Ground-breaking victory for independent union at GM plant in Mexico

In August last year, workers rejected the collective agreement signed by the old Miguel Trujillo López union, affiliated to the Confederation of Mexican Workers (CTM), accusing that union of siding with GM and putting the company's interests before those of its workers. The rejection of the agreement meant holding elections to choose a new union.

After the votes were counted on 3 February, it was clear that Sindicato Independente Nacional de Trabajadores y Trabajadoras de la Industria Automotriz (SINTTIA) had won a crushing majority, with 76 per cent of the workers voting to be represented by the independent union.

IndustriALL general secretary Atle Høie says that this is an incredibly important victory and proof that the labour reform implemented by the Mexican government in 2019 can indeed have a positive effect for workers as it provides them with a real chance to cast their vote in free and fair elections.

“We congratulate SINTTIA whose massive win shows that Mexican auto workers want to be represented by an authentic, uncompromised, independent and transparent trade union. There are more elections to come and this win will strengthen the democratic structures.
“We now call on General Motors to enter into a fair and transparent process of collective bargaining with SINTTIA.”

IndustriALL and ITUC call for urgent inclusive dialogue on democratic reforms in Eswatini

With trade unions and civil society organizations worried over the absence of political will and the slow pace towards dialogue by the government of Eswatini, IndustriALL and ITUC have written to the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights (ACHPR, the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and the South African government to urge King Mswati III’s government to act towards respect and protection of workers and human rights.

According to the Amalgamated Trade Union of Swaziland (ATUSWA) and the Swaziland Electricity Supply, Maintenance, and the Allied Workers Union (SESMAWU) and the Trade Union Congress of Swaziland (TUCOSWA), affiliated to IndustriALL and ITUC respectively, security forces are continuously violating human and workers’ rights to freedoms of expression, assembly, association, and the right to life.

This is making life unbearable to the workers who live in harsh conditions characterised by poor wages, increasing poverty, elevated levels of unemployment and the pandemics of Covid-19, and HIV and AIDS.

Atle Høie, IndustriALL general secretary, Sharon Burrow, ITUC general secretary, and Kwasi Adu-Amankwah, ITUC Africa general secretary, write in the letters:

“We recall that the African Charter of Human Rights and the African Charter on Democracy, Election and Governance all protect the right to freedom of association, assembly and the strengthening of political pluralism including ensuring that opposition political parties are given a legal status under national law. Therefore, human rights defenders, including trade unions and other citizens, who exercise their human rights in pursuit of democracy in Eswatini must be protected from attacks, reprisals and retaliation from the government and security forces.”

In an online meeting hosted by the IndustriALL regional office for Sub Saharan Africa and ITUC-Africa in December 2021, attended by organizations including the Southern African Trade Union Coordinating Council (SATUCC) and the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), it was agreed that unions would launch a coordinated pan African and global campaign for the democratization of Eswatini.

A 2021 survey by Afrobarometer, a pan-African research network, concluded that most people in Eswatini favoured a multiparty democracy instead of the rule by the current absolute monarchy under Mswati III. Under the current regime people are afraid of speaking out as freedom of speech and association are limited through arbitrary arrests and detentions.

A year of terror in Myanmar: unions call for immediate withdrawal of EU trade preferences

“We stand in solidarity with the people of Myanmar and will continue the fight for the return of democracy in the country,”

says IndustriALL assistant general secretary Kemal Özkan.

“Severing economic ties that the military junta gain from is crucial and the EBA must be lifted."

Since the coup d’état, the military junta has arrested over 11,500 civilians, trade unionists, journalists and cultural workers, carried out 64 death penalties and killed more than 1,500 civilians, including at least 100 children, aged between 14 months and 17 years.

Furthermore, the United Nations estimates that there are more than 1.6 million internally displaced persons and refugees due to the conflict in Chin, Kachin, Rakhine and Shan States in Myanmar. In addition, there are 241,000 Burmese refugees in Bangladesh, Malaysia and Thailand.

Under these circumstances, the European Union and the international community, must take a stronger political stance and implement economic actions to stop this carnage. IndustriALL Global Union and its sister organisation IndustriAll Europe, at the request of the democratic trade unions in Myanmar, call on the EU to immediately withdraw Myanmar’s trade preferences under the EU’s EBA scheme.

The EU’s General Scheme of Preferences (GSP), of which EBAs are part of, aims to use EU trade to create jobs in developing countries with respect for labour and human rights. Sanctions and the withdrawal of trade preferences can be implemented when there is evidence of labour and human rights abuses.

‘’The people of Myanmar have been living under a military dictatorship for a year now and the situation simply cannot be allowed to continue. All political leaders must take action to end the atrocities taking place in Myanmar, and we call on EU leaders to use their collective powers, including EU trade measures, to weaken the military junta and end their terrible rule,”

says Judith Kirton‐Darling, industriAll Europe deputy general secretary.

Unions and civil society organizations reject Togo’s repressive draft constitutional law

The Fédération des Industries du Togo (FIT), affiliated to IndustriALL Global Union, two other unions that organize in the mines and hospitals, and civil society organisations (CSOs) who make up a group of eight organizations that identify as G8, say the process to amend Togo’s 1901 constitution is flawed. It is neither transparent nor inclusive. The G8, a coalition of organizations promoting workers’ rights, human rights, the rule of law and inclusive social dialogue, says they were never consulted on the draft law, and only learnt about the bill through official announcements.

Further, the G8 says the draft law violates international human rights and labour standards to which the country has signed up. The group calls upon the government to consider international labour standards and human rights instruments when drafting laws. These rights are protected in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights, and International Labour Organization standards that include Convention 87 on freedom of association and protection of the right to organize, and Convention 98 on the right to organize and collective bargaining.

The G8 fears that the main aim is to “silence their voices” and is shocked that the amendments did not go through parliament under the pretext of the Covid-19 pandemic regulations. In a statement, the group views this as union busting and interference with CSOs and says the cumbersome registration and reporting requirements proposed in the future law will make it impossible for the organizations to operate.

“To show how bad this draft law is, we have deleted 44 offensive articles in the bill. We will present our objections to the government and are raising awareness among workers through information and education campaigns on why the unions are rejecting the draft law. We are also asking workers to comment on the draft,”

says Mensah Tchegnon, FIT general secretary.

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

“We call upon the government of Togo to respect workers and human rights as protected in the national laws and international labour standards. The government should build a non-adversarial relationship with trade unions through social dialogue instead of drafting obnoxious laws.”

^{Photo: File image of the Fédération des Industries du Togo}

Myanmar one year after the coup

One year ago today, the Myanmar military staged a coup after the military-led party was defeated in a democratic election. IndustriALL Global Union condemned the coup the same day, and immediately began working with affiliated unions in Myanmar to protect workers’ rights until democracy could be restored.

Resistance to the coup was strong: hundreds of thousands of civil servants refused to work under the junta, workers went on strike, a Civil Disobedience Movement was launched, ethnic minorities came together, and a government in exile was formed.

Unions in Myanmar and IndustriALL called on business to ensure that workers’ rights were protected during the coup. However, it quickly became clear that this was impossible: local factory owners used the coup as an opportunity to fire the unionized workforce, giving the details of union members to the police.

Union leader Khaing Zar Aung says:

“No democratic trade union can operate now at factory level.”

She calls the situation “modern slavery”, explaining that the president of her union was recently threatened with assassination. Workers do forced overtime as day labourers and are often not paid. She believes that effective due diligence is not possible in these conditions.

The situation led the labour movement of Myanmar, backed by IndustriALL, to call for comprehensive economic sanctions against Myanmar, and for global companies to cease to do business in the country. IndustriALL has written to these companies expressing this demand. As a consequence, many companies have scaled down their operations, while some, including Total, Chevron, Bridgestone and C&A have pulled out of the country altogether.

The democratically elected government formed a government in exile, mostly based in Thailand. The National Unity Government (NUG) is made up of members of the National League for Democracy, the party that won the election, as well other parties that respect the democratic outcome, and groups representing ethnic minorities.

The NUG formed an armed force which is fighting a guerilla war against the military junta, resulting in retaliation from the military against civilians, with cities being shelled by artillery. About 1,500 people have been killed, while 20 air strikes against rebel villages have led to an estimated 32,000 refugees, with 776,000 internally displaced people.

^{Image: ITUC}

Most trade unions in Myanmar recognize the NUG as the legitimate interim government of Myanmar. The international labour movement – including the ITUC and IndustriALL – have called for the NUG to be globally recognized since April 2021. The labour movement has also led diplomatic efforts to isolate the junta and recognize the NUG at UN events, including the International Labour Conference in June 2021. The diplomatic efforts are bearing fruit, and the French Senate and European Parliament recognized the NUG in October 2021.

Although the labour movement recognizes the NUG, its tactics, strategy and priorities are different. While the People’s Defence Force of the NUG is fighting an armed struggle, the labour movement focuses on peaceful civil disobedience, prioritizing strikes and an international campaign for comprehensive economic sanctions against Myanmar.

While the NUG does not officially support the call for sanctions, it does call on global business to refuse to cooperate with the military regime, or to pay any taxes or fees. The labour movement meets with the NUG labour ministry on a weekly basis to coordinate efforts to protect workers’ rights.

IndustriALL believes that the strategy to isolate the military junta diplomatically and economically is the most effective way to bring peaceful change to Myanmar. The campaign for sanctions will intensify, and increasing pressure will come on companies that continue to operate in Myanmar.

IndustriALL and our sister organization industriAll European Trade Union today wrote to the European Commission demanding an end to the EU’s preferential Everything But Arms trade agreement.

IndustriALL general secretary Atle Høie says:

“The global labour movement, and supporters of democracy everywhere, will never accept the normalization of the military dictatorship in Myanmar.
“In the days immediately following the coup, many companies may have sincerely believed that the most responsible thing to do was to continue to provide sustainable employment to people in Myanmar.
“However, it is becoming increasingly clear that due diligence is not possible in a dictatorship. These companies must cease operations in Myanmar immediately.”

Workers at General Motors, Mexico, elect new union representatives

In August 2021, in a vote required as part of Mexico's labour reform process, workers rejected the collective agreement signed by the old Miguel Trujillo López union, affiliated to the Confederation of Mexican Workers (CTM), accusing that union of siding with GM and putting the company's interests before those of its workers.

After workers voted against the old agreement, elections will now be held to choose a new union.

US union federation AFL-CIO, has urged GM and Mexico's labour authority to ensure a fair and free election process, during and after the ballot itself, as required under the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA) and Mexico's labour reform.

The regional network of GM workers, made up of members of IndustriALL Global Union affiliates across the Americas, says that all workers are entitled to be represented by a democratically elected union and to a free and fair collective bargaining process.

To ensure that the voting process is transparent, the Mexican and US governments have agreed that observers from the International Labour Organization (ILO), Mexico's National Electoral Institute (INE) and National Human Rights Committee will be present.

As agreed with the Federal Centre for Conciliation and Labour Registration, four unions will stand for election.

One of these is the national union of automotive workers (SINTTIA), supported by the regional network of GM workers and created by active, independent GM employees who voted against the previous agreement.

The three other unions are linked to the CTM. They are the national union of workers and employees of the auto transport, construction, automotive, auto parts and similar industries; the national union of workers of the automotive and metal industries; and the "Carrillo Puerto" national union of industry, trade and services.

IndustriALL welcomes the labour reform process that has paved the way for workers to elect their leaders and weigh in on their employment agreements. We are following the process closely and, together with other GM affiliates and workers, we wish to call for a transparent ballot and to express our support for the Silao plant workers in their fight for freedom of association.

Nigerian government abandons petrol price hike as unions mobilize

IndustriALL Global Union affiliates in Nigeria are vowing to fight petrol price increases which they say will erode the incomes of their members and worsen poverty.

National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association (PENGASSAN) are calling on the government to industrialize the economy by resuscitating local refineries. The unions say local refineries will assist in mitigating the effects of fluctuating oil prices, create decent jobs, and increase the country’s revenue.

The government had earlier announced the petrol price increase from 320-340 Naira per litre (5 cents in US dollars). However, it made another announcement on 24 January that it was reversing the decision on the back of planned national protests organized by unions and civil society organizations.

“The suspension of the petrol price increase is not a total victory because it does not change the social and economic conditions of the Nigerian workers. There is high unemployment and inflation is increasing. Workers need a social cushion that includes affordable public transport and infrastructural development,”

says Olawale Afolabi, NUPENG general secretary.

“Going forward, we will continue to engage with the government on the very critical issues of ensuring local refining of petroleum, creation of sustainable jobs and provision of petrol at an affordable price,”

says Ayuba Wabba, general secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress.

The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) concurs on the “revitalization of existing refineries, establishment of new ones including modular refineries, and effective policing of the borders to stem the rate of petroleum products smuggling.”

For several years unions have campaigned against the “resources curse” in Nigeria, where oil and gas reserves have not assisted the economy and ended poverty.

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

“Workers and communities in Nigeria expect the government to provide affordable petrol and not to be burdened with increases that often are a result of corruption. Nigerian workers should enjoy the benefits that come from the country’s vast quantities of oil and gas reserves, and this includes being able to buy affordable petrol that is refined locally.”

Photo: Floating petrol and diesel filling station in the Niger Delta, Stakeholder Democracy

Union protest results in criminal charges

The chairperson of the Triumph International Thailand Labour Union, Chitnawatcharee Panad, the president of the Textile, Garment and Leather Workers’ Federation of Thailand (TWFT), Sia Jampathong, and four other labour activists have been charged by Thai police for violating the Emergency Decree and the Disease Control Act.

“It is wrong for the government to use Covid-19 as an excuse to suppress workers’ legitimate concerns. The 1,388 workers now face severe economic difficulties. The government must drop all charges and investigations,”

says Prasit Prasopsuk, president of the Confederation of Industrial Labour of Thailand (CILT).

The charges came after speaking at a protest in front of the government building in Bangkok in October last year. The workers demand that the government assume responsibility for the money owed to 1,388 workers, previously employed by Brilliant Alliance Thai Global (BAT).

The company, which supplied lingerie giant Victoria’s Secret, has yet to provide severance pay, wages owed, overtime and holiday pay, totalling THB 242,689,862.71 (US$7.4 million), after closing the factory in March 2021.

“IndustriALL Global Union calls on the Prime Minister of Thailand, Prayuth Chan-o-cha, to drop the charges and respect the workers’ rights to raise their concerns.
"We also call on Victoria's Secret, Torrid and Lane Bryant, who sourced from BAT, to take responsibility for the workers in their global supply chain, to urgently intervene and secure compensation payment to the dismissed workers by putting pressure on the Thai government and the factory, or, if needed, by footing the bill themselves.*

says IndustriALL general secretary Atle Høie.

Combatting violence and harassment at ENI

The agreement stipulates that ENI must provide a world of work free from violence and harassment.

Key aspects include:

ENI forbids any forms of violence and harassment at work, underlining a zero tolerance policy

A specific focus on gender-based violence and harassment, offering extensive protection to the most vulnerable

The agreement is applicable to all ENI workers, regardless of employment status

The agreement covers not only the workplace, but as provided for in ILO C190, the world of work, meaning violence and harassment occurring beyond the physical workplace, including using digital tools

Promoting a culture of tackling violence and harassment, providing information and training, implementing preventive measures

A reporting system confirming all cases will be duly investigated, guaranteeing confidentiality and protection against victimisation and retaliation

“A world of work free from violence and harassment is a fundamental right for all workers, especially women who are disproportionally affected by violence. C190 provides an opportunity to add important clauses to GFAs, in particular on GBVH, and this is a priority for IndustriALL in all new GFAs. IndustriALL affiliates report that GFAs have been an important lever for workplace policies and GBVH awareness,”

says Atle Høie, IndustriALL general secretary.

IndustriALL also aims to include language in GFAs on the impact of domestic violence in the world of work, as well as on measures employers should take to mitigate these impacts.

Union calls for ratification of ILO Convention 176 after explosion kills 13 and destroys Ghana village

Some houses were flattened whilst others were severely damaged by the blast. The Minerals Commission of Ghana is carrying out an investigation into the explosion and the mining licence of explosives manufacturer, Maxim Ghana, has been suspended together with its sub-contractor who was transporting the explosives.

Chirano Gold Mines is run by Canadian-based Kinross Gold Corporation.

According to reports, the explosives should have been transported with police escort, which was not the case. The government of Ghana and other organizations have since launched relief efforts to support the community.

The Ghana Mine Workers Union (GMWU), affiliated to IndustriALL Global Union, says this explosives’ disaster could have been averted if health and safety protocols were followed.

The union further emphasizes that this is an opportune time for the government of Ghana to ratify the International Labour Organization Convention 176 on safety and health in the mines, and to domesticate it into national laws as one of the strategies to stop similar accidents from happening in the future.

Abdul-Moomin Gbana, GMWU general secretary, says:

“The union commiserates with the entire Appiatse community some of whom are our members and their families for the loss and wish to assure them of our fullest support in these very troubling times.
“Mining communities need to be assured that mining and related activities will not endanger lives and livelihoods. The surest way to do that is to focus more on the preventive side by educating the citizenry, ensuring strict enforcement and compliance with safety standards, and punishing transgressors frontally.”

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

“It is horrific that so many lives were lost due to negligence and failure to adhere to health and safety measures. We will support the GMWU in their campaign for the ratification of C176, and in carrying out health and safety awareness among workers and communities.”