Bulgarian unions get organizing boost

The gathering also welcomed leaders of the main national centers in Bulgaria, Plamen Dimitrov, President of CITUB and Dimitar Manolov, President of Podkrepa.

The meeting, which was organized as part of developed cooperation between IndustriALL Global Union and industriAll Europe, covered all aspects of organizing and building union membership.

Union leaders reported that workers are threatened with reprisals or even dismissal if they joined or set up a union, making organizing and retaining members very difficult.

In a number of cases workers have been harassed or penalized because of their union work. Affiliates also acknowledged that union structures had to be reviewed and they discussed where they held the greatest strengths. Some multinational companies, which have global framework agreements (GFAs) with IndustriALL, have production facilities or suppliers in Bulgaria. As experience has shown, GFAs can open up opportunities for organizing and developing social dialogue. 

Participants lamented that employers had “boycotted” the talks on the minimum wage and social dialogue was not functioning properly. While Bulgarian legislation is quite protective of workers’ rights, in reality enforcement is weak. Fundamental rights at work, based on ILO Conventions that Bulgaria has ratified, are abused with impunity. Furthermore, the lack of a legislative obligation to sign collective agreements sometimes makes the bargaining process ineffective.  

Bulgaria has the lowest income per capita in the European Union. If the country is to reduce growing economic and social inequalities, there is a need to promote industry-wide collective bargaining and increase wages. Currently bargaining takes place at plant level and workers in small and medium-sized enterprises are, in the overwhelming majority of cases, not covered by any collective agreement.  

Poor working conditions and low wages are pushing young people, in particular, to leave the country.  The meeting participants highlighted the acute shortage of qualified workers that limits the country’s growth prospects and they called on the government to urgently address the training gaps in key industry sectors, such as engineering.

Participants had a common understanding about the need to prioritize organizing and consolidate union structures to make unions more relevant to their members and better able to meet challenges in the world of work.  In particular, an effective communication plan has to be developed to reach out to potential members and strengthen union presence in the workplace.  

IndustriALL Global Union Assistant General Secretary Kemal Özkan stated:

“Both IndustriALL Global Union and industriAll European Trade Union will continue to support the Bulgarian affiliates in developing their capacity and training activities into the future. This is part of our determined cooperation on our organizing and building union power agenda. This is a very timely initiative since there is a burning need for organizing in Southeast European countries.”

IndustriAll European Trade Union’s General Secretary Luc Triangle stated:

“In order to create a better life for Bulgarian workers, to go for wage levels that allow a decent life, and to create a real future for Bulgaria as a country and for Bulgarian citizens and workers, trade unions have to increase membership and building strong and powerful organizations. Both global and European federations are determined to assist the Bulgarian affiliates with that. Because strong trade unions are the best way to a better life”

Myanmar unions fighting obstacles to organizing

Union busting is widespread in Myanmar; IndustriALL affiliate, the Industrial Workers Federation of Myanmar (IWFM), have lost 16 of their 65 company level unions to union busting. A tactic often used is to close the factory during a slow period, thus getting rid of the union, only to reopen under another name a few weeks later with a non-unionized workforce.

Apprentices are often on the workforce, as they are cheap labour, and sometimes work is shifted to non-organized parts of the same company. Union leaders and members are dismissed, or not re-hired after their short-term contracts expires.

In the mining sector, organized by Mining Workers Federation of Myanmar (MWFM), so-called troublemakers are relocated to a different mine, far away from their union work. Unions also report on hired thugs, threatening union leaders with physical violence, and sometimes actually beating them up.

Mines are usually located far away from the larger cities, making union work difficult. Small-scale mining is widespread, as is informal work.

IndustriALL’s union building project, supported by Mondiaal FNV from the Netherlands, SASK in Finland and by FES in Germany, is strengthening the unions through trainings and access to union organizers.

And despite the union busting, workers are organizing. Since 2014, the IWFM has grown from 6,000 to almost 16,000 members. The MWFM currently has 5,500 members, 750 more since June 2018, when the new project period started.

Unions also report on progress on collective bargaining related to salaries and health and safety. In one case, 300 mineworkers had won the right to a paid holiday – the first time in five years. Issues related to women and young workers are given more attention.

With the support of ACT, the IWFM is looking at a sectoral agreement for the textile sector. Currently not all garment companies sourcing from Myanmar pay the minimum wage of 4,800 Kyat per day (US$3), so reaching an industry-wide agreement would be a major achievement in the fight for a living wage.

During a project planning meeting in Yangon on 14 – 15 November, both unions identified work plans for 2019, including:

Bangladesh must keep Accord on Fire and Building Safety

***UPDATE: The Bangladesh High Court has postponed implementation of the restraining order until 6 December.***

The 2018 Transition Accord extends the lifesaving work of the Accord on Fire and Building Safety for another three years, or until Bangladesh’s own Remediation Coordination Cell (RCC) is ready to take over its work inspecting safety at around 1,600 garment factories. 

However, IndustriALL, as a signatory to the Accord, is deeply concerned that the RCC does not yet have the capacity to continue Accord’s work, which has led to a dramatic improvement in safety in the Bangladeshi garment industry. 

Since it was established after the Rana Plaza factory collapse that killed over a thousand garment workers, the Accord has identified more than 100,000 fire, building and electrical hazards of which 89 per cent have been rectified. Over two million workers have been engaged in safety training in over 1,000 factories. 

Jenny Holdcroft, IndustriALL’s assistant general secretary, said:

“Despite immense progress, the work of the Accord is not complete. The RCC is not ready to take on the rigorous safety monitoring system currently implemented by the Accord.

“If the Accord is prevented from having an office in Bangladesh, it will continue to run from Amsterdam. The legally-binding provisions for the Transition Accord signed by almost 200 global fashion brands and retailers with unions will remain in place.” 

A resolution on 15 November by the European parliament called for the work of the Accord in Bangladesh to continue beyond the end of this month, and urged the government to take action to address anti-union discrimination, including acts of violence and intimidation that have become increasingly prevalent in the country.

Global Glass Alliance and Owens-Illinois glass network launched in Perrysburg, Ohio

The GMP was formerly a separate union which joined the USW through merger. Joint work in the glass sector is organized in the alliance, representing over 90 per cent of the unionized glass workers in the USA.

Participants from North America, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and France gathered at the invitation of IndustriALL Global Union and its North American affiliate the USW for the Perrysburg meeting, near the Owens-Illinois headquarters.

On the first day, USW International Vice President Fred Redmond addressed the conference, honouring the USW global glass aliance and the Owens-Illinois global union network.

The participants had exchanges over global networking and social dialogue and the importance of cross-border solidarity. They also discussed the different systems of workers’ representation worldwide. They adopted a resolution, demanding global social dialogue in Owens-Illinois and a solidarity position on Brazil. In addition, the delegates set up a steering committee for the Owens-Illinois global network.

On the second day, company representative Gary Morgan, Owens-Illinois director of labour relations for the Americas, addressed the meeting and discussed global social dialogue with the international guests.

The global glass alliance also invited representatives from other glass companies and discussed their needs and questions.

Matthias Hartwich, IndustriALL director for the mechanical engineering and materials industries, stated: 

“This is a historical meeting – not only for the USW global glass alliance, where GMP and USW glass makers come together in one organization, but also for the Owens-Illinois global union network – we made a huge step forward and also sent a strong signal to Owens-Illinois’ management that we want social dialogue. Let’s hope that the management responds accordingly.”

Bruce Smith, GMP council chairman, USW, said:

“The USW GMP council local unions and staff are very proud and appreciative of having the opportunity to participate in this historic global glass container conference with our sisters and brothers from the USW glass conference and our global labour partners as we continue working together to improve our reach, sophistication and preparation to match and exceed that of our employers with whom we bargain.”

And Tim Tuttle, chairman of the USW glass industry conference, added:  

“I’m proud to have been a participant at such a historic conference. Where glass workers from around the world joined together, building power and taking action that is sure to provide a higher degree of dignity and respect for the sisters and brothers of our global family.”

Owens-Illinois, one of the world’s leading glass container companies, is based in Perrysburg, Ohio and employs over 26,000 workers in the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific.

US, Canadian and Mexican cement unions strengthen cooperation in multinational cement corporations

The delegates met in Los Angeles in a USW Local 675 union building. IndustriALL Global Union worked in close cooperation with the Steelworkers who hosted the meeting.

The delegates had an open discussion on shared concerns, including union-busting in the USA and Latin America. During the meeting, they set up a conference call with Vincent Giard, global head of labour relations at LafargeHolcim. They raised several issues which Giard promised to look into and come back with proposals for solutions.

The North America cement network, now enriched by Los Mineros from Mexico, discussed joint future activities and organizing targets, as well as better inclusion of women workers in the sector and in trade union work.

They agreed to increase their exchange over bargaining results and organizing drives to avoid being played off one against the other. Finally, they decided to continue with this close cooperation in 2019 and agreed that the next meeting would take place early in 2019, hosted by the Boilermakers.

Matthias Hartwich, IndustriALL director for the mechanical engineering and materials industries, stated: 

“I am very proud that we have this network – and that it is flourishing and growing. This will help all cement workers worldwide to find joint answers for the challenges in the cement sector and the aggregates and concrete industries. IndustriALL is happy to be part of this and will continue to support this network for North America.”

Thousands attend funeral of murdered Turkish trade union leader

Abdullah Karacan, the much-revered president of IndustriALL Global Union’s Turkish affiliate, DİSK/Lastik- İş, united the union movement and civil society at a ceremony held at the social facilities of his union in the city of Izmit on 14 November.

The presidents and general secretaries of Turkish trade union national centres, DİSK, Turk- İş and Hak- İş, as well as leaders from all trade unions in Turkey, government officials, political figures and thousands of workers assembled to bid farewell to Brother Karacan.

The crowd listened to eulogies from three speakers: the general secretary of Lastik- İş, Alaaddin Sari, the president of DİSK national centre, Arzu Cerkezoglu and IndustriALL assistant general secretary Kemal Özkan, who said:

“Not just here in Turkey, but across the world, sisters and brothers at international, European and national trade unions are mourning Abdullah Karacan.

“As a good human, wonderful father and courageous union leader, Abdullah Karacan has left a proud legacy of struggle, a strong union and a vision. Now the ranks of Lastik- İş must promise in their final farewell to raise the flag higher.”

The regional president of Lastik-İş Mustafa Sipahi and shop steward Osman Bayraktar were also injured in the attack by the gunman. Both remain in hospital but are out of intensive care. Kemal Özkan visited the two wounded union officials at the hospital to convey messages of solidarity from IndustriALL. He will also visit the family of Abdullah Karacan, who leaves behind a wife and four daughters.

The gunman has been charged with murder and attempted murder and the police investigation continues.

As leader of the rubber and chemical union, Brother Karacan won significant victories against precarious work by persuading multinational tyre companies to end outsourcing at their operations in Turkey. 

Abdullah Karacan was also a substitute member of IndustriALL’s Executive Committee.

Congo mining unions unite at Glencore

This is the resolution of a meeting which took place on 13-14 November, in Kolwezi, Lualaba Province. The resolution commits the unions to an organizing target to be met before the next Glencore global network meeting in 2019.

Eighteen representatives, including general secretaries, from four IndustriALL Global Union affiliates CSC, OTUC, TUMEC and UNTC, organizing in the mining sector, formed the IndustriALL Glencore national network which will include unions from the petroleum sector. A provincial network already exists. The meeting agreed that the unions could negotiate with the global mining multinational better as a unified force and through the networks.

The meeting is part of a series of interventions by IndustriALL in the DRC as part of a global campaign to improve working conditions of mine workers at Glencore operations around the world. A joint mission between Glencore and IndustriALL to the DRC, sanctioned by Glencore CEO Ivan Glasenberg and set to take place early in 2019, is part of these series of interventions to set the course of industrial relations in the DRC on the right path.

The unions agreed to democratize through workers’ control and promote accountability of the union leadership to their members. It was emphasized that the unions should be active at provincial and local levels to ensure that workplace issues were prioritized. Further, the unions committed to building the capacity of leaders and members through worker education and training, using collective bargaining as an instrument to improve workers’ welfare, and developing better financial systems to make unions sustainable.

The unions agreed to strengthen and coordinate their activities including information sharing. Research will be carried out on how the legal system can be used to improve industrial relations and on how to engage with the new mining code adopted by the government of the DRC, despite protestations by the mining industry. Exchange visits will also be made with other mining affiliates in the Sub Saharan Africa region.

Says Glen Mpufane, IndustriALL director for mining:

“Unions must work hard to build trade union power in the DRC. It is through this power, which comes from having more members in a union, that unions can stand up against multinational corporations. With power, trade unions can carry the dreams of the workers, and with it the potential to transform society.”

Memorial lecture pays tribute to slain woman worker in South Africa

But her union, Industrial Global Union affiliate, the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA), and the family are not giving up on getting justice. NUMSA accuses Eskom of negligence because when Yende was murdered the cameras were not working and there were no security guards at the power station as is the norm.

On 3 November, The Thembisile Lucia Yende Foundation, which was formed in her honour, organized a memorial lecture in KwaThema. The foundation aims to fight injustice and promote a safer society for women. It’s programmes promote gender equality and its formation is a response to the unresolved murders of women whose cases are often struck off the courts for lack of evidence or sloppy investigations by the police in which sometimes where credible evidence is destroyed.

The memorial lecturer was attended by representatives from the South African Police Service (SAPS), the South African Human Rights Commission, the government department of social development, and civil society organizations. There was consensus amongst the speakers that improving women’s safety and security at work and in the community is urgent especially as it comes after 549 women were killed in Gauteng Province last year according to the SAPS.

Says Ruth Ntlokotse, NUMSA’s second deputy president:

“As workers, women are breadwinners that provide for their families. They are also an important part of the community and society. The enormity of the threat to their lives and the physical harm common in gender-based violence is a call for us to take to the streets to stop the murders and rapes. South African women face gender-based violence every day and we must unite to confront the menace.”

A recent meeting by IndustriALL affiliates in Cape Town called upon employers to end gender-based violence at work by improving security at workplaces. On 25 November, the world day for the elimination of violence against women, IndustriALL is calling on its affiliates to sign The Pledge, to take action to stop sexual harassment and gender-based violence at work.

A few weeks ago, the government organized the National Summit against Gender-based Violence and Femicide, where calls were made to improve the safety and security of women.

IndustriALL and industriAll Europe condemn sentencing of Renault workers in Turkey

The 26 workers have been sentenced to five months in prison suspended for five years. If any of the convicted workers commit a ‘crime’ in that period, they will go to jail. There is no chance of an appeal. 

The workers were found guilty of “disobeying the law on meetings and demonstrations" after taking part in protest in front of Renault’s Oyak plant in March 2016, where they were victims of police brutality and unlawful detention.

The declaration states:

“The Government of Turkey, including its judiciary, should stop criminalizing trade union activity. This behaviour constitutes a blatant violation of national and international core labour standards…”

Furthermore, it continues: 

“Even though Renault was not involved in the judicial persecution of the workers, the company bears responsibility for having failed to solve the conflict through social dialogue, and having instead called the police to repress the striking workers in 2016.”

The demonstrators were demanding the right to organize and asking for workers to be reinstated after Renault refused to allow union elections to take place, and had fired ten workers including two worker spokespersons. Workers at the Oyak plant were overwhelmingly represented by IndustriALL Global Union's Turkish affiliate, Birlesik Metal-Is. 

“It is important to note that Renault’s behaviour at the Oyak plant was in violation of the Global Framework Agreement signed with us in 2013,” reads the declaration from IndustriALL and industriAll Europe. “Both organizations, along with the concerned affiliates, will keep on calling to address Renault’s unacceptable violation of the Global Framework Agreement.”

Read the full declaration here.

Trade union leader assassinated in Turkey

Regional president of Lastik-İş Mustafa Sipahi and shop steward Osman Bayraktar were also hit by the gunman. Bayraktar remains in critical condition after the attack.

“We are shocked to hear that Brother Karacan has been assassinated,” says Valter Sanches, IndustriALL general secretary. “Brother Karacan was a genuinely committed union leader. We expect a thorough investigation into this heinous crime.

“Our sincere condolences go to his familty, his union Lastik-İş, his confederation DISK, as well as the whole trade union movement in Turkey.”

A highly respected union leader, Karacan, who was a substitute member of IndustriALL's Executive Committee, managed to win a significant victory against precarious work by persuading multinational tyre companies to end outsourcing at their operations in Turkey.