Unions fear job losses if AGOA eligibility is withdrawn from Ethiopia

AGOA, which gives special access to US markets for 6,500 products from Sub-Saharan African countries is set to expire in 2025. These products include textiles and garments, motor vehicles and parts, leather products, chemicals, machinery and equipment, agricultural products, and other goods.

Under AGOA, Ethiopian exports to the US increased from US$29 million in 2000 to US$525 million in 2020. However, the balance of trade still favours the US whose exports to Ethiopia increased from US$165 million to US$868 million in the same period.

Garment manufacturing is the largest beneficiary under AGOA and over 80 per cent of workers in the sector are young women.

In an online meeting with Ethiopia’s trade negotiator, Mamo Mihretu, the United States trade representative ambassador Katherine Tai, “raised the ongoing violations of internationally recognised human rights amid the ongoing conflict in Northern Ethiopia, which could affect Ethiopia’s future AGOA eligibility if unaddressed”.
 
Angesom Gebre Yohannes, president of IndustriALL affilaite, the Industrial Federation of Textile Leather and Garment Workers Trade Union (IFTLGWTU) says:

“If AGOA benefits stop, workers will be badly affected. Factories, which includes the PVH factory in Hawassa Industrial Park that exports primarily to the US, will be forced to close and workers will lose their jobs. This is not in the interests of the union. Workers at PVH are anxious about their future and expressed worry when they got the news on AGOA.”

The PVH factory is the largest in the industrial park and recently the IFTLGWTU has been on a recruitment and organizing drive after a breakthrough following years in which unions were not allowed to recruit in the park. Other factory owners are from Europe and Asia and brands that include Children’s Place and Levi Strauss & Co. source from the park.
 
In a letter to the ambassador, Kassahun Follo, president of the Confederation of Ethiopian Trade Unions (CETU) to which IFTLGWTU is also affiliated, wrote:

“As a progressive trade union organization committed to human rights, peaceful resolution of differences and respect for universal democratic values, our confederation condemns in no uncertain terms human rights violations all over Ethiopia, and the perpetrators of the violations. We also recognize the importance of AGOA eligibility requirements on the protection of internationally recognised workers’ rights. Our confederation, however, firmly believes that removing Ethiopia from the AGOA eligibility list at this time will make things worse for Ethiopian workers and their families.”

Follo states in the letter that the textile, garment, shoe, and leather sector, has created over 200,000 direct jobs and over a million indirect jobs which are now at risk. Ethiopia’s industrial policies have prioritised export-based manufacturing which is seen as having potential to create jobs for hundreds of thousands of young workers.

Atle Høie, IndustriALL general secretary says:

“Trade union rights violations have to end. Withdrawing AGOA now will put in jeopardy the work we have done with our Ethiopian affiliates over the last years, but the threat is also a very clear warning to Ethiopian authorities that they have little time to secure fundamental trade union rights.”

Historic John Deere strike enters second week

The strike started at midnight on Wednesday 13 October, after workers rejected a proposed six-year contract on 10 October. John Deere offered a below inflation pay deal that amounted to a $1-per-hour wage increase for most workers, and eliminated pensions for new hires, at a time when the world’s largest farm equipment company is making record profits. Top management has profited from this development: John Deere's CEO John C. May made $15.6 million in 2020.

Union members say that John Deere's offer was an insult after they made billions for the company in a pandemic. As a popular T-shirt worn by striking workers said,

“Deemed essential in 2020, prove it in 2021. Can’t build it from home.”

UAW president and IndustriALL executive committee member Ray Curry, said:

“UAW John Deere members have worked through the pandemic after the company deemed them essential, to produce the equipment that feeds America, builds America and powers the American economy. These essential UAW workers are showing us all that through the power of a strong united union voice on the picket line they can make a difference for working families here and throughout the country.”

The company is attempting to maintain production by using white-collar workers as scabs, with sometimes disastrous results.

IndustriALL general secretary Atle Høie wrote to Curry, saying:

“IndustriALL Global Union rallies behind more than 10,000 UAW John Deere members at 14 facilities in Illinois, Iowa and Kansas. We support your demands for workers at John Deere “to earn a decent living, retire with dignity and establish fair work rules.”

“We call on John Deere to fully consider the legitimate demands of UAW members, as well as recognise the vital contribution and commitment of workers throughout the pandemic to produce essential farming, construction and energy equipment, and agree on negotiating a fair collective agreement concerning, among others, wage gains and enhanced retirement benefits.

“Furthermore, IndustriALL severely condemns any attempt by the company to use scabs in order to undermine social dialogue and negotiations between the company’s management and our affiliate UAW.”

Analysts see the strike as part of a revolt by frontline, essential and production workers who made major sacrifices during the pandemic. The John Deere strike is part of an unprecedented wave of industrial action that is sweeping across many different sectors in the US, that the media has dubbed “Striketober”.

Union activists hope that this strike will be a turning point for the US labour movement, which has been in decline since Ronald Reagan defeated a strike by air traffic controllers in 1981. The 1980s saw the introduction of two-tier contracts that provide worse conditions for new hires. Labour militancy sank to an all-time low after the 2008 financial crisis, when many feared for their jobs.

However, there are increasing signs of workers wanting a new deal after making sacrifices during the pandemic.

Images: Jonah Furman

Unions campaign for recognition at Chinese-owned textile and garment factories in Uganda

The factory owners refuse to sign recognition agreements for purposes of collective bargaining as required by the law when a union organizes more than 50 per cent of workers in a factory. According to the IndustriALL Global Union National Coordinating Council of Uganda (INCCU), made up of IndustriALL affiliates in the country, the factories, which include Bode, Euro Vision, Fine Spinners, Jinguo, Sunbelt Textile Company, Tonyong, Unistar, and Wilima are ignoring letters from the Ministry of Gender, Labour, and Social Development instructing them to recognize UTGLAWU.

To push for recognition, the unions are conducting joint campaigns under the East Africa Union Building Project which is supported by the Danish Trade Union Development Agency (DTDA) and the Norwegian Society of Graduate Technical and Scientific Professionals (TEKNA). The unions met with the labour ministry on 30 September to demand that the government enforces the labour regulations and for the Industrial Court to speed up the cases. Further, they are planning to meet with the Minister of State for Labour, Charles Okello Engola.

“We appreciate government efforts in coming out boldly to order the employers to recognize the union. Despite the challenges of Covid-19, the number of employers retrenching workers without informing the Ministry of Labour is increasing, yet they are getting stimulus packages from the government. Other employers are frustrating union efforts to collect dues from its members.

“However, we are calling upon the government to organize a meeting with non-complying Chinese employers – some of whom claim not to understand English – to give them a chance to respond to our demands before we take court action. The employers must respect the union, and the fundamental and constitutional rights of the workers,” wrote the unions in a statement.

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

“Textile and garment factory owners in Uganda must recognize national and international labour standards by recognizing the union, and we support the campaign by Ugandan unions for the respect of trade union and workers’ rights.”

Unions that are participating in the campaign in support of UTGLAWU are the Uganda Printers, Paper, Polyfibre, and Allied Workers Union (UPPAWU), Uganda Chemical, Petroleum, and Allied Workers Union (UCPAWU), National Union of Clerical Commercial Professional and Technical Employees (NUCCPTE), and Uganda Hotel, Tourism, Supermarket and Allied Workers Union (HTS-U).

Currently the garment industry is dominated by small to medium scale enterprises. According to the country’s National Development Plan III, Uganda aims to increase cotton production, domestic value addition, and to create over 50,000 new jobs along the cotton to clothes value chain.

Thai lingerie workers call on government to take action against Victoria’s Secret supplier

Since the immediate closure of the business and illegal termination of 1,388 employees on 10 March, the lingerie factory, which supplied lingerie giant Victoria’s Secret, has failed to fulfil its legal obligation to pay wages, overtime, holiday and severance pay to the workers.

CILT president Prasit Prasopsuk says:

“We urge Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha to use the employee welfare fund to advance the amount THB242,689,862.71 (US$7.61 million) to the workers. The government can get the reimbursement from BAT later. The workers have waited for seven months; they cannot wait any longer.”

In conjunction with World Day for Decent Work on 7 October, 100 former workers of BAT held a demonstration in front of the government house in Bangkok.

 

In addition to the demand for the unpaid wages and severance pay, the workers are urging the government to prosecute the company owner under the criminal law.

The workers argue that it is the government’s duty to prevent foreign investors from running away from workers and responsibilities and that the government must take steps to remedy the problem.

In a letter addressed to the Thai Prime Minister IndustriALL general secretary Atle Høie says:

“It is high time for the Thai government to strictly enforce the labour law and protect the workers’ rights. We support the call of CILT that the government should advance the payment to the workers.

“Most of them are women workers, unfairly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. They are forced to live on meagre savings because they cannot secure jobs during the pandemic.”

Workers at General Motors' Silao plant condemn threats after elections

Despite 54 per cent of the workers voting against the collective agreement in August, workers are still being harassed by General Motors (GM), violating ILO Convention 98 on right to organize and collective bargaining. Workers who support the new union are pressured by CTM to vote in favour of the agreement to be put forward by the Miguel Trujillo López union in the next round of voting.

The national union of automotive workers (SINTTIA) – the new union seeking to represent workers – has condemned GM for refusing to recognize the union or to meet with its representatives before 3 November, when the current collective agreement ends.

In addition, GM has added to the uncertainty and created a "legal limbo" when announcing that the current agreement would be terminated after the vote.

However, authorities announced one month later that the agreement would remain in effect until 3 November, three months after the ballot. This could alter the legal framework under which the new agreement is negotiated. Even though it lost the ballot, the CTM union is required to continue to fulfil its obligations under the current agreement until the agreement comes to an end. Yet it has refused to provide funeral assistance and other economic benefits even though it is still receiving union dues.

When an employee from Irapuato fell ill at work, GM refused to take her to hospital, arguing that it could not do so because the union was not operational, as it no longer represented the workers.

Alejandra Morales Reynoso, secretary general of SINTTIA, said:

"Nobody wanted to do anything to help our colleague. She had to make her own way to the hospital. The union has nothing to do with the medical services provided by General Motors.”

SINTTIA has announced that it will lodge a complaint under the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement and with the labour ministry.

Mario Vani; IndustriALL regional secretary, said:

"IndustriALL is concerned about the uncertain situation at GM's Silao plant and about the harassment and bullying of workers supporting SINTTIA. We call on the labour authorities and GM to ensure that the workers' fundamental rights are respected and that there is no discrimination against SINTTIA, which is an independent union.

"Rejecting the employer-protection agreement was the first major step. Now, we have to make sure that there is union freedom in Mexico and that the workers at the Silao plant can elect their union freely and without intimidation."

Farmindustria union in Peru signs first collective bargaining agreement

In the last meeting between the union and the company at the Department of Labour, the company committed to evaluate proposals for an agreement which would benefit workers and the strike was halted.

The collective bargaining agreement valid for two years was signed on 4 October. Although a wage increase was not directly included in the agreement, given that the company had already raised wages for the two years, workers attained other benefits. The company showed itself open to various items which benefit workers.

The union’s advisor Gilmer Ibáñez Melendrez, general secretary of FETRIMAP-CGTP, played a crucial role in reaching the agreement. 

During the strike, the union was supported by unions affiliated to the Manufacturing and Related Services Workers Federation of Peru (FETRIMAP-CGTP), the General Workers Confederation of Peru (CGTP) and IndustriALL Global Union. FETRIMAP-CGTP unions carried out a fundrqising campaign to cover the strikers' expenses.

The union, which has 67 affiliates at the company with more than 1200 workers, thanked the 43 union branches of FETRIMAP, CGTP, IndustriALL Global Union and FNV for their support and solidarity.

FETRIMAP CGTP's secretary of economy and finance Julián Alfaro, said:

“The effort of the workers of Farmindustria-Abbott has paid off. This is their first collective bargaining agreement, which improves their working conditions. I salute and congratulate the collective bargaining team, Gilmer Ibañez Melendrez and all the members of the union of Farmindustria workers for this achievement. Without a fight, there are no victories.”

Strong growth in ICT, electrical and electronics is opportunity to organize

The meeting was opened by sector co-chair Masahi Jimbo. IndustriALL Global Union general secretary Atle Høie reported on the recent IndustriALL Congress, and spoke about how IndustriALL’s four strategic goals related to ICT EE.

“Five years have passed since the second world Congress, but looking around the world, there are still many issues unsolved, such as gender equality and precarious workers with low wages. This sector needs to deepen solidarity among unions to implement the new action plan,” said Jimbo.

Atle Høie said:

“We need to confront global capital. We need to ensure that workers get their fair share of profits. Even during Covid, the big companies – including ICT companies – got richer.”

“This sector has a crucial role to play in a Just Transition to a greener economy. We need to make employers understand that workers need a pathway to green jobs.”

Assistant general secretary Kan Matsuzaki spoke about trends and developments in the sector, which is performing well, with many of the top companies among the best performing companies in the global economy.

Covid-19 has increased reliance on ICT and sped up digitalization. Major companies are making huge investments and huge profits. Demand for semiconductors is high, with pandemic-driven working from home boosting demand for telecommunications equipment and home appliances. There is also strong growth in vehicle components powered by memory chips.

In developing countries, the number of workers in electronics manufacturing service (EMS) companies is growing rapidly as brands outsource manufacturing processes. The top ten EMS companies employ about 1.5 million workers. However, there is very low union density in the sector, particularly in the largest companies.

“Our challenge remains what it has always been”, said Matsuzaki.

“To organize this sector until we have the critical mass we need to influence the balance of power between workers and these powerful corporations.”

There is a struggle for dominance between Western-headquartered tech giants – such as Alphabet, Amazon and Apple – who design products and build software, and the mostly Asian companies like Huawei who build the infrastructure. Ninety per cent of manufacturing takes place in Asia, where assembly jobs typically pay between $200 and $500 per month. Recently, there has been significant expansion into Latin America, and particularly Mexico.

A positive development over the past few years is that many more countries, particularly those in the sector’s manufacturing supply chain, have ratified core ILO Conventions.

Anne-Marie Chopinet and Jan Brauburger of IndustriAll Europe gave a European perspective. Supply chain disruptions and component shortages have affected production and jobs in Europe, leading to a call to reindustrialize, and particularly to invest in semiconductor manufacture. IndustriAll has developed an action plan demanding a holistic industrial strategy.

IndustriALL gender coordinator Armelle Séby and academic Dr Jane Pillinger presented research carried out into the experience of women workers in the sector.

Women make up on average 50 per cent of the workforce, though these jobs are unevenly distributed around the world. Women make up the majority of the workforce in countries manufacturing basic components, and tend to perform low-paid, precarious, assembly-line and quality control jobs. There is a high level of gender-based job segregation, with few women in highly skilled, well-paying jobs.

Matsuzaki introduced a proposed plan for sector activities for 2022. Major focuses will be:

ILO Meeting of Experts adopts first-ever Code of Practice for textile and garment industry

The ILO Code of Practice adopted on 8 October is the first for the textiles, clothing, leather and footwear industries. The code sets out how governments, employers and workers can improve safety and health for the more than 60 million workers in the industries.

“This is an important achievement since ILO Code of Practices are reference tools that set out principles that can be reflected in the design and implementation of policies, strategies, programmes, legislation, administrative measures and social dialogue mechanisms for the sector,”

says IndustriALL textile and garment director Christina Hajagos-Clausen.

Based on international labour standards and other sectoral codes of practice, the Code provides comprehensive and practical guidance on how to eliminate, reduce and control all major hazards and risks in the industries. This includes chemical substances, ergonomic and physical hazards, tools, machines and equipment, as well as building and fire safety.

“We want to ensure that Rana Plaza will never happen again. If everyone commits to translating the provisions in this Code into action, we can ensure that no worker – in Bangladesh or any other country – will ever have to risk her life in a garment factory again,”

says Kamrul Anam, worker vice-chairperson of the meeting and president of IndustriALL affiliate Bangladesh Textile and Garments Workers League (BTGWL).

The workers’ delegation was also comprised of Manuel Alejandro González Muiño (CCOO/Spain),  Peter Frövén (IFM/Sweden). Botayeb Bouchkhachakh (CDT/Morocco), Dr. Lilanie Daschner (SACWTU/South Africa), Athit Kong (CCAWDU/Cambodia) and Leonardo Nelcino da Silva (CNTVCUT/Brasil and supported by OSH advisor Rory O’Neill, from the ITUC and Cristian Valero, from the IndustriALL South America regional office.

The code of conduct will be come into force after approval by the ILO governing body in March.

The textiles, clothing, leather and footwear industries have been hit incredibly hard by the Covid-19 crisis. Thousands of enterprises have had to stop production and millions of workers have lost their livelihoods for shorter or longer periods, and many remain without a job.

The Accord agreement was renewed in September, broadening the coverage to general health and safety, rather than only fire and building safety. The International Accord on Health and Safety in the Textile and Garment Sector preserves and advances the fundamental elements that made the Accord successful, including: respect for freedom of association; shared governance between labour and brands; a high level of transparency; safety committee training and worker awareness program; and a credible, independent complaints mechanism.

Over 135 global brands and retailers have signed the new agreement.

IndustriALL calls for Omnibus law to be cancelled

Since the Omnibus law was introduced, the sectoral minimum wage is eliminated, an excessive use of outsourcing is allowed, and the nominal severance pay is reduced.

In a letter to the Indonesian President Joko Widodo, IndustriALL calls for the Omnibus law to be cancelled.

IndustriALL general secretary Atle Høie says:

“We urge president Joko Widodo to take our message seriously, this demand was a key resolution passed in the IndustriALL third congress on 15 September. More than 3,000 delegates representing 50 million manufacturing workers worldwide unanimously called for the cancellation of Omnibus Law.”

IndustriALL calls on its affiliates to support the campaign by sending the model letters to the Indonesian president and Indonesian embassies.

Indonesian trade unions have been protesting against the Omnibus law for nearly two years.

On 2 September, the Indonesian Trade Union Confederation (KSPI) mobilized thousands of members at 1,000 companies in 24 provinces to against the law. Five IndustriALL affiliates participated in the rallies.

Said Iqbal, National council chairperson of Federation of Indonesian Metal Workers' Union (FSPMI), says:

“We are asking for international support. The Omnibus law is detrimental to workers' constitutional rights and the Indonesian labour movement will continue the fight until the law is repealed.”

Currently, the Indonesian constitutional court has consolidated all six proceedings related to Omnibus Law into one, including three cases filed by KSPI and KSPSI, All Indonesian Trade Union Confederation (KSBSI) and the National Welfare Movement (GEKANAS).

During court proceedings on 23 September, it was revealed that academics and government agency leaders were not given the Omnibus bill and relevant academic papers during the focus group discussions.

The Omnibus Law has also proved to be a catalyst of change in Indonesia’s political landscape. On 4-5 October, more than 50 federations of trade unions and confederations rejuvenated the Indonesian Labour Party. Said Iqbal was elected as the new party chairperson, the vice president of KSPSI and CEMWU Ferri Nurzali was elected secretary general.

GM workers in Brazil continue to strike

After the union's decision to launch the strike, a conciliation hearing was held at the regional labour court. However, no agreement was reached between the parties.

"We had no alternative but to halt operations, as their proposal did not meet our demands,"

says union president Aparecido Inácio da Silva.

Among other things, the workers are calling for a wage adjustment based on the national consumer price index (NCPI) over the past 12 months, a real wage increase of 5 per cent, a wage floor with an inflation-adjusted correction for the 2016–2021 period, and food vouchers.

They are also demanding that the social clauses set out in the current collective employment agreement be maintained, particularly clause 42, which ensures job stability for workers with occupational illnesses.
In an attempt to end the strike that began on 1 October, the company put forward another proposal, which the workers unanimously rejected in an assembly on 4 October.

GM offered a retroactive adjustment of 10.42 per cent (total NCPI increase) from 1 September, a merit raise every six months for workers on the new pay scale, and for clause 42 of the collective employment agreement to be maintained with a change in wording. This proposal had been suggested by the regional labour court in the conciliation hearing on 1 October.

The union is still ready to negotiate and is looking for a solution to end the deadlock.

"We will stand firm until the company puts forward a satisfactory proposal that meets our list of demands,"

says Aparecido Inácio da Silva.

IndustriALL regional secretary Marino Vani says:

"We stand in solidarity with our colleagues and the union in their decision. We have to set limits or working conditions will continue to come under attack, as they have in Brazil for the past five years. We hope that the company will show a minimum of dignity towards its workers and provide concrete and satisfactory solutions so that we can bring an end to this dispute."