Myanmar unions call on brands to join ACT in fight for living wage

The call was made at a living wage strategy meeting in Yangon on 2-3 July. The unions said that working families could not make ends meet with the new minimum wage of 4,800 Kyat (US $3.60) announced by the government in March 2018.

The trade union leaders welcomed the commitments of the nineteen global brands, including H&M, Zara and Calvin Klein, who have agreed to work with IndustriALL and national trade unions to improve wages for garment workers.

Unions call on Adidas to join ACT

They acknowledged the need to change how business is done in the global garment supply chain, and called on major global brands and retailers to join ACT so that workers can be paid a living wage. The global sports brand Adidas was identified by several trade union leaders as a key brand that needs to join this global effort.

The cost of living

Explaining living costs, members of the Industrial Workers Federation of Myanmar (IWFM) said that accommodation, food, transportation, education, clothes and utilities were costly, and any notion of building savings was an unattainable dream.

“I need at least 8,600 Kyat a day for the survival of my family. My parents are old and I am the only bread winner in the family. I have no idea how to find more money for my family and I worry about tomorrow.  I want a living wage to secure our lives in the future,”

said one trade union president.

Key obstacles to achieving a living wage in Myanmar include the reluctance of employers to share profits, and the role of brands in setting prices. Unions cited the government’s failure to protect workers’ right when employers violate the minimum wage.

IndustriALL’s garment and textile industry director, Christina Hajagos-Clausen, said:

“Reforming the purchasing practices of the global brands and retailers that have the greatest negative impact on wages and working conditions is a major step forward in achieving a living wage. I look forward to working with the IWFM to establish industry-wide collective bargaining.”

She added that other major global brands and retailers now need to make the same commitments as ACT brands to ensure that their purchasing practices facilitate the payment of a living wage.

Christina Hajagos-Clausen

The IWFM leaders developed a comprehensive campaign plan that includes calling on non-signatory brands to join ACT, and a communication plan to educate national stakeholders on the importance of raising wages in the sector for workers.

Base metals unions determined to stay united against challenges

 

Hosted by the Australian Workers’ Union (AWU), the meeting took place at a time when the global steel capacity exceeds production by 426 million tons, with more capacity coming online. According to the OECD, “the global steel industry could face a new supply glut if certain countries, which already contribute to overcapacity in the sector, bring on new steelmaking plants.” The excess capacity has triggered shutdowns, bankruptcies and job cuts in the sector.

Along with the steel industry, the meeting analyzed the aluminium industry and its production chain.

In his welcoming speech, Daniel Walton, national secretary of the AWU said:

“The AWU is part of a global union movement that delivers fair pay and conditions for workers across heavy industries. We were honoured to welcome our fellow trade unionists from across the world as IndustriALL hosts the base metals conference in Sydney, Australia.”

The meeting addressed key issues impacting the sectors. Participants discussed how base metals unions can work together to address overcapacity, despite different positions on trade. A debate was conducted on the impact of digitalization and Industry 4.0 on base metals workers, and how unions should respond.

Participants shared their views on how unions can more effectively organize in the face of repressive governments, and companies that are making their workforces more precarious.

Songah Kim, an organizer from the Korean Metal Workers’ Union, explained how Posco, the world’s fifth largest steelmaker, uses repressive methods to bust unions. Kim’s presentation was confirmed by similar reports from India, Turkey and Indonesia. The meeting agreed to do further work on campaigning against Posco.

Actions and campaigns against leading multinational companies were debated in the meeting, including Alcoa, ArcelorMittal, Gerdau, Glencore, Liberty House, Norsk Hydro, Rio Tinto, Tata Steel, ThyssenKrupp, Tenaris, Ternium and Vallourec. Michael Millsap from Workers’ Uniting North America briefed the meeting about the ongoing contract negotiations at Alcoa and Arconic, while Antony Pearson of Workers’ Uniting Europe and Roy Rickhuss of Community, UK reported on British Steel.

Women of Steel

Women of Steel

The meeting welcomed a strong discussion on gender policy. Marina Williams, president of AWU, spoke of her experience in the sector and rise to position of president. Robynne Murphy, an activist in the women's movement and retired AWU steelworker explained the 14-year campaign from 1980 to 1993 for women to be able to work at BHP Steel, now Bluescope.

 
Murphy showed footage from a film she is making, saying:

Women of Steel Trailer from BE Films on Vimeo.

“The example of a new film being made, 'Women of Steel', highlights the complex realities of a successful women's campaign against inequality and discrimination in male-dominated industries, which we hope might inspire a new generation of women and working people.”

“The AWU has had strong women in its ranks since our earliest days. Today Bluescope Steel actively seeks to employ women, because these jobs were fought for and won by proud AWU women and men. 'Women of Steel' is an important story and AWU is very proud to have helped it be told,”

Daniel Walton commented.

Network meetings of Alcoa and Liberty Steel were organized the day before the steering committee. Alcoa employs 14,000 workers in 15 countries, and has high union density. Over the last year, Alcoa has increased its attacks against organized labour in Canada, Australia, Spain and Surinam. The Alcoa meeting expressed solidarity with the workers in conflict and bargaining negotiations.

With its rapid expansion over a short time period, Liberty House has become an important player in the global steel industry. Following the acquisition of ArcelorMittal steel operations in Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, Czech Republic, Macedonia and Romania, the Liberty House network meeting discussed labour relations and future of trade union networking.

Both networks decided to strengthen their activities in the period to come.

“Three intensive days of exchange and discussions have brought together an active and dynamic ground for international solidarity in base metals sectors,”

said Kemal Özkan, assistant general secretary.

“Together with our affiliates in the sector, we will overcome all the challenges and difficulties.”

Australian unions committed to campaign against BHP

The commitment was made in a strategic campaign meeting organized by IndustriALL in Sydney, Australia on June 14, 2019 with the participation of representatives from CFMEU Mining & Energy Division, Australian Workers' Union (AWU) and Electrical Trades Union of Australia. The meeting also welcomed participants from the Maritime Union of Australia and International Transport Workers’ Federation.

BHP is the world’s largest miner based on market capitalization, valued at just under US $100 billion. In Australia, BHP predominantly operates in two States – Queensland (coal mining) and Western Australia (iron ore). BHP’s iron ore operations are largely non-union as a result of a de-unionization strategy implemented in the late 1990s. Coal mining is still substantially unionized, but density and conditions are threatened by BHP’s “island” strategy.

“Here in Australia, BHP has been a leader in aggressive employment strategies to drive down wages and conditions, including replacing thousands of permanent jobs with casual labour hire. BHP’s latest strategy is to create an ‘in-house’ labour hire workforce through a subsidiary, providing a supply of cheaper workers on non-union contracts across its business,”

said Tony Maher, general president of meeting host CFMEU Mining & Energy Division.

One aspect of BHP’s island strategy involved the opening of two mines in Queensland with a 100 per cent “Fly In, Fly Out” workforce. Another aspect has been the excessive use of labour hire. BHP created, in mid-2018, two companies to act as employing entities to establish a second class labour hire workforce, essentially in-housing labour hire, under the name Operations Services.

All the agreements of BHP are designed to apply to all the company’s mining operations across Australia and they offer significantly lower wages and conditions than existing BHP collective agreements for coal mining.

 Kemal Özkan, assistant general secretary of IndustriALL, presented the global profile of BHP with the results of the survey conducted with the global union network members. Australian unions analysed and discussed labour relations and current Issues at BHP operations and supply chain in Australia, including BHP’s internal labour hire strategy.

The meeting ended with BHP’s leverage profile as well as global campaign plans.

Daniel Walton, national secretary of the AWU commented:

“BHP workers across the world deserve their fair share of the miner's record profits. The AWU is proud to be involved in the IndustriALL BHP global campaign that is intent on securing decent pay and conditions for all BHP workers.”

Tony Maher said:

“We were pleased to host a constructive meeting in Sydney with Australia’s IndustriALL affiliates representing BHP coal and iron ore mineworkers, train drivers, tradespeople and seafarers.”

Kemal Özkan said at the end of the meeting:

“As in other parts of the world, in Australia there are consistent stories of workers under pressure as BHP ruthlessly prioritizes profits at the expense of workers and communities.

“Through our global campaign, we fight back for safer and fairer labour practices throughout the worldwide operations of BHP.”

Indonesian unions fight for health and safety at work

Only 20 out of the 190 ILO conventions have been ratified by the Indonesian government. More seriously, only ten out of the 177 technical conventions have been ratified. Two important ILO Instruments related to occupational health and safety, like the Occupational Safety & Health Convention (1981, No. 155) and the Safety and Health in Mines Convention (1995, No. 176) are yet to be ratified, resulting in a low quality and poor enforcement of relevant national legislation and regulations in Indonesia.

The chair of IndustriALL's Indonesian council, Iwan, said:

"It is time for us to take the first steps towards guaranteeing good health and safety at work through our joint efforts with employers and the government. The ILO Conventions on occupational health and safety are good instruments for a social dialogue."

Participants made their action plans through a group work: The Indonesian Council will set up its OSH team, consisting of the IndustriALL affiliates, to do a survey on OSH situation and to lead its campaigns for the ratification of ILO Conventions of No. 155 and No. 176; each affiliate will set up its OSH department, encourage its local unions to appoint OSH union reps at workplace and to reactivate the existing legal mechanism of OSH committee at work.

In concluding the meeting, Iwan, said:

"We will make health and safety a top priority for the IndustriALL Indonesian council, as well as in daily union activities like collective bargaining. We start our struggle and march to save workers' lives and protect their health at work today. Hidup Buruh!"

Calls for sustainable mining after 43 artisanal miners killed in DRC landslide

A landslide at an open excavation pit at KOV mine on 27 June killed 43 miners, with others still missing. The government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has responded by sending the army to the mine where over 2,000 artisanal miners dig for cobalt.

“IndustriALL condemns the decision of the government to deploy the army and regards this as mistaken and unfortunate as it only worsens an already volatile situation and could lead to further bloodshed and loss of life.

“It is a short-term solution to a complicated problem and reflects policy failure on the part of the government and the mining industry in the DRC,”

said Kemal Özkan, IndustriALL Global Union assistant general secretary.

Artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) is legal in the DRC. Miners dig for copper and cobalt, which is in high demand for use in batteries for electric vehicles and smart phones. The miners, locally known as creuseurs, use basic tools such as picks, shovels and panning equipment.

In some cases, they mine the same concessions as large multinational companies. However, the companies are favoured by the government whilst the artisanal miners are ignored and blamed for damaging the environment and operating illegally. They work without support in dangerous conditions.

IndustriALL regional secretary Paule Ndessomin said:

“In the DRC, the miners are arbitrarily and sometimes violently moved from one place to another after concessions they previously mined are sold to multinational corporations and Chinese companies. The cobalt they mine is sold in an unfair formal market exploited by traders who operate in a shady supply chain.”

Said Isaac Kiki, the chairperson of IndustriALL Lualaba Province, a committee of IndustriALL affiliates OTUC, UNTC and CDT:

“We are saddened by the death of so many miners; our brothers that we live with in the same community who died while trying to find means to escape poverty. The government must put in place measures to make artisanal mining safe.”

The unions support the revised Mining Code which promotes mining as a source of inclusive development. There are over 12 million artisanal miners in the DRC who mine 30 per cent of the country’s cobalt.

Despite ASM being ostracized and laws to formalize it being unclear in some countries, the African Union’s African Mining Vision recommends transforming “ASM communities from vulnerable and marginal enclaves of unorganized groups of miners and other actors into integrated and functionally sustainable and resilient communities.”

Glen Mpufane, IndustriALL director of mining concurs that ASM should be transformed using the International Labour Organization’s fundamental principles and rights at work.

“We recommend responsible mining which considers the ILO principles and national labour laws and support due diligence in the mining supply chain to ensure that sourcing of the minerals respects the human and labour rights of miners. Governments should also formulate policies that formalize and recognize ASM, especially its importance to social and economic development. ASM shouldn’t be marginalized as it contributes to poverty reduction.”

At the Alternative Mining Indaba in Cape Town, South Africa in February, one of the recommendations was for multinational companies to work with ASM for sustainable mining that is inclusive and beneficial to marginalized communities.

Mining unions work together to organize in Tanzania

Improved communications, worker education, participating in union activities, and maintaining workers’ unity also strengthen organizing. A workshop organized by IndustriALL Global Union Sub Saharan Africa region and IndustriALL affiliates, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), South Africa and Tanzania Mines Energy Construction and Allied Workers Union (TAMICO), attended by 14 participants in Dar Es Salaam 20-21 June discussed how to improve organizing in the mining sector in Tanzania

TAMICO has 11,000 members, 2,000 of whom are from the mining sector, but believes there is potential to double its membership. For example, at Nyanzaga Mine and Geita Gold Mine the union could recruit over 5,000 members.

After the workshop, six shop stewards facilitated an organizing drive with workers at North Mara Gold Mine where 120 workers joined the union. The new TAMICO members expect the union to improve its servicing of members and communicate better. The union must also negotiate collective bargaining agreements and make subscriptions affordable.

In response to the workers concerns, TAMICO general secretary, Saidi Nyungwa said:

“The union will engage members to address the challenges as this is important for the growth and future of the union. It is important for TAMICO to sustain its organizing efforts to improve the working conditions of mine workers in Tanzania.”

Tafa Moya, NUM’s mining house coordinator said TAMICO can learn from South African experiences.

“The NUM is negotiating for a clause to be included in the collective bargaining agreement to demand that workers be employed on a permanent basis and for equal pay for work of equal value. Additionally, after a long struggle, the NUM now sits in the Mine Health and Safety Council. It also trains shaft stewards to provide workplace service to members.”

The growth of the mining industry in Tanzania provides an opportunity for TAMICO to increase its membership. The government of Tanzania estimates that mining will contribute up to 10 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product by 2025. Tanzania mines gold, iron ore, nickel, copper, cobalt, silver, diamond and tanzanite. Other industrial minerals including coal and uranium.

Long lockout at ABI, Canada, ends in win

"I am proud of the workers, of the struggle they have waged to preserve jobs and to defend basic principles such as seniority and their working conditions,” says Clément Masse, president of United Steelworkers (USW) Local 9700.
 
In the agreement, improvements were made to a return-to-work protocol, allowing all union members to return to their jobs within an eight-month period, compared to the company’s previous proposal which could have extended the return period to several years, during which union rights would have been suspended. An employer grievance demanding a US$19-million settlement from the union also has been dropped.

Seniority rights are respected in the agreement, and the employer will no longer be able to offer positions to people outside the plant without first offering them to union members.

Union leaders said they would have preferred a negotiated settlement, which would have created a better working environment as workers return to their jobs, and condemned the company's resistance to engage in meaningful, constructive negotiations throughout the 18-month lockout.
 
“We are proud of our brothers and sisters who stood up for themselves for so long, and have now reached a settlement that gives them the opportunity to return to their workplaces in dignity and with pride. This is an important win, not only for the region but for the trade union world, showing that the way to achievements is often a long and winding path,” says Matthias Hartwich, base metals director, IndustriALL Global Union.

IndustriALL's Executive Committee in May this year, gave public support for the struggle.

The union also denounced Quebec Premier François Legault’s blatant bias and interference in the negotiations, which emboldened the company in its agenda of refusing to engage in meaningful negotiations.

On this basis, USW Métallos has filed a complaint with the International Labour Organization.

ABI is co-owned by multinational giants Alcoa, which holds a 75 per cent stake and Rio Tinto, which holds the remaining 25 per cent.

Asia-Pacific unions urge governments to ensure trade deal meets union demands

Unions are concerned that the secret RCEP negotiations will overrule democratic decisions and state sovereignty in favour of multinational corporations. The unions demand that:

  1. Participating governments must comply with fundamental ILO Conventions
  2. Investor-State Dispute settlement mechanisms – which threaten democracy by giving companies the right to sue governments – must be removed
  3. Public procurement and public service should be excluded from RCEP
  4. The negotiating texts must be made available for public scrutiny, with a consultation process for stakeholders
  5. Governments must conduct a human rights impact assessment of RCEP and submit the findings to democratic assemblies.

RCEP is a proposed free trade agreement between the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam), and China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand.

The proposed agreement will govern trade in the world’s largest economic block, covering half the world’s population. In conjunction with the latest round of negotiations in Melbourne on 30 June 2019, Asia-Pacific trade unions – including IndustriALL Global Union, BWI, IUF, UNI, the International Domestic Workers’ Federation and the ASEAN Services Employees Trade Union Council and their affiliates – have jointly urged participating governments to ensure RCEP meets the unions’ five key demands.

In a statement, the unions said:

“Representing millions of workers in the region, we hereby register our grave concern over the ongoing secret negotiations of the mega regional trade agreement since 2013, which covers a region of 50 percent population in the world, 30 percent global GDP and 25 percent of world exports.

“It has been a concern of trade unions and civil society organizations that trade agreements are increasingly used by multinational corporations to overrule state policies and to create a friendly business environment that can maximize its economic profits at the expense of workers and human rights.”

IndustriALL regional secretary Annie Adviento said,

“A well-negotiated trade deal can lead to shared peace and prosperity for the people of the region. But we have to ensure that the deal benefits people, and not just capital. We will not allow multinational corporations to overturn our democracy and undermine our public services through deals negotiated in secret.”

Argentina – historic march to victory in Glencore mine

Workers from IndustriALL affiliate Asociación Obrera Minera Argentina (AOMA) stopped work at the El Aguilar mine for a week. They also organized a 270 kilometre long march.

The union demanded that authorities put pressure on Glencore into meeting the demands, including:
•    improvements of working conditions
•    an effective safety plan
•    dismissal of the general manager for mistreating workers and ignoring safety measures

After the march and a protest in front of the Government House on 24 June, union leaders met with authorities from the provincial government. AOMA denounced the increasingly dangerous work and abusive treatment received from management. Workers raised the issue of inadequate ventilation in the mine and lack of maintenance of the emergency exhaust stacks.

On 25 June, the company agreed to dismiss the general manager and to implement a plan, approved together with the Ministry of Labour during conciliation procedures, guaranteeing health and safety conditions in the mine.

AOMA Nacional general secretary Héctor Laplace, says:

“The agreement with the authorities and Glencore is a step to diminish the conflict. We will monitor the agreed plan, which means looking after the workers, respecting the agreements and the workers.”

IndustriALL regional secretary Marino Vani, says:

“We congratulate our affiliate for their work and for defending their members. With the current dialogue between IndustriALL and Glencore, we are confident that the agreements with the Argentinian authorities and AOMA will be respected, in order to improve health and safety conditions in the El Aguilar mine and apply fair work practices.”

Kazakh trade union leader faces 8 years in jail

The move comes just a week after Kazakhstan came under scrutiny for its poor record on trade union rights at the International Labour Conference.

Baltabay is on trial for the misappropriation of approximately US$28,000 of union dues. Baltabay says the money is still in his possession but denies fraud, saying he acted to protect the money for his members after his petrochemical workers’ union, Decent Work, was forcibly dissolved in 2015.

In an intervention at the Conference’s Committee of the Application of Standards on 18 June, IndustriALL condemned the inadmissible situation of workers’ rights in Kazakhstan. The country was examined for violating ILO Convention 87 on freedom of association and the right to organize.

The law on trade unions in Kazakhstan makes it extremely difficult for unions to be registered and the criminal code is being used to criminalize strike action in the country.

At the same time, independent union leaders, such as Larisa Kharkova, Amin Eleusinov and Nurbek Kushakbaev, have been punished and persecuted through the courts. The trio received the Arthur Svensson prize for trade union rights in 2018.

In a letter to the Kazakh president, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, IndustriALL’s general secretary, Valter Sanches, said:

“We condemn both the ongoing trial (of Baltabay) and the earlier criminal procedures against Larisa Kharkova, Amin Eleusinov and Nurbek Kushakbaev, as well as attempts to repress leaders of independent trade unions and prevent them from performing their union related work. We further believe that the intention is to foster an atmosphere of fear and prevent other activists and workers from exercising their universally recognized fundamental rights and freedoms.”
 
Sanches also called on the president to adhere to the recommendations made by the Committee on the Application of Standards to improve trade union rights in the country after a “persistent” lack of progress.