Unionist brings worker voices to Namibian parliament

In her maiden speech, on 9 April, she called upon the Namibian government to finalize on modernization of laws that include the Labour Act, the Social Security Act and Affirmative Action (Employment) Act to ensure compliance by employers. Further, she said the work of the employment equity commission must include gender equality and underrepresented workers. She also called upon the government to

“ensure that lawful strikes are respected, and that workers do not lose income when exercising their constitutional right to strike in pursuit of fair collective bargaining.”

 
Honourable Jonas from the Metal and Allied Namibian Workers Union (MANWU) is an MP from the ruling SWAPO party. She previously worked in both the formal and informal economies as a security guard, street food vendor and hairdresser, and has been an active trade unionist since 2003 and rose up to the position of general secretary.

She also served in the union’s education department where she implemented programmes on health and safety, workers’ rights, gender equality, and campaigned for youth employment and living wages.
 
MANWU an IndustriALL affiliate and organizes workers in construction, metal, engineering, automotive manufacturing and other industries.
 
Jonas supported the national budget statement plans to create 500 000 jobs, provide quality education and healthcare, equitable access to land, housing and sanitation, and poverty eradication.

She was involved in campaigns for the ratification of International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention 190 to end violence and harassment in the world of work. In 2020 Namibia became the first African country to ratify the convention. Since then, she is involved in campaigns to implement workplace policies as per ILO Recommendation 206 (Violence and Harassment Recommendation).

“I am a deployee of the workers. For too long the voices of workers have been missing in the legislative organ of the state hence many bills were passed in parliament that sometimes compromised workers’ rights. With my experience from the world of work, I will ensure that bills that are debated during my term as MP will consider workers’ voices,” 

she said in an interview with IndustriALL.
 
IndustriALL Sub-Saharan Africa regional secretary, Paule France Ndessomin, said:

“We celebrate the election of Justina Jonas to the Parliament of Namibia. This is a double victory for workers' voices and for the representation of women in legislatures in Africa. She is a brilliant example of the success of our regional campaigns for gender equality and advancing women leadership.”

 
Her Excellency, President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah is Namibia’s first woman head of state and more than 50 per cent of her cabinet is composed of women. The vice president is Lucia Witbooi and eight of the country’s 14 ministers are women. Namibia’s parliament also has more than 40 per cent women MPs sitting in the house while Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, the speaker of Parliament, is a woman. 

Indonesian unions launch OSH alarm centre

The alarm centre will act as an exchange platform on occupational diseases for victimized manufacturing workers in Indonesia. The centre is supported by occupational doctors, labour lawyers and NGOs working on OSH issues.
 
IndustriALL Indonesia affiliates commit to activate their OSH departments to engage with the alarm centre, aiming to report at least three cases to the government in 2025.
 
Reported occupational disease cases in Indonesia remain notably low, with only 91 in 2023, compared to 8,155 in Malaysia and 1,229 in Singapore. However, union members frequently raise concerns about lower back pain, lung disease, kidney failure and cancer during OSH meetings.

In the future, the alarm centre will convene tripartite dialogue to boost better OSH practice, particularly on occupational disease. IndustriALL Indonesia Council will also meet every month to ensure smooth coordination of the alarm centre.
 
IndustriALL Indonesia council chairperson Iwan Kusmawan said:
 

“It is the duty of trade unions to intensify supervision of occupational disease and advocate for the rights of workers affected by the disease at workplaces. The alarm centre’s reporting hotline shows that Indonesia Council is very serious in the matter. Open and transparent procedures must be followed in the event of discovery of occupational disease, speedy remedy must be provided by companies and the social security agency.”

 IndustriALL South East Asia regional secretary, Ramon Certeza, said: 

“I congratulate Indonesia affiliates for setting up the alarm centre, which is a remarkable milestone to enhance the safety and health standard in manufacturing sectors in Indonesia. This shows the indispensable role of trade unions in improving workers’ health and well-being.”

Around 70 unionists attended the launch, joined by representatives from the ministry of manpower (Muhammad Idham), ministry of health (Dr. Inne Nutfiliana), the Indonesian social security council and the national occupational health working team in support of the initiative.
 
The activity is supported by Union to Union and IndustriALL Swedish affiliates.

IndustriALL and Sintracarbón call for meaningful dialogue with Glencore on production cuts at Cerrejón Colombia

Glencore announced that it will reduce coal output at its Cerrejón mine in Colombia by 5–10 million tonnes this year. Cerrejón claims that the cuts will have no impact on the company's social and environmental commitments, but Sintracarbón and local communities are nevertheless concerned about the effects they will have.

The union and local communities asked Cerrejón to provide more detailed information about the consequences of the cuts, but have not received a reply. Cerrejón management says that it does not have that information, as all decisions are taken by Glencore in Switzerland.

Igor Diaz, member of Sintracarbón's national executive committee, said that everything happened suddenly, with the company's announcement of the cuts taking workers by surprise:

"We want to know what Glencore is planning for Cerrejón, its subsidiary in Colombia. We want to know what it intends to do, because these decisions could create a whole army of unemployed people.”

“We want to know if this is part of the Cerrejón mine closure plan scheduled for 2034. We have been working on economic diversification, but we don’t have any alternative solutions yet”,

said Diaz.

IndustriALL’s general secretary Atle Høie wrote a letter to Glencore's CEO in Switzerland, Gary Nagle, to ask for more information on how he expects the cuts at Cerrejón not to have an impact on jobs and the company’s environmental commitments.

Høie ended his letter as follows:

“Glencore has in the past shown the ability in other jurisdictions facing similar circumstances to engage meaningfully in dialogue with workers and communities. For the sake of consistency in the application of your policies, we are calling on Glencore to ensure its plans for Cerrejón bear the hallmark of transparency.”

India: Coal workers' unions demand a Just Transition

The discussion was organized as part of the APHEDA-IndustriALL project to develop strategies on union building through focusing on Just Transition in coal mining and renewable energy sectors. Representatives from ITUC-AP also joined. The consultation meeting aimed to assess the impact of the shift to clean energy on the current workforce in coal mining as well as devise ways to mitigate the risks associated with energy transition. 

During the meeting, union leaders emphasized the need for a policy framework that protects the rights and livelihoods of workers and prioritises inclusivity, social justice and economic support for those most affected by the decline in usage of coal. Unions fear massive impacts on communities that are directly or indirectly dependent on coal mines in the country. Unions have been constantly raising concerns regarding the energy transition process in India being non-inclusive and largely involving representatives at the central government ministerial levels, non-governmental organizations and research academicians at the national and internation level, while excluding voices of trade unions, precarious workers, women workers and communities that are most vulnerable in the transition process. 

Report of the Indian inter-ministerial committee on ‘just transition from coal’ reported that the country's commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2070 necessitates a significant shift from coal dependent energy production to sustainable alternatives which poses challenges, particularly for communities reliant on the coal mining sector for their livelihoods. The committee emphasized the need for actionable policies to support this shift. But, when the Indian government established a just transition committee in September 2021, both IndustriALL and ITUC affiliates were excluded from the committee thereby limiting union inputs.

IndustriALL South Asia regional secretary Ashutosh Bhattacharya, says:

“Trade unions must be central to the policy framing of a Just Transition framework, ensuring no worker is left behind. A comprehensive policy should include gender inclusivity, phased mine closures, upskilling and retention of current workers, creation of well-paid green jobs, social protection measures and the active engagement of workers in decision-making throughout the transition.”

Union members also highlighted the need and significance of comprehensive research on the issue to develop a good understanding of the impact of energy transition on coal mine workers and other related workforce in order to develop feasible strategies for just transition. 

During the roundtable meeting, representatives from Coal India and Tata Steel shared the information on environmental sustainability, mine closures, procedures and guidelines for closure as well as alternative employment and green jobs created in the process while stressing the need for more actions to be taken to ensure Just Transition.

IndustriALL assistant general secretary Kan Matsuzaki, says:

“To ensure a just transition, policies supporting incomes and job transitions are crucial. And equally important are tripartite discussions on the issue. Unions must push for social dialogue on just energy transition. We have to start building Just Transition plan and develop campaign today, rather than waiting for decarbonization changes at work to appear.”

The right to refuse unsafe work is still denied to too many

IndustriALL’s health and safety group is focusing on sectors where safety is too often sacrificed for profit, like in critical raw materials and shipbreaking. In these industries, workers risk their lives every day and speaking up about safety can mean losing your livelihood.

Shipbreaking is often called the world’s most dangerous job. The risks are extreme; there is a lack of training and workers face toxic exposure, falling steel plates and fatal injuries happen all too often. After a long campaign by IndustriALL and its affiliates, the Hong Kong Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships has been ratified and will enter into force in June this year.

The entry into force of the Convention is expected to improve safety. But serious gaps remain. India has proposed national legislation to transpose the Convention into domestic legislation. It does not include any reference to the right to refuse unsafe work—despite the Convention’s intent to protect workers.

“Implemented correctly, the Hong Kong Convention has the power to transform shipbreaking into a much safer industry. But we have concerns about the political will and the capacity of the authorities in the shipbreaking countries to challenge the power of employers. Unions need to be recognised as key partners. The Convention is a top-down approach. It needs to be joined with a bottom up, worker-led approach to ensure safety at site level,” 

says IndustriALL director for shipbuilding and shipbreaking Walton Pantland.

The same applies in mining, particularly in the extraction of critical raw minerals that fuel the green transition. Demand is skyrocketing for cobalt, lithium, nickel and other materials—but so are reports of accidents, cave-ins and chronic exposure to dust and chemicals. A Just Transition includes workers’ rights to refuse unsafe work; without strong protections, the human cost risk being devastating.

Says IndustriALL director for mining and occupational health and safety, Glen Mpufane:

“The right to refuse unsafe work is not a privilege; it is a core right, recognized by the ILO and backed by international law. As IndustriALL we will continue to fight for a better tomorrow with a focus on risk assessments and a rights based human centred approach to occupational health and safety.”

28 April is also known as International workers’ memorial day. We remember the dead and fight for the living, and recommit to the fight for safer workplaces. This year, it also means confronting new and emerging threats. IndustriALL is supporting ITUC’s call for urgent action to safeguard workers' lives and rights in the age of digitalisation and artificial intelligence (AI).

As artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly deployed in workplaces, it is not always used to support workers, but to monitor, control and even exploit them. Although AI may be driven by data, its impact is deeply human and risk deepen existing power imbalances. Protecting workers’ rights in the age of AI means ensuring transparency, accountability and that safety and dignity are not sacrificed in the name of efficiency.

The ITUC is calling for:

“Artificial intelligence is not in the distant future; it is already shaping the present. The question is whether workers will have a say in how it shapes their future,”

says Kan Matsuzaki, assistant general secretary, IndustriALL Global Union.

Global unions demand justice amid Belarus crackdown on workers’ rights

Workers in Belarus are being punished simply for defending their rights. The report outlines a severe decline in fundamental freedoms, as Belarus continues to flout international obligations and ILO recommendations, replacing reform with repression.

Since the 2020 pro-democracy movement, the government has dismantled all independent unions—dissolving the BKDP and affiliates such as Free Trade Union of Metalworkers (SPM), Free Belarusian Trade Union (SPB), Belarusian Independent Trade Union (BNP) and Belarusian Trade Union of Radio-Electronic Industry Workers (REP). Dozens of union leaders and activists have been jailed on fabricated charges, including BKDP President Aliaksandr Yarashuk, sentenced to four years for peaceful advocacy.

New laws criminalize union activity, protest and foreign support. Unionists are smeared as extremists, while workplaces force workers into pro-government unions, stripping them of real representation.

These are not isolated incidents they are part of a coordinated attack on organized labour. Peaceful protesters are jailed, union offices raided, families torn apart and dissenters exiled or imprisoned.

“Belarus is erasing the very idea of free and independent unions,” 

said IndustriALL general secretary Atle Høie. “These are not just attacks on organizations they are attacks on people, on workers who want nothing more than dignity, safety and a say in their own lives.”

The trade union movement calls on the UPR to urge Belarus to reinstate independent unions, release all jailed unionists, repeal repressive laws and allow ILO and humanitarian access.

ITUC general secretary Luc Triangle stated:

“The brutal assault by the autocratic government of Alexander Lukashenko on independent trade unions in Belarus is an attack on democracy itself. But the global trade union movement will not stand by. International solidarity is essential to end this repression and bring accountability to those responsible. The courage of Belarusian trade unionists reminds us that trade unionism is not a crime it is a cornerstone of democracy.”

On 16 April IndustriALL affiliates demonstrated strong support for the democratic independent trade union movement in Belarus through solidarity actions, including statements of support and formal letters to the Belarusian Embassy.  

“Silence is not an option. Injustice must be challenged in every forum, with every voice and through every means until every imprisoned trade unionist in Belarus is free, every independent union restored and every worker able to stand without fear. Solidarity is more than a word; it is a force. This struggle will continue until justice prevails,”

said Atle Høie. 

Legally binding Accord delivers safer workplaces

The tragedy triggered unprecedented action to improve factory safety, leading to the creation of the Bangladesh Accord, now known as the International Accord. A decade later, the legally binding agreement has brought quantifiable improvements and made garment factories safer for workers.
 
Key achievements include:

Women workers, who make up the majority of the garment workforce in Bangladesh, have been central to these improvements.

In 2022, the International Accord was extended to Pakistan. Under the Pakistan programme, where women make up about 11 per cent of the garment workforce:

Says Atle Høie, IndustriALL general secretary:

“The Rana Plaza collapse remains a painful reminder of the cost of inaction, but it also stands as a turning point. Thanks to the collective efforts of unions, brands and workers themselves, the Accord has helped build a safer industry where workers’ voices are taken into consideration, as well as empowering women to play a leading role in shaping safer workplaces. We hope to be able to extend this success story to one more country in 2025.”
 

Union density is key to a Just Transition and the protection of workers’ rights

Participants identified several concerns: job and income losses, the exclusion of unions from social dialogue processes, and the difficulty of organizing precarious workers. A strong consensus was reached, increasing union density and building union power are essential to tackling these issues and ensuring a truly Just Transition.

Without strong union presence, especially in energy and mining sectors, employers and governments often sideline trade unions from policy discussions. In many cases, so-called experts are invited in their place, even though it is workers in these sectors who are most directly impacted by transition policies.

"Union density is of paramount importance. Unity among workers and unions is essential to create a strong voice for Just Transition, one that cannot be ignored by governments and employers,"

said Kan Matsuzaki, IndustriALL Assistant General Secretary.

"For example, some nickel mines, key to the battery supply chain, still lack sufficient union representation. We must organize workers across the nickel and renewable energy sectors to secure a place at the negotiating table."

Participants stressed the need for trade unions to take an active role, both inside and outside formal policy frameworks. Examples include Australia’s Net Zero Economy Authority, Singapore’s Company Training Committees, and the Philippines’ Tripartite Council in Mining, all of which offer pathways for union participation through institutional mechanisms.

In Indonesia, a union succeeded in integrating Just Transition language into collective agreements with mining companies, following effective grassroots education among rank-and-file members. In Pakistan and Bangladesh, union leaders emphasized the need to address the structural causes of emissions linked to industrialization and called for mobilizing Global South unions to challenge inadequate policy solutions and raise public awareness.

Participants also highlighted contradictions in global climate efforts, pointing to increased coal production in China, India, and Indonesia, which collectively surpassed 9 billion tonnes in 2024, despite global commitments under the Paris Agreement to reduce emissions and limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Concerns around artificial intelligence and automation were also raised. Philippine unions proposed including a "labour-saving device" clause in collective bargaining agreements to ensure workers are not displaced when new technologies are introduced. Just transition, they argued, must be used to build solidarity among unions and progressive allies, and revitalize the labour movement.

One IndustriALL affiliate in India successfully negotiated with a company to reskill workers and boost productivity, securing a reduction in working hours while maintaining jobs. Other Indian affiliates drew parallels with previous industrial revolutions, emphasizing that today’s challenges demand unified and strategic union responses.

The conference concluded with a call to action, highlighting key strategies for shaping a worker-led Just Transition:

  1. Advocate for sustainable, worker-centred industrial policies
  2. Develop and implement just transition frameworks
  3. Ensure union participation in policy and decision-making
  4. Strengthen regional, North-South and South-South trade union collaboration
  5. Push for supportive policies and investment frameworks
  6. Embed labour rights in trade agreements
  7. Launch strategic organizing campaigns in renewable energy sectors
  8. Mainstream gender and youth in Just Transition planning

Democracy must be defended and respected in Türkiye

These attacks on opposition politicians follow the intimidation, attacks, arrests or even imprisonments of other politicians including prominent party leaders, journalists, NGO staff and fellow trade unionists in the last six months. After the 2024 local elections, a number of elected metropolitan and district mayors were removed from their offices and then the government appointed trustees. 

As an EU candidate country committed to the Copenhagen criteria and member of the Council of Europe, Türkiye committed itself to respect and uphold democratic values, the rule of law and human rights including such essential rights as freedoms of opinion, expression, speech, association, press and freedom of peaceful assembly and to accept the crucial role played by the opposition in a democratic society.

EU accession negotiations with Türkiye have been stalled since 2016. The detention of İmamoğlu and others raises major questions regarding the Turkish government’s commitment to democracy, democratic rules and institutions as the main establishments of democracy have already been tarnished. The EU must not look away from grave violations of core European values but should rather make respect of democracy and human rights a condition for cooperation. 

IndustriAll Global and Europe urge the international community and the European Commission to take action and call on the Turkish authorities to respect these commitments, the rights of elected officials, as well as the right of peaceful demonstration, need to be fully respected – and demand the immediate release of İmamoğlu, as well as the all other political and society leaders and peaceful protesters that have been detained. 

IndustriAll Europe general secretary, Judith Kirton-Darling, recalls that as an EU candidate country and member of the Council of Europe, Türkiye must respect fundamental values, such as freedom of expression and freedom of assembly and accept the role of the political opposition.

“The country’s trade unions as vital actors in any democratic society, must be allowed to freely organise workers and defend their interests, including the right to vote for politicians of their choice.”


Atle Høie, IndustriALL Global Union general secretary, said:

“Türkiye must guarantee the fundamental human and workers’ rights by re-establishing the basics of democracy. The separation of executive, legislative and judicative powers is essential while rule of law and fair trial are essential elements for a genuine democracy. Trade unions and labour rights need to be one of the cornerstones of Türkiye.”

ICT and electronics unions debate the way forward in uncertain times

Opening the meeting, co-chairs Masashi Jimbo and Prihanani Boenadi and IndustriALL assistant general secretary Christina Olivier set the tone: the stakes for workers in a sector at the crossroads of innovation and inequality are higher than ever. The meeting covered burning topics; from changes in the supply chain to workers' rights, occupational health and safety, including workers’ mental health, and the impact of artificial intelligence.

Anne-Marie Chopinet, chair of the industriAll Europe ICT sector network, highlighted key challenges in the European ICT, electrical, and electronics industry, including EU-U.S. trade tensions, deregulation and declining investment. She emphasized the need for strategic autonomy, upskilling, stronger AI regulation and improved occupational health and safety measures, while reaffirming the vital role of trade unions in protecting workers and shaping industrial policy.

A key message through the debates was that the global electronics workforce is under pressure from multiple angles. Wages in manufacturing centres remain stagnant despite record profits for companies. According to Alexander Ivanou, IndustriALL director of ICT, electrical and electronics, supply chain shifts caused by geopolitical tensions and “Anything but China” strategies have led to instability, while exposing workers to lower protections and lack of respect to union rights.

Casper Edmonds from the ILO highlighted major challenges in decent work, including non-standard employment, long hours, OSH issues, and rights violations, especially in Asia, the sector’s manufacturing hub. He stressed the urgency of stronger labour standards and mandatory human rights due diligence to ensure fairness and social justice in the global supply chains.

IndustriALL is developing a gender specific occupational health and safety toolkit to address chemical exposure, reproductive health and gender-based violence, issues that most affect women in electronics manufacturing. The toolkit is part of a broader call for harmonization of cross-sectoral efforts on occupational health and safety, particularly in the critical supply chains of minerals and batteries.
Speaking about organizing as the main task for unions worldwide, campaigns director Walton Pantland demonstrated tools for developing unions in the supply chain, including power mapping, corporate research and mobilization strategies.

At the end of the meeting, participants recognized that the global context is turbulent – from escalating tariffs to climate change – yet there is an unprecedented opportunity to rebuild the industry from the ground up.

“Only through collective action can we make digital and green transitions work for people, not just profit,”

Christina Olivier concluded.

Photo credit: Electronics factory worker, Cikarang, Indonesia © ILO/Asrian Mirza