ArcelorMittal: Promising dialogue but challenges remain

The regional meeting held on 4-5 September was called for at a July global meeting of ArcelorMittal unions in Luxembourg after reports by IndustriALL Global Union Ukraine affiliates PMGU and KVPU and Kazakhstan affiliate Kazprofmet about the company’s anti-union practices. There have been strikes at both Ukraine and Kazakhstan ArcelorMittal operations over the last year.

ArcelorMittal reports 37,800 employees and contractors in Kazakhstan and 29,100 employees and contractors in Ukraine. In Kazakhstan, it operates a steel mill in Temirtau along with iron ore and coal mines in the surrounding region. In Ukraine, it operates a steel mill and iron ore mines in Kryviy Rih.

PMGU and KVPU have been struggling for a new collective agreement since 2017, but had been undermined by the HR director for ArcelorMittal Ukraine.

“Since our global union meeting in Luxembourg and dialogue with ArcelorMittal global management, we’ve had positive dialogue with the company. The Ukraine HR director is no longer involved in our negotiations and the company is responding to our information requests. There is no longer a campaign of false information spread about the union,” reported Natalia Marinyuk, chair of the PMGU trade union committee at ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih Ukraine.

Kazprofmet leaders said they have not yet seen this positive change at ArcelorMittal in Kazakhstan. They reported that ArcelorMittal has not fully implemented the 30 per cent salary increase it agreed to for underground mine workers to resolve a strike last year.

Participants had a chance to raise their concerns with ArcelorMittal CEO for CIS Paramjit Kahlon, who agreed to IndustriALL’s request to speak at the meeting.

Kahlon discussed challenges of operating in the region. He also expressed ArcelorMittal’s commitment to high health and safety standards, to partnering with unions, and his personal willingness to work with unions in the region.

Ukraine union representatives reported that ArcelorMittal management listens to their health and safety concerns and that they have well-functioning joint health and safety committees. Kazprofmet said there are no functioning joint health and safety committees in ArcelorMittal’s Kazakhstan mines.

The unions unanimously committed to continuing to work together as a regional network within the global ArcelorMittal union network. Marinyuk will use her seat on the ArcelorMittal joint global health and safety committee to raise concerns from the region.

“IndustriALL applauds PMGU, KVPU and Kazprofmet for forming a regional union network at ArcelorMittal. IndustriALL is committed to supporting this network. We also applaud ArcelorMittal for both partnering with IndustriALL on this meeting and on beginning to work through some of the many industrial relations challenges in the region. We hope to grow that partnership,” stated IndustriALL assistant general secretary Kemal Özkan.

Sub Saharan African regional meeting discusses how to assess union strength

This is the information that will be collected and evaluated using the organizational assessment tool that is being developed by the IndustriALL Global Union Sub Saharan African region for use in six countries that are part of the Union Building Project. The user-friendly tool is already in use in other countries.

At a meeting in Johannesburg 11-12 September, attended by project coordinators from Ethiopia, Ivory Coast, Malawi, Mozambique, and Uganda, and with support from Union to Union, it was agreed that union organizational assessments were key to identifying capacity gaps that the union needed to pay attention to.

This would make it easier to develop policies and programmes to strengthen the union. Examples of policies to be included are finance, human resources, gender, media and communication, youth, and anti-corruption. Improving record keeping would also give the union important information on the composition of its membership, the sectors they are from, their gender, age, and whether the dues they pay to the union are up to date. Such information is key when capacity development programmes are being planned.

This year the Union building project is focusing on strengthening union structures, operating systems, procedures and strengthening organizing and recruitment. This includes bringing the union leadership together, setting up women and youth committees, facilitating and providing technical support to affiliates to develop gender, youth, finance, and health and safety policies. For instance, youth in trade union structures’ programmes have been set up in Ghana and Zimbabwe.

Says Fons Vannieuwenhuyse, IndustriALL director for projects:

The Sub Saharan Africa region has developed an organizational assessment tool that will be useful to all. As this is where theory may not always meet the practice, however, as a simple question to one person is not necessarily easy for the next, there is still a lot of important work to do. The tool is work in progress.

IndustriALL visits the Philippines as unions celebrate maternity win

The mission, led by general secretary Valter Sanches, coincided with the passage of a bill on expanded maternity leave by the House of Representatives that will soon become law. This is a major victory for unions in the Philippines who have long campaigned on the issue. IndustriALL has campaigned on maternity protection since 2014. The IndustriALL mission recognizes the struggle of affiliates for better working conditions for men and women workers in the country.

Meeting with labour department officials, Sanches expressed the need for more collaborative work with trade unions in the fight against precarious work, and for the passage of a security of tenure bill that is still pending at the Senate. The bill seeks to protect employment security of workers and guarantees their rights and benefits.

In a dialogue with the leadership of IndustriALL’s Philippine affiliates and their women’s committee leaders, Sanches lauded the effort of women leaders in improving maternity protection, their support for 40 per cent women’s representation, and campaigns for the advancement of women in leadership.

“We need to make sure that gender equity is reflected at the workplaces and in unions. It is important that women’s needs are reflected in union strategies, and it has to be inclusive”, said Sanches.

In a message conveyed to affiliates, Sanches emphasized the importance of building unity among affiliates and to establish more sustainable unions.

“IndustriALL is a solidarity organization. Unions that are well off extend support to those who are in need to make organizations stronger. Considering that union density in the Philippines is still at a low of eight per cent, affiliates have a lot of opportunity to organize. This is where the spirit of building unions as one of our key strategic goals sets in”, he added.

Sanches also met with legislators who supported security of tenure and other labour-related bills. There was an exchange of information on the political, economic and trade union contexts and programmes in the Philippines, Brazil and the rest of the world.

“The issue on the future of work will be challenging for trade unions. IndustriALL is preparing to meet these challenges and we are ready to engage at all levels”, said Sanches at a meeting with ILO officials in Manila.

The Philippine visit ended with a plant tour at a Toyota manufacturing facility, where Sanches extend solidarity message to the unions and congratulated them for having established industrial harmony between workers and the management.

Sanches expressed positivity about working more with Philippine affiliates in the future. He said that unions need to seize the moment and hope that victories attained inspire workers here and abroad. He said that the Philippine unions can count on the support of IndustriALL in the coming campaigns.

L20 unionists call on the G20 to fight inequality and precarious work

In a statement submitted to Argentina’s Labour Minister, Jorge Triaca, union leaders issued a number of employment-related conclusions and recommendations for the G20 leaders, pointing out that inequality is at an all-time high, precarious work is still rife and a fair transition to a low-carbon economy is needed.

The union leaders hope that their input will encourage world leaders at the upcoming G20 summit in November to set out an agenda that benefits all members of society, but especially members of the working class, who are the most disadvantaged.

They called for an end to precarious work in global supply chains, for workers to receive earn wages adjusted to the cost of living, and for companies to respect workers' fundamental rights in terms of trade union membership and collective bargaining.

The union leaders recommended that world leaders promote gender equality in the labour market and demanded that they introduce legislation to address the issue of violence in the workplace. They also recommended addressing the persistently high youth unemployment levels through active labour market policies and investment in formal training.

Finally, the union leaders highlighted the importance of working together to meet the objectives of the Paris Climate Agreement by promoting and implementing strategies for a just transition to a low-carbon economy.

IndustriALL Global Union's regional secretary, Marino Vani, attended the summit:

If we are to slow global warming, we will have to transition away from fossil fuels and towards alternative energy sources in manufacturing. This will have a huge impact on underdeveloped countries: their economies will shrink; they will export less and have fewer resources and less income; and there won’t be as many jobs or State social policies.
We therefore need to find solutions so that we can ensure a fair transition and promote inclusive growth worldwide through stronger social policies and a more even distribution of income.

IndustriALL's general secretary, Valter Sanches, said:

IndustriALL joins the organizations attending the L20 and will continue to call for the G20 and its member sates to adopt public policies that promote employment, generate income and reduce inequalities. We will continue to fight alongside our affiliates for decent wages and employment conditions.

Interview: Napoleón Gómez Urrutia’s return to Mexico a triumph for freedom of association

Do you see your return as a victory for independent trade unions in their fight for democracy, and a positive step for union rights?

Yes, absolutely. It's a real triumph for us in our fight for democracy. And it's not just a victory for the workers at Los Mineros – it's a victory for the working class across Mexico, Latin America and the entire world.

We've managed to withstand 12 years of political persecution and cowardly attacks and fight back with dignity. We're very proud of that.

Now we have to work hard to restore workers' rights, which have been bulldozed by corrupt corporations, businesses and governments, undermining both our freedom of association and our democracy.

As senator-elect, what will you do to restore workers' rights?

From the moment I'm sworn in, I'll be fighting to change the country's labour policies. They are behind much of the exploitation of workers because they put the interests of domestic companies and multinationals first.

We are going to reform the Employment Act and draw up a new national labour policy to make sure that workers receive fair pay, that they can do their jobs with dignity and that their rights are respected.

We have to put an end to illegitimate collective bargaining agreements. That will be included in the reforms we put forward to make the labour market more democratic, freer and fairer.

We also want to take steps to ensure that the North American Free Trade Agreement recognizes and protects the employment rights of workers across the United States, Canada and Mexico. We are looking to make real changes that will help to build a future in which the wellbeing of the working class is ensured.

Do you think you can get the Government of Mexico to ratify the International Labour Organization's Convention No. 176 concerning Safety and Health in Mines?

It's one of my aims, and my responsibility as senator to do so. I'm going to put pressure on the Government to sign the agreement, because we have to make changes from within.

It’s really important – mining companies still make their employees work in truly unbearable conditions. Workers in our country shouldn't have to put their lives and their health at risk, no matter what they do and where they work.

In the press conference you said that you would seek to get the investigation into the fatal blast at the Pasta de Conchos mine reopened. Do you think you can obtain justice for that terrible tragedy?

I'm been saying that Grupo Mexico committed industrial homicide from the very beginning. Our three demands are: for the bodies of the workers who lost their lives during the explosion to be recovered; for the families to receive decent and fair compensation; and for the investigation to be reopened in order to determine the cause of the tragedy and bring those who committed such negligence to justice. I think Andrés Manuel López Obrador's new government will support these demands.

For the first time, women now make up 50 per cent of Mexico's cabinet. Do you think that's an important step? And what about 31-year-old Luisa María Alcalde as the new Minister of Labour and Social Welfare?

I think it's really great. I've always tried to support and defend women's participation in manufacturing, politics and union work. My wife, Oralia, has been an amazing colleague in that regard, and together we have created groups like the "Women of Steel" in Mexico. My colleagues at Los Mineros are also very happy about these developments.

Alcalde is very smart and well prepared. I'm sure that she will play a key role as Minister of Labour and Social Welfare, communicate effectively with us and build a respectful dialogue in support of our initiatives, which can be advanced by both the Government and those of us in Congress.

I'm confident that we'll succeed. We hope that we'll be able to move forward together to forge a new society that will enhance the wellbeing and prosperity of both the working class and the broader population.

Signatories to the 2018 Accord

A&M Holmberg

Adidas

Åhléns

Aldi North

Aldi South

Alma Mater Wear

America Today

American Eagle Outfitters

APG and Co

Arcadia Group

Artsana (Chicco)

ASOS

Auchan

Avon Cosmetics

Baumhueter International

Bel&Bo

Bel-confect

Benetton

Bestseller

Bonmarché

BrandCo Management

Brands Fashion

Bristol (Euro Shoe Group)

Brüzer Sportsgear

C&A

Camaïeu

Carrefour

Casino Global Sourcing

Cencosud Paris and Johnson

Cencosud Supermercados

Chantal

Cherokee/Hi-Tec Sports

Chicca

Comtex

Coop Danmark

Cotton On

Country Road

Dansk Supermarked Group

David Jones

Daytex Mode

Debenhams

Deltex

Designworks

Desigual

Distra

DK Company

DPDB Group

E Leclerc

Edinburgh Woollen Mill

El Corte Inglés

Ellos Group

Ernsting’s Family

ESPRIT

ETP

Fanatics

Fashionbridge

Fast Retailing

Face to Face

Fat Face

Florett Textil

Forever New

Fristads

Fruit of the Loom

Gebra Non-food

Gekås Ullared

G. Güldenpfennig

Gina Tricot

Global Impact

G-Star

H&M

Hakro

Hanson Im-und Export

Heinrich Obermeyer

Helly Hansen

HEMA

Hemtex

HKG Garment Solution

Holland House Fashion

Horizonte

Hugo Boss

Hunkemöller

Hüren OHG

ICA Sweden

ID Identity

Inditex (incl. Zara)

Intersport

J2 Licensing Inc.

JBC

JOGILO

John Lewis

Julius Hüpeden

Juritex Import & Export GmbH

KappAhl

GALERIA Karstadt Kaufhof

Kesko

Kid Interior

KiK

Killtec Sport

Klaus Herding / Herding Heimtextil

Kmart Australia

Knights Apparel

Kromtex

L. TEN CATE

LC Waikiki

Licensing Essentials

Lidl

Loblaw

LowLand Fashion International

LPP

Mainpol

Madness Sport

Mango

Mavi

Marks and Spencer

Matalan

Mayoral Moda

Metro

Miss Etam

Mitchell & Ness

Monoprix

Morrison Supermarkets

Mothercare

MS Mode

N Brown

New Agenda by Perrin

New Frontier

New Look

New Wave Group

Oceania Trading Asia

OLYMP Bezner

O'Neill

Orsay

Otto

Outerstuff Ltd

OVS

Padma Textiles

Paprika Cassis

Peak Performance

Prénatal Moeder & Kind

Prénatal Retail Group (Prénatal: BimboStore; Mawi)

Primark

Princess Gruppen

Puma

PVH

PWT Brands

RAWE Moden

Reclaimed Sticks

Reima

Retail Holdings

Rewe Group

River Island

RNB Retail and Brands

Sandryds

Sainsbury's

Schmidt Group

Shoeby

Schijvens Confectiefabriek Hilvarenbeek

s.Oliver

Soloinvest

Specialty Fashion Group

Stadium

Star Brands Apparel

Stein Mode & Bodywear

Stockmann Group

Suprema

T. Kwaspen BV

Takko

Tally Weijl

Target Australia

TCC

Tchibo

Tesco

Tex Alliance

Texsport

The Just Group

The Sting House of Brands

The Very Group

Tokmanni

Top Grade International

Transmarina Handelsgesellschaft

Tricorp

TVM Europe

Uhlsport

Uncle Sam

Van der Erve

Varner

Vegotex

Verburgt Fashion

Vetta

VOICE Norge AS

WE Fashion

Wibra Supermarkt

Woolworths Australia

Workwear Group

W Republic

Wünsche Group

Yongo Europe

Y’Organic

Zeeman

Zephyr Headwear

IndustriALL Global Union and UNI Global Union condemn Kimberly-Clark’s lack of respect for workers

Despite consistently branding itself as a family company, Kimberly-Clark is developing more of a reputation as an anti-union, anti-worker employer. The irresponsible announcement from the company in January 2018 that over 5,000 jobs would be cut from its global staff over the next three years means all Kimberly-Clark employees, their families and communities, are worried for their future.

Local management in different regions now uses the threat of plant closure to try to push through concessions in bargaining.

At Kimberly-Clark’s Millicent mill in South Australia, 265 CFMEU members took rolling industrial action challenging the constant threat of mill closure and job losses.

The Company has also used heavy-handed tactics and the threat of closure in negotiations at a profitable flagship plant in Wisconsin, USA.

In Europe, the lack of consultation with unions is in fact illegal under European law, as it contradicts the European Works Council Agreement, unions have political recourse available through the German courts. Unions have not yet opted to open this case. Unions in Europe and throughout Kimberly-Clark’s operations must urgently be informed and consulted on the company’s restructuring plan.

This behaviour is an attack on modern labour relations. Ultimately the treatment of employees will spill over to the company’s iconic brands and the global labour movement is united in calling on Kimberly-Clark to begin an honest dialogue with its global trade union partners to meet to resolve the expanding controversy about the company’s lack of authentic consultation and heavy-handed tactics.

Following a 6 March meeting at Kimberly-Clark’s Atlanta headquarters, the unions made a written proposal of a structured dialogue before any restructuring takes place, as was agreed in the meeting. We stand by that proposal and urge the company to agree and implement the dialogue urgently.

The IndustriALL Global Union Pulp and Paper Work Group, and the UNI Global Union Graphical and Packaging Sector resolve to prepare a global campaign at Kimberly-Clark to be launched if the company continues its hostile union relations, refuses to consult workers on its restructuring plan, and continues its threat of mass dismissals. Kimberly-Clark is turning its back on dedicated employees in North America, Europe, and Asia, as well as Australia. This is not a sustainable business model, jeopardising the company’s FSC certification, while damaging the high-quality family brand that has been built up over decades.

eSwatini: Workers protest textile companies’ refusal to increase wages

The police were called in with batons and gunshots were fired to disperse the angry workers who shut down the town in protest. Tempers flared when negotiations deadlocked, and the Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration Commission declared an unresolved dispute. Other textile companies, like Fashion Enterprises, are also refusing to engage unions on the matter.

The textile companies are digging in saying they want the negotiations to take place at the wages council — a tripartite body that regulates conditions of employment. But IndustriALL Global Union affiliate, the Amalgamated Trade Unions of Swaziland (ATUSWA) says it will not be intimidated by such action, as the wages council is there to provide only a wage base and does not replace collective bargaining between workers and employers.

ATUSWA says the workers are not earning living wages and face hardships. Shockingly, the employers seem not to be interested in improving the wages.

Says Wander Mkhonza, the secretary general of ATUSWA:

“The employers must know that workers feel cheated and neglected by them and the government. The cost of living is increasing while wages remain, low forcing workers to live in poverty. Therefore, we are calling for a joint negotiations council in the garment and textile sector. Unfortunately, this proposal is not getting support from the employers and the government. We are horrified that the government does not support collective bargaining 18 years after the passing of the Industrial Relations Act.”

Says Paule France Ndessomin, IndustriALL regional secretary for Sub Saharan African.

“Our call is for textile companies in eSwatini to pay living wages. It is unacceptable for workers to live in poverty while they are going to work.”

eSwatini garment and textile sector supplies garments to South Africa and the USA to which the country is a signatory to the US trade act, the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act.

Trinidad and Tobago unions unite in opposition to refinery sell off plan

Battle lines have been drawn and the rhetoric has heated up in the battle over Trinidad and Tobago’s only refinery, publicly owned by state oil company Petrotrin. The Caribbean nation faces a major industrial relations crisis as unions threaten to shut down the economy this Friday. Last week, the government announced that it would close the refinery with the loss of 2,500 jobs.

Workers at the refinery are represented by IndustriALL Global Union affiliate the Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union (OWTU). OWTU angrily rejected an offer made by government on Sunday that the union prevent the closure of the refinery by buying it themselves, calling it a ruse.

“He already has lined up a potential purchaser for the refinery”, said union president general Ancel Roget.

On Monday, after rejecting the government offer, representatives of 12 unions in Trinidad and Tobago delivered a letter to the president, calling for an urgent meeting to discuss the closure of the refinery. The letter reminded the president that the retrenchments are a violation of a memorandum of agreement signed with the union, and calls for the restructuring to be debated in parliament.

The unions represent workers in both the public and private sector, including civil servants, nurses, farmers, truck drivers and bank workers. IndustriALL affiliate the Seamen and Waterfront Workers Trade Union was among the signatories.

Speaking in support of the OWTU, the president of the Public Services Association, Watson Duke, called on his members in customs and immigration, revenue collection and other areas of public service to stay at home and observe a day of “rest and reflection.” Instead of taking strike action, unions are calling on their members to call in sick that day.

After the minister of public administration threatened workers with jail if they failed to show up at work that day, union leaders responded angrily with cries of “Bring it on!” and “Build a bigger jail!”

IndustriALL energy director Diana Junquera Curiel said:

“The government of Trinidad and Tobago faces an industrial relations and political crisis entirely of its own making. With this underhanded attempt to privatize an important strategic asset, the government has succeeded in uniting the entire trade union movement against it.
“The time for posturing is over. The government needs to involve OWTU in negotiations for a credible restructuring plan.”

IndustriALL appeals for Indonesian union leader to be reinstated

Idris Idham has been working at the Rumah Sakit Islam Jakarta Pondok Kopi hospital in Jakarta for the last 24 years, and has been chairman of the local union branch of FARKES at the hospital since 2000.

Idham was fired for failing to use the finger printing machine at the hospital to clock in and out of work. As part of the collective agreement between the union and the hospital, Idham has the right to take union leave. He would often carry out these activities at the union offices in the afternoon, meaning that he could not use the hospital finger print scanner at the end of the day.

Idham has been under pressure from hospital management since he was elected president of FARKES and vice-president of the Confederation of Indonesian Trade Unions, KSPI-CITU in 2017.

He received his first warning letter in December 2017, and although an economics graduate who worked on financial matters, he was transferred to the hospital’s security unit. Pressure from management increased further when he expressed concerns about outsourcing workers at the hospital and made allegations of mistakes made by the director.

Idham received a second warning letter in April in 2018, and on 13 August 2018 he was suspended indefinitely until finally being sent a letter of dismissal on 29 August, which he has rejected.

IndustriALL’s general secretary, Valter Sanches, has written to the Minister of Manpower in Indonesia, whose ministry is on the supervisory board of the hospital, urging him to reinstate Idham as soon as possible, describing his dismissal as a “thinly veiled attempt at union busting”.

In a letter on 4 September, Sanches wrote:

“IndustriALL Global Union urges the Government of Indonesia to act immediately to guarantee the respect of fundamental workers’ rights at Rumah Sakit Islam Jakarta Pondok Kopi, which should include the immediate reinstatement of Idris Idham, and put an end to acts of intimidation and threats against union leaders and members of FARKES.”