India: Cement unions call for improved health and safety in multinational corporations

The strategic planning meeting saw the participation of representatives from IndustriALL affiliates the Indian National Cement Workers’ Federation and Pragatisheel Cement Shramik Sangh, whose members work in cement manufacturing units across India.

The Indian cement unions stressed that recent fatal accidents in MNC cement units in India involving precarious workers call for increased attention to OHS issues. Companies must respect workers’ lives and act swiftly to improve safety in cement factories. As well as fatalities, other health issues faced by workers, including concerns emerging from carrying heavy bags and the presence of crystalline dust, must be addressed urgently. The unions decided to ensure that there will be a health and safety expert in each union.

The unions stated that the companies have to provide adequate training on health and safety policies and procedures and create awareness of health and safety rights of all workers, including contract workers. Management has to create appropriate institutional mechanisms and commit to involve workers’ representatives in finding solutions to stop fatal accidents and to improve health and safety practices. Further, cement unions resolved to strengthen their participation in national and international actions and campaigns to improve OHS in the cement industry.

Matthias Hartwich, IndustriALL director for mechanical engineering and materials industries said,

“Cement workers are human beings and they are entitled to safe workplaces, to fair working conditions and proper payment. No matter whether they are contract workers or regular workers, all workers who contribute to the wealth of the companies are entitled to fair treatment. IndustriALL Global Union demands that cement producers, multinational and local, respect workers‘ lives!“

Cement unions decided to intensify coordination between permanent and precarious workers and deepen union organizing initiatives both in MNCs and in Indian cement units to bring more precarious workers into the union fold. Unions also stressed that they are open for engaging in constructive social dialogue with management to improve industrial relations and protect workers’ interests.

Apoorva Kaiwar, head of the regional office of IndustriALL in South Asia, was pleased with the results and said,

“The cooperation between our affiliates in the cement sector is our strength in the struggles against powerful employers. We will encourage a broad coalition of cement unions to improve the health and safety conditions and wages for both, permanent and contract workers."

Building union power in oil and gas in the MENA region

Union representatives from Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Iraq, Tunisia, Yemen came together to strengthen cooperation in a meeting supported by the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES).

Existing and new hydrocarbon assets in the region have the potential to bring economic development and great prosperity to people. To benefit, the region needs a stable political environment. Revenues need to be earned in a just way and be fairly distributed.

IndustriALL assistant general secretary Kemal Özkan acknowledged the instability in the region, and the conflict in Syria, Yemen and Palestine. He said:

“In this environment, the most useful thing we can do is to focus on building the strength of unions. Powerful, networked unions can ensure that the region’s resource wealth is used to improve the lives of ordinary people. This will remove many of the causes of unrest and conflict.”

IndustriALL energy director Diana Junquera Curiel prepared a detailed overview of the sector globally, covering the financial position of the major players, the state of union organizing and the relationships with companies. She said that women need to be much better represented in unions in the region.

IndustriALL regional manager Ahmed Kamel spoke about the growth of the union network in the region, and the importance of fighting against precarious work. The meeting focused on key campaigns and union disputes in the region, including the campaign against precarious work in Shell.

Mellal Raouf of SNATEGS in Algeria spoke about the ongoing persecution of independent unions. He said that the ongoing repression is likely to result in a workers’ uprising.

Anees Alhetari from DNO Yemen Union and Espen Løken of Industri Energi in Norway addressed the ongoing case against the DNO oil company, that abandoned its Yemeni workforce when war broke out. DNO is refusing to comply with a court ruling against it. Industri Energi has supported the Yemeni union in its campaign.

Abdelhak Loukili spoke about the ongoing crisis with the bankruptcy of the Samir refinery in Morocco.

A major focus of the meeting was the importance of social dialogue with companies. IndustriALL has global framework agreements with a number of sector employers, and these have been the most effective mechanism for resolving disputes. Two employers were represented at the meeting.

General manager for Total Lebanon, Philippe Amblard, and Dieter Keller from the IG BCE union in Germany and the Total European Works Council, spoke to the meeting about the effectiveness of dialogue. Participants were able to raise issues at Total facilities in Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt and Yemen, which Amblard pledged to address.

Davide Calabro of the industrial relations department of ENI and Marcellino Tufo of the Global Works Council joined the meeting by video conference. Participants from Iraq raised health and safety, environmental and workers’ rights issues, which the company committed to address.

Hassan Juma explained how Iraqi oil  unions united under one umbrella to counter the power of multinational companies and their unfair licensing contracts. He urged other unions in the region to do the same.

Kemal Özkan said:

“We want people to benefit from the wealth of the region. We want a sustainable economy and a stable society. Building union power in the oil and gas sectors is critically important to achieve this.”

Workers at Fresenius Kabi in Chile call off strike after reaching agreement

The plant, which makes medical supplies, employs 540 people, of whom 355 are members of the union, which is affiliated to IndustriALL Global Union through CONSFETEMA.

Large-scale demonstrations were organised outside the plant in support of demands for a pay rise.  At the same time, the workers made it clear that that they were keen to develop good industrial relations.

IndustriALL intervened after the strike had started, sending letters to the management of Plant Sanderson and to the parent company in Germany in the hope of achieving an immediate solution to the dispute.

The General Secretary of IndustriALL, Valter Sanches, expressed his satisfaction with regard to the agreement reached by the parties.

“We are happy to see that the company and the trade union have come to a negotiated agreement, proving once again that collective bargaining is the most effective way for workers to earn a decent livelihood and to be given a fair share of the wealth they generate."

Fresenius Kabi was founded in Germany and employs more than 36,000 people worldwide. In Latin America it has operations in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico and Uruguay.

Pakistan: 11 workers killed in series of mine accidents

The deadly mine safety crisis continues to claim workers’ lives in Pakistan. Six workers were reportedly killed on the night of 4 and 5 April after an explosion at a coalmine in the Sorab area of Kalat released a poisonous gas, suffocating workers to death.

Quoting the Chief Inspector of mines of mining department of Balochistan provincial government, a news report stated that the mine was operated illegally without the required license from the government.

On 1 April, an explosion at the Ali Mines in Jhelum District triggered a roof collapse, trapping six workers under the debris. According to reports from IndustriALL Global Union affiliate, All Pakistan Federation of United Trade Unions, two workers were rescued but the other four workers died in the incident. The deceased workers included Rehmatullah, Sabir Rehman and two brothers, Naseebzada and Naseebullah,  all hailing from the Shangla district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

IndustriALL affiliate, the Pakistan Central Mines Labour Federation, reported that, on 27 March 2018, one coal worker Faiz Ullah was killed, while another worker Ubaid Ullah was rescued with serious injuries in a mine accident at the Sharigh Coal Mine area.

Glen Mpufane, IndustriALL director for the mining said:

“We are shocked at the apathy and negligence towards safety in Pakistan’s mining sector. Within a span of ten days, the deaths of 11 mineworkers shows that neither the government nor the mine owners are serious about safety.  To stop the recurrence of fatal accidents, Pakistan must act swiftly to improve safety in mines, strengthen supervisory mechanisms and punish those responsible for the accidents. The government should also work together with workers’ representatives to improve the situation.”

On 15 March 2018, IndustriALL along with its affiliates in Pakistan launched a campaign for health and safety in Pakistan mines and called on the government of Pakistan to immediately ratify and implement ILO Convention 176 on safety and health in mines.

Court rules in favour of chemical workers at Rustavi Azot in Georgia

The legal victory was achieved with the support the Trade Union of Metallurgy, Mining and Chemical Industry Workers of Georgia (TUMMCIWG), an affiliate of IndustriALL Global Union.

The 56 workers were illegally dismissed at the beginning of 2017 when, during a change of company ownership, 335 workers out of a 2,000-strong workforce did not have their contracts renewed. 

During the court hearing, the company claimed the dismissals were made by the previous owner and therefore denied any responsibility towards the terminated workers.

However, lawyers for the Georgian Trade Union Confederation proved that new management had taken over the full responsibility as of 1 January 2017 and, therefore was accountable for the mass dismissals on 25 January 2017.

While 279 people agreed to receive compensation from the company, 56 workers decided to seek justice through the judiciary process.

Tamaz Dolaberidze, TUMMCIWG president, said:

“The decision of the Rustavi city court is fair, and could not be different. Now the desire and appeal to become a trade union member have significantly increased among employees, as for the whole year workers were looking to see the outcome of the trial.”

Management announced its intention to appeal the court decision, however, it has not taken any action yet.

Tamaz Dolaberidze added:

“We urge the company to reinstate the workers as a sign of good will rather than seeking further judiciary process which would only stall the reinstatements.”

In February 2017 TUMMCIWG denounced oppression faced by union members at the factory and IndustriALL conducted an international solidarity action in support of Rustavi Azot workers. Later, in November 2017 the union together with IndustriALL launched an on-line campaign at LabourStart against union busting at the company.

Vadim Borisov, regional secretary of IndustriALL, commented:

“We congratulate our Georgian affiliate on this victory and hope that it encourages Rustavi Azot employees to become members of the union, which proved capable of effectively protecting the rights and interests of workers.”

Mozambique: Union shocked by appalling conditions at plastics factory

The union visited IPED Plastics, a factory producing plastic bags in Maputo Province, and found workers sweating in the heat from the machines, with temperatures soaring above 40 degrees. There were no cooling systems in sight, nor were there showers for workers to cool off after the shifts.

The workers also lacked suitable safety equipment and deep cuts were common. Further, the factory had electronic gates and security cameras but no sign of a fire escape, putting workers at risk. There are no medical examinations to check workers’ health at the company, which has been manufacturing in Mozambique for more than 10 years.

IPED pays all the workers the minimum wage of 5965 Mt (US$98) regardless of the type of work they do or the skills they have. SINTIQUIAF is demanding that this unfair job classification be ended. The union also wants workers to be paid above the minimum wage, WHICH is below the recommended amount for workers to be able to buy a basic food basket which costs 16000 Mt (US$264). The union said it is disappointed t the company is exploiting workers to make more profits when it could afford to pay better wages.

Bartolomew Passado, SINTIQUIAF organizing and legal, labour and social affairs secretary, who visited IPED plastics, said:

“While SINTIQUIAF and other organizations in Mozambique welcome foreign investment as it contributes to job creation and reduces unemployment, it distances itself from the so-called investors who make profits through exploiting workers and forcing them to work in unhealthy and dangerous conditions for low wages.”

Adds Paule France Ndessomin, IndustriALL regional secretary for Sub Saharan Africa:

“Health and safety of workers comes before profit. What is happening at IPED Plastics is unacceptable and must be condemned. We support SINTIQUIAF in its campaign to improve health and safety standards and increase wages.”

Ukrainian miners trapped underground as power cut off

An emergency electricity supply ensured the ventilation and pumping of water in the mine. Eventually, electricity was turned on for 80 minutes, allowing all the miners to get to the surface without injury.

On 2 and 3 April, electricity was also cut to 16 different coal mines, including mines at Lisichanskuhillya, Selidovuhillya and Mirnograduhillya compromising operations. Further power outages may occur on 11 April.

IndustriALL Global Union’s affiliates in the country are calling on the Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry of Ukraine, which is responsible for electricity supply, to urgently address the deliberate power outages.

Viktor Turmanov, the president of the Trade Union of Coal Indusrty Workers of Ukraine, said:

“At the moment, several enterprises do not pay for electricity because they do not have funds for such payments. We are against the situation at the Gorskaya mine. We believe that the Ministry should work out a mechanism in which enterprises and miners will not suffer. It is vital to find the money to pay for electricity to avoid trouble.”

Mychailo Volynets, president of the Independent Trade Union of Miners of Ukraine (NPGU), stated:

“Thermal power stations are also in arrears for coal miners. The Minister of Energy and Coal in Ukraine, Igor Nasalik, is in charge of both state mines and regional electric networks. So, the power outages could not be carried out without the minister's knowledge. In fact, this situation is a crime: you cannot send people to the mine and then turn off the lifting machines.”

According to the Coal Mining Workers’ Union of Ukraine, the total debt of state enterprises, including not only debts for electricity but also debts on wages and health insurance and pension contributions, is 24 billion UAH (US$ 915 million). Funds for the reconstruction and modernization of enterprises are directed only to current needs.

Electricity supply was also cut off for debts at the Kurakhovskaya mine of the state enterprise Selidovuhillya in December 2017. There were 220 miners in the pit and they had to walk 4.5 kilometers along the inclined trunk underground to get to the surface.

Kemal Ozkan, IndustriALL Assistant General Secretary, said:

“IndustriALL Global Union urges the Ukrainian authorities to pay attention to the critical situation in the coal industry and listen to the recommendations of trade unions. Miners should not be exposed to unreasonable risk due to the debts of the enterprises.”

Union rejects retrenchment of 340 mineworkers at Abosso Gold Fields in Ghana

According to IndustriALL Global Union affiliate, the Ghana Mineworkers Union (GMWU), the retrenchments are meant to bust the union as all unionized workers were retrenched at Tarkwa. After the retrenchments, Gold Fields offered six months to two-year contracts to some of the workers.

The union sees the retrenchments as an attack on the International Labour Organization (ILO) Conventions 87 and 98. For example, freedom of association on the right to strike was violated when workers were beaten up by the military during a strike at Tarkwa in March. The brutality led to some workers being hospitalized for injuries from the beatings. The right to organize and collective bargaining is also under threat.

Prince William Ankrah, GMWU general secretary, said:

“The ruthless decision by Gold Fields Ghana to lay off all employees at Tarkwa mine contrary to the claims of its CEO (Nick Holland), amount to bad faith and an attack on the fundamental rights of the workers freedom of association and collective bargaining. With no form of protection, current employees on the so-called fixed term contract are at the mercy of the company.”

The union is against the cheapening of workers' contracts from permanent to casual. By opting for casual work Gold Fields is destroying decent jobs and replacing them with precarious ones and worse working conditions. 

Adds Ankrah: “The union believes that the business imperatives at Gold Fields Ghana Tarkwa mine do not require contract mining and therefore terminating employees on grounds of redundancy regardless remains questionable. Gold Fields' actions are a calculated attack on the union and on collective bargaining. Indeed, its actions are deliberatively targeted at eroding every gain made through collective bargaining and therefore runs counter to the ILO decent work agenda.”

As negotiations continue, a committee from the Ministry of Labour, Lands and Natural Resources is intervening in the matter and the GMWU has gone to court to have the retrenchments reversed.

Paule France Ndessomin the IndustriALL regional secretary for Sub Saharan Africa says the GMWU is making the right call. “Retrenching so many workers must be resisted, and Ghana Gold Fields must not be allowed to retrench workers at will. Decent jobs must be preserved and not be replaced with precarious work.”

South African unions pay tribute to Winnie Madikizela-Mandela

Jailed, arrested, detained, and persecuted under the notorious apartheid regime’s repression and intimidation, she was amongst the most courageous faces of the bitter struggle for democracy in South Africa. When her former husband Nelson Mandela and other senior African National Congress and resistance leaders were in prison at Robben Island, she led from the trenches as one of the faces of the struggle. She held senior positions in the ANC as president of the Women’s League and as executive member of the ruling party. She was a deputy minister of arts, culture, science and technology in South Africa’s first democratic government.

When the news of her death filtered through, messages of condolences, came from all sections of society and from across the globe. Trade unions also paid tribute to her key role in the anti-apartheid struggle and the post-democratic South Africa. 

Says the Congress of South African Trade Unions spokesperson, Sizwe Pamla: “She stared down the evil apartheid regime, fearlessly fought it and ultimately outlived it. Throughout her life she remained a warrior for social justice and never shied away from speaking truth to power, even after the 1994 democratic breakthrough. She was a fearless voice and a staunch defender of the working-class interests and spoke out against the perpetuation of apartheid separate development, growing inequality and deepening poverty. She championed economic transformation without fear or favour and spoke out consistently against social injustice.”

Zwelinzima Vavi, general secretary of the South African Federation of Trade Unions said: “We have a lost a gallant fighter in our people’s struggle for emancipation. She was a revolutionary woman, who was never prepared to be just Nelson Mandela’s wife but a fearless fighter moulded in the struggle against apartheid and a role model for women today. She will always be an inspiration for a future generation of women revolutionaries.”

Paule France Ndessomin, IndustriALL Global Union regional secretary for sub Saharan Africa remembered her for exceptional bravery. “Winnie Madikizela-Mandela’s legacy is that of a woman who fought bravely against the apartheid repression. Her struggle, in which she made huge personal sacrifices, is an inspiration to all of us. She is the people’s hero and that is why she was called Mother of the Nation.”

IndustriALL Global Union is looking for a Project Coordinator for the Union Building Project in Thailand

Principal tasks include:
• Organizing and preparing national project activities
• Facilitating and organizing the logistics of the activities in Thailand
• Running seminars and trainings, assisted by local resource people
• Assisting training participants after the project events, foreseeing adequate follow-up. Among many other, this may include visits to factories where seminar participants work, so as to get information and check on the situations at the workplace.
• Assisting affiliates in organizing drives and collective bargaining efforts, including through informing IndustriALL to ensure international support to those unions engaged in organizing or bargaining
• Assisting in writing, producing and/or distributing materials and publications for use in project activities
• Assist affiliates in ongoing communication with IndustriALL affiliated unions involved in the project, including through responding to e-mails and phone messages. This includes translation of communications between IndustriALL and affiliates in Thailand.
• Providing support to the Regional office in regional or global meetings held in Thailand
• Report on the project on a quarterly, midterm and annual basis
• Undertake other possible tasks within IndustriALL Global union

Requirements:
• Thai citizen
• Knowledge and understanding of trade union, human rights and the labor movement in Thailand
• Knowledge and skills in project management /education and administration
• Good verbal and written communication skills in English.
• Capacity to communicate confidently with union members and leaders
• Self-directed, action-oriented, organized, flexible and reliable
• Capable of working in a team and with people from different countries and cultures
• Computer skills: Microsoft Office (Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint), Internet Explorer, Skype, social media

Salary and benefits:
This is a full time position. Salary, social security and other benefits is negotiable.

Applications by 10th April 2018

Please email your application, including your Curriculum Vitae and a letter explaining why you want the job to [email protected] by 10th April 2018. We will interview short-listed candidates on the basis of their Curriculum Vitae and supporting letter and complete the application process so that the Project Coordinator can start work as of 1 May 2018 or earlier.

IndustriALL Global Union is a global trade union organization, which represents 50 million workers in mining, energy and manufacturing sectors in 140 countries. IndustriALL focuses on building union power all over the world through organizing and campaigns, fighting for an economic and social model that puts people first, based on democracy and social justice. The IndustriALL Southeast Asia Office is one of the five regional offices operating globally. The office is led by the Regional Secretary, Annie Adviento.