IndustriALL rejects violence and repression against the people of Chile

According to the National Institute of Human Rights, a further 173 people have suffered firearm injuries, while thousands more have been arrested in the anti-government protests.

The disturbances in Chile began when President Sebastián Piñera announced an increase in the price of a metro ticket by 30 pesos, reaching a maximum 830 pesos (US$ 1.15). Following massive protests initiated by students, the government decreed a state of emergency in 10 of the 16 regions of Chile and established a curfew in Santiago and two provinces.

It is the first time a curfew has been declared in the country since the 1973-1990 right-wing dictatorship under General Augusto Pinochet. Furthermore, the Government has deployed the army in the streets of Santiago and other cities. There were disturbing accusations of excessive use of force by some members of the security forces and the army.

The rise in the subway fare generated outrage in Chile due to significant inequality in the country. A 2017 survey by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean revealed that 50 per cent of the poorest households in Chile had only 2.1 per cent of the country's net wealth, while the richest 1 per cent of households held 26.5 per cent.

Half of the country’s workers receive a salary equal to or less than 400,000 pesos (US$ 552) per month. Considering the minimum wage in Chile is 301,000 pesos (US$ 415), a rise in the subway ticket is inconceivable to many Chileans. At the same time, there is general discontent among a large part of society due to inadequate pensions, a poor education system, and the high cost of electricity, gas, petrol and healthcare.

IndustriALL General Secretary, Valter Sanches, said:

“The social and economic situation of Chile's population is down to years of ultra-neoliberal policies that have passed public services to companies and destroyed all social protection. We support the strike by our affiliated unions on October 23 and urge the authorities to respect the right of all people to freedom of expression and peaceful demonstration. In turn, we urge the government to bring all sectors of society to the table for dialogue, and to find solutions that help calm the situation and address the grievances of the population in the interest of the nation.”

Workers’ Rights Act amendments a victory for Mauritius unions

Under the act workers will get benefits in insolvencies, and portable retirement gratuity schemes will be introduced. The gratuity is an additional benefit to existing pension funds. The new law allows workers to carry their pensions and retirement benefits to the next employer. The law also makes it a must for employers to pay compensation for years of service and introduces unemployment benefits for up to 12 months.

A new tripartite council is also created which allows for negotiations and representation of workers by a lawyer, labour inspector or a trade union official. A wage guarantee fund pays workers when a factory closes. These benefits are enjoyed by all workers including migrant workers from Nepal and Bangladesh who are working in the country.

Unions are also campaigning for climate justice and against gender-based violence

The victory comes after 16 years in which IndustriALL Global Union affiliates from Mauritius carried out a sustained campaign for workers’ rights which included going on hunger strikes, pickets and demonstrations. These actions saw the union’s efforts being rewarded when the Workers’ Rights Act amendments were approved by the cabinet on 4 October.

Reeaz Chutto, president of the Confederation des Travailleurs des Secteurs Publique et Prive (CTSP) said:

“This victory adds to the union’s minimum wage campaign of 2017 in which we won minimum wages of $300 after a 10-day hunger strike. The union is also strengthening its organizing in other sectors in order to enjoy sectoral collective bargaining.”

Valter Sanches, IndustriALL general secretary said:

“I extend my solidarity greetings to all affiliates, and commend you on your dedication and commitment in fighting for over ten years for the Employment Rights Act of 2008 to be scrapped.
“The new labour law represents a major victory against precarious work and the casualization of labour. We appreciate the important advancement achieved in the protection of workers’ rights concerning, among others, fair compensation in case of termination, retirement benefits, strict restrictions on contract labour, strengthening of social dialogue, implementation of equal pay for equal work, improvements in paid vacation, harmonization of working conditions in different sectors, and an active campaign to stop gender-based violence at work.”

The CTSP is also campaigning against surveillance

The CTSP is also fighting against the invasion of privacy by surveillance systems that allow factory owners to spy on workers from their smartphones.

Ukrainian miners demand payment of wage arrears

On 29 October, coal miners will come to Kiev from all regions of Ukraine to picket the parliament until their demands to eliminate wage arrears are met.

Two IndustriALL affiliates in Ukraine, the Independent Trade Union of Miners of Ukraine and the Trade Union of Coal Industry Workers of Ukraine, are mobilizing their members for this mass protest action, as the total wage arrears now amount UAH 1,172 million (US $47 million).

"Miners are extremely exhausted physically and psychologically as they haven’t received money for three months and have to protest",

said Mykhailo Volynets, the chairman of the Independent Trade Union of Miners of Ukraine. Some wage arrears date back to as far as 2016. In 2019, the average wage of a coal miner in Ukraine is UAH 15,000 (US $600).

The state-owned coal mines of Ukraine employ 52,000 workers, said Victor Turmanov, chairman of the Trade Union of Coal Industry Workers of Ukraine. The majority of these workers are suffering from the months-long unpaid wages.

A protest in Severodonetsk on 11 October

Within the last few months, trade unions and workers have held protest actions against wage arrears across Ukraine in the Donbas, Luhansk, Lviv and Volyn regions.

Meanwhile trade union leaders held meetings with representatives of the government and the parliament of Ukraine demanding immediate measures to solve problems of state-owned coal mines. As a result, the government of Ukraine submitted a draft law On Amendments to the State Budget of Ukraine for 2019 that allocates an additional UAH 1 billion to cover wage arrears at state-owned coal mines.

On 18 October, the draft law passed in the first reading at the parliament of Ukraine. It will take time until this law is finalized and signed by the president. The trade union leaders expect this to happen next week during the protest actions in Kiev.

However, time is moving on, and according to Mykhailo Volynets, on 1 November the wage arrears will increase by UAH 500 million (US $20 million).

Therefore, the unions have prepared another draft law for the allocation of an additional UAH 1.5 billion (US $60 million) to pay coal miners' wages until the end of the year. It is expected that this draft law will pass the registration next week and will then go through the standard procedures in the government and the parliament, said Victor Turmanov.

Mykhailo Volynets said the coal miners will travel to Kiev with a one-way ticket and protest until the decision to eliminate wage arrears is made.

IndustriALL Global Union supports the struggle of its Ukrainian affiliates and coal miners for elimination of wage arrears and timely wage payment, and urges the Ukrainian authorities to do all possible in order to cover all coal miners' wage arrears as soon as possible and avoid wage arrears in the future.

IndustriALL demands release of 21 workers in Iran

Azarab workers, who have been on strike since 6 October, were viciously beaten in an attack by riot police on 20 October. Several people were injured and taken to hospital but have reportedly discharged themselves for fear of being arrested.

Workers are demanding payment of overdue wages and a return to state-ownership of the industrial manufacturing company that constructs power and petrochemical plants.

Workers say Azarab Industries was illegally sold to current owner Mr Qaleh-bani, who is ignorant of labour issues and has neglected to pay workers.

On 21 October, Arak prosecutor, Abbas Qassemi, reportedly confirmed the arrest and detention of 21 workers. Meanwhile, the security situation in Arak is tense and the demands of the workers have not yet been met.

“It is extremely worrisome that exactly one month after sending you another letter deploring the brutal attacks on HEPCO workers, who were also exercising their legal right to peaceful protest, we are forced to contact you again to call attention to the brutal attack by security forces against peaceful Azarab workers in Arak,”

said IndustriALL General Secretary, Valter Sanches, in a letter to President Hassan Rouhani.

“IndustriALL Global Union urges the Iranian government to abide by national and international core labour standards, and in consequence, put an end to the repression of workers exercising their legitimate right to demonstrate peacefully in public, and release immediately all the Azarab workers detained in Arak on 20 and 21 October.”

Maziyar Gilaninejhad, spokesperson for the Union of Metalworkers and Mechanics of Iran (UMMI), called for the return of manufacturing and industrial plants to the public sector, and urged the government to cancel the privatization of Azarab Industries. He added:

"The government must commit Azarab Industries to pay all overdue wages and salaries as soon as possible. We demand that the police should not interfere in labour-related issues or in workers' legitimate strikes and protests."

Gilaninejhad called for the Minister of Labour to defend the rights of workers in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution and the labour law, and intervene in labour disputes before they reached crisis point.

US copper workers strike after decade with no pay rise

On 11 October, workers voted 77 per cent in favour of strike action at Asarco after rejecting the company’s “last, best and final” four-year contract offer, which includes no wage increase for nearly two-thirds of workers, freezes the existing pension plan, and more than doubles the out-of-pocket contribution workers pay for health care.

Asarco, originally founded in 1888, is now a subsidiary of Grupo México. Workers are striking at the Mission, Silver Bell and Ray open pit copper mines in Arizona, a smelter in Hayden, Arizona, and a refinery in Amarillo, Texas.

The company emerged from bankruptcy in 2009, and workers made sacrifices during the downturn to sustain the company. They have seen no pay rise for ten years, and the company has attempted to renege on paying bonuses linked to the copper price that it owes to workers.

Last week, the Supreme Court ruled that Asarco owed workers millions in copper bonuses. The unions believe those bonuses could be worth as much US $8,000 per worker, totaling around US $10 million. The company’s offer, which was rejected by the unions, aims to make it more difficult for workers to qualify for the bonus system.

The majority of the workers are represented by IndustriALL Global Union affiliate the United Steelworkers (USW). Other workers are represented by affiliates the Teamsters, Boilermakers (IBB), Machinists (IAM) and the UAW, as well as by the IBEW and IUOE. The workers have received solidarity support from other unions, including a delegation from Los Mineros in Mexico.

The previous contract expired on 1 December 2018, and the workers have been covered under an extension agreement on that contract, pending negotiations. However, after rejecting the company’s “final” offer, workers voted on 11 October to take strike action. Picketing outside the company’s facilities began late Sunday night on 13 October.

In a solidarity message to striking Asaro workers, IndustriALL general secretary Valter Sanches said:

"It is shameful that the company refuses to acknowledge your contribution, and it has not increased their wages since 2009, and the company owes workers millions in copper bonuses.
"Therefore, IndustriALL Global Union urges Grupo Mexico and its US subsidiary Asarco to negotiate with all the striking unions for a fair contract, and partake the profits of the company with the workers equitably, and reward them for their loyalty and sacrifices during the companies’ hard times."

Spanish union leaders occupy Endesa offices

The energy company Endesa, Spanish subsidiary of the Italian multinational utility company Enel, has dragged out negotiations for a new collective agreement for so long that the terms have lapsed. The agreement should have been renewed two years ago, but Endesa has stalled negotiations to force through changes that are unacceptable to its employees. Workers have not been covered by a valid collective agreement since 1 January 2019.

This includes retired Endesa workers, who will lose the subsidized electricity they currently enjoy.

In protest, the general secretaries and other leaders of IndustriALL Global Union affiliates Comisiones Obreras de Industria (CC.OO. de Industria), Federación de Industria, Construcción y Agro de Unión General de Trabajadores (UGT-FICA) as well as Sindicato Independiente de la Energía de Endesa (SIE), have occupied Endesa offices in Madrid, across Andalucia and other cities.

In a joint statement, the union leaders say they will occupy the company’s offices “indefinitely”, and accuse the company of “arrogance” and “genuine contempt” for its workers. The unions claim that the company is trying to “blackmail” workers into accepting a considerable increase in job insecurity and a reduction in the social benefits won in previous years, disguised as modernity and flexibility. In addition, Endesa is adding to the insecurity by unbundling parts of the company that it identifies as non-core.

They demand that the company negotiates in good faith by making a reasonable offer.

IndustriALL Global Union has a global framework agreement (GFA) with Enel that defines a series of guidelines for social dialogue. In this agreement, Enel commits to collective bargaining as a tool for determining the terms and conditions of its employees, and regulating the relationship between management and the unions.

IndustriALL general secretary Valter Sanches sent a solidarity letter to the Spanish affiliated unions, as well as a letter of protest to the chief executive officer of Enel, calling on the company to honour the global commitment it had made and use the mechanism of the GFA to resolve the dispute.

“We urge you to ensure that Endesa changes its uncompromising attitude in the negotiations and makes an offer that enables the renewal of the collective agreement.
“We hope that Endesa not only resumes negotiations, but does so with an open spirit that allows for the concerns and proposals of the workers to be taken into account, to achieve labour relations that benefit both parties.”

Campaign to stop gender-based violence kicks off at South African factory

Music, poetry, and a six-a-side soccer tournament punctuated the event where the management, workers and communities signed the IndustriALL Pledge on stopping violence and harassment of women at workplaces and unions.

Management, workers and communities signed the IndustriALL Pledge

Ruth Ntlokotse, the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa’s Second Deputy President, and secretary of the IndustriALL Women’s Committee South Africa, one of organizers of the campaign, said:

“The crisis of gender-based violence in South Africa requires that we work together to stop the scourge as trade unions, communities, government and social groups. Employers also have an important role to play because gender-based violence also happens at the workplace. With the murder and rape of women and children in their homes, gender-based violence is tearing families and communities apart. This explains the importance of supporting advocacy groups that target men to stop gender-based violence as they are the main perpetrators.”

Ntlokotse, a chief laboratory chemist, has worked for JM for 22 years. JM, which has operations in 30 countries, employs 14,800 workers, and is a Financial Times Stock Exchange 100 listed company. Its products include emission and control technologies, chemical processes including oil and gas, battery materials, pharmaceutical and medical and metal chemicals and products.

Patrick Shai, a popular South African actor who has appeared in many television soapies and movies, and who leads the Khuluma Ndoda advocacy group, said:

“Women are living with lots of pain and in fear of getting stabbed with knives and being shot at with guns. So, we are saying to men: you can change and become better human beings. Loving doesn’t make you a lessor person. Let’s have that conversation and stop the violence against women.”

A woman activist from the nearby community said: “Why are we being violated all the time and how can this be stopped? We get protection orders from the courts, but we are killed even when we are holding those protection orders. Women have suffered enough.”

According to crime statistics (2017/2018) from the South African Police Service 2930 women were murdered — which is about a death every three hours. This makes South Africa one of the most dangerous countries for women.

Workers condemn Sanofi decision to leave Bangladesh

Workers urged Sanofi to maintain its operations in Bangladesh in the interests of the company, for the thousands of employees, and for the population of Bangladesh who need access to quality pharmaceuticals.

The French drug maker recently announced its decision to leave Bangladesh for strategic reasons, by selling its 54.64 per cent share. It was announced that it may take between 12 and 18 months for Sanofi to start the process of selling its stake to a buyer. The remaining 45.36 per cent stake is owned by state-owned Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation.

The Sanofi production plant, which was established in 1966, has made considerable earnings and has gained a good reputation for the quality of its products and the expertise and dedication of its workforce.

Sanofi’s decision has shocked the more than 1,100 workers, who came out to protest against the move and called on the company not proceed with the sale as they fear job losses. To highlight workers’ concerns and demand that the company hold meaningful dialogue with the union to find a suitable solution, on 19 October 2019, Sanofi Bangladesh Ltd Workers Union and the BCEF held a human chain demonstration in front of National Press Club in Dhaka.

Sanofi workers urged Sanofi not to shut down or sell the profit-making subsidiary, since its operation is in the greater interest of the company and the working people of Sanofi in Bangladesh. They are concerned that if the company quits the country, it would severely hamper the workers’ jobs and their dependent family members and society at large. There is a great concern that 170 million Bangladeshis would seriously struggle to access quality drugs.

In his letter to the chief executive officer of Sanofi, Valter Sanches, general secretary of IndustriALL said:

“We truly expect and demand that Sanofi central management intervene at its subsidiary Sanofi Bangladesh to ensure that through discussions between the company, the unions, and the government, an acceptable solution to all the parties concerned is found soon.”

Headquartered in Paris, France, Sanofi is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies with more than 110,000 workers worldwide.

Unions in South-East Asia confront Industry 4.0 challenges

More than 30 participants from Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam, gathered for IndustriALL Global Union’s regional conference on Industry 4.0 and Sustainable Industrial Policy.

“Industry 4.0 is not just robots, not just artificial intelligence, not just big data, not just 3D printing – it’s all of these things,” said Brian Kohler, IndustriALL’s director for health, safety and sustainability. “There are great and rapid changes coming to the economy, driven by Industry 4.0, efforts to address climate change, and other forces. We want decent work, quality work and work that will sustain our families and our communities into the future.”

Industry 4.0 is fast invading South-East Asia, especially in the ICT and auto industry, said IndustriALL’s ICT, electric and electronics director, Kan Matsusaki:

“We don’t have any time to lose. We must influence governments and key employers now.” He said Taiwanese iPhone manufacturer, Foxconn, has shed around half a million jobs in the last five years, as it switches from workers to robots on production lines.

Unions discuss strategies for sustainable industrial policy.

Unions in the Philippines cited preservation of employment as the major challenge. They have successfully sustained jobs by lobbying to protect local car industries and campaigning against the massive importation of second-hand cars.

In Vietnam, unions see Industry 4.0 as an opportunity to attract more investment in the country and are determined to adapt to and adopt new technologies.

But several participants expressed concern that neither they, the employers, nor the government are prepared for the future.

“The Fourth Industrial Revolution and electric cars are going to be a real problem for us. We are worried many factories will close. We are making automotive parts for traditional combustion engines, not electric vehicles,” said Dedi Kurniadi from the Indonesian union, FSPMI.

In Thailand, government legislation compelling companies over a certain size to provide training and reskilling for employees, is not well implemented and trade unions have no say in the type of training on offer. Similarly, while unions have been able to push through 14 weeks maternity cover, this does not apply to precarious workers, who are often let go when they get pregnant.

"Industry 4.0 is affecting women worst – if jobs are cut, women will be let go before men," said Mbajeng Sriutami from FSPKEP in Indonesia.

In Malaysia, automation and digitalization has been slow to take off due to slow internet speeds and an abundance of cheap, migrant labour making it, for the moment, more expensive to use robots than people. Approximately 35 per cent of the country’s manufacturing workforce are migrants, said Mohd Saad, from EIEU.

IndustriALL’s regional secretary, Annie Adviento, said:

“We need unity among unions on the issue of Industry 4.0 and sustainable industrial policy. We must work together. Our counterparts in the employers and the government are very organized and they have a lot of resources. But unions have resources too and we must use them to get the best deal for workers.”

Participants agreed to produce an action plan to better engage with national governments on sustainable industrial policy, and also look at ways of engaging with NGOs and civil society movements with interest in the area.

Solidarity in the face of BHP’s race to the bottom

Workers at BHP sites in multiple countries complain of poor health and safety practices, and the company stands accused of treating contract workers worse than their permanent counterparts.

Labour hire and contract mine workers are less likely to raise concerns about safety issues due to fears about job security, leading to under-reporting of injuries.

Earlier this year, IndustriALL’s BHP global network launched a campaign to strengthen union action and to call on BHP, the world’s biggest mining company by market capitalization, to end its bad corporate behaviour at the expense of workers.

Inside the AGM, IndustriALL mining director Glen Mpufane challenged BHP on their policy on outsourcing jobs. In comparison to an industry average of 30 – 40 per cent, at BHP managed sites 60 per cent of the workforce on average are contractors.

And on a direct request for BHP to engage with IndustriALL, chairman Ken Mackenzie declined.

BHP is involved in mining projects in Colombia, Brazil and Chile with grave impacts on local communities.

The AGM heard several testimonials on BHP’s environmental legacy, including the Samarco dam collapse tragedy in Brazil, in 2015. One speaker from the area said that four years later none of the destroyed houses have been rebuilt, to which BHP replied that all houses will be rebuilt in 2021.

Glen Mpufane said:

“BHP is cutting costs at the expense of workers’ and ignoring the rights of communities affected by their operations.

“There is no separate struggle; together we will continue to fight against their race to the bottom which affects workers, communities and the environment.”