STMicroelectronics trade union network will develop cross-border union cooperation and solidarity action

The union representatives discussed the common issues they face at STMicroelectronics, a French-Italian multinational, headquartered in Switzerland. The company is a major player in the electronics industry, and is one of leading semiconductor chip manufacturers in the world. The company employs more than 43,000 worldwide, with manufacturing sites in China, France, Italy, Malaysia, Malta, Morocco, the Philippines, and Singapore.

The semiconductor industry is highly competitive, innovative, fast changing and with short production cycles. At the same time, many of semiconductor companies are trapped into a short-term profit cycle, fuelling a rise in precarious work. STMicroelectronics is no exception. In 2016, the company announced mass-layoffs worldwide without long-term planning and strategy to maintain its business.

The company also operates in the countries where fundamental workers’ rights are not respected, such as China, Malaysia, and the Philippines. In those countries, workers do not have enough collective bargaining power to negotiate with the local management, resulting in precarious working conditions such as low wages and long working hours, for instance 12-hours shift for four consecutive days.

Given the situation, the participants agreed that the company needs to fully comply with international labour standards, especially freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining, covering all company operations throughout the world without exception.

In the meeting, the participants actively discussed the  following objectives:

The unions attending the meeting adopted a statement to unite STMicroelectronics trade unions around the world to increase our collective power and engage with the company at the global level. The network will develop cross-border union cooperation and solidarity action to monitor and implement fundamental workers’ rights at all workplaces and to achieve fair and just working conditions for all the workers.

The participants also appointed a contact person from each union to achieve effective and constructive communication among the network and confirmed actions for the next step.

HeidelbergCement workers in Europe support Global Framework Agreement

Participants came from all over Europe and discussed work-related issues in the group, including the integration of former Italcementi, acquired by HeidelbergCement in July 2016, and a possible Global Framework Agreement.
 
IndustriALL representative, Matthias Hartwich, director for materials industries and mechanical engineering, had the chance to address the delegates and also the global HR director of HeidelbergCement group. Hartwich stated:

A company that has nothing to hide and is serious about their corporate social responsibility efforts, can easily and with clear conscience sign a Global Framework Agreement with the global unions IndustriALL and BWI. Such an agreement benefits not only the workers and contractors, but also the company itself. But a real commitment from management side and employees’ involvement is crucial for a valuable agreement. IndustriALL and BWI are ready to enter into this dialogue.“

As result of vivid discussions and exchanges the European Works Council delegates jointly supported the demand to negotiate such an agreement at the global level. In sign of approval of this approach as a form of social dialogue at the global level they all put on IndustriALL t-shirts.
 
EWC vice chair, Norbert Steinert, from IndustriALL German affiliate IG BCE stated in the presence of group’s global head of HR:

Dear Matthias, please be assured that this group of employees’ representatives here in the room is more than convinced that a possible future Global Framework Agreement between IndustriALL, BWI and HeidelbergCement is of added value, both for the company and for the workforce. The HeidelbergCement European Works Council fully supports IndustriALL’s and BWI’s demand for Global Dialogue and a Global Framework Agreement.“ 

Strike continues at Anglo American coal mine in Australia

The industrial action at the German Creek mine began on 22 August after numerous bargaining attempts failed following the expiration of the Enterprise Bargaining Agreement in April 2014.

IndustriALL Global Union affiliate, the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU), says that Anglo objected to basic demands like health and safety regulations and job security for workers.

The situation has worsened now that Anglo has engaged a labour hire company to advertise for excavator operators to replace the striking workforce. The strike-breakers are being offered a better deal than those offered to existing employees.

“If Anglo have the money to pay inflated wages to strike-breakers, then they should come back to the table and negotiate in good faith to support their existing employees instead of sneaking around behind closed doors and using a labour hire company to employ a shadow workforce,” said Stephen Smyth, president of the CFMEU Mining and Energy division in Queensland.

A similar situation has developed at Los Bronces copper mine in Chile, where around 1,700 unionized workers are on strike after 45 days of negotiations aimed at improving the conditions of mineworkers broke down. Unions accuse Anglo American of being inflexible and unwilling to extend the negotiations to find an agreement.

In both cases, Anglo American cites the commodities crises as an excuse for not meeting the demands of mineworkers.

At an IndustriALL Anglo American global network meeting in Latin America, participants stood strong in solidarity with the striking workers in Australia and at Les Bronces in Chile.

In a protest letter to Anglo American, IndustriALL’s general secretary, Jyrki Raina, said:

“We urge Anglo American to ensure that appropriate steps are taken to normalize industrial relations and bring the strikes to an end, and to resume collective bargaining negotiations in good faith. We stand by the reasonable demands of the mineworkers and urge Anglo to find accommodation for their demands.”

Strong exchange and cooperation among Asian chemical unions

This is part of the strategy to promote more effective international solidarity and cooperation among workers in multinational companies and their supply chains, as identified in the IndustriALL action plan.

Among others, one of the strongest exchanges was achieved through the regional and national activities at the world’s largest chemicals company: German-based BASF with an employment of around 110,000 in 400 plants on all continents. IndustriALL’s German affiliate IG BCE (Mining, Chemical and Energy Workers’ Union) has a strong presence at the company, including seats on the supervisory board.

A meeting was held in Singapore on 1-2 September 2016 for BASF unions and employee representatives in the Asia Pacific region, with the support of IndustriALL’s global project partner Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung. The meeting was attended by IndustriALL affiliates in Singapore, Indonesia, India, Malaysia, South Korea and Vietnam, representing workers of the 100 plants of the company in Asia Pacific.

IndustriALL also facilitates national level activities among BASF unions in India and Indonesia. Just before the regional meeting in Singapore, Indonesian unions representing employees at four plants of the company met in Tangerang on 29-30 August 2016 while Indian unions came together on 09-10 May 2016 in Mumbai.

The Indonesian union representatives shared their experience of achieving a master collective bargaining agreement with BASF across four sites in the country. Indonesian BASF union coordinator Edi Sulistyo told the meeting:

“As part of day-to-day work, we are facing similar problems in different countries. However our togetherness at regional and national gives a tool to successfully work together”.

In India, union representatives decided to form the new BASF India Workers’ Federation. The federation has organized six out of ten plants and reported an important success story. Since the last meeting in May, the new Indian federation has grown from factory level to a national union. Now the union federation is pursuing fair collective agreements, tackling precarious work and holding regular meetings and actions.

In Korea, two IndustriALL affiliates, FKCU and KCTF, organize all nine worksites. They organize through a national BASF council and push to standardize employment conditions at all sites.

The one BASF plant in Singapore is organized by the IndustriALL affiliated CIEU.

The Vietnamese BASF union reports good relations with the company and a number of advantages that Vietnamese workers enjoy, as well as positive systems on health and safety.

BASF in Thailand is not organized, and the regional network is ready to assist to unionization efforts in the country.

IndustriALL assistant general secretary Kemal Özkan congratulated the participants in all the three meetings:

“Transnational trade union networks and social dialogue with BASF has more than twenty-year history. In Latin America we have regional and national BASF networks in a number of countries and a regional network that is officially recognized by the company as a social partner. Now the Asia Pacific network has a strong base to reactivate the similar practice here in Asia Pacific.”

Automotive unions in India resolve to strengthen union network and combat precarious work

Trade union representatives from Indian subsidiaries of automotive and tyre manufacturing companies such as Ford, BMW, Renault Nissan, Daimler, Tata Motors, Ashok Leyland, Skoda, Mercedes Benz, Volkswagen, General Motors, Volvo, Bajaj Auto, JK Tyres, Goodyear, CEAT and Birla Tyres participated in the two day workshop organized by IndustriALL Global Union at Pune and discussed strategies to improve coordination between unions and to combat and win equal rights for precarious workers.

Deliberations at the workshop highlighted major challenges faced by automotive workers, including obstacles to exercising the right to freedom of association, lack of access to corporate information for effective collective bargaining, rampant precarious work and inadequate space for social dialogue in the automotive sector in India.

Representatives from Ford International Network, Volkswagen and BMW Global Works Council and Confederation Japan Automobile Workers’ Union took part in the event and shared union strategies in collective bargaining and social dialogue practices in respective multinational corporations. They underlined that precarious work around the world is a major challenge and collective union action is fundamental to build equitable society.

Management representatives from Volkswagen, Daimler, BMW and Skoda auto made presentations and interacted with union representatives on the prevailing scenario of social dialogue in their companies and had a frank discussion of challenges and opportunities for effective cooperation between unions and management.

Helmut Lense, director for the Automotive and Rubber sector explained IndustriALL‘s initiatives in forming union networks and global framework agreements and said:

“Indian unions need to strengthen the coordination and network among unions to bolster union power and win equal rights for precarious workers. IndustriALL will always march forward along with unions in India to secure space for genuine social dialogue.”

Apoorva Kaiwar, IndustriALL South Asia regional secretary, underlined the need for a coordinated effort from unions to win workers’ rights, especially for precarious workers and women workers in the original equipment manufacturing units and in vendor companies. Pointing out the negligible presence of women in the automotive sector, she urged automakers in India to provide equal preference in recruitment of women workers, and unions to proactively address issues faced by women workers and to ensure leadership of women in union structures.

Automotive unions from Chennai, Bengaluru and Pune regions decided to strengthen union networks towards protecting the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining, resist precarious work at respective manufacturing plants, together resist victimization of workers and extend support to victims of unfair labour practices. Unions from Chennai automotive companies decided to form a network and hold periodical interactions to share information towards coordinated actions to protect workers rights.                                           

All participating union representatives also visited the Volkswagen plant at Chakan in Pune and interacted with executives and workers on social dialogue practices in the factory.

Young and Unionized

The workshop, with representatives of unions affiliated to IndustriALL Global Union in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Swaziland and Lesotho was held on 5 and 6 September, with the support of the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung.

The workshop was attended by 20 people, nine of them women, who debated how best to organize young people in unions. The ILO defines youth as being 15 to 24 – a group that is vulnerable to exploitation when they become formal or informal workers in Africa.

By contrast, most unions define youth as members who are under 35. While this ensures that young workers who gain late entry to employment still have access to youth programmes, affiliates must be encouraged to consider varying needs; the needs of a young teenage worker are different than a worker who is in their early thirties.

Participants pointed out that unions needed the youth to be representative of the workforce. The African continent has a young population and the typical worker in our workplaces is under 35 years old. This is to some extent reflected in our unions in Southern Africa where there is good youth participation in structures especially those close to the ground but also increasingly in leadership roles. However, this is not the case in all affiliates in the region. In some unions there is a resistance to development of youth members. This is reflected in poor commitment to education generally in many union and to internal development of structures to ensure active and democratic participation.

Intense discussions were held on whether unions needed youth structures in the union or if these structures enabled youth issues to be sidelined by lack of support and resources. Concerns were raised that without structures youth issues would not be prioritized in the union. Participants agreed that at the very least unions should have youth policies which address representation and enable youth programmes.

Participants agreed that unions need to transform to organizing to be inclusive and give all members a role in organizing, from retired members to share experience, to older members mentoring younger ones and young members that inspire youth to join the union. Unions need to recognize that many young workers are also parents of young children and a supportive environment will encourage their participation. Participants also noted that these inclusive approaches must ensure that there is no discrimination based on sexual and gender orientation in our unions. 

Participants had a lengthy discussion on education, defined as skills or knowledge based. Whilst unions have a role to play in ensure young workers have access to skills development, worker education was identified as critical to ensure that class struggle continues to be fuelled with young blood. Participants proposed that independent worker education, already established in some countries, is networked by IndustriALL in the African region to ensure that young members of affiliated unions can access education programmes.

Participants agreed that a key campaign for youth in the region is the living wage campaign as youth in the region can be defined as the working poor. They proposed that the living wage campaign is taken up at a regional level across all sectors. The African Youth Charter has progressive clauses that can be used to encourage industrialisation and making available resources to young people to productively contribute to their communities and the economy. Participants motivated that an IndustriALL regional youth structure could engage with the African youth movement at the AU level.

Participants went through the proposal put forward by the Youth representative of Latin American affiliates and have endorsed this. A least one of the participants will be able to present on behalf of the region at the Youth meeting taking place in Rio before the Congress where it is hoped the proposal of youth collectives will be adopted.

Metalworkers in Brazil launch campaign for jobs and rights

Workers from the car factories joined together in a mass march to call on the Brazilian government to adopt measures to promote economic growth and employment without harming labour rights.

"Unfortunately, some sectors say we need to make labour laws more flexible in order to resolve the crisis. This is wrong. The economy will only be saved by strengthening the internal market,"

said Sergio Butka, SMC president and a member of CNTM-Força Sindical, an IndustriALL Global Union affiliate.

The union calls for an increase in income, easier access to credit and a reduction in interest rates in order to stimulate consumption and production, saying that this will strengthen the economy and attract foreign investment.

On 8 September, leaders of metalworkers’ unions affiliated to the CNTM and to the CNM/CUT, also affiliated to IndustriALL, announced that they will hold a joint national strike on 29 September, announcing their opposition to the labour and social security reforms being proposed by employers and the government.

Philippine unions to monitor compliance with labour standards

A one-day national workshop on workers’ participation in the labour law compliance system was organized on 8 September by IndustriALL Global Union, with the support of the International Labour Organization (ILO) country office in Manila, and the United States Department of Labor.

Attended by 80 trade unionists from 15 labour federations affiliated to IndustriALL, the workshop introduced the international framework on labour inspection, with a focus on ILO Convention 81, and the new labour inspection system in the Philippines.

Unions are committed to monitoring the compliance of factories because of tragic incidents like the fire in the Kentex rubber slipper factory that killed 72 workers last year. The deaths were a clear consequence of the factory failing to comply with labour law and health and safety standards.

There have been other incidents like this, and unions have condemned these needless deaths and committed to monitoring compliance. Unions engaged with the government in the process of developing a new system of labour law compliance with a sector-specific checklist indicating key elements of labour and occupational safety and health standards.

The Philippines Department of Labour and Employment has hired new labour inspectors, and the new system that has been introduced requires involvement from both employers and workers’ representatives. This gives unions an opportunity to active monitor compliance by employees.

As a result of the workshop, the affiliates committed to vigorously engage in this system and use labour law compliance as a basis of unity among the unions, and to strengthen cooperation by forming a trade union monitoring network at regional or sectoral level.

The ILO Manila office expressed its satisfaction at the active participation of the affiliates and assured sustained cooperation with IndustriALL in capacity building and technical cooperation.

Unions demand global measures against Chinese steel dumping

Massive excess capacity, especially in China, continues to threaten and disrupt economies and communities with stakes in steel production throughout the world. Trade unions believe that social partners must be included in a solution to the steel capacity crisis. Workers and communities facing displacement must receive training and assistance to manage transitions so that they can be reincorporated into the economy. 

Young workers must also be given opportunities through collectively bargained apprenticeship and training programs. Core ILO standards must be respected and reinforced in this process, while success must be determined by the social and environmental value added, and not by short-term profits.

The day after the OECD meeting on 8 September, there were governmental consultations to discuss the setting up of the Global Forum on Excess Steel Capacity, decided at the recent G20 Leaders Summit in China. Trade union and industry representatives were regrettably excluded from these talks with OECD and G20 members.

IndustriALL’s assistant general secretary, Fernando Lopes, said:  “The steel industry is fundamental to development. We must engage our governments to stop the unfair competition and steel dumping that are killing our steel industries and jobs. To do that unions have to be taken into account in any discussion.” 

Unions from the US and Canada create network in the cement sector

At the invitation of IndustriALL Global Union and hosted by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, representatives of the Teamsters, the United Steelworkers and the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers from the US and Canada, had a comprehensive one-day discussion on ways to improve their coordination in the cement industry.

This coordination is necessary due to rapid changes reshaping the sector through a series of acquisitions, mergers and takeovers. The latest examples of the changes in the sector are the LafargeHolcim merger with consequent growth of CRH in Canada and the United States and the takeover of Italcementi by HeidelbergCement. These processes led to an enormous concentration of market power in Canada and the US in the hands of only two transnational corporations.

This was the first coordination meeting in many years. The atmosphere was very good and all the participants openly exchanged information and talked to each other in good faith. Matthias Hartwich, IndustriALL director for materials industries and mechanical engineering, attended the meeting. Impressed by the commitment of all the participants Hartwich said,

What we saw here today was a very good starting point. If we all do what we promised this network will not only become a success itself, it will also produce added value for all the participating trade unions and their members. IndustriALL supports this network meeting and will connect it with other existing regional cement networks and company networks on global level.”

The participants also made a solidarity visit to the rally of coal miners in Washington D.C, who are fighting to safeguard their health insurance after retirement. In solidarity with the mineworkers and their demands all the participants joined the rally.

One of the meeting participants stated, "We have had a productive meeting. We will have an open exchange in order to be better prepared to respond to management strategies and anti-union activities. This network strengthens our work in the cement sector. We will make it a success for the sake of the workers in the cement and connected industries in North America”.

All participants took over specific tasks in order to contribute to the network. The North America cement network participants also made it clear that they would continue their work. Next network meeting will take place in spring 2017.