ICT, E&E unions focus on challenges of “Industry 4.0”

15 unions from France, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam represented by 41 participants met for the IndustriALL Global Union steering committee ICT, electrical & electronics in Fuchu City, Tokyo, Japan.

The core issues discussed at the meeting was:

·   Global trends and sectoral activities in the ICT electrical and electronics Industry

·   Organizing and building union power

·   Fighting against precarious work and building a supply chain strategy

·   Creating and developing trade union networks

·   The future manufacturing and promoting sustainable employment

·   Follow-up Action Plan and future activities

In the ICT, electrical and electronics sector, 11 of 20 top multinational companies business is rapidly expanding all over the world, are from countries where the freedom of association (ILO Convention No.87) and the right to collective bargaining (ILO Convention No.98) are not respected. In those companies, the union presence is very low or inexistent, reducing workers’ capacity to confront management. This is one of the reasons why the number of unorganized workers in the sector continues growing all over the world and precarious work expands in the complex supply chains system.

The sector also faces big challenges such as industry reorganization and future manufacturing. Booming mergers and acquisitions and a new industrial revolution, also known as Industry 4.0, in the sector are having a massive impact on the volume of employment and industrial relationship. (See Section 1 IndustriALL Kan Matsuzaki).

Shoji Arino, co-chairperson for the sector insisted:

“We need to strengthen the activities which force the MNCs to ensure trade union rights and decent working condition in the entire supply chain. At the same time, strong and sustainable industrial policy is required to tackle Industry 4.0 challenges. We should promote solidarity activities between developed and developing countries to achieve sustainable employment and environment for the future manufacturing.”

Prihanani Boenadi, the other co-chairperson for the sector states said:

“We are experiencing severe global competition in both the labour market and industrial technology. The global capital in this sector is very flexible to move to the countries promoting lower wages and the deregulation of labour law. We need to build a unified network among ourselves and find solution to reduce the negative impact on these issues.”

A five-year organizing project supported by the European Commission is in its third year. In 2014 and 2015, over 1,200 trade unionists (40 per cent women) from IndustriALL affiliates in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam were trained on organizing. Throughout this project, unions gained their capacity building in organizing, and positive results of accrued membership have been seen especially in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Philippines.

Occupational health and safety (OHS) is a problematic topic in the sector, especially due to the lack or corporate responsibility of multinational companies throughout the supply chain.  A lymphoma case in Malaysia, likely caused by handling multiple exposures to chemicals, was reported at the meeting. The committee agreed to investigate the case and will promote fundamental rights on OHS, including full access to information on all workplace materials and fair mechanism to protect the workers.

The participants also actively discussed the future impact of the Industry 4.0. New technology, such as digitization of the production with Internet of Things (IoT), 3D printing, Virtual/Augmented reality, Big Data, Cobots (robots destined cooperate in their work with human beings) are developing and penetrating the workplaces fast.

In Europe, it has been estimated that the technologies could modify the jobs of million workers (possibly up to 54 per cent of the jobs) in the coming years. In the discussions in the meeting it was quite obvious that new high skilled jobs will be created, but low skilled or labour intensive jobs risk losing out quickly. Participants conclude that unions need a strong industrial policy on this matter and to develop a tripartite dialogue with governments and management for a sustainable future with decent work.

Based on the results of the discussion, the steering committee agreed on which points to strengthen in order to follow up the sector Action Plan adopted at the world conference 2015, like the supply chain strategy, trade union network, OHS, and sustainable industrial policy. (see Section 6 IndustriALL Kan Matsuzaki).

The meeting concluded with a plant visit at the Toshiba Corporation Fuchu Complex, producing systems and components for energy, transportation, broadcasting and communication, and water and environment. The delegation met with local union leaders and management. The delegation also visited the Hydrogen Energy Research & Development Centre and learned about the hydrogen fuel cell system with no carbon dioxide emissions, considered as the ultimate clean energy system.

Another worker killed at Bangladesh shipbreaking yard

On 15 April 2016, Biplob (22) and Jasim (27) were exposed to toxic gases while they were working at the shipyard of the Premium Trade Corporation, owned by Manik at Baro aowlia area.

According to the Bangladesh Occupational Safety, Health & Environment Foundation, the accident took place at around 3.30 pm and the yard management sent the injured workers to the Chittagong Medical College Hospital for treatment. However, Biplob died at the hospital, while Jasim is in serious conditions.

As of today, six workers have lost their lives in less than four months of 2016 at Bangladeshi shipbreaking yards.

On 28 March a worker died in an accident at the Kabir Steel Yard and seven people were injured as security guards opened fire on workers and the local community protesting the death of the worker. On this occasion, Jyrki Raina, general secretary of IndustriALL, condemned the incident in the strongest terms and in a letter to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh called on the government “to ensure that accident victims are provided appropriate compensation and to punish employers who operate shipbreaking yards with gross negligence.”

Yet another death in quick succession confirms that shipbreaking employers continue to operate yards without adequate safety standards. The government’s inaction in ensuring safe working environment for shipbreaking workers continues to claim lives.

Kan Matsuzaki, director for shipbuilding and shipbreaking states, “We will strengthen our action to combat the unacceptable working conditions in Bangladesh. The Bangladesh government have to implement what they promised and secure the workers’ lives now!”

IndustriALL repeats its demand and urges the government to immediately implement the newly revised Bangladesh Ship Recycling Act 2015. The government should accelerate steps to ratify the Hong Kong Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships.

Philippine unions advocate sustainable industrial policy

IndustriALL regional secretary Annie Adviento and representatives from the department of trade and industry and civil society organizations attended the meeting.

At a workshop in 2015, capacity-building and deepened understanding of the concept of a sustained industry in the national context plan was discussed. Annie Adviento reiterated the importance of affiliates working on how to realise these policy proposals in the Philippine context. Though the Philippines have achieved a remarkable gains in terms of GDP growth in recent years, the issue of unemployment and underemployment, poverty wage and inequality remains a major challenge.

“As trade unions we have to be at the forefront in finding a better, balanced and pragmatic solution for sustainable industry and taking into account the development aspect with a better life for the people and respect for environment,” said Adviento.

Concluding the forum, affiliates pledged to continue advancing the agenda of a sustainable industrial policy integrating labour and social component. A working group was formed to identify priority sectors for industrial studies that will serve as reference tool for engagement with the government and other key stakeholders. 

Kuwait oil unions announce indefinite strike

Over the past months, the government of Kuwait has developed a new draft law for public sector jobs called the Strategic Alternative to Salary Scale. The law includes measures to reduce government costs by “harmonizing” pay.

However, many parts of the public sector – including the military, doctors and engineers – are exempt from the new plan. In Kuwait, oil workers are covered by separate labour legislation which should exempt them also.

In a disturbing development, the state-owned Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) has unilaterally imposed the new plan and issued new regulations without consultation with the unions. The new regulations will lead to cuts in oil workers’ wages, and end longstanding benefits.

The oil workers are represented by IndustriALL affiliate the Oil and Petrochemical Industries Workers Confederation (OPIWC), the largest oil union in the country and the only one to represent workers at state-owned oil, gas and petrochemical companies. The OPIWC immediately entered negotiations with the KPC and the acting oil minister, urging the authorities to uphold existing laws and to:

Due to the failure of the negotiations, the OPIWC and workers in the sector were forced to take action. On the 11 April 2016, the OPIWC convened an extraordinary congress which committed to an indefinite strike, to begin on 17 April.

IndustriALL general secretary Jyrki Raina sent a letter of solidarity to the OPIWC, and expressed the union’s displeasure to the Kuwaiti oil minister.

“We stand with you in full solidarity with your strike”,

He said.

“IndustriALL Global Union deplores the recent unilateral measures adopted by the government, including the drafting of a law under the title of 'Strategic Alternative', that would seriously curtail long standing benefits, wages, as well as impose possible layoffs.”

MENA auto unions meet in Morocco as car industry booms

The Automotive and supply chain MENA workshop, which was organized by IndustriALL Global Union and supported by FES, also included leaders of the metal and auto unions in Tunisia, Morocco, Germany, France and Spain.

Following the first MENA meeting of Auto and suppliers last April in Beirut, participants in Casablanca launched in-depth discussions on the development and expansion of car industry and its supply chain in North Africa.  

Union leaders and workers from a number of TNCs including Kromberg & Schubert, PSA, Ford, Leoni, VETE, Renault, CFCA, CAC, Auto Nejma (Morocco exclusive distributer of Mercedes-Benz, SsangYong, Jeep, Dodge, FAW), Yazaki, Irizar Maroc S.A, Dräxlmaier, VALEO, BMW and CFAO Motors Maroc (exclusive Moroccan distributor for Opel and Chevrolet) and Volkswagen, discussed improving working conditions for workers in auto supply chain through the implementation of Global Framework Agreements (GFAs), union networking, cooperation and solidarity.

The two day meeting intensified the discussions on labour legislation, union structures, collective agreements/agreements at plant or company level, ratification of ILO relevant Conventions 87/98, guarantees of freedom of association in national legislation, main labour legislations and protection for trade unionists. The detailed exchange served as key baseline for progressing and expanding the cooperation between MENA and European unions. Examples of successful cooperation between Renault French and Moroccan unions and Leoni Tunisian and German unions were introduced.

The discussion also addressed the global auto and supply industry, major actors and future trends, problems and workers challenges in the MENA region, experiences of union cooperation, strengthening and empowering in the sector.

Women were active participants in the meeting, four of whom made presentations during the workshop.

Algeria, Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia are the key auto and supplier countries in MENA region. This is due to the fast growing automobile market in the Middle East and North Africa, rising disposable incomes, urbanization, investments incentives, the low cost of workforce and continuous investments in infrastructure.

Tunisia has 84 companies employing more than 60,000 people in the industry with a turnover of US$2 billion. Morocco has around 200 companies that employ 85,000 workers and produce 167000 units annually. Egypt produces 100,000 units annually and has 26 car assembly plants in addition to 338 feeders factories that employs more than 70,000 workers.  Algeria attracts more auto and suppliers investment as Renault plans by 2019 to triple its production to 75,000 units. Also, Daimler is planning to increase its production in the country.

The meeting concluded with an action plan to support the sectorial work of the industry in MENA countries; enhance networking at company level as well as cooperation between MENA and origin countries of the operating TNCs; improving the implementation of the existing GFAs through enhancing and including more MENA unions into the ongoing union cooperation and reaching more suppliers’ workers; and increasing MENA union capacity on organizing in the auto supply chain.

IndustriALL’s automotive sector director, Helmut Lense, said:

“The expansion of the auto industry in the MENA region is a good development with regard to job creation, given the high percentage of unemployment amongst youth in the region. However, the nature of such an industry, which relies on global supply chains, imposes several challenges on workers. IndustriALL’s existing auto networks, GFAs and solidarity from affiliates will help to improve workers rights in the auto sector in the Mena region.”

Support the campaign to ratify ILO C176

Already this year, there have been many fatal mining accidents: in the US, Pakistan, China, Congo, Russia and elsewhere. The fall in commodity prices worldwide means mining companies are under financial pressure, and safety is often the first to go.
 
It doesn’t have to be like this: every accident is preventable. When an accident happens, it is because the company has failed to properly implement safety measures.
 
The best solution is to encourage countries to ratify ILO Convention 176 on Safety and Health on Mines.

This safety convention works by:

But ILO C176 has only been ratified by 31 countries – and many countries with the worst safety record have not signed up.

If you use social media, please help to spread the word about ILO C176 by supporting our Thunderclap. Click Join this Thunderclap, and then click "Support with Facebook, Twitter or Tumblr" (or all three).


On 28 April, the Thunderclap will send a message from your account calling on countries to ratify C176.

Let’s build some momentum, and make mining safer.

Please also use the hashtags #MineSafety, #C176 and #IWMD16.

Read feature

Mine safety: It’s time to ratify ILO Convention 176

Pakistan holds action day for victims of Ali Enterprises fire

Some 254 people burnt to death and more than fifty seriously injured after being trapped in the Ali Enterprises garment factory fire in Baldia town, Karachi, on 11 September 2012.

IndustriALL affiliate, the National Trade Union Federation of Pakistan, together with the Association of the Affectees of the Baldia Tragedy, organized several rallies as part of the 14 April nationwide action day in Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan, Hyderabad, Hub and Karachi itself. 

Other IndustriALL affiliates, including the Textile Powerlooms and Garment Workers Federation, as well as a number of civil society groups in Pakistan, also organized demonstrations around the action day.

Discount retailer KiK, Ali Enterprises' only confirmed customer, is yet to pay the long-term compensation it promised to victims and their families, despite a commitment signed in a Memorandum of Understanding in December 2012.

“It is unfortunate that the German retailer KiK, which entered into agreement with workers’ organizations and agreed to pay compensation, is running away from fulfilling its commitment,” said IndustriALL general secretary, Jyrki Raina, in a letter of solidarity to Pakistani affiliates.

“IndustriALL Global Union will work with its affiliates in Pakistan to ensure that KiK fulfils its responsibility towards the victims of the disaster.”

KiK, which has 3,200 stores across Germany, Austria and Eastern Europe, is the only company that is linked to the three most deadly disasters to hit the garment industry in recent times – the Ali Enterprises factory fire in Pakistan; the Tazreen factory fire in Bangladesh (2012); and the Rana Plaza factory building collapse, also in Bangladesh (2013).

Despite international pressure, KiK continues to stall efforts to negotiate a proper compensation scheme. 

Indian trade unions intensify struggle to win workers' rights

More than a thousand representatives from 11 central trade unions and federations including IndustriALL Global Union affiliates gathered in New Delhi for the national convention of workers on 30 March 2016. The convention was organized by Joint Platform of the Central Trade Unions of India along with Independent National Federations of employees of different Industries and Services.

Union leaders at the convention called for strengthening and widening the unity of working people and the struggles against the anti-worker and anti-people policies of the government. The joint declaration issued by the unions, criticized the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government led by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for being arrogant and ignoring the twelve points charter of demands, which were unanimously formulated by all central trade unions. 

The government was also criticized for not taking meaningful steps to curb the rise in prices of essential commodities, generate employment, and for policies that make it harder for the most needy people to get state assistance.

Unions also took strong objections to imposition of additional duty on diesel, doubling tax on coal, increase in indirect taxes in the 2016-17 budget, increase in all petroleum products prices, which will cause a rise in cost of daily necessities. Unions denounced the government’s inaction over retrieving money stashed in tax havens and lack of efforts on recovering the Rs.4.04 lakh crores (US$62 billion) of Bad Debts, which are called Non-performing Assets (NPA) of Public Sector Banks.

Unions castigated the government for attempting to remove all rights components in the labour laws, creating obstacles for even registering unions in its efforts to attract multinational corporations and to promote ‘hire and fire’ policies.

In addition to disinvestment, the government proposal to sell top profit making central public sector undertakings (PSUs) will lead to transfer of ownership and management control of PSUs to private corporations.

Trade unions also took strong objection to the government’s refusal to implement key recommendations, including increasing minimum wages and equal pay for precarious workers on a par with permanent workers.

The workers’ convention made a three-pronged action plan to achieve their demands:

The twelve-point charter of unions’ demands:

  1. Urgent measures for containing price-rise through the universalization of public distribution system and banning speculative trade in the commodity markets
  2. Concrete measures for employment generation
  3. Strict enforcement of all basic labour laws without any exception or exemption and stringent punitive measures for violation of labour laws
  4. Universal social security cover for all workers.
  5. Minimum wages of not less than Rs 18,000/- per month with provisions of indexation.
  6. Assured enhanced pension not less than Rs.3,000/- p.m. for the entire working population.
  7. Stoppage of disinvestment in central/public sector undertakings
  8. Stoppage of contractorization in permanent perennial work and payment of the same wage and benefits for contract workers as regular workers equal work
  9. Removal of all ceilings on payment and eligibility of bonus, provident fund, increase the quantum of gratuity
  10. Compulsory registration of trade unions within a period of 45 days from the date of submitting application and immediate ratification of ILO Conventions 87 and 98.
  11. No Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in railways, defense and other strategic and core sectors
  12. No unilateral amendments to labour laws.

VW Chattanooga workers win important victory

Workers at Volkswagen’s plant in Chattanooga, USA, have been struggling for years to win union representation, despite vicious opposition from anti-union politicians and big-money interest groups.

In December 2015, a section of 164 skilled trade workers at the plant in Chattanooga voted in favour for collective bargaining representation with IndustriALL Global Union affiliate United Auto Workers (UAW), winning the election by a majority of 71 per cent.

However, in total disregard of the results, the employer then asked the US National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to invalidate the election results.

But in a ruling on 13 April, the NLRB decided to uphold the results of the December election, clearly showing the need for Volkswagen in Chattanooga to respect the will of the workers and enter into collective bargaining negotiations.

IndustriALL general secretary Jyrki Raina says:

Volkswagen must accept the decision of the U.S. government, end its attempts to negate the will of these workers, and immediately begin negotiations in good faith to reach a fair and equitable collective bargaining agreement.

Mike Cantrell, president of UAW Local 42, says:

The NLRB supervised a fair election at the plant and then promptly certified the results. We’re glad to see the decision upheld and we look forward to meeting Volkswagen at the collective bargaining table in the near future,

The plant in Chattanooga is the only Volkswagen facility in the world that remains unrepresented on the Volkswagen Global Group Works Council, an influential body of employee leaders from around the world.

Workers ask Brazilian senator to mediate in dispute over union recognition at Nissan

After organizing a demonstration and delivering a complaint to the Organizing Committee for the 2016 Olympic Games, Brazilian trade unions have taken another step in their campaign to get Nissan to respect freedom of association at the company’s Mississippi plant.  

They promoted a public hearing at the Senate, at which Senator Paulo Paim, Chair of the Senate Human Rights Commission, agreed to contact the company’s CEO, Carlos Ghosn, to encourage the company to dialogue with its workers.

Kristyne Peter, international relations director at IndustriALL Global Union US affiliate United Auto Workers (UAW) presented two videos showing the company’s anti-trade union campaign in Mississippi. 

On how the campaign is affecting workers, one employee at the USA plant, Betty Jones, spoke about the climate in which the workers live:

Some really bad things are happening in Mississippi. They intimidate the workers so that they don’t go near the union.

After hearing about these anti-trade union practices, Paim agreed to organize a meeting with ambassador Agemar Santos, Director of Institutional Relations for the Rio Olympic Games 2016 Organizing Committee.

Marino Vani, IndustriALL’s assistant regional secretary spoke at the hearing. He said:

I am here on behalf of IndustriALL and our six affiliated confederations in Brazil to defend a basic right, which is the right to organize and be represented by a trade union. We want to question Nissan’s policy. We want the companies that sponsor the Olympic Games to act in accordance with the principle of social responsibility. We want to build bridges between the company and the union.