relations.

The recently negotiated International Accord further validates a new supply chain model of industrial relations, one that is cantered around binding rules, holding brands accountable for their impact on workers, rather than voluntary initiatives.

IndustriALL and its affiliates see this model as one that can be applied to other systemic problems in the supply chain. We intend to start the narrative on the change needed in the sector, including an urgent need for social protection for garment workers.

By social protection, we mean protective measures that are part of a worker’s basic rights and that underpin a robust and more equitable workplace. Among others, those measures include:

The current model, where severance is the only form of social protection, led to wage theft during the pandemic.

This is a continuum – from the Bangladesh Accord, which addressed worker rights and safety in one specific country, to the International Accord, that aims to extend those gains beyond Bangladesh, to an initiative for universal social protection that will seek to implant deep rooted and positive change for an entire sector.

Join us at our side session panel at the OECD Garment Forum on Tuesday, 22 February at 16:00CET for a discussion on a new supply chain industrial relations.

Speakers include: Jason Judd, ILR School/Cornell University, Ruwan Subasinghe, International Transport Federation, Kalpona Akter, BGIWF, member of IndustriALL executive committee, and Elizabeth Umlas, IndustriALL senior advisor on capital strategies.

Register here

Changing the balance of power in the textile and garment industry