Chemical and pharmaceutical unions build power in India

Making up 13 per cent of total exports, the Indian chemical industry represents 7 per cent of GDP and 13 per cent of the total industrial output with a 12 per cent growth per annum. While the Indian chemical industry constitutes 2 per cent of the global chemical industry, the pharmaceutical industry of the county ranks 4thin volume and 13thin the world in terms of value. 

With an objective of attracting entrepreneurs, the Indian Government formed “Special Investments Regions” to promote the investment in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. These regions have the similar concept of special economic zones (SEZs), industrial parks, free trade and warehousing zones, export oriented units and growth centres. 

The participants of the meeting discussed the challenges for trade unions in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries in India. It was noted that there is an extensive domination of local in-house trade unions in the sectors which make workers isolated, fragmented, divided and vulnerable vis-à-vis employers. In parallel, labour relations and collective bargaining emerge to be isolated, and ineffective finally. It was further noted that there is a very limited role for upper-level unions in collective bargaining and social dialogue.

The participants underlined the fact that there is widescale low awareness about rights and interests of workers. There is an increase in precarious employment, such as agency and migrant workers. Serious problems on health and safety as well as excessive working hours were also reported.

Given the lack of information and experience-sharing with neighboring companies on union presence, collective bargaining agreements, wages, bonuses, precarious workers, and occupational health and safety, there is weak labour relations’ system in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. The participants reported that company policies such as productivity, efficiency, employer’s rights, disciplinary sanctions and punishments against workers turned to be main provisions of the collective agreements. With the push by employers for “give and take”, there is deterioration in the essence of negotiation in general.

IndustriALL has two affiliates in the chemical industry, namely Chemical Mazdoor Federation of India (CMFI) and BASF India Workers’ Federation (BIWF). The latter was recently formed covering five plants of the German-based chemical company BASF located in Mangalore, Mumbai, Anakelshwar, and Chennai. 

The meeting agreed to increase unity in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries in India with a plan of action. This includes increasing union density in already-unionized workplaces, organizing non-union plants of the companies where there is already union presence in other plants, and targeting selected multinational and Indian-based companies for union organizing. The objective is to form an IndustriALL conference for the chemical and pharmaceutical sectors as a platform to bring together representatives from all the target companies.

“India is a strategically important country for manufacturing industries, particularly chemical and pharmaceutical industries,” said Kemal Özkan, IndustriALL’s assistant general secretary.  

IndustriALL unions negotiate global dispute resolution mechanism with H&M

The GFA with H&M is unique in that has a National Monitoring Committees made up of representatives from unions and H&M to implement workers’ rights under the terms of the GFA. The NMCs are active in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar and Turkey. 

The NMCs met for a second global meeting in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh from 10 to 12 December, and were also joined by participants from India and Pakistan, who will form NMCs in 2019.

The participants debated a set of dispute resolution recommendations and reached an agreement on a framework. Under this framework, they agreed many procedures to solve disputes over working conditions, occupational safety and health, trade union representation, prevention of conflicts, taking labour actions and negotiating in good faith starting from shop-floor-levelto factory level. 

“The recommendation of case handling procedure will be a useful tool for IndustriALL affiliates and H&M suppliers when dealing with disputes in a structured and result oriented process. It can be a constructive tool to solve issues as close as possible to where they occur and at the same time avoid unnecessary labour actions from the social partners. A successful implementation can, as well, be a step forward to promote the development of industrial relations and social dialogue. the challenge will be to make the recommendation well-known and accepted throughout the whole supply chain,” said Mats Svensson,International Secretary of Swedish affiliate IF Metall, which is a signatory to the GFA with H&M.

Christina Hajagos-Clausen, IndustriALL director for the textile and garment industry, and Lars-Åke Bergqvist, Global CSR Coordinator at H&M,welcomed participants to the meeting. Christina said:

“In 2018, the NMCs continued to work to establish well-functioning industrial relations along the H&M supply chain. Many disputes were resolved through agreed upon negotiated remedies between factory unions and H&M suppliers, and awareness building on the GFA continued globally. Clearly, the work of the NMCs is vital to ensure that the GFA is respected. We must continue this trend.”  

Ms. Maria Sargren, Swedish Ambassador to Cambodia addressed the National Monitoring Committees (NMC) on the opening day of their meeting adding that the NMCs are a positive way forward in the development of industrial relations along H&M’s supply chain. She further underscored the importance of ACT (which H&M is a member signatory) and industry-wide collective bargaining as a good example of social dialogue between the workers and employers. 

Athit Kong, sector co-chair of IndustriALL’s TGSL sector and a member of the Cambodian NMC, added:

“I have high hopes that this global collaboration will continue to turn into practice. So, now the NMC has started to exercise their role and responsibilities, especially with the new recommendations for dispute settlement. I do hope that we keep making progress which promotes better living conditions for workers and business growth for all. And, last but not least, trust and sharing are the foundations of finding solutions.”

Rubber unions in unity against attacks

As part of the support and solidarity actions, the participants received reports about ongoing conflicts in various countries and re-affirmed their solidarity with 58 workers fired from the Goodyear plant in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, agreeing on joint international actions until the dismissed workers are reinstated and fundamental trade union rights are respected. 

The meeting also expressed solidarity with dismissed union leaders at MTS in Spain, one of the service providers to Goodyear, as well as six dismissed union leaders at Bridgestone’s operation in Indonesia.

The meeting analyzed the recent developments in the global rubber industry and assessed labour policies and practices of the leading multinationals, such as Bridgestone, Michelin, Goodyear, Continental, Sumitomo and Pirelli. It was also noted that the world's leading tyre makers committed more than US$7.5 billion in the past year toward new plants and capacity expansions, on top of Michelin's deal to purchase Camso, and Qingdao Doublestar's acquisition of a controlling interest in Kumho Tire.

The meeting applauded the work being done towards unity building in the emerging rubber-producing countries. In Thailand, for example, 12 local unions from nine rubber companies formed the Rubber Workers’ Unions’ Group (RWUT) with objectives to consolidate union power, improve information exchange with new data collection strategies, and to develop labour relations. The RWUT has also targeted non-union plants for organizing.

Likewise, in India, since 2011 and through the initiative of IndustriALL Global Union, unions representing tyre workers formed a national network bringing together representatives from multinationals and Indian-based companies such as JK Tyre, MRF, Apollo, CEAT, Birla, TVS and BKT. Following mature regular information exchange on wages, working conditions and collective agreements, the Mumbai meeting agreed to launch a platform at an IndustriALL conference for the Indian tyre industry covering all the unions in the country, with the target to realize it in 2019.

Under the topic of confronting global capital, IndustriALL’s rubber industry continues to focus on a strategy of building trade union networks at the major multinational companies. The Mumbai meetings also covered special sessions on the Goodyear and Pirelli/Prometeon networks. For the latter, the participants welcomed the input from Federica Calegari, Chair of the European Works Council (EWC) of Pirelli and member of IndustriALL’s Italian affiliate FILCTEM-CGIL. 

The meeting also welcomed the announcement made by Michelin to enter into discussions with IndustriALL to form a global works council. Likewise, the meeting was updated about the ongoing work of the Bridgestone Global Union Network Meeting.

The participants also conducted a deep discussion about the impacts of Digitalization/Industry 4.0 on work and production in the tyre industry. It was reported that the main global tyre manufacturers already use Industry 4.0 technologies to develop smart products that connect with surrounding objects and adapt to the roads. Goodyear’s Eagle 360 Urban, Pirelli’s new generation “MIRS” technology and Michelin’sRFID chips were analyzed. It was agreed to continue to exchange information and experience on this phenomenon.

Young Filipino trade unionists optimistic about their future

The participants, of whom 60 per cent were women, came out of the training optimistic about their future and recognized their role as agents of change in The Philippines.

The trade union activists discussed the problems they face as young workers and developed a detailed action plan to sustain communication and effective coordination and build young workers’ power.

Another session called “idea factory” allowed participants to explore the issues that are particularly impacting young workers, including the rise in precarious employment, low wages and poverty, that further deteriorates working and living conditions of workers and society in general.

The participants presented the group action plan gearing towards more active participation in trade union activities and recruiting more young workers from all walks of life.

Among other points for action, the participants resolved to increase youth representation, organize young workers and conduct more workers’ education programmes.

The workshop was organized with the support of the Swedish union federation Union to Union under the building union power project, which is designed to raise young workers’ awareness of global and national labour relations, while paying special attention to the issues young workers confront.

More than 40 striking steelworkers detained in Iran

About 31 workers were arrested at about 2 am, Monday, 17 December, 2018 and at least another 10 workers were arrested on 18 December 2018. 

During the arrests, Islamic of Republic Iran forces beat some steel workers in front of family members and seized their personal belongings, including their cell phones. 

On the morning of 19 December, police forces and the Revolutionary Guards seized parts of Ahvaz city to prevent the gathering of workers at the Iran National Steel Industry Group (INSIG) factory in Ahvaz, who are striking against the failure of their employers to pay them for months at a time. 

Nevertheless, a large group of workers courageously continued to protest and called for the release of their arrested colleagues.  

INSIG workers have been in dispute with the private sector owners for more than a year after they failed to fulfil their obligations to run the plant in Ahvaz at full capacity. Workers are demanding the plant is returned to the public sector and are calling for strategic investment to ensure it is profitable and sustainable.

The demands of workers at INSIG, as well those of striking workers at the Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Complex, are backed by a large number of trade unions, workers’ organizations, and social and political organizations, and are garnering increasing support in wider Iranian society.

“Ever since the wave of protests engulfed Iran earlier this year, the regime has been running scared of any opposition. They know how much anger there is beneath the surface of society in Iran. Workers merely attempting to organize to demand their due wages and salaries and improve their terms and conditions – a basic human right in any democracy – are seen as a challenge to the regime,” said Jamshid Ahmadi, from IndustriALL affiliate, the Union of Metalworkers and Mechanics of Iran. 

In a letter to the President of Iran, IndustriALL’s general secretary, Valter Sanches, said: 

“IndustriALL strongly condemns the arrests of the striking steel workers and calls for their immediate and unconditional release. IndustriALL further demands the payment of all unpaid wages, the immediate ceasing of all measures designed to coerce the workforce, and the protection of fundamental labour rights, including the rights of workers to join a union of their choice, and engage in collective bargaining.”

Garment unions in the Philippines to promote rights in the supply chain

Twenty-eight participants from IndustriALL Global Union affiliate unions in the textile, garment, sportswear and leather sector, shared common experiences at a sectoral organizing workshop on 6-7 December 2018. The workshop aimed to strengthening cooperation among IndustriALL Philippine affiliates as part of an organizing drive in the sector.

With the positive economic environment driven by global trade, the country is poised to benefit from trade preferences, which will in turn provide employment opportunities particularly for the workers in the textile and garment sector. The government is also using policies to encourage investors to set up business in the Philippines such as tax holidays and relaxed labour regulation. The incentives are posing a challenge to workers in the sector, who are also demanding that government policies also promote decent and secure jobs. 

Laudicia Casana, chair of IndustriALL affiliate, Trade Federation 2 – Kilos Damit, stressed that “multinational clothing brands and retailers who source their products in the country must conduct due diligence to make sure that their suppliers conform to labour and social standards”. 

“What is happening now is the opposite as it seems that factories are downgrading on the terms and conditions of work including outright violation of workers’ rights. Factory closures and illegal termination are rampant whenever workers exercise their right to organize unions,” Casana added.

The unions resolved that in order to address these pressing issues a coordinated campaign needs to be carried out at different levels of engagement. Utmost priority will be on organizing and increasing membership base in the textile and garment sector. Second is testing to see whether contractors and subcontractors benefitting from trade preferences on condition that workers’ rights are being respected are actually doing so. Thirdly, the unions will launch education and awareness campaigns for workers.

Young trade union leaders in MENA region complete training

Twelve participants from Tunisian affiliated unions and 20 participants from Moroccan affiliates were awarded diplomas at the third MENA youth regional network meeting in Tunis on 12 December.

As part of the course, run by IndustriALL with support from Swedish unions, participants from each union designed their own project to empower young trade unionists and help organize more young workers.

The course is designed to increase young trade unionists’ skills the area of trade union rights, precarious work and organizing, and raise awareness of the structural and systemic barriers in order to promote the inclusion and full participation of young workers.

Khalil Kaanane, from Moroccan union, Syndicat National des Travailleurs de Phosphates, who took the course, said: 

“It is an ambitious programme and a great opportunity for young trade union leaders in the region to enrich their knowledge, broaden their contacts and develop their work, thanks to the various projects proposed. Ambition, commitment and creativity are the passwords to succeed in this programme and reach out to the ranks of young workers.”

Course participants completed four seminars in 2018, each lasting three or four days, covering trade union structures and labour basics; organizing, collective bargaining and gender; campaigning and multinational tools; and the future of work, youth and unions. 

The course is part of a project that came about as the result of an analysis made by the young representatives that met at the first MENA youth regional meeting in Morocco in 2016.  

Young trade union leaders from Iraq and Morocco will take part in the course in 2019.

Some twenty participants (who were ten men and ten women) from Tunisia and other MENA countries took part in the regional youth network meeting from 11 to 13 December. It included participation by Carin Hallerström (International Secretary) and Axcel Lindersson Democracy Secretary) from Swedish union, UNIONEN.

The participants resolved to take action now to make sure there is more effective youth participation and representation during IndustriALL’s next Congress period that will start from October 2020.

Each country and affiliate also made a list of priorities to focus on during the next year, which include raising awareness of unions among young people, increasing participation of youth in meetings and trainings, more youth training on organizing, and improving knowledge of union work and legislation (both national and international).

The youth network also chose a date to have a regional day of action.  

Two former Ford executives sentenced for crimes against humanity in Argentina

Pedro Müller was sentenced to ten years of house arrest and Héctor Sibilla to 12 years for participating in the kidnapping and torture of 24 workers at Ford's General Pacheco plant during the country's most recent dictatorship in 1976. The judges qualified the acts as crimes against humanity.

The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court describes a crime against humanity as any act that violates the fundamental norms and standards of international law, that intentionally causes great suffering, or serious injury to body or to mental or physical health, and that is committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population, with knowledge of the attack.

The crimes are said to have been committed in the weeks following the coup d'état on 24 March 1976 that marked the start of the country's most recent civilian-military dictatorship, which lasted until 1983. During this time, thousands of people went missing, were tortured or were killed.

IndustriALL's vice-president for Latin America and the Caribbean, Raúl Enrique Mathiu, said that:

"Many people in Argentina have been convicted of crimes against humanity, but this is the first time that two former executives of a foreign company have been sentenced. Forty years on and this unanimous verdict represents a major stand for human rights. As an Argentinian, I am proud that this type of sentence has been handed down, although it won't take away the suffering that our colleagues at Ford have been through as a result of the persecution and torture they experienced. The workers are represented by IndustriALL Global Union's affiliate, SMATA (Sindicato de Mecánicos y fines del transporte automotor de la República Argentina)."

Müller was the plant's manager and Sibilla was security manager at the time the crimes were committed. According to Spain’s El País newspaper, the judges ruled that Müller and Sibilla were actively involved in the dictatorship’s plan to repress union leaders at large companies.

Both were accused of providing military agents with the workers’ photos, addresses and other personal data so that they could be kidnapped. Argentine newspaper Página 12reported that some of the workers were just 19 years old at the time, while many others were union leaders.

The investigation focused on determining the criminal responsibility of the executives and did not involve the company itself. The workers and their lawyers now want to attempt to sue Ford for its role in the crimes.

Finally, IndustriALL's deputy regional secretary, Alejandro Valerio, said that:

"It's very important that the perpetrators of one of the most atrocious events in Latin America's history – one in which some 30,000 people were kidnapped, tortured, killed or went missing – continue to be tried and convicted. 

It is also important that there are cases like these that bring the civilian and corporate accomplices of the dictatorship before the courts. They, too, played their part in the persecution and assassination of workers and their representatives."

Mexican activists plan an exchange platform for energy transition

Participants at the "Forum on the right to energy, energy reform and its impact on workers and communities", agreed to create an exchange energy platform, not just for the sake of defending their interests but also to move forward with the new Mexican government on trade union and social issues.

As a first step, they agreed to create a space for information exchange on such issues as energy transition and climate change. In addition, they will use the exchange to organize solidarity acts to demand the release of political prisoners and investigations into missing people.

The activists also demanded justice for those who were killed with impunity in the conflict around Parota Dam Hydroelectric Project. The project was launched in 2003 by the government of Vicente Fox in the state of Guerrero and was rejected because it would have affected the most vulnerable population (peasants and indigenous people), caused displacements and negatively impacted traditional lands and natural resources. The project generated a climate of violence and has resulted in murders on both sides of the conflict.

The meeting participants considered a need for a mechanism of preliminary, free and informative consultations to be put in place in Mexico, in order to achieve the consent of communities on these issues. They also noted that energy reform was made for the benefit of companies and not the rest of the country, and left a fragmented sector with prevailing protection contracts that benefit the employer.

"Talking about energy transition is to talk about many things. It is to talk about energy poverty, false processes of consultation and communities dispossessed of their lands. It is to talk about rights of workers in the sector and affected communities, as well as Just Transition,"

said assistant regional secretary of IndustriALL Global Union, Laura Carter, adding:

"It's also to talk about a fundamental right and a common good. It is to talk about natural resources, environment, climate change, sovereignty and geopolitics. It is to talk about the impact of the digital revolution, industrial policy and the demand of a growing world population. Progressive thinking requires energy policies to be clear on what should be changed and how."

Moreover, participants demanded respect for the right of freedom of association. They noted that of the 104 operators in the oil sector, less than 33 per cent have a collective agreement, and none have an independent union. 

The event was organized by the regional office IndustriALL for Latin America and the Caribbean with the support of UNIFOR Canada.

Unjust sentencing of Cambodian union leaders must be quashed

The charges stem from garment and footwear worker protests that began in late 2013 in the capital Phnom Penh, demanding a US$160 monthly minimum wage. Four people were killed and 27 more injured after military police began firing at workers at protests on 3 January 2014. 

The six trade unionists, of whom five are leaders of IndustriALL affiliates in Cambodia, were found guilty of instigating violent protests against the government in 2013 and 2014. Each were given a two-and-a-half years suspended sentence. 

Under Cambodian law, the guilty verdict effectively means the six can no longer lead their unions as they now have a criminal conviction.

IndustriALL’s general secretary, Valter Sanches, says: 

“We call on the government to intervene and see that the convictions against the six trade union leaders are overturned, and that all outstanding cases against union leaders and activists are dropped. The courts are being used to crush independent unions in direct violation of fundamental international labour conventions that Cambodia has ratified.”

The six include trade union leaders from five IndustriALL affiliates: Chea Mony (FTUWKC), Mom Nhim (NIFTUC), Pav Sina (CUMW), Yang Sophorn (CATU)  and Ath Thorn (CCAWDU), as well as Rong Chhun from the independent Cambodian teachers’ union.

They were ordered to pay a collective 35,000,000 riel (US$8,600) in compensation to civil parties, even though one of the complainants withdrew his claim during the trial. 

The union leaders plan to appeal their convictions. Ath Thorn, President of CCAWDU, said: 

“This court decision is unacceptable, and prevents us from exercising our right to represent our unions and our workers. We urge the authorities to drop all cases against trade union leaders.”

The six trade unionists have been on bail since the charges were made until Prime Minister Hun Sen ordered the Ministry of Labour to end outstanding cases against union leaders by the end of the year. Although, the union leaders will not go to jail, they face imprisonment if they commit any other felony or misdemeanour within the next five years. It is feared that this threat will be used to stop the union leaders taking part in any peaceful protests and carrying out their trade union duties. 

The trial against the six union leaders was held on charges of directly causing violence and damage to property, however, when the judgement was handed down, the charges were changed to instigating those acts. The altered charges were only revealed when the court passed judgment on 11 December, with no notice being given to either the accused or their lawyers during the trial.

Furthermore, no evidence was submitted to prove the six union leaders had instigated any of the acts for which they were sentenced. None of the actual perpetrators of violence or damage were brought to the hearing, nor were they named. 

IndustriALL has also joined in a statement condemning the sentencing with global unions BWI, IDWF, PSI and IUF.