French National Assembly approves law on supply chain responsibility

On 29 November, the National Assembly approved draft legislation requiring French companies employing more than 5,000 employees to implement a vigilance or due diligence plan to identify risks to human rights and the environment as a result of their activities, and those of their subsidiaries and suppliers.

Act 1 of the draft law says the companies must: “establish a vigilance plan including measures to identify and prevent risks of violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms, serious bodily injury or environmental damage or health risks arising from their activities and those of companies they control, as well as the activities of subcontractors or suppliers over which they exercise decisive influence.”

The legislation must now be adopted by the Senate before it is made law, which would also apply to multinational companies employing more than 10,000 employees in France.

As part of the vigilance plan, companies will have to identify and chart areas of risk, carry out regular evaluations of subsidiaries, suppliers and subcontractors, put in place measures to reduce risk, and set up an alert mechanism. Companies which fail to do so could be fined up to 30 million euros, although the fine would not exceed 0.1 per cent of the company’s yearly turnover.

The text also allows for company stakeholders, such as trade unions and civil society groups to be involved in the development of the vigilance plan.

The law puts a legal obligation on the companies in France, of which around 150 are affected, to take responsibility for their supply chains, rather than just a moral obligation.

The law has been watered down from its original draft and does not give strong provisions in getting justice for victims. Nevertheless, it marks considerable progress in putting obligations on multinational companies for workers’ rights in their supply chains.

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

“The French National Assembly has taken a big step in legislating to put obligations on multinational companies for their responsibilities towards the rights of workers throughout their global supply chains. While the law could go further, it is an important milestone in improving the lives of millions of workers toiling for multinational companies, who are too often on poverty wages, with few rights and working in dangerous conditions.”

Indian affiliates organize more than ten thousand new workers

IndustriALL affiliates have engaged in a major organizing and union building campaign through the Union to Union project. An evaluation and monitoring meeting held in Delhi on 29th November 2016 reported significant success in organizing over ten thousand workers in the TGSL sector.

Organizing initiatives included bringing both permanent workers and precarious workers into unions in four zones across India, including Chennai, Coimbatore and Bangalore; Kolkata and suburban areas; National capital region and Kanpur; and Ahmedabad and Mumbai. Home-based workers in the city of Ahmedabad and in remote areas of Gujarat were also organized into unions.

Around 7,000 workers participated in training workshops and activities held under the project. A representative from the Self-Employed Women’s Association reported that their initiative to get a U-WIN social security card for about 30,000 workers in the state of Gujarat helped them to organize around 6,000 workers into unions. Similarly, an Indian National Trade Union Congress representative from Kolkata reported that by supporting workers to access social security provisions, they had won their confidence to organize them into unions.  

Union organizing in the TGSL sector is a challenging task as most workers are precarious and the attrition rate in the factories is high. Workers are frequently made to shift their employment from one factory to another. Union leaders also expressed concern that proposed changes to labour laws will further pose major challenges to improving working conditions and union actions to protect workers’ rights in the sector. Changes include increased overtime, the extension of the apprenticeship period from one year to four years, and the proposal to ban people who are not employed by an enterprise from becoming union leaders.

Christina Hajagos-Clausen, IndustriALL director for the textile and garment industry, congratulated affiliates for making critical progress in union building and said,

“It is imperative for workers to strengthen union density across the TGSL sector in order to bring buyers and brands to the negotiation table and achieve strategic power to defend workers’ rights across the supply."

Key issues such as addressing the major concerns of women workers, increasing women’s participation in union leadership positions, effective collective bargaining processes in industrial units, building sustainable union structures and taking advantage of IndustriALL’s global framework agreements to protect workers rights were also discussed at the meeting.

IndustriALL and global unions rally in support of Korea general strike

We have promised the jailed unionists and our affiliates in Korea that we will use our global force to support them and we are part of the movement calling for President Park to step down

says Valter Sanches, IndustriALL general secretary.

President Park has attempted to make changes to Korean labour law that include permitting firing without due process, cutting wages for senior employees and allowing more outsourcing. According to the federal prosecutor, Korean multinationals like Samsung, Hyundai and LG have paid bribes to foundations controlled by an ally of Park in exchange for support for anti-labour policies and other favours.

Concerned with the rollback of rights that have taken place in Korea over the last couple of years, around a hundred people from global unions marched together to Korea’s permanent mission in Geneva to deliver a letter to the ambassador.

Under President Park, the Korean government has introduced restrictions on the right to strike, hundreds of trade unionists have been arrested, more than twenty still remain in jail and union offices have been ransacked.

Valter Sanches continues:

The attacks on the labour movement must end immediately. Today, we are mobilizing to support the Korean unions and to show President Park the force of the global labour movement, calling for her resignation.

The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions had called for a general strike today, 30 November, to fight back against President Park and her government’s attacks on unions and labour. KCTU’s president, Han Sang-Gyun, is currently serving a five-year prison sentence for his role in organizing a people’s protest of 100,000 people in 2015.

Trade unions around the world have joined in the global action to support the plight of the Korean union movement by making their voices heard; 76 unions in 45 countries have sent letters to President Park, supporting the general strike, social media has been used to share photos with the hashtag #KoreaGeneralStrike, and action has been taken at Korean owned workplaces like at Hyundai plants in Brazil and outside Korean embassies.

Brazilian unions defend their rights and national industry

Trade union centres in Brazil (Força Sindical, CUT, UGT, NCST, CTB, CGTB and CSP Conlutas) unanimously agreed to hold a national day of action on 25 November. They held demonstrations throughout the country on that day in defence of workers’ rights. Unions affiliated to IndustriALL also demonstrated in support of national industry.

They protested against the harm done to workers’ rights by pensions and labour reforms and called for the creation of new jobs and increased investment in health and education. They also defended women's rights and rejected violence against women at the workplace and in society in general.

In addition, unions affiliated to IndustriALL Global Union in the country, the CNM/CUT, CNTM/FS, CNQ/CUT and FEQUIMFAR/FS, joined forces to organize a demonstration in front of the National Economic and Social Development Bank offices in São Paulo.

Under the slogan “Protect local content” the unions called on the government to promote national production of vehicles, machinery and technologies and prevent excessive imports. They believe this will create millions of jobs and counter the enormous and increasing unemployment resulting from the economic crisis.

Marino Vani, IndustriALL’s assistant regional secretary for Latin America and the Caribbean, said:

We welcome the unity of action of our affiliates as they strive to achieve their aims. At times of political and economic crisis, it is crucial to lead the way in the battle to build a fairer and more sustainable country.

An industrial policy that is backed by strong state intervention from state-owned banks is the only way to build a future that offers greater equality and opportunities.

BAE Systems trade union network builds strategy

BAE Systems (headquartered in the UK) is a global defence, aerospace and security company employing around 82,500 employees worldwide. The company has wide-ranging products and services cover air, land and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, security, information technology, and support services. The company mainly operates in Australia, India, Saudi Arabia, UK and USA.

The BAE trade union network was launched in November 2014 at IndustriALL Global Union’s shipbuilding-shipbreaking world conference in Japan. Since then, the network has convened eight conferences via telephone and video.

Key activities of the network are as follows;

The unions at the meeting discussed a strategy for the future cooperation and developed a work plan. As part of the work plan, BAE network unions from Australia and USA will participate at the BAE Systems CEO UK Trade Union Forum. The event, which is held twice a year, allows trade unions to receive an update on the company’s performance and business strategy. 

Shipbuilding-Shipbreaking unions focus on workers’ safety and jobs

Sixty-two participants from unions in  Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Chile, Denmark, France, India, Japan, Korea, Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, UK, and USA met to address key issues, including:

Andrew Dettmer, national president of Australian affiliate, AMWU, welcomed all participants as host union together with Mr. Garlett who gave a traditional aboriginal Australian greeting. Dettmer insisted on the importance of campaigning until asbestos in all its forms is banned and removed from the workplace, especially since shipbreaking workers face regular exposure to the killer substance.

V.V. Rane, vice-chair of the sector, deplored the terrible industrial homicide on 1 November at the shipbreaking yard in Gadani, Pakistan and all the delegates paid a moment of silent tribute to the victims of the tragedy. Rane pointed out the need for strengthening action to combat the unacceptable health and safety conditions in the shipbreaking industry.

Eileen Yeo, co-chair of the sector, reported that the offshore shipbuilding industry has been heavily damaged by sluggish oil and gas prices. She said unions must work on how to secure sustainable jobs in the sector.

Satoshi Kudoh, co-chair of the sector, speaking by Skype, said that it will be essential to strengthen worldwide action on the campaign for the Hong Kong Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, as well as promoting sustainable industrial policy such as Industry 4.0.

The shipbuilding industry has been facing serious overcapacity as the world economy slows down. In recent years, virtually all shipyards have been suffering from very low levels of new orders that are not able to maintain the current level of shipyard capacities and employment. This overcapacity also causes market distorting practices, which can create major structural problems even in the most efficient shipbuilding industries. For example, the Chinese government’s subsidies to the shipbuilding yards in the country, are considered to be damaging shipyards worldwide.

Participants at the meeting heard how shipbuilding workers in Brazil, Norway, and South Korea have been facing massive layoffs in recent years. In South Korea, KMWU and seven other unions united and formed the Shipbuilding Industry Trade Unions Solidarity – SITU, which has been fighting against restructuring by employers and the government, and demanding secure jobs and to maintain the skills of workers.

The restructuring process is also being seen in the naval sector. Goverments are reducing naval industry costs and/or trying to outsource labour intensive jobs. In Australia, union campaigns such as Design, Build, Maintain our Ships Here and SUBS=JOBS led by AMWU have been successful in saving shipbuilding jobs.

On the contrary, the shipbreaking industry will continue to grow in the next 25 years and employment will gradually increase. Improving standards and health and safety is a pressing need in South Asia (India, Bangladesh and Pakistan) where more than 76 per cent of the world’s shipbreaking is located and which is characterized by dangerous working conditions and poor environmental protection.

Serious accidents continue in the shipbreaking yards in Bangladesh and Pakistan. Shipbreakers and ship owners, who are ultimately responsible for the safety of the workers, have offered nothing or very little compensation to the victims of these accidents. A fair compensation scheme and proper OHS are urgently needed for shipbreaking workers. The Action Group reaffirmed its commitment to worldwide action on the ratification of the Hong Kong Convention which would help to avoid any unnecessary risk to human health, safety and the environment.

Forming trade union networks is also a key strategy to increase the negotiating power of unions vis-à-vis multinational corporations at the global level. The BAE trade union network has been developing since its creation in 2014. French and Australian unions have also begun to cooperate regarding a submarine contract made between the two countries to ensure that workers on both sides of the globe get a good deal. 

The Action Group also discussed ways to build affiliates’ capacity to develop and implement their own vision of sustainable industrial development.

Participants committed to keep improving the Action Plan adopted at the World Conference in 2014 and focus on the following activities for 2016-2018.

The Action Group also confirmed support for the resolution to ban asbestos adopted at the meeting of unions, NGOs and asbestos groups, meeting under the auspices of SEABAN in Jakarta, Indonesia in early November. 

In the afternoon of 8 November, participants visited the BAE Systems shipyard located in Henderson, Western Australia. The company mainly works for the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and employs 3,500 workers in Australia. The participants learned the activities and industrial relations in the yards.

Global unions to rally in support of Korean general strike

Global unions BWI, IndustriALL, IUF, PSI and UNI will rally then hand deliver a letter to the South Korean mission in Geneva supporting the general strike and condemning the persecution of trade unionists in the country.

The strike is being organized by the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU). KCTU’s president, Han Sang-Gyun, is currently serving a five-year prison sentence for his role in organizing a people’s protest of 100,000 people in 2015.

For the last two years, trade unionists have been engaged in a bitter struggle against South Korea President Park Geun-hye’s government reforms, designed to lower wages and make work more insecure. In retaliation, scores of trade unionists have been arrested, trade union offices have been ransacked and unions stripped of their legal status.

IndustriALL Global Union’s General Secretary, Valter Sanches, says:

IndustriALL members around the world are mobilizing in support of the general strike. Workers in Korea are not only under attack from the government but also from the all-powerful chaebol conglomerates that do everything in their means to crush trade unions and labour rights. Korean unions together with the global trade union movement are fighting back.

Ambet Yuson, General Secretary of BWI says:

The time has come for President Park to step down. The current corruption scandal is just the tip of the iceberg. Our brothers and sisters in the KCTU have been locked the last two years in a bitter struggle to resist the Park Government’s neoliberal labour reforms. The attack which the Park Government has unleashed on the trade union movement for simply pursuing their democratic rights is a throwback to the military dictatorship era. Hundreds of trade unionists have been arrested and many subjected to arbitrary political prosecutions including Han Sang Gyun, President of the KCTU.

IUF General Secretary, Ron Oswald, states:

The IUF is here to show our active solidarity with our sisters and brothers in Korea demanding the President resign and fighting the government’s escalating attacks on trade union rights and basic civil liberties. Trade unionists are being condemned to prison for opposing casualization, defending the right to strike and opposing the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Together with our members in Korea and around the world, we demand that the government be held accountable for these ongoing human rights violations.

Equality and health at the workplace, now!

Around 35 union leaders from Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Philippines and Thailand gathered to reaffirm their commitment to campaign for the ratification of ILO Convention 183 on maternity protection at regional conference for IndustriALL women from South East Asia in Bangkok, Thailand, on 24-25 November. The conference reviewed the two-year project on gender equality and campaign on improved maternity protection. 

Results and gains from implementing the project over the last two years was shared. Capacity building has provided women workers with appropriate skills and information that has led to increased understanding of gender-equality, enabling them to integrate maternity protection in collective agreements.

Milestones achieved include initiating dialogue with Ministries of Health and Labour in Cambodia and Indonesia, integrating maternity protection in collective agreements in Myanmar, supporting a Senatorial candidate who authored the current legislative proposal on expanded maternity leave in the Philippines, and the attainment of a 40 per cent gender-quota in select affiliates in Indonesia and Philippines. 

Thailand joined the project in June this year and made women workers visible when leading  the ILO C183 mobilization of  almost 500 women and men in front of the UN offices in Bangkok on 7 October.

Participants highlighted the project’s positive contribution to the unity building processes both at a country and regional level and in achieving the 40 per cent target for women participation in IndustriALL.

Conference participants expressed strengthened commitment and the need to  continue working towards gender equality at all levels of trade union works and campaign towards ratification of ILO C183.

Plan of actions developed by countries were presented, common activities include:

•          Celebration of International Women’s Day on 8 March

•          Continued campaign on ILO C183

•          Inclusion of women and gender provisions in collective agreement

•          40 per cent gender-quota at federation and union levels

•          Capacity-building of women

It was also agreed that IndustriALL women will lead the campaign towards ratification of ILO convention on maternity protection by expanding its network through building alliances with other organizations including other global unions.

Victory in Indonesia – release of 26 union activists

In the verdict, the High court judge said that workers acted according to the law and that their action was carried out in a peaceful and non-destructive manner, and was aimed at achievement of fairness in national policies.

In November 2015, unions took to the streets of Jakarta to protest against the proposed minimum wage regulation. After demonstrators were met with violence, 26 labour activists, including the general secretary of KSPI and six members from IndustriALL affiliate the Federation of Indonesian Metal Workers Union (FSPMI) members were arrested and put on trial for organization of the protest rally and public disorder.

While trial was held, Indonesian Confederation of United Workers together with Jakarta Legal Aid Institute and a number of organizations and unions including FSPMI, organized a protest rally outside the court in support of the activists. The rally was a continuation of the unions' struggle for minimum wage in Jakarta. The demonstration started in front of Jakarta Governor's office, continued to the Constitutional court, the Supreme court ending at the High court of Jakarta, where the trial took place.

Among other matters the Indonesian unions demand:
 


The unions welcome the court's decision after the long struggle. A joint statement says:
 
“Winning of the case will serve the energy to continue our struggle against the new government regulation on low wage.”
 
IndustriALL general secretary Valter Sanches said,

“Union rights are human rights, they should not be criminalized and must be duely respected in every country. We convey our best congratulations to our Indonesian brothers and sisters for their victory and liberation of union leaders, we will continue following developments over minimum wage in Jakarta and will provide all possible related support to Indonesian unions fighting for workers’ rights. This victory is especially symbolic for all unions that fight to make the minimum wage in every country, a living wage.”

Saint-Gobain trade union network sets a milestone for global solidarity

Participants from France, Belgium, Poland, Netherlands, Spain, Brazil, Colombia, Thailand, Indonesia and India, discussed their situation in Saint-Gobain and the future of this multi-sectoral multinational company. Saint-Gobain has become far more than a glass producer. Today, the company claims to re-invent housing and building. The 351-year-old company employs almost 170,000 direct and another 290,000 indirect workers all over the world. The latter are one of the major concerns of trade union representatives and works councils since these workers are quite often working under precarious conditions.

Precarious work (especially at contractors) and health and safety are major issues at Saint-Gobain and were discussed in detail by the network on day one of the meeting. Participants also heard that, contrary to corporate management’s declarations about core values of commitment, mobility and diversity, these values are under threat, namely in India, Brazil, Thailand, Colombia and other countries.

On the second day, union representatives used the opportunity to share their concerns with corporate management representative Régis Blugeon, head of social dialogue (directeur des affaires sociales) at Saint-Gobain. They addressed pressing issues in Thailand, Colombia and India, and Mr Blugeon promised to check and follow-up.

It is second time that the Saint-Gobain global trade union network, which was founded in 2015, has met and plans were made to meet again in 2017. Blugeon confirmed that he would attend in order to respond questions. In the meantime, the network will also continue its work. The steering committee was confirmed and a respective document about the functioning and governing of the network adopted unanimously. Dominique Bousquenaud, network coordinator and general secretary of IndustriALL affiliate CFDT FCE, and Matthias Hartwich as IndustriALL’s representative, jointly signed the governing document.

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

“Saint-Gobain’s trade union network set a milestone here in Paris. Now the work begins. The steering committee has set an agenda for the next twelve months, so we will start work right away. Saint-Gobain’s direct and also indirect workers can count on the network’s solidarity and support. We will be there when needed – that’s a promise.”